I had the best doctor’s visit last week. It was with my orthopedist for a checkup to see how my once fractured femur was doing. The fracture occurred on the evening of October 28th 2021 and my surgery was the morning of October 30th.
I walked in the door – they took my copay and had me go right in to take a couple of X-rays. Then the medical assistant led me into a room, put my X-Rays up on the computer screen, and as she was doing so – the doctor walked in, took a look and said “You look good, see you in 6 months for a checkup”. I asked him if there are any further restrictions and he said no – do whatever you want to do – just watch out for those cats. The entire visit from start to finish was less than 10 minutes. I couldn’t believe it. I not only couldn’t believe how quickly the whole thing went but also couldn’t believe that after taking a pretty bad fall, having a fracture and requiring emergency surgery, I could just walk away 6 months later and that be that.
I only have a little tightness on my right side and the muscles in my right leg are weaker than the left but with physical therapy and exercise – that will even up. Probably the worst thing I am left with now are the 10 pounds I’ve gained since the accident 6 months ago. I should’ve asked the doctor how heavy the 3 screws are that he put to hold my femur together. I mean if they weigh 6 pounds then I really only gained 4!
During the pandemic I lost weight. Maybe I was a little too thin? But after being pretty sedentary for the last 6 months, while eating the same amount of calories and not changing my diet– I gained the weight. It is a little shocking as to how easily the pounds went on. It also proves that I was active enough and that helped to keep me at a lowish weight. Once I stopped being active – my metabolism slowed down and I wasn’t burning as many calories.
Not only did I gain weight but it’s in the form of fat and not muscle. I lost muscle tone and have become a bit flabby. I’m sure if you tested my percentage of body fat it would be too high, even though my Body Mass Index (BMI) still registers well in the normal range at 22. It proves that while BMI is one indicator of “health” – it has its flaws. It does not take into account how a person’s mass is comprised of between muscle or fat. This is why athletes can sometimes be classified as obese with a very low body fat percentage.
So now that I am trying to lose a few pounds and tone up – I am becoming aware of how many calories are in my food. I haven’t had to count calories in a long time – since the days of Weight Watchers back in the 90’s, when I had gained 40 pounds in 6 months from being on a medication. Yes 40 pounds.
One half of an avocado (100g) has 160 calories. Avocados are delicious and nutritious – they are high in fiber (6.7g) and contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals, are low in sugar, and while they are high in fat (14.7g) – it is mostly the “good” kind – monounsaturated fat. It is one’s of nature’s best offerings. However – it is very easy to eat a half an avocado in a sitting – whether in a salad, guacamole, or by itself. To burn off 160 calories it takes jogging for 20 minutes, using an elliptical machine at a moderate pace for 25 minutes, hiking for 24 minutes, or walking at a medium pace for 40 minutes. We all need a certain amount of calories to maintain our body weight and as a sedentary person for almost 6 months that number for me was about 1700 calories/day. You can see how quickly you can exceed that number – even with healthy, nutrient dense foods. To gain a pound – you have to exceed your calorie intake by 300-500 calories each day for a week. Apparently I did that quite a bit. When I was active I needed more calories to maintain my weight, when sedentary – eating the same amount put on weight very quickly.
Getting the news from my doctor that I can assume all normal activities was great to hear – especially now since this extra weight is uncomfortable. I look forward to the better spring weather to motivate me to get moving again, even though getting back on an exercise program is hard to do when you’ve been off one for a while. I’ve just started back and wow are my muscles sore. But I need to get back into exercising as part of my healthy lifestyle. Here’s what makes exercise so crucial for good health:
– Helps control weight
– Strengthens your heart muscle
– Raises HDL levels
– Normalizes blood pressure
– Reduces body fat while preserving/enhancing muscle mass
– Strengthens muscles
– Prevents osteopenia/osteoporosis. Helps maintain healthy bones and joints.
– Improves mood – helps reduce anxiety and stress
– Reduces inflammation (moderate exercise)
– Helps you sleep better (don’t exercise too close to bed time)
– Stimulates the circulation of immune cells (moderate exercise)
– Helps reduce the risk of certain types of cancer (ie. colon)
Read in more detail what the Mayo Clinic has to say about the health benefits of regular exercise HERE.
At every visit to my oncologist, he asks me how I’m doing with exercise – and to make sure I’m doing it regularly to the point where I break a sweat. Of course at last month’s visit I had to give him the news that I stopped because of my injury. In a weird way I felt like I was letting him down.
Experts recommend 20-30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least 3 times/week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching twice/week – but you can certainly do more if you are able or at greater intensity, or less if you are just starting out. And if you are just starting out talk to your health care professional about what’s right for your circumstances. The point of exercising is to get healthier and not hurt yourself!
But for now – I have to get going…..
Wishing you good health and a great life –
Sheryl
