gdp's Comments

Less of a Man : Weekly update: sticking with -42lbs, darn it!

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:37:59 +0000

After the experience we had caring for a medically fragile child, yeah, I know more than I'd like to about medications. For instance, at the turn of this past year I wound up with a kink in my neck that just wouldn't come out... I saw the physician's assistant and he put me on robaxin to relax the muscles. Took it for a bit, felt some improvement but it was just too tight to get the one crack I needed to get. I went back in a week and saw my regular doc, he said pretty much what the PA said until I asked him what the recommended dosage was per kilogram on it, knowing I'm a big boy (almost 400lbs at that point, remember). He smiled, pulled out his phyisician's desk reference and realized that for my weight I was barely on a therapeutic dosage, so he doubled it. (Actually, as often happened, a real therapeutic dosage for my weight is over the max they can prescribe, go figure.) A day or two later I was finally able to get that crack out of my neck. Hurt like heck the rest of the day, still, but it's not the first time I've been able to help a doctor with something like that when prescribing meds for me. They do still know more than I do about it and I don't forget it, and I'll trust a professional before I trust advice I find online, but I'm not afraid to give them another perspective to chew on just the same. :) That said, I ideally do not want to be on this for the rest of my life... but I'll talk with the doc about an exit strategy. The one thing I didn't like is he started talking about chemical imbalances when they hadn't done any tests for chemical imbalances, just a paper test for me to describe how I was feeling. It's a little too neat and tight that way...

Less of a Man : Weekly update: sticking with -42lbs, darn it!

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 00:33:54 +0000

Hrm. I haven't been drinking quite as much water lately... not a bad idea, certainly worth a try. :) As far as calling my doc, no, I have no plans to. I mean, I already have a followup appointment scheduled in, er, 6 weeks or so (mid-November in any case), so there's no need to call him when I'm already planning to go back in. :) It's also worth noting I've been on a few other antidepressants before. I've been diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder in the past, back when we were living in Northern Ohio. I've not had the same seasonal/sunlight issues since then, and since this started in summer there's no real reason to think it's that again. I know that when I was on Paxil I had to take half of the dose I was prescribed or else I was living in a fog. I assure you, though, I won't cut any drugs like that cold turkey on my own.

Less of a Man : Weekly Update

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:45:34 +0000

Also worth replying, there are foods that we don't stock here either. I can't deal with an open bag of chips. So long as their sealed I'm OK -- we get large packs of the snack sized chips for the kids so they can have 'em, but if there's a large bag open it won't last long. There are other foods I like to call "red light foods" that I have to be a really careful around, but it is amazing how much easier it is to just not bring them in the house. (I've also not done this lately, but I have in the past been known to hit a drive thru before I shop just so I'm not walking around really hungry and grabbing all the red light foods while I'm shopping....)

Less of a Man : Weekly Update

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:40:30 +0000

I have challenges... but I have some ways to cope. I had a co-worker today walk into my office with a donut in her hand specifically to give me a hard time about it and how good it was, knowing that I'm trying to watch what I eat. I turned the tables when I pulled some fresh grapes out of my lunch cooler and started eating them... you could tell by the look on her face even she realized it was a better option than the donut she was eating. 'Course, I did break down and have some donuts later but that was more for the psycho morning effect than anything else.... :/ On the flip side, I let my son finish some of my dinner for me tonight at the restaurant and we took another chunk of it home, but more about that little success at the weekly update. ;)

Less of a Man : Medical update: -42lbs

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:35:51 +0000

Wish you weren't dropping sizes so quickly? Wish I had your problem. heh.

Less of a Man : Medical update: -42lbs

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:44:51 +0000

I don't know that I'm an inspiration really... I'm just me, chugging along. I'm sure the WW scales will show me a few pounds heavier, and the doc had me starting five pounds higher than WW did anyway. But, yeah, a different perspective is nice. :) (Sad thing is, it's tempting not to go to WW tomorrow just because I don't want to hear anything different... heh.)

Less of a Man : Weekly Update

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:41:24 +0000

It is a good way to win the race... unless, after the few months off you then start gaining again. 'cuz that sucks. ;) And would you recommend a different comments feature? I went with Intense Debates trying to foster more discussion, but between the spam catching issues lately and the short lengths for comments, eh. If I continue with the blog as such I'm happy to consider changing what I use... let me know what you might recommend and I'd be happy to check it out. Of course, it'd rock if it worked with WordPress. :)

Less of a Man : Weekly Update

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:39:41 +0000

I've lost almost 10%... or at least I was within two pounds of it, but again I've gained a few more back. But I hit that point in July, actually, and it HAS been a few months and my emotional space seems to be declining, or at least going through rougher patches. Still, your overall point of just holding steady when I'm not up to losing is a valid one... but it's the days that I have loud voices in my head screaming "@$^# it all" and I turn to what I consider self destructive eating, or reaching for foods not because they really appeal but precisely because they're bad for me... yeah, those are the weeks I don't do so good. Mind you, I'd been allowing myself to be in a holding pattern when still reaching out like that, so if I go to actually trying to be really good on my good days than my bad days may just be more of a balance vs. a trend in a bad period... we'll see. I'm still learning myself and what to do with myself as I go along, and I still have the long term goal, but... eh... may be time for a different chapter in my history lessons.

