So, I've changed my weight loss ticker. I've chosen Monday as my 'weigh-in' day because we arrived home on a monday night.
My weight this past Monday, May 23 was 235.2.....down 5.2 pounds from before we went to Zambia.
This past week and a half has been focused on trying to get my body clock back to Alberta time and also on catching up on a few things at home.
Excuses, excuses.
Actually, my eating hasn't been bad - just not deliberate. I focus on planning and making healthy meals - lower in fat, sodium, and carbs.
Speaking of which, Jim is waiting for me to have breakfast together. Don't know what I'll have, but he probably wants hash browns, eggs, and turkey bacon.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Honesty
I re-read the posts below and I feel the need to be honest about the goals I made for myself while in Zambia.
I did shop and cook for us - and we did NOT eat with the staff and students on the YWAM base more than three times - and two of those times were celebration meals and did not include nshima. I cooked mostly roasted chicken because that is the healthiest, cheapest meat that was readily available to me. Cooked vegetables were not as easy.....one bag of carrots tasted terrible and had to be thrown out, many of the vegetables are quite foreign and the ones of those that I've tried do not taste good to me. The veggies that I do like (marrow, for example) is not readily available. We did not go to the large grocery stores often - most of the fresh produce (tomatoes) was purchased from roadside 'ntembas' - not a lot of variety there.
I drank more Coke than I should have, I'm sure. Zambians drink LOTS of coke! and Fanta. We attended 3 'parties' while there - all served Soft Drinks as the beverage. But beyond those times, I also drank Coke on my own once in awhile. What can I say? It is hot. The Coke is cold and fizzy and makes me feel less hot. And it is cheap - which is at least partly why the Zambians drink it so much.
So, my food was not terrible. In fact, it was passable.
Exercise......I did not even pull out the printout of the strength training exercises that I took with me. We did not go for regular walks, although we did take a few walks. Probably all told I walked far more than normal.
On our way home from Zambia, we spent one full day in London, England. We planned to walk 2 1/2 kms from Paddington to Buckingham Palace. We took a wrong turn and wound up walking about 15 kms. Kind of made up for many of the days that we did not get up and go walking.
Maybe.
Of course, the fact that Jim was sick for 2 weeks may have had some impact on our walking plans.
Now to get an exercise routine well established before my Zambian family arrives to live with us in less than a month.
I did shop and cook for us - and we did NOT eat with the staff and students on the YWAM base more than three times - and two of those times were celebration meals and did not include nshima. I cooked mostly roasted chicken because that is the healthiest, cheapest meat that was readily available to me. Cooked vegetables were not as easy.....one bag of carrots tasted terrible and had to be thrown out, many of the vegetables are quite foreign and the ones of those that I've tried do not taste good to me. The veggies that I do like (marrow, for example) is not readily available. We did not go to the large grocery stores often - most of the fresh produce (tomatoes) was purchased from roadside 'ntembas' - not a lot of variety there.
I drank more Coke than I should have, I'm sure. Zambians drink LOTS of coke! and Fanta. We attended 3 'parties' while there - all served Soft Drinks as the beverage. But beyond those times, I also drank Coke on my own once in awhile. What can I say? It is hot. The Coke is cold and fizzy and makes me feel less hot. And it is cheap - which is at least partly why the Zambians drink it so much.
So, my food was not terrible. In fact, it was passable.
Exercise......I did not even pull out the printout of the strength training exercises that I took with me. We did not go for regular walks, although we did take a few walks. Probably all told I walked far more than normal.
On our way home from Zambia, we spent one full day in London, England. We planned to walk 2 1/2 kms from Paddington to Buckingham Palace. We took a wrong turn and wound up walking about 15 kms. Kind of made up for many of the days that we did not get up and go walking.
Maybe.
Of course, the fact that Jim was sick for 2 weeks may have had some impact on our walking plans.
Now to get an exercise routine well established before my Zambian family arrives to live with us in less than a month.
Losses, but not in a recommended way
Well, we are home.
My husband lost 15 pounds while we were gone. Actually, he lost it in the last 2 weeks, but I would not recommend the path he took.
He got Dystentery - which is far, far worse than food poisoning and lasts much longer.
He was in hospital on IV medication for 4 days and on a most limiting diet for two weeks - rice, yogurt, and bananas.
