Unfortunately, my first reflection of the year is not a good one. I had my annual physical today, and my doctor confirmed what I've already known for sometime: I have bad lifestyle habits that are only increasing my health risks, particularly the ones my family history predisposes me to anyway - obesity, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes. I'm not in a terribly awful place yet, but I'm continually creeping closer with each year.
My doctor (who was super great to talk to and thorough about my physical, by the way; I am so glad I switched physicians!) gave me a little brochure about how to lower my blood pressure, and other tips and warnings about my exercise and eating habits. I totally know and agree with her about everything she's saying; my problem is that I never seem to consistently put it into practice.
I have a serious discipline issue; without external motivators like deadlines or having to meet someone else's expectations, I'm incredibly lazy. I don't do anything consistently just for my own good except perhaps sleep - an even that I don't do consistently the way that I should. I'll start off with a new idea, keep it up for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and then just peter out when I let other things get in the way.
Everyone says to choose changes that will make sense with who you are and what you know is feasible; but it's not that (in most cases) I'm trying things that can't be done. I'm just trying things that require effort, and change from what I prefer for my immediate gratification. It's not impossible to walk home a portion of my commute, even in the cold months; it's not impossible not to go eat from McDonald's or Wendy's when I need lunch, it's not impossible to go grocery shopping so that I don't have to eat out for lunch, it's not impossible to set a bedtime and a wake up time and stick to them both. I just don't, 'cause I don't feel like it and the harm isn't so immediate that it prompts me to action.
I'm treating my body much like we're treating the earth as a society these days, using it up and doing bad things to it because those things are quick and easy and get me things I want right now without having to deal with the horrible consequences right away. But of course, my body - like the planet - gets damaged and run down and things stop working properly and it gets harder and harder to do what I need or want and eventually it all catches up to me and I'll get sick and die, first slowly and uncomfortably, then acutely and painfully. I'm not trying to be morbid; that's the real deal on what's about to happen. What's funny is that I've actually made more lifestyle changes to try and "save the planet" (although, admittedly, not many or large ones) than I am willing to do to stay alive and well.
Well, in the spirit of new years and resolutions and all that jazz, let's see how long I can keep up the following. If someone would remember to periodically ask me about this and try and keep me accountable, that would actually be super helpful (external motivators, remember?).
- I'm just not allowed to go to McDonald's, Wendy's or Burger King. Seriously.
- I'm also not allowed to drink soda. Water, tea, or real juice ... oh, plus alcohol. ;-)
- In good weather, I should try to walk home from work 2-3 times a week; in less amenable weather, I should at least walk home from Central Square that many times a week.
- I should take the stairs up to my office when I first come in, and always take the stairs down.
- I need to go grocery shopping every week, to buy the following for the week ahead: cereal and milk for breakfast; bread and lean meats for lunch; fruits and nuts for snacks; some sort of green vegetables and some sort of grain (rice, corn, something) for dinner.
PS. I'd like to state for the record that ideal body weights and BMIs published for the general population are kind of horse-dookie, since they don't take into account any variations of body type by ethnicity. The last time I was at the "average" weight they say I should be at now, I was 17 years old and a state-level sprinter.
PPS. The "girlie parts" portion of my annual exam will be looked back on by medical historians as a barbaric, invasive technique that was originated by someone who was definitely not trying to practice his love with women (as our outgoing President recommends).
8 comments:
Pardon me for throwing in my 2 cents. :)
First of all, GOOD FOR YOU! for writing this post and thinking these thoughts. You have to practice thinking about the long-term implications of your actions if you want them to impact your moment-to-moment decisions. Keep blogging! OR journaling, or whatever.
Secondly, you are so not alone. It is the way of all humans to resist changes, or to try something new and "improved" for a while and then lapse back into old patterns. They are our old patterns for good reason!
On to your resolutions:
1. Seriously. Why would you WANT to eat at such places? Your homework is to read "Fast Food Nation" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma," and watch "Supersize Me" WITH deleted scenes. Every time you pass McDonald's, think about the feedlots, the slaughterhouse workers, the tomato pickers, and just how DO they manage to keep so many foods on the Dollar Menu? Mold doesn't eat McDonald's French Fries, so they must not be food! If you aren't grossed out at the sight of Golden Arches after this, you have no soul. :-)
2. There are many many reasons not to drink soda, even diet soda. You can drink milk, though.
3. Have you considered commuting by bike? I know Cambridge is no Portland when it comes to bike lanes and such, but get yourself a nice road bike with disc brakes (for rainy days), some waterproof bags, and a little rain suit. Take the bus if there's ice on the street. Bikes are SO MUCH FUN!!!
