In mid-July 2014 I had a health scare that I like to think of as a wake
up call. Due to some breathing difficulties and pain on the top of my
shoulders that was going into my neck, my family doctor recommended a
stress test and chest x-ray; both of which came back clear. A few days
later I had a pulmonary test done, which confirmed my asthma has come
back. Let it be noted that I had severe asthma as a child, but had not
had any problems for decades. As a result, I have embarked on a
lifestyle change.
I will be the first to admit that I'm rather overweight, and am lazy when it comes to dieting and exercise. My family physician and I both knew that if I could get some, if not all, my weight off, I would have an easier time breathing. I also have several orthopedic problems which common sense says will improve if the weight is reduced/gone. I have dieted before but it never really worked for me, so instead of dieting, I decided to make a lifestyle change that would last the rest of my life. My husband was very happy that I decided to change my eating habits because this meant he would benefit from it too with the healthy meals he is now getting. :-)
With the recommendation of my doctor, I have started a program called POWR, which stands for Personalized Orthopedic Weight Reduction. POWR is geared toward addressing the obesity epidemic by showing its participants how to make
healthy lifestyle changes that will help reduce risks of obesity-related diseases. This program is one of the many programs at KORT (Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team) and it incorporates both physical therapy and nutritional counseling.
The particular KORT center I am going to is fabulous. All the physical therapists there are extremely enthusiastic about helping each person who comes there. Melanie, my personal PT, has started a POWR HOUR, and at the present time I am 1 of 3 participants. There may be more to join, as Melanie has said she has spoken with at least 7 more people who want to join the POWR program.
When I use to diet, I didn't have anyone try to explain to me about nutrition and what changes I needed to make in my eating habits. Now, with Melanie's help, I am learning which foods are better for me than others. Another part of my journey includes learning how to read labels which is a key proponent of my daily goals.
Those daily goals include setting a limit for how many carbs, fats, protein, sodium, and sugars I allow myself each day. Though I do have a set amount of calories for each day, I watch the carbs, etc. more than I do the calories. Also, on my iPad I have an app called MyFitnessPal. After each meal or snack, I record what I ate and how much; the app will keep a running total of my calories and nutritional stats and lets me know at the end of the day if I met or overdid my goals.
I am presently in my 3rd week of the POWR program; the first week I lost 7.3 lbs, and 2 lbs. the second week. It is my goal to hopefully loose 1-2 lbs. each week until I've lost at least 100+ lbs. Stay tuned for updates. :-)
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