Wednesday, January 13, 2010

HeavyWeight

So far my quest to be in my best shape ever by my 50th birthday leaves something to be desired. Not only have I not been to the gym since before Christmas, I've also managed to gain a few more pounds from enjoying too much holiday fun and fellowship.

I'm blaming it on the hormones. You, know ... those mid-life hormones everyone makes such a fuss about? I use to think they didn't really exist. How bad could it be, really? Well, now I know! The arrival of the holidays combined with a drastically intensified craving for sweets made this a particularly dangerous season for me. For a solid month, I gobbled down candy and cookies like there was no tomorrow, promising myself that each indulgence would be my last.

Famous last words, huh?

Once the New Year began I resumed some control. I cut out all candy and cookies (but not sugar altogether) As a result, I've lost two of the four pounds I picked up during all the festivities. That leaves me with the original ten pounds I put on over the summer, plus another four or five I'd like to get rid of while I'm at it.

The process has been delayed a little thanks to unforeseen circumstances. One of our friends passed away on January 2, then we had company here from Africa to attend the funeral. After that, Walt and I both got sick with some kind of virus. Obviously not the kind of virus that causes any weight loss, but the kind that makes a person want to lay around and eat comfort food.

Ugh!

It's time to get crackin' again! I am going to go back to the gym today (really, I am!) I don't feel like doing a bunch of jumping around, so Zumba class is out, but I will at least get on the treadmill for thirty minutes and see if I can't jump start my metabolism. After that, I'll resume my "at home" workout with crunches and all that other fun stuff that makes me want to scream.

I had another interesting routine doctor's visit last week as well. We went through the same old song and dance about my low iron levels so I'm back on iron supplements again. After the visit, I came home and researched the causes of low iron (for the four hundredth time in my life) and discovered it's common for people with hypothyroidism to have low ferritin levels, which lead to anemia.

Why didn't my doctor know that?

I was also intrigued by some information I found concerning low body temperature. (Remember, I was complaining before about always being cold?) There's something called "Wilson's Temperature Syndrome" which is oddly enough associated with hypothyroidism. Although the Synthroid I've been taking seems to fix the low thyroid problem, I learned it can actually cause misleading blood test results. I ordered some supplements from a holistic health website. It's my hope that they will work at least a minor miracle and I'll feel better overall.

Oh! And drop some more weight, of course.

Seven months from today, I will turn 50. Wow! What a sobering thought. I've only got seven months left in which to complete my transformation. That means this Grandma needs to get off the couch and start moving again!

Becky Taylor
http://www.boldnewday.com

January 13, 2010

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Call Me Frigid!

Our area is experiencing a record breaking cold spell. This morning we actually have a wind chill advisory in effect, something I've not heard mentioned since I moved to Georgia nearly six years ago. Not only that, but we had measurable snowfall night before last, most of which is actually still on the ground.

The roads are an icey mess! I heard of at least one 27 car pile up near the airport. The news is filled with video footage of cars sliding into each other, or into ditches and embankments. Needless to say, towing companies have been working non-stop for about 48 hours now.

In people's homes, pipes are bursting everywhere! Plumbers in the area cannot keep up with the demand for their services.

Being from Ohio, I am all too familiar with snow and below freezing temperatures. What I am not accustomed to is being able to stay inside while it's happening. For the first time in my adult life, I don't have a job that requires me to leave the house during nasty weather. Even in Ohio when the authorities declared a level 3 or 4 "snow emergency" (which means a person could literally be arrested for being out on the highway) I had the dubious privilege of working in the medical field, which meant I had to go to work, no matter what!

Call me a Diva if you will. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm a total sissy when it comes to winter weather. I don't like being cold and will do whatever possible to avoid it. Cold seems to go right through me. Throw a steady wind in there, and I swear I'll have a tantrum! Once I've gotten a chill, it takes me forever to warm back up again.

So, get me to a warmer climate, and get me there NOW! Give me palm trees and a sandy beach. I want to bask in the blazing sunshine while the sounds of the ocean waves lull me to sleep.

I don't care if I never see snow or feel cold again!

Since I do not foresee any tropical climates in my near future, today I will thank God for the blessing of being able to sit at home in my robe and pajamas, a blanket tucked around me, cup of hot coffee in hand, and a fire burning in the fireplace.

Despite my self admitted "Diva" status, I truly do understand how fortunate I am ...maybe not quite as fortunate as those other Divas who are out there lying on the beach somewhere ... but I know I am very fortunate and do not take that for granted.

For the sake of those less fortunate, I pray a quick end to this awful freezing weather, and in the meantime a shelter with blankets, hot food and drink, and a fire of their own to keep them warm.



God bless!

Becky J. Taylor
http://www.boldnewday.com

Jan. 9, 2010

Monday, January 4, 2010

Bad Stuff Happens!

I'm not ashamed to admit that my New Years celebration this past weekend had more to do with being happy to see 2009 go away than it had to do with seeing 2010 come in! Some may say this is a pessimistic approach, but I disagree. My mindset doesn't indicate that I've spent un-necessary time looking back at the many disasters the former year brought, it only shows that I knew all along it would have to end at some point ... and I was looking forward to that certain end!

I don't care how positive a person is, one thing is for sure. Bad things do happen! For our family, 2009 was filled with particularly bad experiences. Let's face it, sometimes the most positive thing that can be said about certain incidents is that they're over, and we survived the excruciating process!

Which we all did. Yes, 2009 changed us all in one way or another. We will probably all feel the impact it left on us for as long as we are on this earth. But I do believe we are stronger for the experience. We are wiser. We are probably a bit more humble and aware of our own humanity. These things have a way of showing us that we are not invincible, as we once might have thought.

2009 has caused me to re-evaluate just about every aspect of my life. It caused me to re-prioritize. I now have a clearer understanding of what I can, and cannot control.

And I understand that most things fall into the "can't control" category.

But that's ok. There's a certain freedom to be found in not trying to control what happens around us.

Overall, I feel good about the way I handled all the bad stuff that happened in 2009. Did I do everything perfectly? Were my responses all positive in nature? No! But underneath all the feelings of pain and heartache, anger and confusion, in the very core of my being, I still believed there would be brighter days ahead.

So, welcome 2010 and the possibilities you bring! I know the year can't be all sunshine and roses, but given all the bad stuff that came along in 2009, odds are it will be better!

Becky J. Taylor
http://www.boldnewday.com