Shopping Centre Success and Some Medical Ramblings.

Hello blog followers,
Welcome back to another thrilling entry.
Today I survived a major shopping centre - well survived the food court really. Once upon a time in fat guy world, I would have stopped to get something to eat, which would have sent Sunny off on a round of "Do you really need that?" talk.
Today I went into the centre, got what I needed, and got out without stopping to get chips (which, let's face it, are my weakness and really the only thing you can eat while walking without risking looking like a complete fool).

The Wii Balance Board (BB) told me this morning that I have, in fact, been doing pretty well since I started - but I can't remember what it was, just that I am starting to shrink already. I'm pretty happy with that. I haven't completly cut all the crap out of my food intake (notice the avoidance of the "D" word), only the take away food from places like McDonalds and KFC. These are the types of places that I loved to get food from and they are the types of places that are specifically forbidden under the terms of the bet. With that in mind, as I start to trim the rubbish eating out of my program, I feel that good but sensible and maintainable losses are achievable.

I will most likely go back to using the Weight Watchers for Men program (which is basically the women's points program - but laid out for guys to use) which I used a couple of years ago with some pretty good short term success. Unfortunately it was in the two months or so leading up to Christmas of that year and never really got back on track in January. This year, I'm not running into it, just getting off the fat and sugar addictions slowly.

The problem I am having at the moment is caused by my medications. I was diagnosed a little over twelve months ago with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder - something I have most likely had all my life (obviously the version without the Adult header!). I take what the cool kids call "Dex" for this and it is doing wonders for my ability to get things done. I am finally getting some writing done and have, in fact, set up a new writing project with a friend of mine - a book for dads about becoming and being a dad.

I know I am wondering off track here (meds clearly worn off!) but I went to get a dad book for a new dad and discovered that there are very few (I could find none - but are giving the publishers the benifit of the doubt) books about parenting that are written for the non-custodial parent. Also, there seem to be very few for fathers at all. Not like the ones that are written for the mother with all the cool facts and developmental pieces of information. So that is why the book.

Anyway, the Dex suppress appetite in some kids and, it seems, me too. The problem there is that I don't tend to eat unless I'm hungry. So when the meds start to wear off at night, then I start to get really hungry. The next problem is that my night is now a lot longer that it was, because the Dex are a stimulant, which sees me able to stay up easily until the early hours of the morning without noticing. The not eating is harder when I'm not teaching because the school day is perfectly broken up for me to say "Now it is lunch time, take tablet and have something to eat."
I was only taking the ADD meds on teaching days, to avoid the late nights, but Sunny got sick and tired of me being focussed and motivated for all my school work and then not getting anything done around the house. So, I've started taking them most days now. We'll see how it goes.
It struck me two days ago that there is another important tablet, which I have not been taking at all. I also have Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (ATD) - which is a nice way of saying that my body is trying to kill my thyroid. I am supposed to take Tyroxin once a day, and have started doing so again. The thyroid helps run the metabolism and mine has to work overtime just to put out enough of its hormones to maintain a close to normal level. In fact, if my doctor hadn't gone looking for the problem, it would most likely not have been found. It doesn't show up on the normal thyroid test. Thank God she was on the ball!

Anyway, after what seems like a long winded whinge about minor medical crap, I just wanted to say that I had a great day and I am grateful that my problems (without down playing the dangers of being obese) are minor. My prayers tonight go out for all those whose medical problems are not minor.

Be good, and don't get hit by a bus.
Ge'd