4. Stairs are good. I have nothing to add here.
5. Do you have time to scramble an egg and fry a slice of turkey bacon for breakfast instead of cereal? What about oatmeal with a big ol' glob of peanut butter stirred in? How about a big hearty lunch salad instead of a sandwich? (I buy the big box of mixed spring greens and add carrots, celery, bell pepper, avocado, chickpeas or kidney beans, shredded chicken, almonds, flax seed... it's amazing how filling salad can be, and if I chop and save it doesn't take any longer than a sandwich to make.)
P.S. BMI's have been over-interpreted to mean something they were never intended for. Yes, disease risk is lowest for people whose BMI's are 19-25, statistically speaking. Does that mean each individual is necessarily "less healthy" if his/her BMI falls outside that? Nope - those are completely different statements.
P.P.S. As long as HPV exists and there is screening for cervical cancer, there will be speculums. Sorry.
I think I just haven't watched any of those movies recently enough ... I was off fast food for quite a while after I saw Supersize Me, and then recently I've been falling back into it for some reason. I love that - "mold doesn't eat McDonald's french fries." Priceless!
I am generally off soda, and most of what I drink is just plain water, either flat or fizzy. My soda drinking is also associated with the fast food eating, in most cases. I can't actually drink a lot of milk, either, because I am lactose-intolerant ... this is one of the things that always baffles me about the food pyramids that have milk as a major component, since there are lots of people for whom this is a no-no.
I don't have a bike, although I've considered getting one. Honestly, biking in traffic scares me, and the stories of my biking friends don't help. So I go for the walking, and the stairs, which are an easy change from my normal commuting pattern. I do so hate the stairs in my office, and they never get any easier (not even when our elevator was out for three months and I had to walk up the stairs the whole summer), but some things you have to just suck up and do. The hill to my house falls under the same category. :-)
Oatmeal is definitely under the "cereal" category for my breakfast, but I do love an old-fashioned bowl of flakes and milk. I try and go for healthier cereals and organic cereal. I have a really hard time with salad! I've tried and tried, but I'll end up leaving big bags or bunches of salad fixings to rot in the fridge, so I'd rather not waste and try to get something I know I will eat, even if it's not as healthy as salad. I do like carrots, though - good snack.
BTW, I understand speculums are a necessary evil and the best option we have right now ... but you have to admit, they are no fun!
See, I thought you were lactose intolerant, but then you mentioned milk for your cereal so I figured I just made that up!
I hated salads for years, too. I still shudder at the thought of iceberg lettuce with oily dressing. Who thinks that's good??? It wasn't until I could re-define for myself what "salad" meant, and until I discovered Annie's Goddess Dressing, that I actually started to eat it. The other big turning point was when we started getting a produce delivery service in Portland, which came with whatever was fresh that week and a bunch of recipe ideas for those veggies. Thus I came to love kale, collards, beets and chard. Mmmmm.
I would bet there's some kind of group that teaches bike commuting safety. It would be worth checking out!
Glad you're taking these steps, chica--I'd like to keep you around. :)
I'd say, in order to help you keep your resolutions, find replacements that you like and look forward to--e.g., replace your McD's with a tuna sandwich on whole wheat from a deli, for instance. (I don't know if you actually like tuna, but you get the idea.)
Also, here are a couple of suggestions...
Substitute whole wheat pasta for regular pasta.
Cook with barley or brown rice instead of white rice.
Make red wine your favorite alcohol...supposedly it wards off heart disease.
If you don't end up walking to work as much as you want to, why not take up salsa (or other ballroom dancing) again? You were always great at dancing, and if I had the body of a ballroom dancer I'd be thrilled. :-)
I'm not really in any position to give you suggestions, though (in fact if anything works for you, pass it on and I will try it!!). I was really just going to say, yay, new blog posting! I was so tired of looking at the PDA pic. ;-)
Hey chica--how's the food thing going? Public accountability. Heheh. (Feel free to ask about my flossing in exchange.)
A new post is up, just for you, my dear ... And how is your flossing? :) Are you having difficulty with regularity, or technique?
Regularity...I really should do it every night, but it's only 2-4 times per week...
Thanks for the update! Good on ya for keeping the stairs resolution especially--I tried to do that where I was working in NY and failed miserably.
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