By my calculation, Marian is entitled to 5 5-lb parties!!! <:-P
Great job on WW Marian! Your doctor’s offering of the cookies is just bizarre given the context. Good for you for resisting the temptation! As others have said, stick around. This is a very supportive and welcoming group that gladly shares its knowledge, experience and passion for all things diet, fitness and health related.
Welcome Marian and way to go! The cookie thing is just bizarre unless the doctor herself is trying to also lose weight? But still – glad you tossed them. We got a big gift basket of Godiva chocolate (my weakness). I wish I’d donated them before opening the box…
Great job, Marian. Saboteurs are everywhere! Quote of the day:
Two weeks out from marathon training and I can barely walk, let alone run,without my hamstring getting cranky. Pretty much every PT and strengthening exercise seems to aggravate it further and after 6 years of back issues (at 22 years old, mind you), I’m pretty sure I just need to give it up forever. If I let myself think about it further, I’ll get too depressed, so I’ll just say that I’m crushed and can’t believe I’ve wasted my potential like this.
…and for the first time in my life, I’m stress eating to cope. I’ve already gained 10-15 pounds of the 40 pounds I lost in high school and I can’t even believe I’ve let myself get to this point. I’m such a failure. (Sorry, vent.)
Welcome Marian and kudos to you for resisting temptation! And congrats on the weight loss!
Some good NY Times stories:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/can-you-regain-muscle-mass-after-age-60/?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fask-well&_r=0
The second one helps explain why weight loss is so tough. "Two people can have the same amount of excess weight, they can be the same age, the same socioeconomic class, the same race, the same gender. And yet a treatment that works for one will do nothing for the other.
The problem, researchers say, is that obesity and its precursor — being overweight — are not one disease but instead, like cancer, they are many."
There are 59 different types of obesity – so finding the right cure to weight loss could mean going through several diets before finding the one that works for you. That’s so important to realize, because we are so quick to judge someone who is overweight. It also makes every diet study suspect and potentially worthless.
Right now, the right diet for me would mean eating less chocolate. I’ve become addicted to it since election day.
But I did have a nice swim this afternoon.
Great job Marian, both on the weight loss and resisting those cookies.
I’m sure the doctor wasn’t thinking but shame on her.
@writeandrun, don’t let adversity get the best of you. You’re hurt, it happens. But don’t sabotage yourself. Rest and then reassess!
Marian, yes stick around. I love it that you 1. realize how ironic it was that your doc encouraged cookies. 2. That you tossed them in the trash when you left! WINNING!!! 
Around here you get a party for every 5 pounds you lose! And lots of other encouragement that is NOT weight related. I’d actually say we talk more about fitness and health rather than weight - which I think is a good “healthy” attitude to take!
4.5 miles today at the gym. Felt GREAT. If I just phase out and get a comfortable pace I’m golden. Plus the fact that I had exercised but not ran for a few days made me enjoy it even more - which is good food for thought.
Only about 36 hours to the Winter Solstice–which is both my least and most favorite day of the year. I love that we’re finally getting more daylight, but hate how little we are getting. It’s just awful. I’ve been stress eating, unable to run because of the snow and ice (finally melted today), sleeping badly–wide awake at 3 AM, and (unusually for me) not able to get back to sleep. I’m on the verge of throwing my hands in the air and eating massive amounts of chocolate until January 1st, when (magically) my New Year’s resolutions will kick in and suddenly I’ll feel motivated.
Got out of bed this morning to freezing rain (literally) and drove my daughter to work because she doesn’t feel safe driving on ice (it was bad but not awful)–I did get my dogs to the training barn, and walked out after we trained into what felt like a balmy spring day by comparison–45 and fresh air. I did get a walk in, but I feel like a slug.
5 miles on the treadmill.
Wondering if I should give blood tomorrow. I’m O- so the like my blood. Huge drive takes over an entire Sheraton. I won an iPad two years ago. But I’ve blacked out the last two times I’ve given. Last time was the worst feeling I’ve had in my entire life. Like falling down a black hole. I was pretty frightened. Next thing I remembered after ai blacked out was six people around me drenching me with water. Had to lay down for close to an hour till I was level headed to stand up.
