2013 is nearly upon us, and with that brings talk of New Year resolutions. Most people are Gung-ho about incorporating their resolutions into every day life, at least until spring comes and priorities shift. While unofficially polling a broad spectrum of friends and colleagues I found it hard to join in the discussions about executing 2013 resolutions, because the three most popular topics that kept coming up, were ones that I can’t really get involved with.
Start going to the gym more. I can’t do it. Cardiovascular activity causes an inflammatory response and makes me feel worse than I already feel. Walking for an extended period of time tires me out. On Christmas Day I went for a walk around town with my parents. It was a nice leisurely two hour walk through some communities near where I live. By the end of the walk I was limping, my back hurt, my shoulder and neck started to hurt and I was so exhausted that I needed to lie down and nap for a few hours. If not for my mom waking me up to eat dinner, I probably would have slept straight through till the next day. When I feel up to it, the one day a week when I go to the gym to attempt light core and strengthening exercises is all it’s going to be for a while.
Watch less TV, and read more. Since August of 2011 I have not plugged in my TV, it sits lifeless upon a shelf collecting dust. I have been reading many different genres of books, and am shocked that even after the rave reviews I bestowed upon “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter”, none of my friends have jumped at the chance to read it. I do have a friend who DVRs “Real Housewives of New Jersey” and “Ice Loves Coco” for me so I can keep up on my favorite “reality” shows when the mood strikes.
Diet to lose the weight gained over the holidays and maybe a few more pounds on top of that. I’m not one to brag, but this seems like the perfect time to mention that this is the second holiday season in a row where I have lost weight. I cannot indulge in the sugary holiday treats or in any of the traditional feasts that spur the holiday weight gain, so it is a non-issue for me. I am not saying I was perfect this holiday season, but the one day I strayed from my Lyme diet, did not cause any waistline expansion.
On December 21st, during an office Christmas Party, I ate a handful of cookies. The end of the world was coming (12/22/12), and it was important for me to remember what a good sugar cookie tasted like. Later that evening after dining with my friend Laikisha on Lyme disease friendly food, I indulged in a cup of Frozen Yogurt with the most sugary toppings I could pile on at Sweet Frog. Want to know what happened the next day? We were all still here, and I was very uncomfortable as various parts of my body reacted poorly to my lack of discretion while sampling “end of the world” desserts. This is not the first time I have been tricked by an end of the world declaration. Pre Lyme-diet and diagnosis, I had the pleasure of sitting down for another “last supper” at the Cheesecake Factory at the Columbia Mall with my friend Bronwen on May 21, 2011. You are probably wondering why we chose the Cheesecake Factory in Columbia MD the night we were supposed to be raptured. On the morning of May 22nd, if life as we knew it continued to exist, we were to compete in the Columbia Triathlon. We timed our dinner so that at 6:30 PM, the supposed time of rapture, we would just be finishing dinner and wouldn’t have to pay. As the story goes, we paid for dinner and raced the next morning.
This past year has had its share of ups and downs and as my health continues to be unpredictable I am sure 2013 will be more of the same. What are my resolutions for the New Year? Starting in 2013 I am no longer going to pay attention to the end of the world hype that the media enjoys shoveling down our throats from time-to-time. And perhaps I shall watch more TV, and try to gain a few pounds.
sweet F.R.O.G.
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