i've been trying to lose weight now for years. i'm not a sports/athletic person, and, well, i like food. not greasy, fried, disgusting-for-you-food, but cutting down to protein shakes and juice/cayenne fasts just aren't my thing. broiled vegetables, wheat berries, baked seitan (i've even learned how to make my own), and pasta are, though. with my knee still in crappy shape (meniscus tear #3), exercise seems to be a tough battle. i tried a physical trainer about two years ago, and that worked well (8-10 lbs lost and some semi-bulky muscles) until i plateaued. the trainer, though, didn't want to address my knee issues, and probably made it all worse. then i tried a mixture of ellipital, bike, and yoga, which didn't do much either. Last July I refocused, trying a more free weight-centric method (yay, monthly "shape magazine" workouts), and saw some progress (12 lbs in 4 months), but then in December, I strained my deltoid. The Rx: no weights until I'm painfree. Eek. After a short boo hoo period, I recommitted, and started taking weekly or twice a week pilates mat classes at the gym, interspersed with cardio. In January, I added in biweekly pilates reformer sessions, and starting last Thursday, I swaped those for group reformer classes (much friendlier on the wallet). The good news is that I feel fitter and better, but I'm afraid I may just plateau again or fall of the wagon, and I'm afraid my wagon is 20 stories high...
last winter also marked a switch for me, bcp-wise to a non-estrogen based pill, which sounded great, until the acne started up again. oh, how i feel like a 16-year-old again, minus the curfews (this is the point where my mom will probably point out that i never really had a curfew), teal-colored beeper, parent-teacher conferences, and buffy the vampire slayer. now, i'm a strong girl. acne i can deal with, but what came next, i'm not so sure about. a few weeks ago, todd was standing above me while on the bus and said, "you have a bald spot!" upon checking with my dermotologist, yes, i've indeed been experiencing massive dandruff and, egads, significant hair loss. this shedding isn't just in one spot, either. it's all over the top of my head. i can't part my hair without seeing a blinding reflection in the mirror back at me. it's like my head turned into a cheap north beach dance club with authenticity guaranteed thanks to my greasiness and built-in strobe light scalp. the only thing missing is stilletos and a bar brawl.
i'm now on week two of my (dis)tress(ing) treatment: rogaine for men. yes, men. my dermatologist insists that the women's one is useless (it's 40% strength of the men's). so i apply the topical oil twice a day to my scalp, and it leaves me itchy with oily, gross hair. the kicker: i may not see results for 4-8 months, and while I have some wispy hairs up top that COULD be regrowth from pre-rogaine usage, they may just be broken strands. oh, and i'll probably lose more hair at the beginning b/c the rogaine will help my scalp shed any dead hair that's just hanging around.
so, to date-
- overweight: duh
- acne: present on my cheeks, nose, chest, and shoulder area (thank god for mineral makeup)
- baldiness: less obvious with curly hair
at least there's ice dancing drama at the olympics! i mean, i could have it worse; i could be dancing an unauthentic non-aboriginal dance wearing white paint-covered unitards and faux leaves. and that would just be embarrassing.
No comments:
Post a Comment