Friday, June 10, 2011

Day 5 of StSC: Arthritis in my butt? ...Almost off BP Meds... IHOP Simple Fit brekkie.. StS day 4 stats ...&...I have a THUTT Plus This is What happens to thighs when you lose 105 lbs! It ain't cute!

Okay, so no scale today. Rushed (and barely made) my appointment with the doc. She suspects it's arthritis in my coccyx and hips (as well as knees, sure) that is causing the issue. I suspected the hips. I always am stiff after sitting a spell and need to stretch before walking, cause the first 10 minutes always hurt. Stiff, stiff, stiff! Thank God Pilates gives some stretch relief.

I did mention getting old is a beeyotch, right?

On the plus side, BP was low, and she reduced my half-dosage to a half-dosage every other day. She suspects that 5 more pounds and I'll be off the ramipril altogether. Yay!

On the way home from the doc, I was hungry. So, I wanted breakfast and I turned at the first IHOP I saw. I hadn't been to IHOP in..well...a long time. I didn't know they'd revamped the menu. I'd assumed I'd get a salad and some eggs or eggs and tomato or some variation.

Noticed they had a SIMPLE FIT thing going on, with a few choices (not a lot, but a few) that were lower calorie/fat. Fine, I wanted eggs anyway.  It just made it easier on me not to have to haggle over what to get instead of toast/potatoes/stuff I don't eat.

I got this one:




The menu said this egg-substitute omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and tomato with a side of fruit was 330 cals. I added swiss cheese for more protein and some calcium. So, mebbe 450 to 500? I don't believe the calorie counts, so I figure a bit more ANYWAY from what they say. Always ADD some. Restaurants don't follow the perfect guidelines of a company's rigorous kitchen (weights, measures, less oil, blah, blah). But under 500 is fine for one meal. I normally eat twice, add maybe a snack if peckish. I had coffee and lots of water and felt quite full.

The omelette was excellent. Tasty and fluffy and a decent serving of veggies and a small serving of fruit  (though at home I usually have 3 to 6x the freggies). The fruit was...so-so. The pineapple piece and single grape were icky looking. The cantaloupe was a little past its prime. The honeydew and orange segments was good. Glad it was mostly honeydew.

Okay, so my anniversary (28th) is tomorrow. I had such a nice time at the Aveda spa last week (and my hair still looks GOOD without having done a thing to it since then), that I asked hubby to indulge me. "I want to have another condition and blow-out!" He said fine. He's gonna have his highlights touched up. He's got a pro photo session this coming week, and it would be nice to have his hair look primo for it. He might need those pics for author shots, resumes, conference programs, who knows what else...

So, how did my StS Challenge Thursday/4th day  go?

Calories: 1349, and tracked on Sparkpeople
Exercise: 30 minutes-- walking
Fluids: Yes.
Vitamins: Yes
Prayer: yes
Encourage Challengers: Yes, some.

Here was dinner last night, which was actually like BREAKFAST...cause I didn't have eggs that day and wanted me something lightish, but cheesyish and wanted broccoli slaw. Bought some fresh and got a hankering:

Cherries, honeydew in bowl; egg white layer with mushrooms,
broccoli slaw, red peppers, lowfat cheese, and lots of Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb


In case anyone cared how I carry my goodies while walking, I used to just carry them in my hand (inhaler, tissues, keys) and tuck moolah in my bra. Now I carry a cute leather bag I got a couple weeks ago:

Walking outfit on 6-9-11, with cute bag
& hair pulled half-back for coolness.
Sorry about the flash. I was in a semi-hurry and rushed. I love having my hands free when I'm ambulating!

Okay, so the bag is cute, but my thighs increasingly less so. I've noticed that with the last 8 pounds or so, my butt is now resting noticeably on my upper thighs. I guess I have, not cankles, but THUTT. I hate how it feels when I walk naked. Ugh.

And the thighs are crinklier and now dimpling mid-thigh. Before, the mid-thigh was pretty good. But in the last few weeks, the crinkling is really noticeable there. I guess I passed a hanging-skin threshold and it got suddenly worse.

I tried to get good shots, but this is the best I could do. Didn't wanna show too much (ie, panties)....cause, really, I balk and hubby balks at THAT. :O

Here we go:
Draping skin at inner thigh

weird dimping on mid thighs

Elephant crinkly skin, and yes, I hate seeing that!

If you are not obese but have been gaining weight, here is my cautionary visual. DO NOT BECOME HUGE. If you do, and you reduce, and exercise like mad, you will still have damage. It's ugly. You don't want it on your body. Do whatever it takes to get a handle on things and eat well, move well, hydrate well, and NOT GET HUGE!