We saw first hand how someone who has no choice but to eat the same thing day after day will soon just not eat and eventually starve to death. He went from eating a good sized bowl of rice (he loves rice) a couple times a day to eating only about a cup of rice a day - and maybe a cup of yogurt. He said he wasn't hungry, but of course he needed to eat - how can a 6 ft tall 230 lb man NOT be hungry with only 2 cups of food in his stomach in a day? But the repetition of the same bland food over and over took his appetite and his desire for food completely away. I was very glad when he was finally able to resume eating a variety of different foods.
Anyway........obviously, dystentery and a bland repetitive diet is not a healthy way to lose weight.
For myself, well, it depends on which day you look at. My weight has been different every day we've been home. (3 days) At the lowest weight, I was down 7.2 lbs. At the highest, I was still down but only by 4.8 lbs. Today I'm in between.
Bottom line - I did lose some weight.
The last two weeks were probably when I was doing the most losing - visiting my husband in the hospital, caring for him at home, the extra busyness of the last week, the stresses we were facing during those two weeks, the fact that many nights I just didn't cook because I would have been the only one eating......
We returned home from our week in Livingstone and stopped only long enough to pick up milk for the babies and eggs and butter for us. The next day was a very busy day at home (big party on the base) so no grocery shopping. Jim went into hospital that night. No time for shopping all that week.
When I finally did get to the store, as I said, there were not many nights that we all ate and I had gotten used to eating only once during the day.
So, whatever weight I lost was not done in a disciplined manner either.
The challenge this week is to begin to eat with an eye to health and weight loss - even while enjoying the Western food we are accustomed to. (It is different, after all)
My husband lost 15 pounds while we were gone. Actually, he lost it in the last 2 weeks, but I would not recommend the path he took.
He got Dystentery - which is far, far worse than food poisoning and lasts much longer.
He was in hospital on IV medication for 4 days and on a most limiting diet for two weeks - rice, yogurt, and bananas.
We saw first hand how someone who has no choice but to eat the same thing day after day will soon just not eat and eventually starve to death. He went from eating a good sized bowl of rice (he loves rice) a couple times a day to eating only about a cup of rice a day - and maybe a cup of yogurt. He said he wasn't hungry, but of course he needed to eat - how can a 6 ft tall 230 lb man NOT be hungry with only 2 cups of food in his stomach in a day? But the repetition of the same bland food over and over took his appetite and his desire for food completely away. I was very glad when he was finally able to resume eating a variety of different foods.
Anyway........obviously, dystentery and a bland repetitive diet is not a healthy way to lose weight.
For myself, well, it depends on which day you look at. My weight has been different every day we've been home. (3 days) At the lowest weight, I was down 7.2 lbs. At the highest, I was still down but only by 4.8 lbs. Today I'm in between.
Bottom line - I did lose some weight.
The last two weeks were probably when I was doing the most losing - visiting my husband in the hospital, caring for him at home, the extra busyness of the last week, the stresses we were facing during those two weeks, the fact that many nights I just didn't cook because I would have been the only one eating......
We returned home from our week in Livingstone and stopped only long enough to pick up milk for the babies and eggs and butter for us. The next day was a very busy day at home (big party on the base) so no grocery shopping. Jim went into hospital that night. No time for shopping all that week.
When I finally did get to the store, as I said, there were not many nights that we all ate and I had gotten used to eating only once during the day.
So, whatever weight I lost was not done in a disciplined manner either.
The challenge this week is to begin to eat with an eye to health and weight loss - even while enjoying the Western food we are accustomed to. (It is different, after all)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
More travel Woes Due to Extra Weight
As I sat pinned into the front seat of Vinjelu's car, I wondered how much weight I would have to lose in order to be strapped in without using the entire length of the belt, resulting in literally choking me. I had NO give in the shoulder strap at all. Even when I moved the seat all the way back, there wasn't enough belt to easily go around my bulk.
When I looked at the photos my husband took of me playing in the pool with the grandkids, I could see why I have this seatbelt problem.
Ugh! Gross.
Although, my husband also made a point of telling me that my bathing suit is very attractive and I look very nice in it - when I am standing up, anyway.
What would I do without my hubby?
