I DO Digest.. Part 2

This morning's summary of "I Do Digest", or "As the Stomach Turns" Friday, November 14, 2003 12:13 pm: Walking this morning... or being dragged by three Bichons... I must have appeared to be looking intently for something while they dragged me down the street. Moments into the walk I started having horrible mid and low back cramping. The only "cure" for them is to hunch my shoulders forward and bend at "the waist" (or as I call it, the part of me that bends, since one normally thinks of a "waist" as something that goes in instead of out!) I'd walk a few feet and find myself doubled over on the sidewalk trying to stretch the muscles back out again. Can you just picture it? Very rotund woman in black tee-shirt dress, three white Bichons on flexi-leads strained 16 feet out to the front sniffin' and ******' on everything they find, (they, not I) and me hanging on to three leash holders walking doubled over down the sidewalk. Yes indeed! That is fine walking! And a real testimony to exercise! Why the cramps? A huge shift in my body composition, I think. Post op I measured the largest circumference of my torso. The measuring tape just fit. 60". That, by the way, is not at my bendy part or my hips. It is high on my torso... my diaphragm I guess. Today it is 53". Get the picture? So, where yesterday I could barely breathe while walking, today I could breathe more easily, but my back couldn't tolerate the imbalance in weight shift. THIS is why the morbidly obese need the morbidly obese or formerly obese, more accurately, to talk to them about exercise. It is of no value to have a 110 pound 24 year old exercise physiologist talk to us about exercise. We need someone who TELLS us about those experiences so that we can: 1) learn to recognize that they are happening, and 2) understand how they discourage the experience of exercising and 3) learn what things can be done about it and 4) experience love for ourselves as we witness the horrors through this massive change! But I digress. All told I was out 30 minutes for my 15 minute walk, and I was sweatin' up a storm when I returned. What a workout THAT was! Step, stretch, step step, stretch, stretch, step, stretch! Remember, what bends down, must be brought back up again. THAT was exercise. Congratulations, Patti! I got back to the house and I took a swig of water and said, "****!" Now I can't eat for another half an hour! So, one thing led to another and I ended up taking all my calcium and drank water till 10:45. THEN I stopped the water. Mindful eating. I'm more mindful. I had 1/4 cup of cottage cheese and a small spoon of Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Yogurt. I'm trying to do what I'm told. I did sit at the table. I did slow down and get connected with my body. I ate several bites without doing anything else. And then I just couldn't stand not knowing what was in the Obesity Help Magazine that arrived yesterday. So, in between bites, I started looking at the cover. Always, returning to my mindful embrace of each bite. But you know? It's just like drugs, alcohol and potato chips. You do it once, and next thing you know I'm more interested in Lissa's plastic surgery (pg. ii) than I am in what cottage cheese feels like smashed to smithereens in as much saliva as I can produce. Why, I'll bet everyone is more interested in Lissa's plastic surgery than the contents of my mouth, too, come to think of it! So I finished everything and felt okay... not stuffed. Content. Content as you can be with cottage cheese and a dollop of yogurt for a meal. I'm not complaining. I like them and, frankly, can't think of anything else I'd like to eat right now. Seriously. Tonight I get to have some food "out" that is high in Omega 3 fatty acids! See how I'm starting to think??? My dad said he would take my daughter out to dinner since, as he noted peering into the fridge, "there ain't nuthin' to eat in here!" So after convincing him that I could sit out in public to take nourishment (and relieved he hadn't seen me walk earlier in the day to disprove that) he agreed that I could go. Jennifer (my daughter) will arrive from L.A. in about 2 hours and has promised me that she will order the Salmon at dinner. Yay! I'm tired and want a nap! with love, Patti Harada in Tucson A Moxey Doxey Doll 1 week post op

You sound like you are doing very well so soon after surgery. You should be very proud of your efforts to walk. My dogs are bigger than your dogs so I think I will do my walking alone when the time comes. Take care and keep on moving. We need an emoticon that walks and one that does exercise. Sandra

Thank you! You are an incredible encouragement to me. I will read all your posts. I am looking at possible the first of February for my surgery. I love your detailed summery's. I must remember to do that when I am in yur situation.