I Will NOT Quit!

The disappointment I felt this week is overwhelming, but it won't get me. I was waiting so long for this appointment with the foot doc. I just knew he'd have a solid answer for the solution to the pain I feel whenever I walk.

Not only did he offer nothing more than Skechers Shape Ups, but he was incredibly ignorant and rude. When I said that it was nearly impossible to hike because of the pain, he (no lie) actually said, "Hiking? You don't look like ... "

At this, I butted in with, "Watch out!"

Dr Jerkface

"... well, it's just that you don't have the body type to be a hiker."

I assured him that I love hiking, but it hurts so much.

"Oh, you like to hike, but you don't hike."

Honest. This is a respected (by others), educated person. I've so had it with idiots. I can't tell you how much that hurt my very core. The dismissive attitude of jerks who have not had to deal with weight issues needs to be addressed in HELL. Please, God, let there be a hell. But, before I further damage my own karma, I'll go with the upside of this.

My feet are evidently getting old, along with the rest of me. I'm 60. It's time to realize that I can't do what I did at 30. However, I refuse to throw in any towels. I'm going to make this body work for me, not against me. What Dr. Jerkface (aka: Owen McIvor, Redlands, California ... just in case anyone wants to avoid him) did for me was to make me realize that nobody out there has the answers for me. I'm in this alone. I'm smart. I'll figure it out.

So, issues are: arthritis in the feet, knees without cartilage, need for more of a calorie-burn, time constraints (demanding job), and a food plan that I can live with forever and that aids in flushing fat.

FEET: Starting with Dr. Jerk's suggestion (assuming he knows something about feet), I ordered some Skechers. I had to get a larger size, because Skechers-folk don't believe that fatties with uber-wide feet would want to walk. Just as there are dress designers who think that petites can't get fat. Meanwhile, I'll just continue to load up on Advil.

KNEES: Continue to modify yoga and do more muscle-building around the crunchy things.

THE BURN: Really get the heart rate up while I'm doing stuff like bikes (not on my feet). In fact, I need to find a way to kick it up everyday. I'll investigate. I believe that I have rarely registered "vigorous" activity on my Body Media because I pretty much have to hold back in the foot work. Upper body vigorous is what I need.

FOOD: I'm sorry sweet Emily (nutritionist at Fitness Ridge), but your nutritional, 1200 cal meal plans just don't do it for me. When I weigh into the ridge on a Sunday night (with water bloat and full day's food) and out the next Sunday morning (before breakfast, even) and experience a big one-pound loss the first week and three pounds the second time, last January, I'm thinking it's maybe not so much about 1200 calories. Hell if I know what it IS about, but I'll figure this one out, as well. My net loss, by the by, was one pound this last time, also, going by my own scales before and after. I'm reading the Reader's Digest version of Why We Get Fat... , which I've heard good things about.

Before I die, I'll figure this out. Period.

It's a Conspiracy, I Tell You!

So I've been patiently waiting for my appt. next week with the foot doctor.  My exercise has been less than stellar as a result. Though I can work up a good "glow" on the bikes and machines, I'm averaging twice a week. That isn't going to cut it. In the back of my mind, I keep saying that once I get medical help, it will all be okay. That was, until the convergence of my three or four different calendars took me by surprise.

It turns out that doctor day just happens to be like the most incredibly jam-packed day I've had in years! I'm NOT giving up my appointment, though. No way! So far, I've been able to juggle and jostle, but it's going to be quite the trick.