When I looked at the photos my husband took of me playing in the pool with the grandkids, I could see why I have this seatbelt problem.
Ugh! Gross.
Although, my husband also made a point of telling me that my bathing suit is very attractive and I look very nice in it - when I am standing up, anyway.
What would I do without my hubby?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Watching my Weight While a Guest in a Foreign Land
Well, after 4 days in Zambia, let me report on my weight-loss efforts.
First of all, before we even got to the base, we stopped and I bought some groceries - mostly fresh fruit and veggies - and eggs. I could not buy much for a couple reasons....beginning with the fact that 6 people, 6 suitcases, and a car seat in a compact car did not leave much room for groceries and ending with the fact that I was so tired I was in no condition to make rational decisions about food.
So, we returned to a (better) grocery the next day.
Before beginning that shopping experience, we had to eat.
Zambian's LOVE deep fried chicken but Jim and I wanted to avoid those places. (I think one reason they love it is beccause it is very cheap for a full meal) So, we chose a fast food place that flame broils their chicken - and allows substituions for the fries. (Jim had spicy rice and I had a green salad.)
I've been cooking most of our meals and fresh vegetables are abundant and easy to get (walk up the road a few minutes and they are selling them on the side of the road) so mostly our meals so far have been pretty 'good'.
Today, we had our usual 3 eggs (2/3 whites) each for breakfast - along with some grapes and tomatoes.
Later in the morning, we were invited to go for a walk with Vinjelu's cousin, Philip (who lives with them) and the kidlettes.
I just want to interject something about the bread that you buy in the grocery here. (Even the good grocery store) ......... IT SUCKS!!!! First, it is hard to find anything but white bread. Then, if it isn't mouldy when you get it home, it will be within a day. Third, it is so crumbly you can barely eat it. Kath says "Oh, you have to toast it before you try spread something on it". (No toaster in this house) So.....this morning when we arrived at the roadside 'Ntemba' and we smelled fresh bread, we were tempted. It's not like either of us has tried to eat alot of bread since we've been here - once for each of us - but I think the thought of such horrid bread being all that is available sent us into the arms of temptation. One dozen BIG buns (white bread - freshly made) cost about $1.50. I found out later these are called 'Local Buns' and are the bread the poor buy. Such a backward place....the poor eat bread that is fresh and tastes good, the rich eat lousy bread.
Before I could pay for the buns, Philip suggested we pick them up 'on our way back'.
"On our way back from where?" I asked
"We will go to Rocky Gardens for a coke" he quietly replied.
OK, I guess we'll pick them up when we come back.
We walked along the side of the road (highway) for at least 2 km - not real fast since Seth was walking with us, but not dawdling, either.
After a short stop at the 'Resort' (see description on my other blog) we started back down the road to the highway along which we would walk. So, we walked about 4 kms today. (And so did Seth)
Good thing, too, since those buns were DELICIOUS!!! Especially with a small amount of Miracle Whip and a slice of fresh tomato on top.
So, lunch was not real 'diet friendly'.
Well.....there was still nearly half a day in which to get back on track.
Suppertime....
The students had asked that we eat with them tonight. Tonight the menu was Nshima (white cornmeal) with 'Soup' , beef, and rape.
The 'soup' is fresh veggies cooked down to a sauce in which the beef is cooked.
The beef is what I would call Soup Bones.....not much meat, lots of bone, and too much fat.
Rape is (I think) Canola leaves which is cut up into very narrow strips. I do not know exactly how it is cooked except that there is obviously oil involved. Personally, I do not like it at all - it has a bitter taste to me. But it would have been a good choice because it is, after all, a vegetable and very green. Rape seems to be the most common vegetable.....when you are at a fast food place that offers 'vegetable' with the meal, it is inevitably Rape.
Let me tell you how to eat with Nshima......you take the hot cornmeal which has been cooked to be very stiff and pinch off a good sized piece with your fingers, roll it in your hand, put an indentation in the center, then use it to scoop up soup and rape (or whatever is on your plate).
No cutlery.
Everyone washes their hands before they eat.
It is actually pretty good, as far as taste is concerned. I cannot see that it is real healthy.....Although pretty much ALL of Africa literally lives on white cornmeal - they all call it something different, but it is the same thing. For most of the people, cornmeal is the only food they get most days.
