Perendination Ponderings
March 14, 2022
Well, here we are on Spring Break 2022, so you know what that means!
Party time? Nah. Sleep for days—Ha! I wish! Nope, for me, it means a list of stuff to do a mile long that has been being neglected, put off, ignored, and otherwise not happening. Of course, some would argue that sitting here and writing this is another form of procrastination, but to them I say, “Why procrastinate when you can perendinate?”
The Biggest Loser Again
First off, let me update you with some interesting NSV’s I had last week. I mentioned before that my job was doing their version of the Biggest Loser Challenge. We had our first weigh-in on Friday, February 25. At that point, I was in the lead with 13 pounds lost, and my teammate was second with 11 pounds lost, so our team was also in first place! I was so excited, and went on about my life, ready to knock it out of the park at the final weigh-in in late April.
Little did I know, a sneaky culprit was waiting in the wings for me! We had a mid-point weigh-in this past Friday. I had been not feeling so great last week on Wednesday and Thursday, and the weather had turned a bit cold, so I’d been happily stuffing my face (more on that in a bit), and was NOT prepared for a weigh-in on that day. I found out at about 5pm on Thursday that there would be a weigh-in on Friday morning! Eeek!
Cue the weird non-scale victory.
I knew I had to do something to help my team out and not sabotage them. I had weighed the first two times with shoes on, so I would be required to do so again; however, my normal work shoes are fairly heavy sneakers, so I thought, I’ll run by Wal-Mart and grab some lightweight ballet flats to cut down on my weight. I’ll also weight the lightest-weight clothing I can find in my closet that is work appropriate. Well, that also proved a challenge because most of my work stuff is more sturdy and lasting. I went anyway to have a look at Wally World, and found some very lightweight shoes for less than $6—score!
Then I thought about a long t-shirt that I have and a nice flannel duster I could put over top of it (that counts as a “jacket" so it comes off for the weigh-in), and I thought that some leggings would be almost nothing on the weight factor… certainly less than any of my dress slacks or jeans. I went to the plus section of the store, bought a size right off the shelf (still a 3X, but no longer the biggest they have), and thought that they’re supposed to be stretchy so I’ll have some wiggle room, and they’re five bucks, so if it doesn’t work, well, it doesn’t work. Not only did they work, they fit comfortably, and I didn’t feel like everyone was staring at the fat girl in spandex all day!!! It was awesome!
Oh, and I came in at one pound down from my previous weigh-in at work. My team is still in first place, but apparently most everyone in the building forgot that Friday was a weigh-in. Many people had gained and had to pay into the pot., So, even though this was a sort of victory, it also taught me a thing or two that I need to be more mindful of, which brings me to my next point.
Weight Care is Self Care—If You Actually Care
I have gotten a bit out of the habits I had been building. I have eaten less appropriately and mindfully, and I have been skipping my routines on days when I just needed more sleep or just felt like I couldn’t really face the day for whatever reason. I realized on Thursday night when I was eschewing all food that I can’t go around treating my body like shit for five days, then “eat clean” for one and fast for one so I do well on weigh-in day. That’s no way to be. This is a full-time endeavor. Not every week has been that way, but two or three have, and I can’t let that become more. There are always going to be mitigating factors, and I’m always going to want all of the yummy things. I can have them. That’s fine. I just can’t have all of them all of the time. See, I got into this for the right reasons, and when I start to get so busy that I have down times and off days, I have to remember my whys. I have many of them.
And speaking of shit….
This may be delving into the realm of TMI, but it needs to be said.
One of the things I need to remember about this weight care journey is that this is, overall, a delicate balancing act. I am having success with the meds, yes, but it is also the coaching and the mindfulness and the consistent focus on the prize. The meds help, but meds alone won’t do it. And the meds, taken alone, have their own set of issues, namely side effects. One of those side effects, the only one that’s been bothersome to me, really, is constipation (there, I said it).
Again, though, this goes back to balance. It’s not really a problem if you plan and prepare for it. I simply had to do a little research. For example, did you know that there are at least six different types of laxatives available out there? I had no idea. After reading some information, I figured out what I needed for my particular situation, and I have added a regular dose to my routine of meds twice a week. This seems to have done the trick. I also realized that, as I am aging, my bones and my joints are more and more and more angry with me. On the recommendation of my best friend, who also has suffered these maladies, I have also added in a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement. This has helped with some of those general aches and pains, though sometimes, in the mornings, my knees still feel—and sound—a bit like old, rusty gears with sand stuck in them! Regardless, I am taking each day as it comes and working to balance the equation each time a new variable appears.
Oh, About That Title—Perendination
I have done the same with this post…. I started writing it on Monday, put it away to focus on other things. I let it sit and fester, and I lost track of about half the things I think I wanted to say. Since then, I have had another weigh-in day, and today is Thursday. Most of my Spring Break has passed. I haven’t done much with it. That long list of things I needed to do has remained largely undone. I checked off maybe three or four things. But, it is supposed to be my vacation, after all! In any case, please find the obligatory update below.