Out of shape she says...

On a normal day I am like a tiger ready to pounce.  I like heading into the garden, taking care of the yard and even throwing a brew session together so I can have a cold one after a long days work.  A day at work consists of running around a bunch of barrels, moving some machinery and hopping onto the forklift.  That was all until I recently hurt my ankle a good bit and it is one of those things that just takes you out of commission in ways that you don't even think about.  All of a sudden I found myself not getting up to get water even when I was thirsty.  The sandwich in the fridge isn't so easy to make anymore, which makes me begin to plant myself closer to both the water and the fridge.  It sounds mildly absurd, I know, but it is true.

I just was at my parents in the mountains and decided that a good little swim was just the ticket on these hot days.  I gathered up my stuff, threw on my trunks and headed down to the river.  I can hobble along pretty well with one of those limps that makes you look like a man with a story, not so much like a tragedy stricken person.  Anyways, I get to the waters edge, wade in up to my shins and dive into the refreshing water.  TWANG!  That didn't sound or feel too good...  I turn back towards the beach and the stinking bank is too steep that I can't get out.  Man, I feel useless!  I have to get my unkle to give me a hand in order to get out of the water.

This all makes you think about the fact that although this is a rather minor setback in life, it has quite an effect on everyday life.  Here I am in the middle of rehab and I still have trouble with stairs, walking across an uneven lawn or even making any sudden moves.  I am not a tiger ready to pounce.

I decide that I will head into the doctor to get a followup and just make sure that it isn't any worse than it should be.  I arrive and am greeted by a young lady that looks to be a couple of years younger than myself and she starts asking me doctor office type questions.  I answer this aides questions only for her to tell me that she is my new doctor! Oh boy.  Then she says that my BMI index is a point or two outside the norm and can I do anything to lose a couple of pounds...  Huh?  Me, lose weight?  I feel that I am pretty healthy right now, sure I could do a bit more exercise and get a touch fitter, but I am not overweight...am I?  I tell her the natural answer and blame my ankle.  I am not taking the fall for my ankle when it is clearly the reason I am out of shape!  I could lose some weight, you crass little teenager telling me I could lose some weight.

When I came to, I realized that yes, I could shed a couple of pounds.  Around this time is when I drop about ten pounds a year as we go through harvest.  It isn't a hard ten pounds either, but it does come off because of a pretty healthy work schedule that includes physical labor.  If I threw a bike ride or maybe a morning swim in there I could easily get rid of an extra five or ten.  That would put me at a nice and healthy 160lbs or so, which I do admit would be the lightest I have been in five years.  Since before Culinary school when I gained 20lbs!

SO,  I know that I can't blame my ankle on things, but it can put a mighty damper on things when I can't manage a jog, can peddle slowly on a bike and can't even pull myself out of a pool.  I am working on it and will figure it out in the next couple of weeks.  Let's see what I can bear to lose.