Old By The Numbers

I went to the doctor the other day to see about a nagging knee injury and he decided I was old and needed to get a ton of blood work done to confirm that fact.  When you are young everyone wants to know your SAT and your ACT. When you are old everyone wants to your BP and your LDL/HDL.  None of these numbers were going to help my knee feel better, but the Doctor said if the number on the scales went down and if I went to physical therapy that the knee would improve
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 So the dreaded numbers on the scale thing. I told him I had never had much luck, or perhaps discipline would be a better word, in that aspect of my health.  I have had another kind of luck when it comes to health which ironically could be part of my downfall.  I seem to have come from hardy stock. In spite of  generally neglecting  my health, I am rarely sick and even though I have been overweight most of my adult life, my body generally does what I want it to, when I want it to.  Now my knees need some help because as some other old bitter granny said years ago, the chickens have come home to roost.

The good news was my doctor said he could tell me the secret to losing weight and keeping it off.  This is what he said and this is what I said in my head.
#1. Eat breakfast, preferably with some protein in it.    Ugg, breakfast! I wonder if Diet Coke counts.
#2. Drink water   Ugg, water!  I wonder if Diet Coke counts.
#3. Exercise for an hour everyday.  That was a joke right? He's not smiling. EVERY day? An HOUR? REALLY???
#4. Weigh yourself everyday.  This time my thoughts came out of my mouth before I could stop them.
 "If I do that" I said, " I will spiral down into a depression and you will have to refer me to a mental health therapist as well as the physical therapist."  He only smiled a little bit.
"Oh no, it's just the opposite", he reassured me, "everyday as you see the numbers go down you will be encouraged and excited to continue your efforts."
Yeah, right. Have you ever been on a diet?  This is a terrible secret.  A real secret would be a method that tells me how to loose weight without changing my lifestyle one bit.


I am well aware that the root of the problem is my attitude. You may have been thinking that too. I have always been stubborn , somewhat rebellious, and had issues with authority when being told to do anything I don't want to do.  Sometimes this formula works for me, and other times...well, not so much.

I have been going to physical therapy and it is making quite a bit of difference. I am happy about it and feel like I am making progress. On the making the numbers on the scale move down, well...we shall see. I drank some water today.