Well, I am in weight loss and obsessive health mode again, and while this is certainly satisfying on some level (as OCD sufferers find their compulsions satisfying on some level), not surprisingly, it is also driving me crazy. Mostly, it's interfacing with devices that's got me at the moment.
For example: my scale either needs a new battery or a serious attitude adjustment. I weighed myself before the shower this morning and was a delightful pound a half away from my interim goal weight, actually more than a pound less than yesterday. My suspicions were aroused. Later, I weighed myself with all my clothes on, shoes, pockets full, and I weighed eleven pounds more than the first time. (If I am wearing eleven pounds of clothes, with shoes and pockets filled, I need to have my head examined, but that's another issue.) Five minutes later, I weighed myself a third time, mostly by now to see what was up with the scale, and also I had *ahem* used the bathroom, but not excessively, and I weighed five pounds less than the second time. So then, no real idea what's going on. Or what I weigh, for that matter.
I started wearing a pedometer last week to count my daily steps. First day, at K's museum, lots of walking, it said I walked 1800 steps, which seemed not quite right. On Monday, back at school, it said 5000 something, more in the expected range. Yesterday, a day much like Monday, nearly 8000, and over 5.5 miles walked. Soooo, that'll mean a new pedometer is in order, I think. This one seems to have taken leave of its senses. My old one was great, but it went through the laundry a few too many times, and ultimately died.
In my quest to eat a healthier diet, I tried to have a banana every day with breakfast. After three days, I decided that enough was enough. I'm on the cusp of 57 years old, and dammit, I do not like bananas (Sam I Am) and will no longer force myself to eat them because someone thinks they're good for me. (Unless I actually do get to go the medical marijuana route, because, to tell the truth, I ate an awful lot of bananas back in college when I was *ahem* impaired. Tee hee.)
Oh, and the other thing. K and I were sharing our Wii Fit results and other things, and it came to our attention that our BMI figures and recommendations were very different. That seemed odd to me, because we are essentially the same height, so why would it say she'll hit the magic 25 BMI at 135 pounds, but I won't hit it until I weigh about 125 (aka, never.) I thought, well, we're both about 5'2" and a half; she probably rounded up to 5'3" and I rounded down to 5'2". Where do you go to get a really accurate height measurement?
If you're in a school, you go to the nurse's office, of course, which I did yesterday. What I wanted, of course, was a good reason to round up to 5'3". What I got? I am now officially 5'1" and three-quarters. In other words, now I have to round UP to 5'2". In other words, I am SHORT and I am GETTING SHORTER.
Connected to this revelation or not, I also realized yesterday that what would really make my neck feel good is traction. I investigated, and when I got home, I lay down on the couch with no pillows except a small neck roll, so my head was just supported, and after fifteen minutes, I was a new woman. (In a manner of speaking.) My neck didn't hurt all night, and I slept that way, too, and today is not too bad. After a week or two, I'll go get measured again; maybe my missing quarter inch will show up. (I've actually lost a full inch from my highest height, but I'd be happy now just to reclaim the full 2" over five feet.)
Oh, btw, when I was researching pedometers before, I came across some weight calculating site -- all of those are total bullshit, and I know it -- and it said a woman of my height (I rounded up) should weigh 110 pounds. Which indeed I did, at 15, when I wss this height but had not yet sprouted any sizable knockers. 110 pounds? I believe I could accomplish that if I removed both arms, both legs, and my head. Maybe I could leave the arms. Who comes up with this nonsense, fashion photographers?
So that's it, the fitness devices have a Code Red out on me. Today I have to return something to the Sports Authority anyway, so I'll swap it for a new pedometer, and then squeeze in the workout. At least my Wii still loves me.
Oy, compulsions! Let's see here. Did you, by any chance, while you were in the nurse's office, weigh yourself on the balance scale? That is probably the most accurate weight you'll see. The problem with the battery-operated ones, as I found out, is that they're affected by such thing as getting on too slowly or standing on one foot first... I went back to the spring scale, which may be inacurate, but it's consistently inaccurate.
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked, I had already lost an inch. That was a couple of years ago. I have osteoporosis; how does that affect my BMI?
I have yet to hear a satisfactory explanation of how BMI allows for the differences between very muscular people and soft mommies like us. So I pay BMI no mind at all. If I'm not too heavy to carry myself around (and I was, about four years ago), then I'm fine, thank you.
I have a scale in my bathroom, and I found it's best to weigh myself three times in succession. The first time I get on, it ALWAYS reads 5lbs more than however many other times I weigh myself. I figure if it keeps measuring the 5lbs less each time I get on after the first time, that must be the right measurement.
ReplyDeleteI don't like BMI measurements. I would probably have to weigh 120lbs to be the "right" BMI, but I would probably die of anorexia before I got there.