(no subject)

[lillian13]

I just heard that Diana Wynne Jones has passed away. I've been reading her books most of my life, and it feels like I've lost a friend, though I never got a chance to meet her in person.

*sigh*

I took the dressing off my knee and I now have 3 new teeny scars to go with the previous two. I also have to wear something called an Anti-Embolism Elastic Stocking for 6 days. It's white. It goes from my toes to the top of my thigh. It's too warm to wear long pants. yay?

My brother came over with dinner last night and we had a nice talk (since we avoided politics and religion).  My ortho doc had called him--if I don't reduce the stress on my knee --aka, LOSE WEIGHT--I'll be in a wheelchair in 10 years. Not acceptable.

Time to get fucking serious about this. Does anyone have any tips about working out?

I'm really working hard to eat better, though it's going to take a while to break the bad habits of almost 50 years. I have been feeding myself since I can remember. My mama wasn't big on cooking and was more than happy to have me take as much responsilbility for myself as I could as soon as I could. (I'm pretty sure I freaked out my sister-in-law when I asked her why the kids weren't cooking dinner...when they were 9.) So I never really learned how to eat correctly.

I really want to go to the Zilker Garden Festival tomorrow, Hm, I'll even fork out for the $3 parking, since they have golf carts to ferry you to and from the parking lot. I need to replace some plants that died in the Great Freeze this winter (um...that would be most of them, lol).

Comments

[blueraccoon]

I don't have any tips for working out. However, based on how much weight you have to lose (I have no idea what your BMI is) you may want to look into either lap-band or gastric bypass surgery. It was the only way for me that I could really get the weight off.

(I am hearing less than good things about lap-band lately, but I know it's worked well for a lot of people so whatever.)

[tehomet]

Your doctor called your brother? Isn't that illegal (patient confidentiality, etc)?!

As far as working out goes, I have no tips as I have never done so. I just go for walks with the dogs. So I have nothing useful on that score.

As far as nutrition goes, I suggest you have a look at the vegan RD. I realise you're not vegan, but nonetheless, the principles of healthy eating are the same for everyone. Eating mostly vegan, is a very easy way to almost accidentally reach one's ideal weight, as it's basically eating lots of vegetables and wholegrains, cooked with no cholestrol vegetable oils (such as olive or sunflower) and served up with nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and with fruit as dessert. It's automatically low in fat, salt, and sugar. I try to avoid processed food. I have been eating six meals a day plus snacks since I went mostly-vegan and the weight has started to melt off me without me meaning it to. Obviously, if you're a meat eater, there are judicious amounts of protein to be had from low fat cuts of meat (e.g. grilled steak, chops, fish, chicken). Have a read anyway, if you like, and see what you think. The biggest revelation for me (already a vegetarian for several decades) is how many servings of wholegrain (e.g. brown rice risotto, brown bread) I should have been eating per day and wasn't. I supposed it isn't that surprisingly that one can't feel full on salad.

I had to relearn nutrition too, as my folks were beef and dairy farmers, so being vegetarian meant eating a lot of cheese, etc, which is nice but not ideal. :)

[lillian13]

No worries about doctor/patient confidentiality--my brother is a doc and my doc as well. :-)

I have been tempted by a couple of vegon cookbooks, namely the Veganomicon. Any opinions?

[tehomet]

No worries about doctor/patient confidentiality--my brother is a doc and my doc as well. :-)

Okay. Sorry about that!

I have been tempted by a couple of vegon cookbooks, namely the Veganomicon. Any opinions?

I have the Veganomicon and it is good. (Incidentally, the same authors have a new one called Appetite for Reduction which might interest you.) However, I find the authors often require stuff I have to shop for somewhere unusual, and the recipes tend to take zillions of ingredients and loads of time and many steps to prepare. I mean, the quicker things to make are marked, but even so, it's quite a complicated set of recipes.

So I prefer Sarah Kramer's cookbooks. Of all her titles, her La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin' Made Easy is specifically designed to be a collection of recipes that are healthy and delicious, while still quick and easy to prepare. In this cookbook, any (rare) recipe that takes more than 15 minutes is specially marked, which is more like it. :D

Of all my cookbooks, it's the one I use most and which most of my captive audience here seem to like the food from the best. Especially as I am usually feeding 8 or more people at a go, and most of them are meat eaters.

[james]

My advice is, whatever you try, take it in SMALL steps. Trying to do too much all at once pretty much guarantees failure, which is depressing and demotivating. But small, easy steps reinforce the positives of making changes.

So instead of "I"m going to work out for half an hour every day!" you can workout in ten minute segments, one or two a day. And don't feel bad if you have to bribe yourself into doing it, or do it in front of the tv so you are distracted or entertained.

We got a set of bike pedals from target for about $70. It sits on the floor and you sit in a chair and pedal. It isnt the most strenuous workout, but it takes the pressure off your knees, and is convenient and easy, and is better than sitting still! Add some light handweights (or two small, full water bottles) while you pedal and you're off to an even better workout.

[lillian13]

No worries on taking it slow! I'm enrolled in a class at my workplace called HEED (Healthy Eating Every Day) to teach me how to eat like an adult and I also get a personal training session once a week. I can hardly wait until the knee is at at 100% because my trainer is awesome and wants to get me really sweating.

[james]

Awesome, in taking a class! I have found that keeping a visual record helps me - it reinforces to me how often I do (and don't!) work out. I got some stickers and put one on the calendar for that day when I've gone to the gym. So it's easy to see if I think "Oh, I've only missed one or two days" - I can look and see that no, I've missed five. It helps when I think I want to skip working out, because I can see that I do need to go. (And I got AWESOME stickers! So my inner four year old WANTS HER STICKER.)

There's a lot you can do to work out from a seated position as well; look around to see if you can rent a video or dvd. I've seen programs for yoga and strength training while seated.