Laugh Lots. Not Too Loud. Mostly At Yourself.

That title has absolutely nothing to do with today’s post, but I think it’s going to be my new motto. Kind of Pollan-esque, no?

Anyway…you know the deal. Long ramble ahead, scroll down for the food.

When I started my therapy group in January, one of the behaviours I wanted to address was exercise. I’ve always maintained that it’s more compulsive than excessive- since then, I’ve been noting down each day how much I do. I don’t get caught up in the numbers, I just go on my walks and fill in my diary sheet at the end of the day. It wasn’t until this week that curiosity got the better of me and I added up my weekly mileage. Needless to say, it’s no wonder my old hip, back and ankle injuries have been causing so much pain.  Osteoporosis aside, it’s an excessive amount. It has been all too easy easy to brush off as “no big deal”- I only walk.  It’s sunny outside. I have some free time. Fresh air is good for you. Right?.. Maybe not. Not if it means you are taking maximum doses of three kinds of painkillers each day and crying in bed because the pain is so bad.

I don’t like acknowledging problems because I then feel obligated to fix them. Maybe by me acknowledging this, I am ready to tackle it.

“You change for two reasons- either you learn enough that you want to, or you’ve been hurt enough to have to.”

This is the latter.

When I think about the future, I don’t think about my osteoporosis. I assume I’ll be fine. I assume that I’ll dance again. That I’ll play tennis with my kids one day. That I’ll go on long hikes during my green road trip across America. What I don’t think about is that I am not doing what is necessary to prevent the damage to my bones, and am likely speeding it up. In more ways than one. I was talking to someone yesterday who really explained how things will look 5 years from now if I carry on like this. A conversation I have had before. It always hits me hard and I forget it as soon as I can. Ignorance is bliss, right? I would be lying if I said that thinking about how the state of my bones in years to come wasn’t terrifying to me. I don’t want to be in a wheelchair in 5 years, but that is a very real possibility.

I keep waiting until I am “ready” to change- by the time I feel ready, it could well be too late. I’ve been waiting for 15 years to be ready to give recovery 100% and it hasn’t happened. What more will it take?

Does anyone ever feel fully ready to change? Or is it a matter of just doing what you know is necessary, regardless of how ambivalent and scared you might feel?

…sometimes the only means of transportation available is a leap of faith…

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Foodie stuff!

I have had an opened bottle of Annie’s Organics Woodstock dressing chilling out in my fridge (get it? ) for a while and realised that it expires soon so I wanted to incorporate it into lunch.

Tofu, Woodstock dressing, alfalfa sprouts and spinach

Nowhere near as good as my all-time favourite tofu sandwich but still good. In fact, probably the highlight of my day on the food-front. Which isn’t saying a lot

I was excited about breakfast this morning because I knew that my freezer was full of the muffins I baked last week.

Jamaican coconut corn muffin, blueberries and Greek yogurt

They didn’t hold up too well once thawed so now I have a freezer full of dry muffins I wonder if it’s from the coconut milk? They still taste good though and are perfect for yogurt mash-ups (<- better name than ‘mess’?)

I foresee more coffee in the near future.

UK readers: Starbucks are doing a taste-test of their instant coffee and you get vouchers for drinks in return for participating so go hit up your local store!

Questions:

1. What is the best sandwich/wrap you have ever eaten? I had an amazing sandwich at an Organic cafe in London that was roasted mushrooms, cheddar cheese and sundried tomato mayonnaise a few years ago. Though I am happy with a good chicken salad sandwich Also love the Power sandwich and Power-fu sandwich I ate in New York!
2. Have you ever done something you didn’t really want to do just because you knew it was in your best interest?

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