Cate's Diary

[Marsia]

Hi Cate,

I think it's great you are refocusing and taking good care of your knee at the same time. I agree my advice is obvious, but I also agree it's good to just share it just to be in solidarity. My mom was very overweight, had no muscle tone at all and was in her 80s when she had her knee replaced. She did have a hard time the first few weeks, but with some physical therapy and help from me she was good as new afterward. I think the worst part for her was that she didn't eat enough fiber to overcome being bedridden for days and the constipation was horribly painful. I really feel for you that you have to wait so darn long to see someone, but hopefully that gives you time to prepare really well. The 3kg weight loss goal seems really good. I'll join you in that. I am back down to my normal high weight, so I'll start from there and keep you company losing the 6 lbs. Was the walk with Archie ok as far as pain level? back!

 

[Trusylver]

At least you are still able to get out and do some walking, even if it is not as much as you would like.

 

[Llama]

If we used the premise that most things that we should or shouldn’t do is obvious then we wouldn’t have much to say to one another. I’m happy to receive reinforcement of things that I already know. Giving advice to one another means we care.

True that, and I'm glad you see it that way. I often feel like I'm nagging if I say too much
Let's all lose a kilo a month for a while.

 

[Cate]

Hi, M. I love that we care about one another in this forum & feel free to express our views & offer support. The walk with Archie wasn't bad, pain wise. I have lost a lot of flexibility with my knee & am really going to work at getting it back. I walked for over a km this time, with my knee brace on & iced afterwards. I took him for another short walk in the afternoon, just in the paddock near the house.
Hi, Tru, Being able to walk again without the extreme pain I was experiencing before is a huge relief. I'll keep building it up.
Hi, LaMa. I try not to get too cranky in the forum as I know most of us mean well. I'm glad you reminded me about icing my knee. Losing a kilo a month would be lovely. I need to lose more than that before Feb.

I weighed this morning & it was not good I feel like I'm on a runaway train.

 

[Llama]

I'll weigh myself as soon as I get up. I know it's bad but closing my eyes won't make it go away. We can do this but we have to hold ourselves accountable.

Make sure to build up the walking slowly or it'll be harder in the long run.

 

[Cate]

I did get a shock, LaMa, I must admit. It had to be done though.
I stretched my walk another .5 of a km today- 1.5 all up. I had a walking stick with a seat & took a few rest stops. Arch is used to my new (lack of) pace now.
We had a fairly active day. We did some more gardening & some fencing.
We then had a “moment” when G noticed a fern tick on Archie’s nose We tried getting it off, but he’s such a strong & strong-willed little bugger we ended up taking him to the Vet!
I have had the most active day for over a month & I actually feel good.

 

[Llama]

Thanks for reminding me: I was about to leave the house without weighing! @#$$%&₩¥£€! is all I can say...

 

[Cate]

Thanks for reminding me: I was about to leave the house without weighing! @#$$%&₩¥£€! is all I can say...

I swore too this morning & was grumpy for a couple of hours!
I made good choices today though & got over 5,000 steps before 7 pm.

 

[Llama]

Good work, Cate, I hope you won´t be too sore tomorrow.

 

[liza]

Just catching up here Cate. Been looking in at the diaries here and there past few days without posting but with you all in spirit.
That is such a tough situation to be in to have an injury like that, which really limits comfortable exercise. I know people say it's mostly diet that helps weight loss but for me I know movement made all the difference as it uplifts my mood and occupies my mind and body.
But anyhow you sound like you are feeling inspired and motivated again to work with the situation you've been given, which is all any of us can do.
Very cool about the walking stick with a seat to give you a comfortable way to rest along the way.
Excellent about having such an active day all round.

G noticed a fern tick on Archie’s nose We tried getting it off, but he’s such a strong & strong-willed little bugger we ended up taking him to the Vet!

Ticks can be hard to remove properly--i can imagine especially on a dog's nose!--probably very good that you brought him in to make sure it was done right.

 

[Emilyrose]

It's really frustrating that you can't be as active as you want to be to try to lose a few kilos but don't give up now!

Well done on your good food choices and 5,000 steps. Is the stationary bike still an option? Even 10 minutes morning and evening to boost your metabolism?

 

[Cate]

Good work, Cate, I hope you won´t be too sore tomorrow.

Thanks, LaMa. It's hard to tell as I'm usually a bit sore, but I feel ok this morning. It really lifted my spirits to get more exercise in.

But anyhow you sound like you are feeling inspired and motivated again to work with the situation you've been given, which is all any of us can do.
Very cool about the walking stick with a seat to give you a comfortable way to rest along the way.
Excellent about having such an active day all round.

