Thursday, April 26, 2007

 My

 My PhD Procrastination Project: No Pain, No Gain
 April 26, 2007
No Pain, No Gain  (Related) 

 Perhaps I should reword that title. How about 'No Pain, No Loss'. Now, I'm going to whine and complain for a bit here (or as they say in New Zealand, 'whinge'). I've begun a group training programme - it's six weeks long, with three hour-long workouts per week. We've had our first two sessions and I must tell you, I'm sore.



 Now, I'm used to muscle soreness since I work out a few days per week already. But not like this. I knew it would be bad - trainers always work you harder than you ever would yourself. But after Monday's early morning session, Tuesday was a day of pain. Level ground was all right, though I could feel every muscle firing. Uphill was manageable, but took every ounce of energy I could muster. It was the downhill and down stairs that was excruciating. Especially the first step. I looked like I'd aged 20 years overnight.



 I suppose it would have been easier to do this in Toronto, which is mostly flat, where I lived on the ground floor, and I always had to get into an elevator to get to the office. But no. I had to do this in Dunedin, which is known for it's hills. Luckily I live part way up one, not at the top - so it could have been worse. My desk at school is two floors up, no elevator. And I have to go up and down several times a day to get to the water fountain, the library, or the cafe. Rarely do I long for the straight, level roads of Toronto as much as I did this week.



 I've now had my second workout (I didn't think I'd make it through, but I did) and am, relative to Tuesday's levels, almost pain free, though a bit stiff. The first week is always the worst. Or at least, that's what I'm telling myself. And hopefully that pain is a sign of the good results (loss) to come.



 But why, you ask, am I subjecting myself to this torture? Good question. Those of you who know me well are already aware of my battle with weight. I'm kind of tired of it all...and you all must be too. I do all the right things - I eat right, I exercise, I go on liver cleanses, I pay attention. Yet I still seem to have very little control over how my body responds.



 Truth be told, I have a hypothyroid problem (everyone always blames it on the hormones, eh?) - which basically translates to a slow metabolism. I take medication to correct it, but I still have many of the symptoms: tiredness, muscle and joint aches, sensitivity to cold, and difficulty losing weight. The best way to combat the condition is with 1) eating properly (low GI food, more small meals instead of three large ones, and no fad diets 'cause that just messes it up more) and 2) increasing muscle mass.



 The problem is because you feel very tired, you really can't bound out of bed and get over to the gym to increase that muscle mass. And, since you have joint and muscle pain even without the workout, it doesn't do much for the motivation either. And you have difficulty losing weight, regardless of a healthy diet and moderate exercise.



 How's that for a lack of fairness? All those of you with favourable genetics and active metabolisms, just count your lucky, much leaner, stars. I'm frustrated when I hear about people who lose weight without meaning to, who cut out their daily dessert and drop 5 pounds, or who don't exercise at all. Even before I had this thyroid issue, five years ago, it took me 12 months to lose twenty pounds. Of course there is the advantage that I'll outlast you all in a famine - but who knows when that'll come in handy?



 Inexplicably, I've gained about 10 pounds over the last year to 18 months. I haven't changed my eating, nor worked out less often. But I can't even fit into two pairs of my jeans, and another pair of cords (I can do them up, but can't actually sit down). Clearly, my regular routine isn't getting me anywhere, so I decided to shock my system a bit to see if that works. We were weighed and measured at the beginning of the programme, and the same will be done at the end. Here's hoping for some positive results!



 Actually, letting me fit into my jeans would be enough, really. It would triple my meagre wardrobe!

 

Posted by Pam

 

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