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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Reflections on Life: Aches and Pains

So, I've talked about aging and how I'm heavier than I was as a girl.  I mean, who isn't?  I've talked about getting rid of the extra weight with healthy eating and exercise.  And, I have lost about 40 pounds (and kept it off) over the last two years.  Yay me!  The problem is the aches and pains that come with every day life and how they get even worse with exercise.

I have really bad knees and a bad back.  I get up in the morning, or even up, out of my chair, after sitting for awhile, and I can barely move.  I hobble around like an old woman.  Once I move around a bit, I loosen up and it isn't as bad.  But the pain is excruciating! My knees ache 24/7. My back not so much, but after cleaning or moving around a lot, I am bent over.

I've been to the doctor.  He said my knees are bad (duh), but that surgery is not a necessity for another 5-10 years.  Well, I don't want surgery at all, doc, so what else can we do?  He put me on an anti-inflammatory which works great, but I also have to take a tummy medicine because the anti-inflammatory could mess it up.  He says, walk on, flat ground or do some sort of water work out.  I can wear knee sleeves--not braces--when I'm working out.  Ok, doc . . . Working on that.  But the vicious cycle is that it hurts so much to do the exercise that I don't want to do it and if I don't do it, it gets worse.  So, I am doing it . . . Slowly, but surely.  And this month, I'm joining a gym.  A new 24 Hour Fitness just opened near me and they have a pool.  That will be my key, a pool, I think.

As for healthy eating, well, it's time to get back on track.  I was doing very well and then I quit smoking in early October.  I still did very well with it--I didn't start compensating for cigarettes and I was fine.  And then, Halloween came and I thought I could do one day of junk.  One day became two, two became three, and the next thing I know, two months has passed and I've gained 10 pounds . . . 10 pounds that I worked so hard to get off.  So, I'm back on track and I have to say no to junk.  I have to substitute veggies when I'm "hungry" and I have to drink more water.  Sidebar:  I am 90+ days smoke-free, so I'm not complaining.

 I believe that with hard work, perseverance, ice, and maybe even alcohol, I will overcome and get the weight down even more which will help with the aches and pains and even other things that need to be controlled, like diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

Until next time, much love and peace.

2 comments:

  1. As we get older we encounter more issues, both mentally and psychically, but you are right when you say that hard work, perseverance and a few other things will help us make it through it.

    Good luck on your battles, and hopefully everything will work out for the best for you and your body.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement. Certainly needed today--feeling blechy. Yes, blechy is a word and I feel like it. :)

      Thanks for stopping by, MM. Lovin' your blogs.

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