At the YWAM base, it is a staple and is served at most supper meals. It is filling and very cheap.
Not so good for Jim and I - except as a gesture toward the culture here.
At any rate, it was a very high carb day for us.
Good thing we walked 4 km in the morning.
First of all, before we even got to the base, we stopped and I bought some groceries - mostly fresh fruit and veggies - and eggs. I could not buy much for a couple reasons....beginning with the fact that 6 people, 6 suitcases, and a car seat in a compact car did not leave much room for groceries and ending with the fact that I was so tired I was in no condition to make rational decisions about food.
So, we returned to a (better) grocery the next day.
Before beginning that shopping experience, we had to eat.
Zambian's LOVE deep fried chicken but Jim and I wanted to avoid those places. (I think one reason they love it is beccause it is very cheap for a full meal) So, we chose a fast food place that flame broils their chicken - and allows substituions for the fries. (Jim had spicy rice and I had a green salad.)
I've been cooking most of our meals and fresh vegetables are abundant and easy to get (walk up the road a few minutes and they are selling them on the side of the road) so mostly our meals so far have been pretty 'good'.
Today, we had our usual 3 eggs (2/3 whites) each for breakfast - along with some grapes and tomatoes.
Later in the morning, we were invited to go for a walk with Vinjelu's cousin, Philip (who lives with them) and the kidlettes.
I just want to interject something about the bread that you buy in the grocery here. (Even the good grocery store) ......... IT SUCKS!!!! First, it is hard to find anything but white bread. Then, if it isn't mouldy when you get it home, it will be within a day. Third, it is so crumbly you can barely eat it. Kath says "Oh, you have to toast it before you try spread something on it". (No toaster in this house) So.....this morning when we arrived at the roadside 'Ntemba' and we smelled fresh bread, we were tempted. It's not like either of us has tried to eat alot of bread since we've been here - once for each of us - but I think the thought of such horrid bread being all that is available sent us into the arms of temptation. One dozen BIG buns (white bread - freshly made) cost about $1.50. I found out later these are called 'Local Buns' and are the bread the poor buy. Such a backward place....the poor eat bread that is fresh and tastes good, the rich eat lousy bread.
Before I could pay for the buns, Philip suggested we pick them up 'on our way back'.
"On our way back from where?" I asked
"We will go to Rocky Gardens for a coke" he quietly replied.
OK, I guess we'll pick them up when we come back.
We walked along the side of the road (highway) for at least 2 km - not real fast since Seth was walking with us, but not dawdling, either.
After a short stop at the 'Resort' (see description on my other blog) we started back down the road to the highway along which we would walk. So, we walked about 4 kms today. (And so did Seth)
Good thing, too, since those buns were DELICIOUS!!! Especially with a small amount of Miracle Whip and a slice of fresh tomato on top.
So, lunch was not real 'diet friendly'.
Well.....there was still nearly half a day in which to get back on track.
Suppertime....
The students had asked that we eat with them tonight. Tonight the menu was Nshima (white cornmeal) with 'Soup' , beef, and rape.
The 'soup' is fresh veggies cooked down to a sauce in which the beef is cooked.
The beef is what I would call Soup Bones.....not much meat, lots of bone, and too much fat.
Rape is (I think) Canola leaves which is cut up into very narrow strips. I do not know exactly how it is cooked except that there is obviously oil involved. Personally, I do not like it at all - it has a bitter taste to me. But it would have been a good choice because it is, after all, a vegetable and very green. Rape seems to be the most common vegetable.....when you are at a fast food place that offers 'vegetable' with the meal, it is inevitably Rape.
Let me tell you how to eat with Nshima......you take the hot cornmeal which has been cooked to be very stiff and pinch off a good sized piece with your fingers, roll it in your hand, put an indentation in the center, then use it to scoop up soup and rape (or whatever is on your plate).
No cutlery.
Everyone washes their hands before they eat.
It is actually pretty good, as far as taste is concerned. I cannot see that it is real healthy.....Although pretty much ALL of Africa literally lives on white cornmeal - they all call it something different, but it is the same thing. For most of the people, cornmeal is the only food they get most days.
At the YWAM base, it is a staple and is served at most supper meals. It is filling and very cheap.
Not so good for Jim and I - except as a gesture toward the culture here.
