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3.21.2008 You know what I miss? I miss fencing. I never knew what a violent bitch I was until I was invited to join the SFWA Musketeers and picked up my first épée. I've been hit in the boobs, whacked in the throat so hard I could barely talk for 20 minutes afterwards, and I've looked like a Dalmatian after a really good bout (I fence with SCA and Renaissance-style fencers, so it's not line fencing so much as, "I will pierce your heart with my steel and bathe in your blood!").And I miss that. The guy I used to fence with locally isn't really doing it anymore, the Musketeers haven't fenced in yonks, and I don't know of any North Dallas groups going at the moment. I like playing with long steel, dammit, and I miss it. |
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3.20.2008 Yay for shrinkage! Not a lot, mind you, but the pants do seem looser and I can walk for longer (the goal is to get it up to 40 minutes/day -- an hour a day would be lovely, but I don't see that happening any time soon). Need to go back to the gym and hit the iron, of course, but hey, at least I'm not backsliding. |
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1.30.2008 What a glorious day. As part of the lifestyle dingus (day 17 for those playing along at home) I have take the advice of a very smart Canadian academician and weightlifter to add things in one at a time. Since I already have the "walking a half hour every day" under my belt, it was time to add the weightlifting.Which I did last night. And yes, there is some residual soreness, but I also slept like a top and woke up feeling decidedly chipper, so much so that I hit my favorite Mediterranean buffet and loaded up on gyros meat, chicken, Greek salad, pickled beets, tabouli salad and tsatsiki. Yum. Also good for me. And as I found out about an anthology this morning and actually have a 3/4 finished story that would be perfect for it, I shall retire to my office and work on it. Yay! |
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1.24.2008 It was an excellent afternoon for a thirty-minute walk around the complex. Nice breeze to keep my head cool, and crisp, invigorating air with the smell of ice in it. Good to know I still have my sense of snow seven years into Texas residency.The reason for the walk? Part of this lifestyle dingus I'm trying (Day 11, and I would've had a splendid night's sleep if not for the Usual Suspect. And no, we can't lock him or JJ out of the bedroom -- he digs at the carpet in front of the door when that happens, and I don't really want to have to pay a repair fee when we eventually blow this popsicle stand). Also I'm in training for the upcoming visit to the House of the Mouse -- gotta have good leg muscles to make it around that place in one piece, and Stacy and I will be trading off pushing Clara in her adult stroller. Adding insult to injury, the poor kid has vision problems on top of the autism that really screw with her walking places -- she's constantly hesitating or trying to find a way around a gap that only she can see. It's easier in the long run to bring an adult stroller and wheel her from attraction to attraction -- besides, she gets plenty of exercise inside the attractions and at the hotel pool. So I have to get the gams pumped up and in shape for that. So far I think I'm doing pretty well -- the thirty minutes are now passing without any real need for a break, and I have a selection of mixes on the iPod that work for walking. Still have to get decent walking shoes, though, and I really wish Dr. Scholl's hadn't phased out my favorite Mary Jane. Fuckers. Now all I can get locally are clogs (blech) and a boot-like clog (which wouldn't be bad, except I bought a pair to wear in Chicago and had to junk them because somehow I shrank a size in between buying them and going to Chicago and my feet were swimming in them). Screw it -- I'll just get a pair of gymshoes with orthotic support. I may look like an unfashionable dork, but by God I will be walking in comfort. |
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7.19.2006 I'm almost afraid to believe this, but it's been happening for over a week, now, and I think the doctor was right.Let me back up. I've been taking Synthroid since 1990, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Syndrome (an autoimmune disease that causes hypothyroidism). A couple of weeks ago, I had a sinus infection; since it was on a Saturday, I went into the local CareNow place to get some antibiotics. While examining me, the doctor asked me what meds I was already on, and I told her about the Synthroid, Metformin and Yasmin. She took a long, considering look at me and said, "You do know that Synthroid is supposed to be taken by itself, right?" Well...no. When I was prescribed it in 1990, the endocrinologist just said take one every day -- she didn't specify that it had to be taken by itself, so I just pop the Synthroid in the morning when I take the Metformin and Yasmin, and that's it. I went home and actually read the label on the Synthroid tablet; I'm supposed to take it on an empty stomach, an hour before or three hours after I eat. Since I have to have food or milk with the Metformin, that hasn't been happening. Ever. So, about ten days ago, I started a new pill regime. I take the Metformin and Yasmin in the morning with breakfast, and I take the Synthroid at night when my stomach is empty. I haven't done anything else differently -- I'm eating the same way that I have, and I'm exercising the same way that I have (in other words, hit and miss -- I really do need to crack down on that). And I've spent an inordinate amount of time sitting in front of the sewing machine and working on a baby quilt for one of my nieces (back in October and November, that's how I put on almost 20 pounds when I was working on Clara's dollhouse). This time...I've lost about 11 pounds. Like I said, I'm almost afraid to believe it, but I can see the difference in my arms, legs and stomach. And the only thing I've done differently is take my Synthroid on an empty stomach. For all these years, I've wondered what the hell I was doing wrong -- I didn't overeat, I didn't pig out on sweet stuff or fatty crap, I tried to exercise as much as possible, and I still put on weight. Well, now I know what I was doing wrong -- and it wasn't my fault. It wasn't weakness, or a character flaw, or anything like that -- I was taking one little pill incorrectly. And now I'm taking it correctly, and what I'm seeing is glorious. And I'll even post what I weighed this morning -- 302. Yes, that's horrendous, but I'd gotten up to 316 as my highest, and now it's coming off. Please, God, let this be what was wrong. Please let this work. |
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5.23.2006 Last night, 30 minutes on the cross trainer, plus lat pulldowns, dumbbell curls and standing rows. I tried to do deadlifts, and my knees started screaming at me, so maybe not yet.Tonight, 25 minutes on the crosstrainer, mainly because my back was starting to kill me. However, I got on the scale afterwards and saw that I'd lost 2 pounds, so that's okay. Now I just have to remember to bring salad dressing with me to work tomorrow so that I can add my own stuff to the salad bar in the cafeteria, and we're all set. I'm also hoping to get Lyndon down to the gym on a regular basis. Doc Allen said that he needs to lose some of the weight he gained while working nights, and I know if I could get him to lift weights he'd be buff in no time (I also explained that the more muscle he developed, the more metabolically active tissue he'd gain, which would mean he wouldn't have to worry about what he ate quite as much as if he just did aerobics). We'll see if he wants to go for it. |
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5.17.2006 GOOD Mellie -- 35 minutes yesterday on the crosstrainer, 31 minutes today (I was seriously tired, so I buggered off early). I should have done weights, too, but I'll do them over the next three days.And while it's still insanely early in the game, I must admit that the crosstrainer is doing amazing things to my butt. Underneath the pudge, the muscles are turning firm, like mutton (points to anyone who can name that quote and guess what I've been watching lately). |
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Comments by: YACCS