Hello all! This week hasn’t been perfect, but I’ve been tryin’. The fourth just killed my routine.

Monday was spent sleeping in, packing up, and driving home from a real pleasant but quick trip to Hood Canal. Belfair to be precise, in case anyone is interested. I ate fast food for the first time in a very long time, as in, I can’t affix a date to the last time I gut-bombed. When you aren’t used to fast food, it really isn’t as satisfying or delicious as you remember it to be. Anyway, I went swimming with the family Monday evening. Not really swimming, just fooling around, but we spent 1 1/2 hours in the water, and I moved around quite a bit, so I’m counting it for 30 minutes of aerobics. (Little sparkly flower sticker for me)

Tuesday, I just did physical therapy.

Wednesday I did physical therapy and a hula video.

Thursday was physical therapy and my 2 mile walk. (I kicked butt. I think I walked the fastest ever. This is very exciting for me, because I have somewhat of a gimpy leg that keeps me from walking as fast as I’d like)

Friday I did upper and lower body weights and my physical therapy exercises.

On that topic…… (Warning- a very long rant follows, feel free to skip it) This is my first time going to physical therapy. I had no idea what to expect, other than a long routine of tedious physical movements that are supposed to help my bodily discomfort. I knew that part by reputation. Anyway, it appears that I am highly strong and flexible. I’ve always known that I am really strong for a woman. (Mostly in my lower half, I think my upper half is pretty wimpy.) Every doctor, specialist, and exercise equipment salesman I go to sees a very overweight stay-home mother of three small children and makes assumptions. (That is my guess anyway). Once they get around to actually examining me, they all say things like, “Wow! You’re really strong!” and, “Wow, you’ve got good muscle tone.” “Most women can’t do that.” Etc, etc. So, I’m in the physical therapist’s office for our first meeting a couple of weeks ago, and he’s asked a bunch of questions about my pain and lifestyle, and starts in on the physical examination. Once again I get the shock and surprise at my strength. The thing I wasn’t expecting was shock and surprise at my flexibility. It appears that I have full range of motion and extreme flexibility throughout my body that most people don’t have, including the therapist and his assistant. (I had a great PE teacher in junior high school that graded very heavily on stretching, and I’ve benefited from it the rest of my life) The therapist said that I was going to be a “fun and interesting case” for him, because I’m already strong and incredibly flexible, and he’s not exactly sure how to help me. They have me doing some good stretches and strength building in my upper/mid back that I think will help, but we haven’t done much with my hip and the base of my spine yet. (I have a torn disc.) I’m just wondering this….. If I am so strong, so flexible, exercising (my resting heart rate is about 52 beats per minute), drinking a gallon of water a day, eating well, and have remarkably good blood pressure, WHY IN THE DEUCE AM I FAT?!!!!!

(OK, back to our regularly scheduled Health Group meeting.)

Food-wise this week, I did pretty good. Not as wonderful as last week, but still pretty darn good.

And the scale? 229.5. Score. I’ve been in the 220’s most of the week. I’m pretty stoked about that.

Your turn………… Or you can just sing me a happy “Hooray For You” song. Whatever tickles your fancy.