Injuries and willpower

I did something to my neck while lifting weights yesterday. I aggravated an old injury and gave myself a painful reminder that more is not always better. When I first hurt my back/neck in 2005, I was out of commission for months. I couldn't drive, couldn't work, and it was a really terrible time in my life. I was being considered for spinal surgery. Even my chiropractor thought that's where it was headed, and chiropractors don't like to tell you to consider surgery. By the time I recovered, I was 216 pounds. I ended up losing almost 50 of it pretty quickly, but in the last few years, it's been creeping back up to the 194 I found myself at in January.

I got to the chiropractor today--it really couldn't wait; the pain was crazy--and hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow, but it was eye opening. I really want to get to this awesome place, where I'm in great shape and I can run a race if I want and climb a thing and do cool stuff. But given that I've seriously injured myself once before, and so far this month caused myself a few more less-serious injuries, it's time to reassess what's really important. I actually got panicky today, thinking about the pain and running through a whole bunch of "What ifs."

Basically, what I've come up with, is that, I think I need to tone down the strength training (less weight, not less often). And then I'll just make up the different with more walking. If I injure myself with more walking, I'm giving up and getting a Hoveround. (I'm not sure where that picture is from, but anytime unicorns and rainbows are involved is a good time.)


The willpower part is because today we had a Fat Tuesday celebration at work. People brought it candy, cookies, cake, brownies, cupcakes, chili, cornbread, crackers, pita, guacamole and chips, etc, etc. I made jambalaya, which I didn't even eat. I packed my own lunch, as usual, and ate that (whole wheat pasta with veggie sausage, onions, peppers and mushrooms - 250 calories). I did dip into the treats a little. I ate three tortilla chips with guacamole and 25 olives.

I have never managed to start eating some kind of chips/guac thing and then just say, "Yep, that's it. No more." So that's a win. Plus, what I did choose was chock full of MUFAs. Not only is MUFA fun to say (sounds like Mufasa!), they're awesome for you. So yay!