Medical day...

[fajrdrako]

I went to my regular doctor today. This appointment was made last winter, a follow-up to check on my blood pressure. Good, good news: my blood pressure was 117/75. I was astounded, though delighted. When I think it's up, it's down. When I think it's down, it isn't. What's with that?

The doctor told me I was in good health (and reassured me on a matter that I'd been worrying about). She told me to lose ten pounds - me, I'm going for twenty!

As I left her office, she stared at my limp. "You've a way to go," she said sympathetically. "It's a long haul."

Yeah. I took the wrong bus to get to her office: I thought the #2 was going along O'Connor, like the #7 does, to bypass the construction on Bank St. Not at all. It's using Lyon St. So I had to walk from Somerset and Lyon to MacLaren and O'Connor... which would be a piece of cake if I had two good feet. As it was: ouch. I was exhausted.

But maaseru turned up in the waiting room, and we had lunch together in the cafeteria there, which was wonderful. I had a hot chicken sandwich and fries. No, not good-diet food, but delicious.

Surprisingly, I ran into Tom (whom I work with) at the doctor's building. He offered to drive me back to work. But I wasn't going back - I took the rest of the afternoon off, and maaseru and I went shopping. Motor Medic, Cotton Ginny, Loblaw's, Lee Valley.... and a necessary cold drink at McDonald's.

I made gazpacho for supper. What joy to be using the kitchen again.

Comments

[laitosto.livejournal.com]

My systolic number is always 20 points higher in the doctor's office. Since my bp is borderline, my doctor "suggested" that I take my bp every other day or so. The variation is interesting.

I've been doing the No S diet (http://www.nosdiet.com/) for the last 4 months. The core of the diet is:

No Snacks
No Sweets
No Seconds
Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S"

It is less a diet and more a way of creating better habits. These are my problem areas. The "S days" give me a safety valve so I'm not inclined to throw the whole thing out the window. I'm within a couple pounds of where I want to be and I hope to continue to eat this way to maintain it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a great system! And a good approach. I'm not good at diets that take a lot of prep time; I liked the South Beach Diet but spent way too much time chopping vegetables.

On the other hand, chopping vegetables can pay off. I made gazpacho last night, and mightily enjoyed it.

Does fruit count as 'sweets'? No, you don't need to answer, I'll check the website...