Thursday, December 07, 2006

Food for thought

I had my first Christmas dinner yesterday. This morning I topped the 200 pounds mark. This year has been a poor year for the Hamblin shape. Last year I was down below 190 having reached 210 in 2004. I even had 2 inches taken in from the waist of every pair of trousers.

I know the remedy. Eat less and exercise more. The problem is, I like eating and dislike exercise.

That's not entirely true. Exercise can be exhilarating. When I am fit, a brisk walk on the beach, a cycle through the forest or even a jog to the hospital sends the adrenaline zinging round the body and leaves me with a warm glow, but getting fit: there's the rub. I gave up my gym membership in 2005; my daily cycle trip was sufficient to keep me losing about half a pound a week while cutting out bread and limiting potatoes to one a day. Then came Christmas. I like nuts. Nobody else does. Someone had to eat them.

If you were brought up under post-war austerity you were taught to leave nothing behind on your plate. It is hard to drill yourself into tasting a bit of this and a bit of that and leaving the plate fairly full, especially at Christmas. But that's what must be done.

Today I am fasting. Tomorrow as I sit in the British Airways executive lounge waiting for my flight to Orlando I must avoid the smoked salmon sandwiches and the claret. I must eschew the free glass of champagne as I get on the plane. I must get up and walk around the cabin.

I must keep repeating this mantra: Let it go to waste or else it will go to waist.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not a nutritionist or otherwise considered an "expert" in this area... just a 52 y/o guy who had an awakening about six years ago, lost 40 lbs in two months on the "OMG I'M DYING" diet and has since learned a lot about fitness and nutrition. By the way, I'm not a CLL patient but my wife was recently diagnosed.

I think fasting can work against your goal of losing weight. I've learned to eat a number of smaller meals a day instead of the three that people normally eat. I believe that, when your body starts getting hungry, it starts hoarding calories just in case (from an evolutionary perspective) it's the beginning of a period of time of food not being available. I know it can be difficult if you are very busy but that's why I keep snacks handy (dried fruit with no sugar added, NUTS, dark chocolate :-)). Of course, that would make me fat anyway if I didn't also excercise 5x/wk... but I only need 20 minutes per if I keep the intensity up!

By the way, I avoided the cholesterol lowering meds (that's what started the weight loss) and got off the blood pressure meds I'd been on for 11 years prior. That's a whole 'nother story but I've been able to maintain this for six years now!

Anonymous said...

Terry, I hate to give you medical advice but......
It was the Earl of Derby who in 1873 said; “Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

May I say collectively for we CLL's around the world, that we need you, and heartily endorse the notion of a healthy and....well almost slim Terry Hamblin.

Anonymous said...

It was the Earl of Derby who in 1873 said; “Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

Phil, that is a great quote. I am one of those people who immediately identifies with Terry. I love food. Everything about it is enticing. So, I exercise so I can eat.

Terry, I must have missed that you are going to Orlando. Watch the telly and you will see Tom Park on the Toyota of Orlando commercials. Have a safe, dietetic trip.

Anonymous said...

Dr Hamblin--I love these glimpses into your personal life and thoughts.
Your blog reminds me a joke a friend of mine has told countless times around the beginning of the new year..."I've decided to get in shape this year....the shape I have chosen is ROUND". (Yes, it's an old joke but I still laugh at it...strikes a chord with me).

Liz W.
MN USA