Thanks, Liza. I do feel much more motivated to do the best I can. Having less pain sure helps. I need to be able to move more to feel better in general. My mental health had suffered because of the inactivity & I feel a lot better after the last few days of being more active. Fingers crossed I can just slowly build it up.
I hate ticks & leeches. They're horrible little creatures. I think I'll book Arch in for an earlier haircut so it's easier to spot them.

It's really frustrating that you can't be as active as you want to be to try to lose a few kilos but don't give up now!
Well done on your good food choices and 5,000 steps. Is the stationary bike still an option? Even 10 minutes morning and evening to boost your metabolism?

Thanks, Em. I won't be giving up. The last few days has given me hope that I will be able to be more active & feeling better mentally will help me to make better choices.
The stationary bike isn't a good idea for me. I haven't mentioned it to anyone, but I think riding it one day about 6 weeks ago is what caused the recent problem. I'll just stick to walking for now & wait for my physio appointment. Actually, I think I'll ring her today & make sure she understands I do need a new ap't as the last time I saw her I was doing really well & my knee seemed to be healing really well.
I am doing small things, like not snacking & when G had a small ice cream after lunch yesterday I had an orange instead. I'll weigh myself tomorrow.

 

[Emilyrose]

Ah, sorry to hear that the stationary bike was a bad suggestion!

What I would also suggest that might be of benefit is splitting your walks up. So, do maybe 0.5 km in the morning, another 0.5 km after lunch, another one in the evening... it could mean that you are home before you feel any discomfort and you still get your steps in. Might not always be practical, but days you are going somewhere, you'd be moving around more anyway. Just something that might help.

Have a lovely day x

 

[Marsia]

Hi Cate, Lately, I really know the feeling of stepping on the scale and being shocked! I'm glad you are able to be more active and that you'll get to see your physio soon!! I hate removing ticks, especially from sensitive places on my cat, like we had to take one off her little pink ear. Nice you can zip over to the vet and get it removed.

 

[Llama]

Fingers crossed for your physio visit!

 

[Cate]

Thanks, Em, M & LaMa
I had a good day yesterday but didn't feel like going for a walk as such & just pottered about all day, did some more gardening..... I changed the bedding to summer bedding & found it more comfortable last night, although I woke up a bit cold. This in-between time is hard to get it right.
G just headed for golf. I'll potter about again today & when he leaves the golf course this afternoon he's going to ring me & I'll head off with Arch & he can pick me up & bring me home.
I rang one of the golfing women yesterday & had a good chat. It was nice. I can't see myself getting back to playing there again though. I'm going to pick up my clubs soon & bring them home. If I do play again I think it will be with our social group.
I weighed again this morning. I'm back down a bit. My weight fluctuates so much it's crazy. I'm 1.5kg less than I was yesterday, which was 1.5 kg more than I was a week ago. 15.5kg to lose.
I'm going to make good choices again today.

 

[liza]

I'll potter about again today & when he leaves the golf course this afternoon he's going to ring me & I'll head off with Arch & he can pick me up & bring me home.

That sounds nice

It's too bad you have to give up golf, but really good you aren't pushing beyond what is comfortable and safe. I have a friend who recently had to give up running for his knees. It's always a little heartbreaking but sometimes necessary.

I'm going to make good choices again today.

Wonderful!

 

[Cate]

Thanks, Liza. I haven't given up totally on golf, but just can't see myself getting back into club golf. It takes so long! I really would rather spend time with Archie.
It's funny really how making small changes can make a difference with your weight. I think it's more about changing the way I think about myself. I have been calling myself a fat wombat for a couple of months now. I know I made jokes about a zen wombat, but I actually had been feeling like a fat wombat
Each time I say no to an extra glass of wine, an ice cream, a biscuit or chocolate I am going to give myself a pat on the back. This excess weight won't magic itself away.
I haven't rung the physio as I couldn't find her number. I'll have another look today. I also have to rebook a cardio appointment.

 

[misty22]

Cate, hope the knee feels better soon. The physio will definitely help!

Wombats are really cute! Hopefully you are talking to yourself lovingly - I think sometimes we are all hard on ourselves / give ourselves tough love but sometimes have to shelve that talk.

How much weight do you have to lose, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Cate]

Hi, Misty. The knee feels a little bit better again today. I just got back from a walk with Archie. I drove down the other end of the road we live on & took him for a different walk. I caught up with a lovely woman I met through the library & we had a lovely chat. She was gardening.
I wasn't being kind to myself calling myself a wombat. Shelving negative self-talk is a good idea. This wombat is going to turn into a kangaroo.
I have 15.5 kg to lose to get back to my "happy" weight.
I have made good choices today. I have done lots of housework & taken Archie for a good walk, had a healthy salad for lunch, followed by an orange & just had a diet tonic with a lime ice cube.