In a past weight loss journey I attended a Weight Watchers summer camp (June 1979), located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Montreat, N.C. The camp director was a dynamo Weight Watcher leader, Ruth Harper (I think I have the correct name.)
Ruth's enthu
siasm could energize and inspire you to do handstands and calisthenics at the same time, if required to lose weight. She knew how to make the food program palatable. The program in those days required 3-5 'fish' (not fried) meals and one LIVER meal weekly--not my usual weekly menus, but my menus were not weight loss compatible!In the week I spent in camp we had lectures by Ruth daily. These lectures were designed to stoke the fires of enthusiasm to complete the journey to a specified weight goal. She could set off firecrackers under our fat fannies in 10 minutes. Each lecture ended with the admonishment: YOU GOTTA WANNA!
Yes , I should tatoo it on my forehead, or as the Biblical Israelites of old, scripture was written or tied on the forehead.[Deut. 6:1-9 ,25]
Weight Watchers dislikes the word 'diet' associated with their food program; they prefer a 'nutrional food program for life.' Sorry! to me it is a starvation diet. How else can you describe 40 medium size grapes as a serving? Nope! it's starvation.
When I left camp I swore I was having a tee shirt and sweatshirt made with the slogan, YOU GOTTA WANNA, back and front. I don't remember ever doing it.
In subsequent weight loss attempts, I remembered Ruth Harper and her slogan. I remember it every Wednesday a.m. when I weigh and record my gain or loss at Weight Watchers on-line.
In fact the slogan is applicable to other life events, too. In my senior years with increasingly long lists of aches, pains and physical ailments, I become weary with doctor appointments, and discouraging news.
Recently, blood tests discovered I have a slightly elevated calcium and parathyroid hormone levels in my blood. This is indicative of benign adenoma(s) in one or more parathyroid glands, but may also be indicative of kidney failure. None of my doctors suspect cancer. I had an 'eye to thigh' PET/CT scan in October--nothing "lit" up in the terminology of PET scanning.
My GYN physician made an appointment with an endocrinologist in Springfield MO for July 7. This involves a 2-hour drive and 2-3 nights stay, plus boarding Luckie.
My self-awarded license to practice medicine, not my legitimate license to dispense medications, enables me to prognosticate I think my irregula
r blood levels are due to discontinuing Boniva last October because of gastric distress. My diagnosis does not hold water with anybody, but me!I DON'T WANNA GO. I've looked for every excuse, consulting with my primary care physician and oncologist looking for support to cancel. Nope. They say I GOTTA GO. Grrr...@#^%$#!
Reluctantly, I GOTTA GO. I started the first steps Monday in making reservations at La Quinta Inn for three nights. I spent yesterday filling out a package of information sent me by the endocrinologist's office. But still, I DON'T WANNA go. But I GOTTA.
6 comments:
As far as dieting, I keep my weight down by following a low carb diet. Works great for me. I also do moderate exercise daily. I hate going to doctors, so know how you feel. But I gotta go as well, every three months or so, but the last time I didn't go for 5 months, and Dr. Tina gave me a lecture! I'm a type 2 diabetic, hence the low carb diet and exercise.
It keeps my blood sugar in normal range without any medications, and that's a good thing.
I wish you well on your tests. Yes, you gotta go!
Take care!
Renie
PS. I hope this comment goes through. I tried a couple of times on some recent posts you did and gave up.
yeah...you just gotta...sad but that is just the way it is even if you don't wanna.
I've using Fortical for osteoporosis and found online that it helps with back pain. I have refused to take estrogen, because I smoked, then I wouldn't take it because of the cancer links, then my dentist told me about the osteonecrosis that has been associated with Fosamax. I can go a really long time without losing my bottom jaw, if you know what I mean. It seems my periodontist is the only one with any sense about it all. What I think is happening with the Fosamax and more so with Boniva and that stuff you get once a year is that it is building bone, but there is no blood supply, because it isn't real bone. It is like spackling trying to hold everything together. I just can't go there. The Fortical helps you maintain bone. It doesn't build bone, but just keeping what I have is enough and hey, it helps with the back pain.
The rheumatologist gave me a rx for prilosec when I was there last Friday. It has made a HUGE difference with the nausea today. He increased the methotrexate to two in the morning and two in the evening for yesterday. I haven't felt sick today like I usually do.
Please go ahead and take care of yourself. I want you around to chat with for a good long while....and with you feeling better.
Geez I wonder if I can find v6 of Internet Explorer? I'm getting "Operation aborted" particularly on Carol's The Writers Porch. I cling to IE because my husband uses it and I'm his tech support. Otherwise I'd be using FireFox. I could switch to Wordpress, but have to learn a whole new terminology.
OK Renie and Amber Star: I'm going. I don't want to pay for 3 nights in La Quinta and not use them. This location allowed me to use 6000 reward points on one night making that night $15. Usually you have to accumulate 8000 points.
I really feel great with the weight I've lost, but my SOB has not improved much.
I agree with Amber Star this somehow may be a side effect of discontinuing Boniva.
Maybe I should be grateful I have concerned doctors, instead one that takes my money and dismisses me until next appt.
Well just I found my comment didn't make it either. Will try one more time but will be a lot briefer(is that a word?)
I am glad you are going to get checked out. I am sure you will find it is an easy fix but until you find that out, you will worry.
Great that you can use reward points.
Lets see if this goes through.
You gotta wonder about diets. I have only done one in my lifetime and that was when Adkins first came out and I lost about 25 - 30 pounds and got off. Stayed there for a long time but when my lung collapsed in November and then again in December I was not able to do much except go to the bathroom. I ate a lot more than I should and it settled in my stomach and I began to look like a man who is pregnant. So, about three weeks ago I began to watch what I am eating and I cut out snacks before bed, snacks anytime, no candy, pop, or cookies, cake or other kinds of carbs. I also started eating a salad with my meal of one thing, usually hamburger, and then nothing else but water.
I lost about 15 pounds and now that is up to about 21 pounds in just over three weeks. The most important thing it did for me was to eat differently. I don't eat bread, or buns, or donuts. I do eat melba toast now and then. It is not a starvation diet. And now, after three or four weeks I can have a little cup of ice cream. It works for me.
Going to the doctor is definitely not fun! I'm sorry you have to go. Maybe you can do a bit of shopping while in S'field to make you feel better. :-)
I do hope everything turns out to be fine and that there is an easy fix. I'd offer to dog sit Luckie for you, but D.C. might be a bit of a trek for you to drop Luckie off.
Keep us posted!!
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