Ship Shape? Not.

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I may not look like this yet... All dried up, rusty and deteriorated, and unable to move.

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But I'm afraid I'm starting to look like this... Listing to the side of what's healthy, with my cargo shifting precariously and unattractively, and pushing my inner contents out of balance.




While we were building our house, I pretty suddenly put on 10 pounds and had to trade my size 6s for 10s.  I figured it was hormones or something, and felt like it would never drop back off.  But a couple years ago, whoosh! it went, and I was barely, but definitely, back into 6s... Which was particularly nice for the weddings.

Then during April 2012, the 10 lost pounds were found again...mostly around my middle.  I think it was due to imbalances in my system due to stress over my mom's difficult heart surgery, because my dietary and activity habits didn't change.  The sad thing is, it hasn't dropped back off after the stressful period passed.

The other all-too-'interesting' thing that happened recently is my usually low cholesterol numbers jumped up.  My total increased by 40 points, which confounded my doctor a bit.  He said weight and cholesterol levels are linked, but he wouldn't have expected 40 points with 10 pounds. 

Image courtesy of Suat Eman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Truth be told, that in the last few months, because of being frustrated with the extra weight that wouldn't go away, I let my habits slide, and was eating more carbs than normal.  I'm not normally into breads, but had been enjoying the occasional bagel or pastry that I usually eschewed.  I also haven't found a way to get more sleep, which probably isn't helping my overall health, and perhaps affects those numbers?

I have cut back on the carbs, so I hope the cholesterol situation is better, but the weight sure isn't.  Like with budgeting, I don't have any major calorie vice I can cut, like alcohol, soda, or milkshakes, and I am a fairly healthy eater, so I'm not sure how to better my diet.  My gynecologist said she won't discuss any other solutions to weight with me until I have a regular exercise routine.  Claiming to be an active mom of many with stairs in my house, places to go and things to do, and promising that I do get up and move more than I used to, just doesn't do it for her.  She wants to know how many minutes of what focused physical activity/activities, how many times a week.

From My Weight Makeover

On a recent trip to the Big City, Princess Artiste and I had to run for the ferry... about 250 yards, at the end of which I fell into the nearest chair with my heart pounding.  The next day, I biked about 1 3/4 miles (y'know, partly uphill, mostly flattish, and including a good bit of coasting, so that's not much), then walked for 15 minutes on the treadmill at "warm up" speed (2.5 mph).  My legs felt like jelly after.

So I thought if I posted the truth of things here, it would force some accountability in keeping regularly active...gaining strength and stamina.  Hopefully, my metabolism will wake up, the weight will drop, and that tummy fat will disappear.

Current Stats:

Weight: 142 pounds (goal: 127) 

Blood pressure:  OK at 110/68 to 120/70 

Cholesterol: 214 (goal: back down to under 175 with favorable HDL to LDL ratio) 

Weekly exercise: Little to none  (goal: 30 minutes or more, 5 days per week) 

Sleep per night:  5 - 5 1/2 hours (goal: 8 hours+)

I suppose I should post a "Before" photo... But maybe when I have a great "After" to post with it!