At any rate, it was a very high carb day for us.
Good thing we walked 4 km in the morning.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Perils of Flying Fat
The Perils of Flying Fat
So we've been in Zambia now for about 2 days. It seems much longer because there is always something going on and believe it or not, there is little time to write on either of my blogs. I haven't even organized our suitcases yet - that is another job for today. But I don't want to let too many days go by without posting.
I have come to the conclusion that fat people should not fly - or they should at least not fly economy class.
Spending 18 hours on an airplane is hard enough when you don't have to deal with an extra 100 pounds.
First thing.......you look at that narrow seat and you wonder if you can even squeeze into it. Then, you worry that the seatbelt will not go around your belly and you will have to go through the humiliation of asking for an extender. Just buckling a seatbelt is difficult anyway - the extra fat on your arms fights with the fat around your belly and forget about trying to actually SEE what you are doing!
So, now you're settled. and you've kicked your purse or you laptop bag under the seat in front of you, knowing that getting it back will be nearly impossible because to get it, you have to bend in half in order to reach the floor (unless you have abnormally long arms) and your belly makes folding yourself in half a fantasy on the level of world peace. But you will deal with that later......you didn't really want to read that book anyway, did you?
So you sit, leaning away from your seat mate as much as possible, and holding your arms across your chest so that you don't rub shoulders (literally) with the person sitting next to you - even if that person is the one you love, you need to have some 'personal space'. You are barely in the air and the cabin crew begins to come around with beverage service. New stress.........will the food tray fit in front of your big belly? You start adjusting yourself and finding out what works BEFORE you are embarrassed in front of the svelte woman serving drinks.
Alright.......you have a food tray and you have something to drink, and you're thinking you should have ordered a double whiskey (a couple times) so you could just pass out and be unaware of the discomforts of flying.
Then the food comes. Oh man, if it wasn't crowded enough already, they set a tray in front of you with at least 3 different containers, a napkin, salt and pepper, a toothpick, and a cup. The space between your body and the food is 1 m.m AND it is in your lap (so to speak), not at table level. There is no room for you to bend forward slightly to eat as the 'normal sized' passengers are doing - if you leaned forward, you would be wearing your food. So, you lift the plate or bowl up to chest height and you spoon your food into your mouth from there, limiting the spillage.
Now you have to sit with the food tray pinning you into your seat for up to 10 minutes or more, waiting for the cabin crew to come back and collect the remnants of your meal.
Even now, you cannot relax because by this time you've been in the air for well over an hour - maybe even more than 2 hours and you MUST get up and move if you don't want your ankles, feet, legs to swell up like tree trunks. If you are smart, you have an aisle seat. If not, you have to ask your seatmate to move so you can get 'out'. This is not easy when you have so much extra bulk.
The aisle is not real easy to navigate for anyone and if you have 'extra padding' on all parts of your body it is nearly impossible to walk any distance down the aisle without having your hips bump into someone's shoulders. *Make a note that if you ever do this again, you'll get a seat beside the toilet so you don't have to go through that again*
The bathroom in an airplane is smaller than a closet - literally. Use your imagination to think about manoeuvring to pull up your skirt or pull down your jeans without falling against the folding door. *Remember 'Tommy Boy' changing in the airplane toilet??? * This is a procedure you will have to repeat often because you need to drink LOTS of water in order to help limit the swelling of your feet/ankles/legs. Oh well, you had to get up and move around anyway - for the same reason.
In between all the struggles to get in and out of your seatbelt and trips to the toilet, you find ways to distract your mind from the discomfort and humiliation. You read (if you remembered to get your book out of your bag before you kicked it under the seat in front of you) or you sleep (if you are very lucky) or you watch movies on the tiny screen in the seat back in front of you.
Air travel can be quite stressful in the best of situations - extra fat makes it about 200 times worse.
7 hours after boarding, you are finally in a room that is not like a tube - the ceiling is far above you and you can put as much space between you and the next person as you wish. You spend 8 hours watching other travellers, trying to sleep on the benches in the airport, and walking around to (every one say it...) limit the swelling of your feet/ankles/legs.
Then you start all over again as you board a craft to take you to your next destination. New plane. Same questions. Will the seat belt fit? Will I be able to pull the food tray down? How close am I to the toilet? Will I be able to sleep? What movies will be available to numb my mind? Should I order those 2 double whiskies this time? Or will the alcohol cause my feet/ankles/legs to swell even more?
