Years of not so healthy habits have finally caught up with me and a change of lifestyle is necessary. I’ve never been skinny a person, but I have always been physically fit. I’ve listened to my friends and family chat about this and that…high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, etc. I would listen to them talk about the medicines they have to take and was always chiming in, “I’m a little overweight but thank Goodness, I’m pretty healthy and don’t take any medication.” Well, it seems the fountain of wellness has run dry…my unhealthy habits have caught up with me.

Once an avid tennis player and jogger, injuries have relegated me to walking. Over the last few years, I have watched the scale slowly rise…somewhat exploding during COVID and the era of Trump (this is a political blog). A few months ago, a hard fall sidelined me completely…there I was lying in my hallway thinking, “I’ve fallen, and I don’t know if I can get up,” and praying I hadn’t broken my hip.”  It appeared to be just an aggravation of an old knee injury, but I knew it was time to figure out exactly what was going on with my knee giving out.

The journey would get a little complicated when my annual wellness check came up…so many things were headed in the wrong direction…weight, bad cholesterol, warning signs of diabetes, B12, Vitamin D, blood pressure. I’d heard about the success people were having with drugs, such as, Ozempic and Wegovy. My doctor prescribed WeGovy but I cancelled the order…decided I could do this without putting drugs that had their own set of drawbacks into my body. I have enough to deal with already and truly feel I can tackle this without drugs…we’ll see.

This journey has been a bit rocky though. I started an on-line weight loss group but wasn’t fully engaged because I was still nursing the knee and trying to figure out what was wrong with it. I could tell the clinicians felt I was just over-exaggerating. At one point I remember telling my doctor that I struggled with weight loss because I wasn’t active enough. She grinned and told me, “You know your weight is based 70 percent on diet.”  That might be true, but it isn’t the way it has worked for me. I was never overweight when I was moving…and, I have had success losing weight with exercise and diet. I will say the older I get, the harder it is to lose weight and the easier it gets to gain it. So, in the beginning I listened to the weight loss tips but I wasn’t losing very much. That said, because I was trying to work on the cholesterol and other stuff, I was eating better. I virtually stopped going to fast food restaurants and began cooking.

I had several appointments regarding my knee, and they ordered me a cheap brace…$50 at Walmart. Finally, they decided to send me to get an MRI. Low and behold my ACL has completely deteriorated likely due to an old injury.  It’s not in my head…that in and of itself is a relief. So, a more extensive brace has been ordered and is on the way. The doctor did not recommend knee replacement for two reasons…I’m not in that kind of pain and I prefer not to have knee replacement surgery. I especially do not want to have knee replacement surgery before losing these extra pounds.

The other thing I’m struggling with is what to eat. I’ve always been a sort of fussy eater. I’ve never cared for bread, macaroni and cheese or cake, or foods to touch on my plate. I love anything chocolate…so I can’t bring it into my house in any form. I love red meat, but it doesn’t love me. I gave it up several years ago…maybe eat it two or three times a year. Love fried fish, but I only eat steamed, baked or air-fried now. I love Chik-fi-la but like any other fast food…there is just too much sodium. The only thing I buy there now is an occasional side salad…not the Market Salad, the side salad. And I use my own dressing. Sadly, I throw out a lot of fresh vegetables…although sometimes I binge on sauteed green beans.

Medicines are another sticking point for me. My aversion to taking medicine will probably be the death of me, but cholesterol medicines are not great for your kidneys and I’m doing all I can to not take it. Of course, if I cannot lower my cholesterol with diet and exercise then I will have to do so. In the meantime, I just hope I don’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I already got a cortisone shot in my knee, and then found out it can increase diabetes risk…won’t do that again. Those are just some of the details, but what I have learned thus far is I cannot expect my doctors to manage my health…I have to be cognizant of what they are prescribing…even the weight-loss drugs can be problematic.

So, how am I doing on my journey thus far? I’ve been serious for about six weeks, and I’ve lost one-to two pounds a week consistently. In the beginning portions were an issue, so I’ve been working on that. I still struggle with drinking water…please give me tips if you have them. My blood pressure is perfect. I’m feeling better. My brace is not here yet, but I’m walking…just slower and longer. I’m also moving in other ways. In short, I’m making progress.

Those are just some of the details, but one of the most important things I have learned thus far is I cannot expect my doctors to manage my health…I have to be cognizant of what they are prescribing…even the weight-loss drugs can be problematic.

One more thing I’ve done is lessen my intake of Trump…I’m sure that is helping with my mental health and my blood pressure.  It is hard to focus on your health when your country and its many freedoms are under fire, and it have been for quite some time. I’m certainly a stress eater, and to see our democracy in danger is certainly stressful. On a positive note, the grapes are expensive but they are really crunchy and sweet.

I’ll keep you updated on my progress. I weigh-in every Wednesday.