I cannot tell you how awful it is to have your skin NOT FIT. It's like I constantly wear clothes that are baggy and unattractive. I have to hoist the loose stuff into bras and undies and feel best in clothes with some stretch/compression to keep the wobbles at bay.

Please, don't get like I did. Save yourself the droopy flesh blues.

And...that's it. Sorry to end on a downer....but I think the good has to go with the bad to be truthful. The good, being fat and sick for so long made me more compassionate and patient. Getting healthy is making me more disciplined. But there are consequences....and the worst of it I can't show. (No, I ain't showing you my butt and panni, cause, really, I don't wanna disrespect hubby or be THAT exposed on the "it's out there forever" internet.)

I pray your weekend is truly, truly wonderful. I may be scarce. I have an anniversary to celebrate with the sweetest, dearest, handsomest man in the cosmos!

Later...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the suspected arthritis. I can commiserate. Also about the droopy flesh, too...

BTW, thought you should know that unless you tell them not to, IHOP puts pancake batter in their omelets. (Celiac folks, be forewarned.)

Love your purse! :-)

Carrie said...

Gosh, I'm sorry about the arthritis. I know all to well how that feels. Though I don't think it's in my butt yet. Maybe one of the only places I dont have it yet.

I so know about the droops, too. Especially in the inner thigh area. I am still on a mission to figure out exercises to give me awesome muscle mass there to fill it out. THAT should be a sight, huh? I will look like Carrie Scwartzenegger. (sp?)

Brightcetera said...

I love you for this amongst many other things.

I would definitely warn other, younger women to not ever get fat not only for physical health but for emotional, mental health. Dealing with the consequences is draining and has certainly taken its toll on me.
I am saving money for the surgery that I'm going to need to fix the hanging skin issues. I know myself ... I won't be able to deal.
If you ever pray for me, Princess, could you pray for a man to love me as I am, please? I need some lovin' in the best sense of the word.
Thank you. ♡

Caron said...

THUTT! Ha ha ha You are too funny but I know what you mean. :)

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

Yea, the skin not fitting thing is bad, really bad. Mine is still filled up with lots of fat still but it is NOT going to be pretty. I just keep telling myself that *I* was the stupid one who got me into this mess so I have to live with the consequences. Given the choice, I'd rather have the saggy skin rather than it filled up with fat.

I have a tailbone issue too that if I sit too long, it hurt as I'm getting up. Then it goes away in a minute or so. So when I'm at meetings and am sitting, it hurts to get up, mildly hurting but annoying. Stinks to get old!

Bluezy said...

Wow what is that glow coming from your hands...I knew it you are magic. LOL!

That is a whole lot of sharing, and I commend you in doing so. It is real. I plan on taking a photo of my weigh in on Monday morning.

Rachel Schofield - Virtual Interior Decorator & Home Stager said...

Thutt! That's funny. Oh, we all have something, don't we? I have wings but can't fly. :p

And yes, loose skin sucks. Thank goodness we don't have to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. ;)

Floriana said...

Sorry to hear about the possible arthritis. Bummer!

I applaud you on the bravery to post your not perfect body parts, like the upper arms and inner thighs. Your thighs actually look very good to me. They are A LOT better looking than mine which are like sacks filled with fat but getting deflated. I suspect the fat from there will be among the last to go and when it does it will leave two empty sacks of very loose skin. I am actually not bothered with that, wouldn't help me any if I were anyway. I've got what I've got and that's OK. So, anyway, your legs including the thighs look great.

Mary said...

I went to IHOP this morning for the first time ever and was quite concerned heading into it that there wouldn't be any healthy-ish options. I had the same thing you did, and was quite pleasantly surprised!

Jacqui said...

I agree with the other posters... thank you for keeping it real! You always have the best posts.. and have never shied away from the reality of weight. Thank you for that!

So sorry about the arthritis. :( That really stinks.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing and posting the pics. The truth does have to be put out there though and you are wonderful for doing it.

Karen Butler Ogle said...

I have seriously droopy skin now, Princess and oh how I regret having done that to my body. Plastics are not in my near future unless we win the lottery or something so it is just what I will have to live with. It is nothing compared to good health but it does bother me, especially when I wear shorts, a swimsuit or and naked in the house. I can literally lift handfuls of skin off my bones and hold them out like elephant skin. Not pleasant at all. I hope someday I will be able to do something about it but for now, it has to be enough just to be at a normal weight and healthy. Hugs to you, my dear. :)

Amber said...

Great work! Thanks for praying for all of us. I am feeling the love and support.

Val said...

I likewise have arthritis in hands, hips, probably lower spine & knees... but certainly no answer to quit moving!
I'd love to be your Sparkfriend - you are such an inspiration!