12 hours later, you are racing through a different airport, trying to find your gate only to sit and wait for boarding.
This time, your flight will be only 1 1/2 hours long. (Thank God) But your heart sinks when you see that the plane you will be travelling on is miniscule compared to the ones you've squeezed yourself into up to now. You almost groan out loud when you begin to walk down the aisle and you see that these seats are at least 2 inches narrower than the seats on the larger planes. Forget the alcohol.......GOD SAVE ME!!!!!
By the time you've arrived at your final destination and the hugs and welcome from your family ease some of the indignity of air travel, you are contemplating selling your house so you can fly home first class.
I thank God that I am a pretty adaptable person.....these stresses, while very real, can be adapted to.
My husband, on the other hand, found out that he is at least slightly claustrophobic. That could be alleviated by our next trip to Africa if we both lose some weight.
Not a bad extra incentive.
So we've been in Zambia now for about 2 days. It seems much longer because there is always something going on and believe it or not, there is little time to write on either of my blogs. I haven't even organized our suitcases yet - that is another job for today. But I don't want to let too many days go by without posting.
I have come to the conclusion that fat people should not fly - or they should at least not fly economy class.
Spending 18 hours on an airplane is hard enough when you don't have to deal with an extra 100 pounds.
First thing.......you look at that narrow seat and you wonder if you can even squeeze into it. Then, you worry that the seatbelt will not go around your belly and you will have to go through the humiliation of asking for an extender. Just buckling a seatbelt is difficult anyway - the extra fat on your arms fights with the fat around your belly and forget about trying to actually SEE what you are doing!
So, now you're settled. and you've kicked your purse or you laptop bag under the seat in front of you, knowing that getting it back will be nearly impossible because to get it, you have to bend in half in order to reach the floor (unless you have abnormally long arms) and your belly makes folding yourself in half a fantasy on the level of world peace. But you will deal with that later......you didn't really want to read that book anyway, did you?
So you sit, leaning away from your seat mate as much as possible, and holding your arms across your chest so that you don't rub shoulders (literally) with the person sitting next to you - even if that person is the one you love, you need to have some 'personal space'. You are barely in the air and the cabin crew begins to come around with beverage service. New stress.........will the food tray fit in front of your big belly? You start adjusting yourself and finding out what works BEFORE you are embarrassed in front of the svelte woman serving drinks.
Alright.......you have a food tray and you have something to drink, and you're thinking you should have ordered a double whiskey (a couple times) so you could just pass out and be unaware of the discomforts of flying.
Then the food comes. Oh man, if it wasn't crowded enough already, they set a tray in front of you with at least 3 different containers, a napkin, salt and pepper, a toothpick, and a cup. The space between your body and the food is 1 m.m AND it is in your lap (so to speak), not at table level. There is no room for you to bend forward slightly to eat as the 'normal sized' passengers are doing - if you leaned forward, you would be wearing your food. So, you lift the plate or bowl up to chest height and you spoon your food into your mouth from there, limiting the spillage.
Now you have to sit with the food tray pinning you into your seat for up to 10 minutes or more, waiting for the cabin crew to come back and collect the remnants of your meal.
Even now, you cannot relax because by this time you've been in the air for well over an hour - maybe even more than 2 hours and you MUST get up and move if you don't want your ankles, feet, legs to swell up like tree trunks. If you are smart, you have an aisle seat. If not, you have to ask your seatmate to move so you can get 'out'. This is not easy when you have so much extra bulk.
The aisle is not real easy to navigate for anyone and if you have 'extra padding' on all parts of your body it is nearly impossible to walk any distance down the aisle without having your hips bump into someone's shoulders. *Make a note that if you ever do this again, you'll get a seat beside the toilet so you don't have to go through that again*
The bathroom in an airplane is smaller than a closet - literally. Use your imagination to think about manoeuvring to pull up your skirt or pull down your jeans without falling against the folding door. *Remember 'Tommy Boy' changing in the airplane toilet??? * This is a procedure you will have to repeat often because you need to drink LOTS of water in order to help limit the swelling of your feet/ankles/legs. Oh well, you had to get up and move around anyway - for the same reason.
