As I barrel to the official retirement age of 60, I find myself still not having a handle on maintaining weight loss. I have had a few good weight loss years – 1983, 1992, 2010, 2016 and 2021 are ones which come to mind. But they are always followed by me slacking off….taking my foot off the gas, and then of course, the weights creeps back on.
Since about November last year, I have been unable to fit into my company-issued uniforms. Truth be told, it was a few months before that…..I was squeezing myself into the ones I had made the seamstress take in. At the time the uniforms were delivered in late 2021, I had been on a really good eating pattern which had led to steady weight loss. I had reached to 199 lbs. So I had asked her to take in 2 of the 3 sets of uniform that were noticeably baggy. “Leave 1 set….just in case.” I guess I know myself.
In this Jamaica Observer article, Jamaica’s Minister for Health & Wellness Hon. Dr Christopher Tufton advocates for more focus to be placed on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Dr Tufton cited the most recent Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey (JHLS III) revealed that one in three Jamaicans has hypertension, one in two is overweight or obese, and one in eight has diabetes.”
This statistic is likely the same for some, and perhaps all, other Caribbean countries.
The article goes on to state that “”The minister contended that this points to an NCD crisis and asserted that “as a matter of urgency, we must drive the NCD agenda forward… we must challenge systems and approaches that do not yield results and be willing to think outside the box”.”
The economic problem is real. The burden placed on healthcare, as well as expenses patients face to treat these preventable (in most cases) diseases is real, and utilizes scarce resources.
What if more of the Ministry’s resources, plus some from the Education Ministry, were used to develop and institute a better education programme to tackle all areas of health and wellness? Education should also include food manufacturers. I heard one CEO of a baking company refer to one of their new products as “healthy.” The nutrition data would prove that to be incorrect, given the amount of sugar it contains.
I harp on education because of my own experience. About 2 decades ago, I was very obese and decided to do something about it. A rigorous exercise programme and modification to my diet, led to a 38 pound weight loss in 8 months. At the time, I was very pleased with that result, but having better educated myself since 2016 about food and its effect on hormones and physiology, I realize I could have lost twice the amount of weight. The mistake was thinking that the big bowl of fruit and low fat yogurt, or oats I was eating for breakfast back then, was healthy. I repeat what I said in the previous paragraph: the nutrition data would prove that to be incorrect, given the amount of sugar it contains.
Steel cut oats with ripe banana and walnuts
So Minister Tufton, let’s have a rethink about an education programme, with a strong nutrition component, to tackle NCDs and get Jamaicans off their medications. And be sure to include educating our doctors and nurses. When I hear stories if some doctors giving their diabetic patients more insulin, rather than directing them to remove from their diet, what causes their glucose levels to rise, then I know that they need education too.
Implementing a sugar tax on companies who manufacture and/or sell unhealthy foods, is for another post.
As I started to prepare for bed after 11 p.m. last night, I yawned. Can’t remember yawning in a long time. Could it be that the exercise I did between 5 and 6 p.m. Tuesday, was going to help me fall asleep quickly?
Tuesday’s daytime activities
Ate breakfast while watching Wendy Williams (between 10 and 11 a.m.) then worked at home from about 11:45 a.m. to close to 5 p.m. Took mini breaks in between, of course. Ate a spoon of organic Almond Butter at about 2:30 p.m. I felt productive on Tuesday for sure. Yay for that. Would the good feeling last?
In the morning, I had set hourly reminders to drink water, after Googling the number of ounces in a gallon (128). I drink from a 20 ounce bottle and in my mind, I’d thought 4 was an achievement, then had my bubble burst when I realised I was 2 cups short. 😲 I fell behind. Water fills you up quite a bit!
I am not going to go the self-betrayal route because I woke at 7:45 this morning, 45 minutes after the goal time.
Last night’s achievement was that I made it into bed by midnight, when it was shaping up to be later. I had shut my computer at 8:30 ish, then washed the dishes to continue the new routine of not waiting until just before bed to do it.