Less of a Man : Weekly Update

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:35:50 +0000

Hey, I never said I was quitting. Well, I've debated quitting Weight Watcher's lately, as if I'm not figuring out my points then I'm not really doing program anyway and it's not like it's free. I've also debated "quitting" the updates on this blog such as they are, in particular after that TED video you had on yours. It rings so true... I did so well at first, got a lot of accolades and then started sitting back and basking in my glory... when there's not really all that much glorious about a 350lb me, 'cept that it's a healthier me than a 390lb me. I dunno. Still debating that. I'm not giving up on myself in the long run, though, just struggling through other issues as I chug along. We'll see where it goes.

Less of a Man : Weekly Update: -36.4

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 02:22:09 +0000

but.... but... but... if you have it over there, then I can't put it on the mantel over my fireplace! :p

Less of a Man : Delayed reactions

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:33:24 +0000

Oh, I like my fun scale! It had me at 223 just now!! heh. (Sure, I stepped on it when I thought it was done calibrating but it wasn't... apparently I had about 120lbs of force on it... but darn it, I'm going to take that 120lb weight loss and run with it! heh)

Less of a Man : Delayed reactions

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 01:57:14 +0000

Actually, the birthday girl has declined having cake for her birthday. We may wind up having a pie, but those don't normally tempt me as much anyway. We are, however, going to a baseball game on Saturday and that will bring it's own temptations. It's all good though... I know how to budget my points so I won't feel like I'm denying myself when I'm there. :)

Less of a Man : The Company Picnic (or, "I ate what again?")

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:22:07 +0000

But it was math that I could do later (and I wasn't stuck on while I was there) that showed me I hadn't overeaten like I thought I might have. It was good math. ;)

Less of a Man : Fit Point: Eating out

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:22:09 +0000

Bry,

Just do me a favor; when you DO raid that cupcakery, don't feel bad about it. Enjoy the cupcake(s?) and savor the moment. Don't let it be a guilty moment. Pick up again \"eating well\" after you leave, but don't hate your time there. Planning these things into your eating is NOT a bad thing in any case, and even those days when it is (let's say you don't leave before you've eaten a dozen cupcakes), you should feel more motivated to get back to it and not guilty about it in the end. I hate when people feel guilty for being human....

(Attempting to use a \"reply by email\" figure to reply to this comment... let's see if this looks weird... heh.)

Less of a Man : Weekly update: -34lbs

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 02:34:22 +0000

I'd lost 35 pounds without really feeling any different... gain a little back in the same time frame as I start working out and a few weeks later, man, I'm FEELING the difference more, and I'm back to losing more weight again. (Well, I guess we'll judge that after tomorrow's weigh in... heh.) It's sick... I never ever thought I'd look forward to going to a gym, but I kind of do now, even though I'm not taking the time for really long and in depth workouts. Still wonder some days if I'm myself or someone switched me with an evil twin....

Less of a Man : Weekly update: -31lbs

Sun, 8 Aug 2010 22:09:38 +0000

Oh, I know it works and that's why I'm not that discouraged. I know myself as well, and I am going to have days (sometimes several in a row), but I also know that I can deal with and recover from them. On those days, I might gain my share of 20 pounds.... but most of the two weeks were just 'off plan', not 'disaster days'. I do wonder where the no tracking experiment would have gone if I hadn't had those bad days in the middle of it... but I also know that tracking does work and I need to get back in gear. :)

Less of a Man : FitPoint: What do I wear?

Sat, 7 Aug 2010 01:29:04 +0000

Hey, you can't say I didn't warn you. :)

Less of a Man : FitPoint: What do I wear?

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 22:58:09 +0000

One other general comment I thought of while running on the treadmill a little bit ago (yup, I'm back on the treadmill), a very important part of any workout clothes are comfortable shoes. When I first joined the gym I had some cheap tennis shoes that weren't QUITE a right fit (my 12.5EEEE feet are hard to find a really good fit for) and, ugh. wasn't good. Picked up a better pair and it's, well, been better since. Can't complain!

Less of a Man : FitPoint: What do I wear?

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 22:56:44 +0000

Warning: Lanie, you may or may not want to read the rest of this comment... heh. Bry, I have to admit I have on occasion been known to jump around in my underwear, and even on occasion in less. I'm not sure I'd be welcome at this new gym I've just joined in either state of dress though, to be honest... nor would I be welcome to walk around my neighborhood or even ride my bicycle out in either state of attire, so it's not terribly practical for me. :) Seriously, the feeling of being freer and not having clothes hanging on me can be refreshing... but then I find I'm dripping sweat everywhere when I really get heated up and who really wants that in the house, particularly when we don't have a room designed for exercise/working out. We do have a big backyard and we'd only need to get privacy fencing along one side to complete the privacy effect (one neighbor already has it, we have privacy fencing across the front and the back of the lot runs up to a wooded creek so it's pretty private from behind unless someone were to cross over the creek onto our property and then if they go blind that's their problem not mine) and that would work well as a big open space, but not at this time of year here in Florida. So, until we get more functional in-the-house space for working out I'll probably keep to my shorts and sleeveless shirt. If you want, though, I can add you to a notification list (ok, I can make a notification list) if I ever start to change that habit. ;)

Less of a Man : No soup, er, treadmill for you!

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 22:56:37 +0000

As a quick update, I didn't hit the gym tonight due to a meeting my wife had this evening... the heel itself really isn't that sore today, but my calf is sore from all the walking on the ball of my foot yesterday! By tomorrow I might even be able to hit a treadmill if I wanted to with good enough shoes.... 'course, i think I may still hit the bike of the weight machines instead, but I'm doing better more quickly than I expected to!