My Journey Before Weight Watchers

August 14, 2000
Well, here I am, determined to start again. I've restarted, and stopped, and started, and stopped. Today, however, was quite the wake-up call. I had an appointment with a surgeon, and anticipated that I would have to have knee surgery on one or both of my knees. Turns out that I have a congenital deformity that can't be helped by surgery. The only thing I can do at this point is further strengthen my legs, and lose weight. I have been really successful at strengthening my legs during physical therapy, but I haven't succeeded at weight loss at all. I tried and tried to do the low carb thing, but I just hate all that meat, and I miss fruits and vegetables that are restricted. My husband and I are going to try to do the 'healthy diet' approach, and increase our exercise. I've just got to do this, or I'm not going to be able to walk eventually. That ought to be pretty good motivation!

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July 1, 2000
Well, I've been on and off the low carb diet thing several times, all the while knowing it's the best thing for me to do. I'm restarting in 2 days, after I go to the grocery store (LOL!) I've been getting physical therapy for my knee, and for the severe tendinitis in my elbow. I've had to change how I use my computer, and equipment like keyboards and mouses have been replaced with more ergonomic devices. I haven't worked on this website because I haven't wanted to make my elbows worse. It's healing nicely, though, so I thought it was time to get back to it. I haven't been to the pool in weeks because of the elbow, so of course, my knee is much worse. I've been faithfully doing my knee exercises from the physical therapists all week, though, and I'm hoping that it will start helping soon. Right now all it does is make my knee hurt worse!

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April 9, 2000
I'm finally out of the hinged knee brace, and looking forward to going to work out in the pool tomorrow morning. I'm sure I'll be right back at square one, but that's OK. At least I'll be doing something. I had so much more energy when I was going to the pool, and it'll be nice to have that much energy again. My knee is a lot better than it's been in months, and I'm very grateful about that! I've lost about 12 pounds, but I've been off my diet for several days. I'm getting back on track tomorrow, though!

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March 24, 2000
Well, I tore a tendon in my bad knee almost 3 weeks ago (March 4), and have to wear a hinged brace that keeps me from bending it too far. I've been afraid to go to the pool, and haven't been able to figure out how to get in and out of my brace without help, even if I did go! My husband has to help me get it off every night. It's hot, and itchy, and I hate it. I have to wear it until at least April 4th, when I see the doctor again. I'm hoping he'll say I don't have to wear the brace any more, but who knows. I'm still on the low-carb diet, and have lost 7.5 pounds since March 2. I've cheated a couple of times, once for pizza, and once for Mexican, but overall I'm very pleased with how I'm doing. I just wish I could go back to the pool!!

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March 3, 2000
Well, I've averaged going to the pool about 2 times a week since the middle of February. My knee is feeling better, but I haven't lost an ounce and my blood pressure is still high. I went to the doctor yesterday, and he added medication to reduce my insulin resistance, since my blood sugar reading have been gradually climbing up. He wasn't ready to officially diagnose me with Type II Diabetes yet. We're both hoping that with the increased exercise, and the low carb diet I started yesterday, I won't progress beyond this point. I'm hoping to increase my exercise frequency to 5 times a week, so that should help. What's really amazed me is how much I enjoy going to the pool to work out. I do exercises specifically for my patellofemoral syndrome and plantar fasciitis. I also use water weights for upper body work. I swim as many laps as possible, and intersperse those laps with laps of walking and jogging in the water. It's four feet deep, and I'm only five feet tall, so the water provides plenty of resistance for walking/jogging. My joints don't hurt when I'm in the warm water, and after I finish my hour workout, I spend some time in the whirlpool and sauna or steam room. I get up at 4:30 in the morning, and am at the Wellmont Wellness Center by 5:30, so for me to say I enjoy it is a big deal!

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February 15, 2000
Well, I've been doing nothing healthy, apparently having decided to wait until Thursday when I have an appointment with the trainer at the wellness center to make any positive changes in my life. What a sorry reason for postponing. I just discovered that, according to the American Diabetes Association guidelines, I'm already a borderline Type II diabetic. I was stunned, and ashamed. I have the body of a 70 year-old, and I'm only 41. I've got to make some changes. Thursday can't get here soon enough! I'm getting pretty psyched up about working out in the pool, though, as I used to be quite a good swimmer and diver. At least my stroke will be pretty, even if I can only do 5 strokes before stopping!

