The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[DogMa]

Just a brief jeans update: So yesterday I wore those pricey 7 for all Mankind jeans again. I had to belt them AND they're no longer low-cut on me. Sigh. (Still made my butt look pretty good, though, if I do say so myself.)

Anyway, I'm still a little too sickly to run, but I AM going to go hit the treadmill and at least attempt a more strenuous walk. I'm sick to death of not working out.

[nickieluv]

I've probably asked you this before, so I apologize in advance if I'm repeating myself - but did you always like exercise? I think I remember you saying that you used to hate sweating, too. When did the shift happen so that you started to miss exercise if you couldn't do it? Was there a certain length of time that you had to grin and bear it, and then it became a part of your life?

I'm not sure if I should say congratulations about the jeans or not. But at least they are the wrong size in a good way.

[DogMa]

I used to HATE exercise - especially anything strenuous. I don't quite remember when I started getting addicted. And don't get me wrong - I still have to DRAG myself out of bed most days to do it. But now what gets me up is knowing how much better I'll feel afterward.

[Lauren]

Hey, there! Hope you're getting better every day, Robin!

Cheers,

Lauren

[DogMa]

Yep. Almost all the way there, Lauren. Thanks for asking!

Yesterday I walked for half an hour before I petered out. Today I did 45 minutes at my normal speed and incline (no hills or running, though), and only had to stop twice for coughing and sniffling. I fully expect to be back to a full hour tomorrow, and I'm hoping to run a bit Wednesday. My hotel has a gym (I refuse to stay without one anymore, if at all possible), so I should be back to normal while I'm gone.

And survived my first holiday party of the season at work today. I ate exactly what I was supposed to, except for one deviled-egg half. Which should be fine.

[Lauren]

Very happy to hear you're on the mend! And by the way, I won't stay in hotels without a gym anymore either. Funny, I used to pick hotels based on their lobby bars/restaurants/convenience, now it's based on their gym! My have things changed...

Happy Thanksgiving!

lauren

[DogMa]

Same to you!! I'm off to my brother's Thursday morning, for a Very Olive Oily Thanksgiving, apparently. Sigh.

And yay. Walked my full hour, including hills. Got my heart rate up high enough that I think running is still a little too much, but at least it was a decent workout.

[Lauren]

Gracias! And mazel tov on the workout. It's amazing what being out of commission will do to ya, huh?

Why so much olive oil - heart health phenomenon? Is that how he's improving his diet, by adding oil? :-)

Lauren

[DogMa]

He had a heart attack last month (he's only 49). So yeah, his solution is to cut out saturated fat, but load up on unsaturated fat "because it scrubs the plaque out of your arteries." He seems to think more is better, despite what his cardiologist (and the rest of the world) says. Sigh.

So first he was complaining to me, of all people, about how he hadn't had fast food in three weeks. Now it's that they're making him walk for 30 minutes every day and it's so hard. Sigh. I'm trying to be sympathetic ... but it's pretty darn hard sometimes. At least he stopped complaining that he got all the bad genes in the family, with the high cholesterol and insulin resistance/diabetes, after I reminded him that I had those things, too, until I changed my lifestyle.

[Lauren]

Oy vey, how frustrating. He's got a bit of the "victim" thing going on, huh? Well, perhaps your visit will do him well, he'll be more alert to the changes you've made to your diet and lifestyle for YEARS (not just weeks), and now it will perhaps resonate with him more than it did in the past, when he probably thought he was immune to a heart attack.

I am so sorry it's happened, and obviously wish he was healthy, but it's great that he at least trying to make some changes in his life, and, well, since I know you as long as I do, I'm even happier you took control of your well being before it lead down a scary road.

Lauren

[DogMa]

Yeah, it's funny. I was thinking last week about what the catalyst was when I started Medifast, and what made me stick to the new lifestyle this time, instead of reverting back to my old ways and gaining the weight back. And I realized, I started pretty soon after he was diagnosed with diabetes. I think that affected me more than I realized, because I knew that with our family history, I was only a few steps behind him.

I figure I can't make him do anything. All I can do is keep reiterating that I was on the same path before, and that changing my lifestyle has made a HUGE difference, as far as getting me off the cholesterol and insulin-resistance meds and having perfectly normal blood panels withOUT them. Sigh. I also want to remind him that he can still have SOME fast food, like El Pollo Loco (which has a lovely meal of grilled chicken breast and steamed veggies, with their yummy salsa and even a tortilla or two) or Boston Market. Even Long John Silver now has grilled fish. It's not the BEST option, I'm sure, but it's a lot better than the junk he was eating before.

[Tawanda]

Glad you are feeling better Robin.

Happy Thanksgiving and may your trip be a fun and safe one. I hope your brother will be encouraged and inspired when he, once again, sees the great and positive changes you've made in your life and health.

[DogMa]

Thanks, T. How are you doing?

[Lauren]

Morning, Robin -

It's interesting that HIS diabetes was YOUR catalyst for health, while he just continued on his merry way, huh? It is fascinating to see how different events affect different folks, you know?

Side note, I just re-read my post above and can NOT believe how many typos there were! Oy! Just proof of how crazy things are at work, and that I'm typing too fast!

Anyway, you have so much to celebrate with getting your health in check (not to mention a smokin' bod), and like we said above, perhaps it will stimulate your brother more this time around, now that he's had a very tangible and significant scare.

Enjoy your travels and holiday,

Lauren

[DogMa]

Ha. I try to ignore all typos in posts and e-mails. I know people are typing quickly and usually not proofreading - myself included.

And yep, when he was diagnosed with diabetes, he cut back on carbs and increased his exercise briefly, and then just went back to the way things were before. Which is why I'm concerned that he'll do the same THIS time. Meanwhile, it got me to completely overhaul my life. I just saw myself following right in his footsteps, and it scared the crap outta me! I think part of it is that I'm single and have been pretty mobile, so I haven't really put down roots. I don't want to end up living alone, far from my family, and with major health problems.

Anyway, happy Thankgiving! To everyone else, too.