My ankle was sore so soaked it in warm water with Epsom salts, then applied ice while watching The Voice then When Calls The Hart. Before bed, I again put the yamfeet (or is it ‘yamfoot dem’?) back in warm water.
Last week, I decided to challenge myself to start waking up earlier from today. I am eventually aiming to be up by 6 a.m., but will be easing into it. The aim this morning was to be up and out of bed by 7 a.m.
Bedtime routine
Beginning with the end in mind, i.e. the desired wake up time, I had to get into bed earlier. The habit has been to work late, then realise I have to do things to prepare for bed e.g. wash the dishes, pack away things etc. Sunday I decided I wasn’t doing any work. After dinner at about 6 p.m., I washed the dishes. Puttered around a bit (that’s language to mean “I don’t remember what I did!”). Then I settled on the couch to watch “When Calls The Heart” on Netflix. I was disciplined and only watched 3 episodes, shutting down my device at 10:24 p.m.
Normally, once I get into bed, I’d read my social media accounts. Sometimes 1.5 hours would pass! That is now a no-no. What to replace that with? Making a journal entry. So that’s what I did.
Today is my birthday! Always excited to see the #Twitter greeting.
I’d had initial plans to check into a guest house in Western Grenada Sunday and stay till today, but they quoted more than I thought I should pay. Then a second option came up and I decided not to do that. Yesterday I drove up that side and came back to my flat, all in quick time. Twenty-one x 12 miles enables that.
What should I do on my birthday then? I decided to make no plans, except for the 1 pm physiotherapy appointment. One of the best ways for me to spend a day is not to have a schedule. I value freedom.
This could be any of a milion and one nights…..just ask the brother and one of the Aunt-Doctors who have received ….dare I say willingly(? (-_-))…..my calls in the wee hours of the morning when a panic attack was taking a stranglehold. Thankfully, those are behind me (I think!!) and it is probably for that reason, why I remained calm, even as a headache rocked me for 3 days.
It started at work. Actually, it started with me having a cup of Instant Coffee at work one Wednesday. Back in 2008, I had converted to brewed coffee. What a blessed day that was, although the shock of the caffeine that first time had made me feel I was going to take off like a rocket at first. So it is very rare now, for me to drink anything but brewed coffee. After that Instant cuppa Wednesday, I felt tinglings in my head. Added to that, I had changed the desk I sat at and the height of the chair at the desk didn’t seem to agree with my neck. Slowly, I felt the pain creep up.
Needed to deflate the belly this week as I have a weigh in on Friday. Last year I came 3rd. This year I guess I am not in competition mode, so ah didn’t bother.
Tonight is the end of Day 2. Better go to sleep quick cause that Ghrelin is starting to rumble. Can’t cave! Must exercise willpower.
Anyhoo….here is an infographic to explain what and why.
When I am old and grey, I will look back and remenisce very fondly on these once a week beach days. Days of doing nothing but lie in the sun, listening to music.
Lazy beach days
Some days I go in the sea….some days not. Of late I have been swimming as part of exercise. Marching towards 50 quickly.
For that celebration, I am going to the country to stay sonewhere by the sea. As a kid we went to the country often. Days were filled with the sea, food and card games. So I will try and recreate that. No fancy event. Just chillin’
I don’t like to kill lizards, unless it is a croaking lizard or ‘wood slave’ as some folks call it. Tonight a non-croaker found its way into my kitchen when I left the front door open. There it was, perched on the wall high above the boxes on my kitchen cabinets.
Normally lizards who find themselves inside a house are in an easily accessible place. I’d usually use the broom and coax it. That wouldn’t work in this case. My siblings suggested I leave it and go to bed. I decided not to, as my windows have screens so he would not have been able to get out.
One by one, I removed the boxes. On the second to last one, the lizard came down. When the box fell on the floor, he scurried away outside….or so I thought.
After getting ready for bed, I entered the bedroom to find said lizard high on my wall!