In between all the struggles to get in and out of your seatbelt and trips to the toilet, you find ways to distract your mind from the discomfort and humiliation. You read (if you remembered to get your book out of your bag before you kicked it under the seat in front of you) or you sleep (if you are very lucky) or you watch movies on the tiny screen in the seat back in front of you.
Air travel can be quite stressful in the best of situations - extra fat makes it about 200 times worse.
7 hours after boarding, you are finally in a room that is not like a tube - the ceiling is far above you and you can put as much space between you and the next person as you wish. You spend 8 hours watching other travellers, trying to sleep on the benches in the airport, and walking around to (every one say it...) limit the swelling of your feet/ankles/legs.
Then you start all over again as you board a craft to take you to your next destination. New plane. Same questions. Will the seat belt fit? Will I be able to pull the food tray down? How close am I to the toilet? Will I be able to sleep? What movies will be available to numb my mind? Should I order those 2 double whiskies this time? Or will the alcohol cause my feet/ankles/legs to swell even more?
12 hours later, you are racing through a different airport, trying to find your gate only to sit and wait for boarding.
This time, your flight will be only 1 1/2 hours long. (Thank God) But your heart sinks when you see that the plane you will be travelling on is miniscule compared to the ones you've squeezed yourself into up to now. You almost groan out loud when you begin to walk down the aisle and you see that these seats are at least 2 inches narrower than the seats on the larger planes. Forget the alcohol.......GOD SAVE ME!!!!!
By the time you've arrived at your final destination and the hugs and welcome from your family ease some of the indignity of air travel, you are contemplating selling your house so you can fly home first class.
I thank God that I am a pretty adaptable person.....these stresses, while very real, can be adapted to.
My husband, on the other hand, found out that he is at least slightly claustrophobic. That could be alleviated by our next trip to Africa if we both lose some weight.
Not a bad extra incentive.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Half Way Through the First Week of the "U-Turn"
My friend told me that when you get 'off track' on your 'weight loss jouney' to do what the GPS does when you get off route......."Make a U Turn at the first possible opportunity". Thus, the title of my post.
This week has been crazy.
Besides preparing to leave for a month-long visit to Zambia, we've been dealing with flooding, taxes, and medical issues.
For a photo of the first day of flooding, go to my other blog.
I had promised myself that I was going to do Wii Fit every day this week. I managed to get 1/2 hour in on Monday. Tuesday, I got the 'balance board' out, turned on the program, went through the 'body test' and did my first warm up 'game' and we got company.
We NEVER get company, just dropping in on us! But we did on Tuesday. A very nice surprise, although it meant I did not get my workout in because when they left, we had to hurry off to town to take care of something - I forget what.
Yesterday, we had to leave the house as soon as we got up and we did not return until bed time.
Today - well, we will see. Winter has returned, complicating the flooding issue. Jim has gone in to town for a final medical appointment when he returns, he may decide that we need to leave today rather than tomorrow to be sure that we can 'get out'. We do not want the flood or the snow to keep us from getting to the airport on Friday. If we are not rushing off, I'll be all packed so there will be time to Wii.
Food has been pretty good - Pretty close to 'on plan' for both of us.
This week has been crazy.
Besides preparing to leave for a month-long visit to Zambia, we've been dealing with flooding, taxes, and medical issues.
For a photo of the first day of flooding, go to my other blog.
I had promised myself that I was going to do Wii Fit every day this week. I managed to get 1/2 hour in on Monday. Tuesday, I got the 'balance board' out, turned on the program, went through the 'body test' and did my first warm up 'game' and we got company.
We NEVER get company, just dropping in on us! But we did on Tuesday. A very nice surprise, although it meant I did not get my workout in because when they left, we had to hurry off to town to take care of something - I forget what.
Yesterday, we had to leave the house as soon as we got up and we did not return until bed time.
Today - well, we will see. Winter has returned, complicating the flooding issue. Jim has gone in to town for a final medical appointment when he returns, he may decide that we need to leave today rather than tomorrow to be sure that we can 'get out'. We do not want the flood or the snow to keep us from getting to the airport on Friday. If we are not rushing off, I'll be all packed so there will be time to Wii.
Food has been pretty good - Pretty close to 'on plan' for both of us.
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