I have lower blood pressure? Maybe I’m not meant to do this? But they need my blood so I kind of feel an obligation.
writeandrun, hugs. I think you are writing yourself off too soon! If an old fart like me was able to fix her knee, you too can fix your hamstring but… You need to be patient and rethink the strategy.
"Pretty much every PT and strengthening exercise seems to aggravate it further and after 6 years of back issues (at 22 years old, mind you), I’m pretty sure I just need to give it up forever. "
You are undergoing PT while training for a marathon. Training for a marathon is brutal, it undermines the whatever strengthening PT provides. You need your hamstring to learn to be pain-free then you can begin to train. Training while in pain from an injury not only wrecks your body, it is also mentally damaging (and racing is highly mental)!
I also recommend getting a second PT opinion if the present one is not doing much.
@ohiopublic – do they still let you give blood after you tell them you blacked out? I blacked out twice, years ago, and they told me never to come back. I’m A-neg and my father was O-neg–strong family tradition of donation.
@writeandrun – are you 22? I have reading comp issues My hamstrings were very tight when I was ramping up mileage before my first marathon. Shouldn’t you be tapering (with 2 weeks to go)? I found massage helpful and using the foam roller a LOT (5-6x/day).
You’ll get the weight off again. Stress (and holidays) can make anyone gain weight.
ohiopublic – please don’t give blood. I tried once and also blacked out and woke up to my vein spurting blood everywhere (needle flew out when I hit the ground). You are a good soul to want to donate but please don’t.
OMG, for some reason I have never given blood- you guys are confirming that I don’t know if I ever want to - so scary!
Ohio- I don’t like the sound of that. Could they take less blood, maybe?
Writeandrun- did you just start 2 weeks ago? To me it sounds like your SI joint is rotated out of position and if that is the case, nothing will work in terms of PT, stretching etc until a good PT using manual technique Puts it back in place and shows you how to keep it there. What you are saying is classic SI joint rotation. A good PT can easily test for it in minutes by having you push against his hand with your leg and looking at leg length.
writeandrun, Bunsenburner and MOWC have given you excellent advice. You need to take a step back from your marathon training, get a full assessment to determine whether you injury is soft tissue, mechanical or both, and then get proper rehab. Frankly, if your current physical therapists haven’t picked up on the fact that the current treatment you are getting is exacerbating, not helping, your condition, if they haven’t done a full assessment on you, if they haven’t told you to step back from your marathon training, you need a different physical therapist!
I well understand your frustration and feelings of helplessness at this time, particularly since you had plans to start your marathon training and your debilitation seems unrelenting. Don’t beat yourself up! Take the time you need to figure this all out and get on track for proper treatment. It’s important to take a long range view when dealing with these situations. Taking the time now to get the right diagnosis and treatment will put you back on the path to achieving your goals. Everyone who is an athlete, who pushes the envelop of their training, at some point experiences an injury that sets them back,sometimes briefly, sometimes for a longer period of time. If you can take that long range view, if you can recalibrate your immediate goals,you will incrementally start to progress which will go a long way to helping you feel that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Hi Marian! Congrats on the weight loss and please stick around. Lots of good advice and support given here.
writeandrun- hope you recover soon.
I did not do much this morning but spent some time with my friend the elliptical. I feel like I was running better when I did more cross-training, so I’m going to work that in during the winter months. I’m feeling sad about the holidays, but have managed to resist overeating. It’s painful no matter what your age to be reminded by your mother how little she cares about you. Does that fall into the wellness portion of the thread?
@sabaray – I am so sorry to hear that. You may have mentioned this before and I missed it. Is she just a cold person? It is hard at the holidays when you feel like everyone else is celebrating with their loving family. That’s the illusion, but it’s hard not to wish for things to be different. Hugs.
Did manage to get out for 4 miles (23 degrees here).