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February 9, 2000
Well, the doctor put me on anti-hypertensive (high blood pressure) medication yesterday. I can't start it until I get rid of this respiratory infection and stop taking medication for it. That was the next-to-last nail in my coffin. The only thing left for my obesity to cause is Type II diabetes, and I'm well on my way to having that as well. I ordered a knee brace yesterday at the doctor's instruction. He doesn't want me to do weight bearing exercise, like walking on the treadmill, until I get in better shape. He wants me to ride the exercise bicycle instead, but with the knee brace on to control the movement of my kneecap. He also wants me to work in a heated swimming pool to strengthen my knee. Right now I'm in a lot of pain because of it (I have patellofemoral syndrome), and it hurts so bad to ride the bike, but the knee brace should help. I've just got to get control of this weight and fitness thing somehow. Midmorning update: I've just committed to joining a wellness center run by a local hospital in order to "rehab" my knee. The program will be designed by a rehabilitation specialist, and will involve exercises done in the heated pool. This should increase my mobility and my fitness level. Many years ago, I was quite a swimmer, and even worked as a lifeguard. I'm so out of shape now that I couldn't even swim one lap, I'm sure, but this is at least a start. The have other programs, in addition to the pool that I may try to take advantage of later, once I'm in better shape. I'm really dreading going, because of how I look, but I'm excited, too, to actually be doing something positive. The appointment is on Feb. 17th.

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February 7, 2000
Waning Commitment Already? Well, I've been eating better, but not good enough to really make things better. I've lost half a pound, which sure beats gaining, I guess, but I've got to work on my already sagging commitment to getting healthy! I've got to quit using excuses not to exercise. Yesterday I had a killer migraine, and spent the day in bed. I have no good reason not to have exercised the day before that, and the day before that...you know the drill. I have just read in Kerri Smith's story about how she did a "Cost/Benefit" analysis (subconsciously) when she had surgery for uterine cancer and related surgeries for infections, and she concluded that the "cost" of eating inappropriately was too high. The benefit of eating right was higher. Somehow I have to internalize this. I have to view the "cost" of eating high fat, non-nutritious food and not exercising as not worth losing the benefit of exercise and nutritious food. When I was in Weight Watchers, they used to always say, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I'd like to change that to, "Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels." It's not about thin for me, as I'll never really be thin, but I can be healthier if I just work at it.

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February 2, 2000
The 21-day exercise commitment. Well, I actually got up this morning and did the knee exercises that my orthopedist prescribed. I also did some upper body work on our Total Gym 2000. I can certainly understand why I'm having problems with my right knee, since some of the exercises were really hard. When I tried them with my left leg, they weren't difficult at all. My big commitment at this point is to exercise, in some form, every day for the next 21 days. A friend at work who also hated to exercise said she read that if you'd do it for 21 days, it would become a routine and you wouldn't dread it anymore. It worked for her. She now gets up every morning and walks on the treadmill. She doesn't even think about not doing it anymore. I have always looked for excuses not to exercise, like having a headache, or being too tired, or having an upset stomach. Of course, all of these things would be helped by my being more fit, so that's pretty self defeating! So, 20 more days to go!

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February 1, 2000
Knowing what's really important. I hope this section will make me feel like a friend to you, someone who understands how hard it is, and is working just as hard as you are (or hope to). I've finally really began to understand that in order for this to work, it has to be the most important thing. If you already feel guilty for having that thought, STOP! I know, kids are important, and husbands are important, and your religion or faith is important. In order for any of us to succeed, though, taking control of our health has to be MOST important. You'll be a better parent, you'll be a better spouse, you'll be a better employee (and miss less work), you'll have a stronger faith, if you can just take care of this one thing first: Your Health! Today, I commit to putting forth the effort that's needed to do that. I'm going to make changes, and I'm going to stick with them. I want to be around for my husband. I want to be strong, and fit and healthy. I am going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

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