Health and Fitness, February
March 18, 2013
This should have been written much earlier but in short: February sucked. So that probably be, meh health, no fitness.
The whole of February was positively miserable, starting from the end of the previous month, with a series of aches and pains that clung to me like PigPen’s trail of dust. I remember saying that the pain was only four days long and that was great because: “It really could easily have gone for ten times that long.”
Remind me to knock wood next time I type something that boneheaded, would you? Just quit tempting fate.
Flu-like symptoms alternated with flu-like depression of the immune system (the next step before actually getting sick); back pain, arms pain, neck pain and knees/hips aches … just to name a few. Unfortunately, that meant absolutely NO gym time. Days blended into weeks and the weeks kept slipping on by before I realized I hadn’t done any exercise except a daily Doggle walks. Every time I remembered I was a slacker, PiC had to remind me that there was really a reason for my long layoff because it’d just melded into the back of my mind. Pain, fatigue and forgetfulness? Not cool. No wonder it feels like I’m losing my mind some days!
Most of the worst symptoms seem to have worn down, though. [knock on wood]
Weight Watcher (aka Why Bother?)
Just for kicks, I started weighing myself during the month of February. Almost every night, at about the same time, and sometimes again in the morning, I hopped on the scale.
This was a really interesting experiment. My weight fluctuated up and down on a five pound range nearly every day, even if my habits were pretty much the same: drink a bit, eat a bit, walk a bit, eat a bit. It didn’t make a difference, the weight just roller-coastered regardless.
This does explain why my pants fit so strangely: too big some days, too small others.
Half a lifetime ago, gaining weight was a challenge of unimaginable proportions. Ectomorphic and somewhat perpetually undereating, I was the scrawniest thing you ever saw. For about ten years, I tried as hard as I could to put on weight because it just felt unhealthy to be that skeletal, despite my general all-around fitness. My aim was to put on muscle, not random weight but eating healthy did not a thing for me. About twenty pounds later, that quest has been largely abandoned. Feeling less scrawny, though perhaps not any healthier.
The most annoying things about being the weight I am: not being able to give blood, and having to tailor every darn piece of clothing. Tch.
:: What’ve you done to stay healthy or fit this month?
I’ve been trying to stay away from take out as much as possible, and I’ve started running too. I find that my weight fluctuates too,
Yay! Are you running outdoors much?
“What’ve you done to stay healthy or fit this month?” I didn’t take up smoking. LOL February was a poor month for exercise. After running a half, it went downhill.
Hah! I’m still counting that as a win! When was your half?
It was 2/17! I’ve ran a few times since but not a lot. I ran once during my conference trip. From which I came from with a cold so I haven’t done much expect take the dog on one long walk. =(
I really want to replace my micoach. I am terrible at pacing myself! I will be running and feeling like I’m going super slow only to find just the opposite (relatively speaking, of course!) and vice versa. Also, I’m looking into setting up a home gym in my spare space. I’m thinking non treadmill for cross training.
I spent January on the treadmill at the gym – felt like a prison cell. Discovered that I could still run (previous knee problem made me think those days were over). “Run” isn’t probably the right word – more like shuffle, but it’s lovely to be outdoors again, even if still quite chilly. Found Dr. Dukan recipe book at charity shop. Would never do a protein only diet, but am trying some of his recipes which have introduced us to quark and fromage frais. We still have a pile of steamed veggies on the side and fresh fruit for dessert, so no harm done.
So glad for you that you can still run/jog! It’s such a great way to enjoy the outdoors, I’m sure. Personally I’m a wimp who still has to learn limits so that’s not for me yet but I do remember how lovely it is.
Quark and fromage frais: I wonder if PiC would enjoy that. I have texture issues but I bet he might try it.
I am trying to quit my ramen habit, specifically Shin Ramen. They’re just so darn easy to make and so tasty. I fool myself into thinking they’re good for me by adding veggies. I’m trying to go from eating them 2-3 times a week to 2-3 times a month or less.
My sister has the same issue with weight, and she’s tired of people thinking she’s anorexic.
Oh Ramen – I have an unhealthy love of it too! At least you add veggies though, I usually don’t have any ramen-suitable veggies. Instead, I try to avoid eating it more than once a week.
I suppose I don’t care about what people think, I just don’t want to hear it. 🙂
This month I’ve been doing a lot of running and just added back swimming and light weight lifting. It has been a busy fitness month. Also doing better with eating in.
*applause* That sounds like all kinds of fun! Are you cooking anything new?
Glad to hear the symptoms are dissipating (and hopefully they’ve stayed gone!). Hopefully March is going okay for you in terms of aches and pains, the month is almost over, I have my fingers crossed 🙂
We share the same annoyance with our weight – the inability to give blood! Though I am sure if I did meet the weight requirement I would probably run in another road block – low iron level or low blood pressure most likely.
Thank you ma’am! March has been MUCH better than February so far – I’m ever so grateful.
re: blood donations, it’s quite annoying! Then I looked into marrow donation because weight shouldn’t be a factor there but it turns out that my fibro eliminates me from that. ><
[…] was WAY better than February. […]