Apologies and a lesson.
For the benefit of my regular reader, who has steadfastly returned to this page almost everyday to see whether it's been updated (thank you Mia) , here's an update.
There is no update weight loss wise - I haven't given up, the project has been put on hold. While I was away in France t'other half suffered an illness, a minor bloodclot. It wasn't particularly serious but for her it could have had serious ramifications because unlike the majority of us she doesn't feed orally, she's an intravenous feeder due to an illness a few years back wiping her intestines out. Consequently her liquid nutrition wasn't able to pass round her body effectively so she's had to go into hospital to have it sorted.
So this has been a pretty stressful time. Not that I've been worrying particularly about Sharon (although I have, naturally) because I know she's now in good hands. Rather it's been difficult with arranging visits (hospital is 40 miles away), sorting out Sharon's affairs (her unfinished work and ebay winnings!) and doing the house thing with a teenager who is constantly requiring ferrying around. There has been the odd long period for me without food and this has been balanced by a goodly helping of curry now and again. That's not strictly true, there haven't been many but there has been the odd occasion when I've been near a restaurant or takeaway and it's been too convenient. I have started to stock up on rabbit food though and that will be consumed soon. Moreover, I'm bored and lonely without her here so there is probably a small amount of comfort eating going on.
I was good in France though. I didn't over-indulge once even though I could so easily have done. Only once did I give into temptation and consume a whole bottle of red wine in an evening. I weighed myself when I got back and although I hadn't lost any weight, I hadn't put any on either. The same a couple of days ago. It seems I have reached my top weight. Unless I dine on lard and don't move I can't see myself actually getting any heavier, it's just so damn uncomfortable. My diet won't get any worse either because I do have that little check inside me that tells me I can't eat that or I'll suffer.
Now the lesson. Sharon's illness was caused largely because she was a smoker. I think she'd agree to that she didn't have a particularly healthy diet at the time either. There couldn't be a more graphic warning about the dangers of smoking and bad diet than what happened to Sharon so I would implore any of you smokers out there to seriously contemplate the very real damage you're doing to yourselves. If you're overweight, you're just doubling the risk of permanent damage and there's no more permament damage than having to feed through a tube for 14 hours a day. Well, apart from death, obviously. Great way to lose weight though. She's quite literally half the woman she was in that respect but the threat of liver failure, diabetes, osteoporosis and more clots is the downside for that.
Giving up smoking doesn't mean you have to put on weight. You may, in fact you probably will, put on a few pounds straight away; I certainly did. The payback though is that you very soon begin to feel healthier and much more confident about undertaking exercise so it's easier to shed those pounds as well. You'll be saving loads of money too so maybe that gym membership is a reality after all. Don't believe all the stories about it being difficult. It's not always as difficult to stop as you may think; it's been built up to be difficult because there's financial interest in it for the patch manufacturers and hypnotherapists. It's also fashionable to struggle. It is though quite easy to start again so that's where you need the willpower. I gave up twice with no huge problems at all. Once after an illness gave me the necessary imperative to stop and the second time I set a date, the day Sharon came out of hospital after losing her bowel. I've hardly ever been tempted (only once, a year after I first gave up - smoked again for 15 months after making the mistake that I thought I could be a social smoker) but what's great is I've never given in to even those since. I learned my lesson well. It really hasn't been difficult and I was a 20-30 a day person who did (and still does) all those smoking related things like angling and going to pubs . I realise that I may well have had an easy ride but I really do wish people would listen to those of us who found it dead easy (and I know I'm not alone) rather than the scaremongers. I was just as addicted, after all!
Yes, I've earned the right to be smug and self-righteous!
There is no update weight loss wise - I haven't given up, the project has been put on hold. While I was away in France t'other half suffered an illness, a minor bloodclot. It wasn't particularly serious but for her it could have had serious ramifications because unlike the majority of us she doesn't feed orally, she's an intravenous feeder due to an illness a few years back wiping her intestines out. Consequently her liquid nutrition wasn't able to pass round her body effectively so she's had to go into hospital to have it sorted.
So this has been a pretty stressful time. Not that I've been worrying particularly about Sharon (although I have, naturally) because I know she's now in good hands. Rather it's been difficult with arranging visits (hospital is 40 miles away), sorting out Sharon's affairs (her unfinished work and ebay winnings!) and doing the house thing with a teenager who is constantly requiring ferrying around. There has been the odd long period for me without food and this has been balanced by a goodly helping of curry now and again. That's not strictly true, there haven't been many but there has been the odd occasion when I've been near a restaurant or takeaway and it's been too convenient. I have started to stock up on rabbit food though and that will be consumed soon. Moreover, I'm bored and lonely without her here so there is probably a small amount of comfort eating going on.
I was good in France though. I didn't over-indulge once even though I could so easily have done. Only once did I give into temptation and consume a whole bottle of red wine in an evening. I weighed myself when I got back and although I hadn't lost any weight, I hadn't put any on either. The same a couple of days ago. It seems I have reached my top weight. Unless I dine on lard and don't move I can't see myself actually getting any heavier, it's just so damn uncomfortable. My diet won't get any worse either because I do have that little check inside me that tells me I can't eat that or I'll suffer.
Now the lesson. Sharon's illness was caused largely because she was a smoker. I think she'd agree to that she didn't have a particularly healthy diet at the time either. There couldn't be a more graphic warning about the dangers of smoking and bad diet than what happened to Sharon so I would implore any of you smokers out there to seriously contemplate the very real damage you're doing to yourselves. If you're overweight, you're just doubling the risk of permanent damage and there's no more permament damage than having to feed through a tube for 14 hours a day. Well, apart from death, obviously. Great way to lose weight though. She's quite literally half the woman she was in that respect but the threat of liver failure, diabetes, osteoporosis and more clots is the downside for that.
Giving up smoking doesn't mean you have to put on weight. You may, in fact you probably will, put on a few pounds straight away; I certainly did. The payback though is that you very soon begin to feel healthier and much more confident about undertaking exercise so it's easier to shed those pounds as well. You'll be saving loads of money too so maybe that gym membership is a reality after all. Don't believe all the stories about it being difficult. It's not always as difficult to stop as you may think; it's been built up to be difficult because there's financial interest in it for the patch manufacturers and hypnotherapists. It's also fashionable to struggle. It is though quite easy to start again so that's where you need the willpower. I gave up twice with no huge problems at all. Once after an illness gave me the necessary imperative to stop and the second time I set a date, the day Sharon came out of hospital after losing her bowel. I've hardly ever been tempted (only once, a year after I first gave up - smoked again for 15 months after making the mistake that I thought I could be a social smoker) but what's great is I've never given in to even those since. I learned my lesson well. It really hasn't been difficult and I was a 20-30 a day person who did (and still does) all those smoking related things like angling and going to pubs . I realise that I may well have had an easy ride but I really do wish people would listen to those of us who found it dead easy (and I know I'm not alone) rather than the scaremongers. I was just as addicted, after all!
Yes, I've earned the right to be smug and self-righteous!
posted by Richard at 9:01 AM
1 Comments:
Hi - thanks for visiting my blog.
You ask about my illnesses - chronic chest disease that isn't going to get better (an adult version of cystic fibrosis) plus generalised progressive osteoarthritis. Lots of medication.
Cats - well I am told I'm allergic but the main reason why I don't keep them is because I live three storeys up in a 1 bedroom flat and I don't think 'house cats' are natural. When I retire I'll spend a lot of time at a cats' rescue home.
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