I've had a strange summer. In mid June I fell while getting out of an elevator, in a rush to get to my hotel room after a loud, noisy, crazy family party. I admit now that I was feeling overwhelmed, alone, desperate for peace and quite and was rushing and not paying attention. Oh...and I also had on elevated shoes - those new/old wedgie type that are so popular now. As I fell, I remember stiffening up and hoping that I wouldn't re-break a weak ankle. I lay on the floor in the hotel corridor and didn't think I could get up. I finally got to a sitting position, and was sitting with my back to the wall when the elevator opened and two people stared out at me. They stared at me...I stared at them - the elevator closed and I was alone again. I managed to get to my feet and stumble to my room grabbing ice on the way. I sprained my ankle very badly and tore the meniscus in my other knee even worse. It hurt like hell and I wondered how I would get home the next day.
What has this got to do with food? Keep reading - I think I'll get there.
I did get home, drove myself 3 hours home and a few weeks later had surgery on that knee. That was July. I spent the next four weeks elevating my leg whenever I could and icing it and taking drugs. I started PT, where the Therapist had me at 7:00 am two days a week and kept me doing squats and leg lifts with weights on my ankle and things were getting worse and worse and worse. At the same time, I signed up for nutrition sessions at my health club.
This is where the food part comes in.
Last week a light bulb went off in my dim head. I realized that I'd fallen back into the "load up your basket, times a-wasting" mode that is so familiar to us all. I was trying to do it all again! I'd been trying to force my leg to heal with inappropriate tough exercises. The lack of routine exercise that I usually get in the summer had left me completely out of shape and pushing my leg to get better had made it worse. I'd been eating poorly, mostly take out food and quick sandwiches or pasta. Nothing fits and I'd begun to feel worse and worse about myself, my inability to heal, etc etc etc. So I've begun to get off the merry go round and I've started with food and exercise.
I've dumped the harsh PT and have started rehab sessions 1 time a week with a Pilates trainer. After 1 week I can walk better - and can now climb stairs comfortably. And I've completely dumped fast convenient food. Right now I have a Moroccan vegetable stew on the stove. On Sunday's I'm cooking for the week so that I have healthy lunches to bring to work. I'm committed to reading food labels, and (trying) to only buy whole foods. I'm shopping the edges of the supermarket. Minimal meat, more salads and veggies. Lots of water with lemon. I'm trying hard to slow down - slow down with eating, slow down with trying to do too much, slow down at work and do a better more thorough job. It's a better way to live.
And yes the wedgie shoes - which were brand spanking new - have been given to Goodwill.
Wish me luck!