Reality Check

In the middle of August, Carle Weight Management had us fill out a Risk Factor Profile questionnaire. Somehow, in all of my class jumping last year due to school, I missed that a bunch of people had filled this out before. It's like a benchmark of where you are now versus where you were. Even though I didn't take the test previously, I am able to chart where I was on most items. The assessment takes into account my cholesterol levels, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting glucose level, %over ideal body weight, how much I drink alcohol, how much I smoke, my physical activity history (calories burned on average per week), my body fat percentage, my servings of fruits and vegetables, my stress level, if I wear my seat belt and "other."

There was also some family history on the sheet.

We got the results today. And the one elevated risk factor I had was my body weight, which I find interesting. It's no secret that even at my goal weight I road the line between "normal" and "obese" on the BMI scale. At goal (157) I was a 24.6 (normal), right now, I'm a 25.8 (overweight) because I have been maintaining an 8lb. increase over that "goal" area. That is, I thought 157 was good, but I'm maintaining a 165. It seems to be where my body always goes. I dipped into the 150s for about 6 weeks post surgery, and then went right up to being 164 again when I did the triathlon and the marathon relay last spring and have been fighting all summer to try to see 160 again. 161 was the closest I came.

Anyway, even though my body weight has increased, my last measured body fat was 23 percent in May. But the point of the survey wasn't supposed to dwell on weight. It was supposed to show you how you were doing in many other health-related areas that can change your chances of cancer risk and cardiovascular disease risk (i.e. life is more important than scale). At this time, deep breath, I am at low risk for either given my profile.

Total Cholesterol: 163
Total Triglycerides: 51
Blood Pressure: 96/62
Fasting blood glucose: 94

I apparently need to work on the fact that I "sometimes" feel stressed too. But then I don't think I'd be alive.

Overall, the average American is found to be a +23 (female) or +25 (male) on this chart. A "healthy" American is at 0. My risk profile has me at -22. I think I'll call that "hooray."

I've got two meetings with the nurse in my program over the next two weeks. One is my 6-month follow up impedance test. The next is a pre-blitz assessment meeting. Every 3-4 months, the clinic runs a "blitz." It can be used to jump start weight loss. But truthfully, I use them to get back into good habits. There's been a development lately of doing more convenience eating rather than what I call investment eating. My vegetable consumption needs to increase, particularly since my fruit intake has been way high with all the bounty summer brought us.

I also need to work on the sleep. Unfortunately that "sometimes" stress, seems to occur most late at night when I'm supposed to be winding down from my day. My brain doesn't like to shut down. Some things really help. MacTroll is probably going nuts by the number of times I've had to ask him to rub my back at night. It's not a massage thing. It's definitely a comfort of touch thing. Fifty percent of the time it puts me right to sleep, if it goes on long enough (five minutes or so).

Last night, I fell asleep and thought I heard water. I thought one of the cats got trapped in our bathroom and was peeing in the shower, so I got up and ran into the bathroom. Only to find out it was just my husband. Yeah, the cats probably don't pee loud enough that I can hear them through the door. But it also tells you how light of a sleeper I've been lately.

On Oct. 14th, I'm heading back up to Montreal, for my Loosey-only break from reality. Here's to hoping I get some solid snoozes there. I could use them. It feels like it's been months since I've gotten a restful sleep.