Pain

Crossfit

Exercise

I need your help!

We recently purchased one of those talking scales.  When I stepped on it the scale said "One person at a time, please".

Gulp.

But I'm at a loss right now and could really use some help from my friends here in the blogosphere.

I'm looking for rapid weight loss suggestions which do NOT include exercise or dramatically changing my diet. 

That's right... I want to lose 10 lbs (plus or minus) in a very short amount of time (like yesterday), and do not want to exercise or dramatically change my diet. 

I've read that exercise alone doesn't make you lose weight, so that's all I need to know about exercise.  Plus I know from past experience it can make you sweat.  I'm not really 'into' sweating. 

Now, I am willing to change my diet a little bit, but not dramatically.  So no Atkins, Weight Watchers, or NutriSystems.  That's just too much!

I'm considering a few options, but since I have no experience with them, I'm not sure which is best:

• wiring my jaw shut.  This is probably the least invasive, but knowing me, I'd probably find a delicious, highly caloric milkshake to which I'd become addicted and end up losing no weight at all.  Plus, cosmos can also be sucked threw a straw.  Not daintily, but it can be done.
• medically induced coma.  This one is tricky in that, by virtue of being in a coma, it precludes me from working for the length of the coma.  Since I'm a realtor, there's no paid medical leave or vacation.  When I don't work, I don't get paid.  And for it to do me any good, I'm thinking the coma would need to be at least a solid 2 weeks.  Maybe 3.
• stomach stapling surgery.  This one is pretty invasive too, being that it requires surgery and recovery.  Plus I know there is the potential to stretch your stomach back out after the surgery, so this is probably my least favorite option at this time.  Oh, and I hate hospitals too.
• Weight loss pills (both FDA and non-FDA approved).  I'm not sure of the efficasy of weight loss pills or appetite suppressants since I really don't over-eat out of hunger.  I over-eat out of loving the taste of delicious food, so suppressing my hunger may not work.
• cleanses.  I had a colleague years ago who would do various cleanses to detoxify his body and lose weight.  But he was like 26 years old, and when you're that young, almost anything you do to lose weight works.  I'm not sure I can drink gallons liquids unless they taste like a cosmo, OR unless there's an iron-clad guarantee.

So, if any of you dear readers has any insight on these options, or any other options I have considered, please DO speak up.  I'm all ears!

Inspiration

Exercise

...on the planet

Are you curious what the "Hottest Guys on the Planet" might look like?  

If so, you're in luck.  Fit Media has put together a video of their choices of the hottest guys on the planet.  Go ahead, watch the video - you deserve 6 1/2 minutes of guilty pleasure.

Follow up

You may recall that about a month ago I had a physical, my 1st in about 4-5 years.  The results were not what I was expecting.

So after a month of modifying my diet somewhat and increasing my exercise a bit, I went for a follow up visit and to talk with my doctor more about what I need/should do going forward.

The good news is that my blood pressure was lower than last time, although still higher than it should be.  He said that if I continued watching my diet and exercising, it may be in the normal range in 6 months, so I will go for another follow up visit then.

We also reviewed my blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight again.  He said my blood sugar level was 'borderline', and that if I continued to watch my diet, it would likely stay in that safe range.  My cholesterol number was also just slightly above normal, so he will check that again in 6 months when I return.  Again, better dietary choices will likely keep that in check.  

Then there's my weight.  While not "obese" in most people's eyes, according to that ridiculous chart I am technically 30 lbs overweight.  I told the doctor I have not been that target weight in 20 years!  He suggested that make a real effort to incorporate cardio exercise into my life routine.  Walking or running 3 times a week is my goal.  So far I am lucky to get 1 brisk walk in each week, but now that the weather is more pleasant I should be able to increase that.

So the good news is that my levels have improved since my last visit, and should improve even more if I don't get lazy.  The bad news is that every time I think about exercise it is followed by the thought of walking to Dairy Queen.

Let's Get (a) Physical

So yesterday I went to the doctor for a physical.  The last time I had a physical was probably about 4-5

years ago, with my old doctor who left his practice to work at a hospital.

Last week I'd stopped at the lab so they could withdraw some blood so the results would be in my doctor's office in time for my physical yesterday.  I expected this physical to go pretty much like my last physical, with a pat on the back and a clean bill of health.

Instead, my doctor said my blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, my sugar level was high, and my weight was high.

Record scratch.

Wha?????  How could this be?  I don't smoke, I don't drink too much, I don't take recreational drugs, and I don't take any medication on a regular basis.  I'm healthy, dammit!!

While its true that I don't smoke, drink too much or use drugs, I also don't exercise or pay good attention to my diet.  And even if I did, I can't help my genetic predisposition.  Both my parents (ages 77 and 80) have had heart conditions, as did both my grandparents on my father's side.

I think I was in shock for several minutes in the doctor's office.  Then I started to freak out a little.  Just 4 or 5 years ago I was perfectly healthy and now that I'm pushing 50, I'm falling apart at the seams.  What a slap in the face!

But at least its 'fixable'.  I mean, its not like I have terminal cancer or an inoperable tumor.  Perspective.

My doctor talked to me about treatment options like blood pressure and cholesterol medications, as well as diet modification, exercise, and weight loss.  He wanted to start me on the medications immediately but I told him I was committed to diet modification, exercise and weight loss which should reduce my blood pressure and cholesterol naturally.  We agreed to follow up in a month to see if those efforts reduced my levels enough to not need the medication.

Its not that I'm against medication.  I just feel that if I can reduce my levels sufficiently in a natural way I'd prefer to do that over having to take pills the rest of my life.

Today I'm over the shock and have begun sharing this 'news' with some of my friends.  Some confessed that they are taking blood pressure and/or cholesterol medicines already, while another is trying exercise and weight loss first like me.

Now comes the hard part:  reducing or eliminating all the delicious and tasty foods that have contributed to my high blood pressure and cholesterol, which is basically everything that is worth eating.  Anybody have any heart-healthy recipes to share?

And then comes the exercise.  Time to dust off that gym membership.