health

The Best Doctor Office Visit

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

The other day, I went in for my yearly woman’s doctor’s office visit, to a place I’d been going to for nearly a decade.

Once there, I learned I was assigned a new doctor. I’ve had a few over the years, all of whom I liked, but none like this….

She was a truly one-of-a-kind, special doctor that you see in the movies but thought never existed in real life.

I know. I sound like I have a school girl crush. But in all seriousness, she was so rare I want to celebrate and spread the word on how good a doctor’s office visit can actually be, and here’s why:

  1. She entered, shook my hand and spent TEN MINUTES talking to me about myself and my life. She read notes the previous doctors had written and used them to ask about her new patient – me! (And FYI – she didn’t read from the notes; she came it knowing them.)
  2. She explained Every. Single. Thing. she was doing, reviewing and/or touching.
  3. She told me a little about herself, making it so much more personable (and trust me, in the position one is in during these doctor’s visits, this is incredibly appreciated…)
  4. She read my chart and DID NOT ask if my husband and I were going to have children. Every time I go, I have to tell my doctor we are not considering having children and then, we have to go through the song and dance of them trying to make sure I know what that means at my age (after 35, pregnancies are considered “geriatric”.)
  5. She had warm hands and told me when things were going to be cold.
  6. She was chatting with me so much about my book and family traditions that a nurse had to knock on the door to tell her the next patient was waiting…
  7. She then took off her gloves, shook my hand and told me what came next. I told her I was very happy to have her as my new doctor and she smiled, saying she was very happy to have me as her new patient, looking me straight in the eyes.

Pinch me please. Did I die and go to heaven?? To me, it’s rare to have this kind of treatment and doctor/patient relationship.

If you are in the southern Beach Cities area of Los Angeles, feel free to message me to ask for her info. I have no idea if they are taking new patients, but I have never felt better about a doctor’s office experience than I did yesterday.

 

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 11

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My weight loss journey is moving forward smoothly!

I’ve decided to continue not checking the scale right now. A friend of mine told me it’s best to not look initially because my body is changing, as it builds muscle and reduces fat. And since muscle weighs more than fat because of its greater density, the number on that stupid scale can be deceiving and greatly reduce one’s confidence when they need it most so scale, back off!

She also mentioned it’s best to just see how I feel with the changes rather than focus on the number and you know what? She couldn’t be more right!

I truly feel my body become stronger. Bike rides with my husband have never been easier as we navigate the hills along the beach route we take. And at work, I can carry much heavier boxes than I have ever been able too. Also, I feel better after a workout. It takes me through my day in a way little else has before. It provides a boost and right now, as I finish my novel while still working all my other jobs, I need it!

My birthday is on the 14th of this month and right after it, I’m taking two weeks off of all booze and most sugars. I may be grumpy but my body needs the purge to reset and start new and better habits. Stay tuned for that one….

And as always, thank you, dear readers, for your support and encouragement. It means the world to me and helps me move forward in a more positive way.

 

Change Change Change

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I’ve been thinking a lot about change and wrote a piece about it on Hubpages.

Please find the link below…

“Why is change so hard?

 

As I’ve been talking about here on my blog for quite a while, it’s time for me to make some changes, from less wine to more exercise, and though I have definitely started this journey, the time to focus and kick it up a notch is NOW.

Stay tuned…

Losing 20 pounds – post 7

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I did it.

I joined a gym.

This is a first for me and I’m not going to lie. I feel… nervous and apprehensive. I always pictured gyms as large sweaty rooms full of people trying to show each other up. I’m hoping I’m wrong but I guess I won’t know till I’m there.

Fortunately, my husband is a trainer-quality gym-goer so I am in very good hands for my first session, which will likely be tomorrow. If it wasn’t for him,  I’d be struggling far greater. I truly have only been inside a gym maybe three times my whole forty-year life.

I want to slap the 28 year-old me who took for granted a super fast metabolism. I should have been nurturing it and appreciating it.

But yes, hindsight is twenty/twenty.

Now, pictures of myself are becoming harder to look at. Quite simply, I am not happy with the way I look.

I should mention this is extremely personal. It is NOT a statement on how others should feel about themselves at any given weight. It’s about feeling good about oneself and if there is something you want to change to make that greater, then you should, as long as it’s done in a positive way.

For me, this means losing twenty pounds. That’s my truth and what I’ve determined will make me feel better about my body and my health. If I want to be around for a lot longer, I have to take steps to help ensure that, no?

And I’ve tried the past several months and appreciate all of you who have come along with me, but now, still weighing in at 141, I’m pulling out the big guns.

I’m a certified first-time gym member.

Stay tuned…

 

I had a Diet Coke

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I admit it. I had a Diet Coke.

But please! Allow me a story before you make judgement…

My husband and I went on a little getaway this past weekend after we both had some big deadlines to hit for our careers. He’s finishing producing/mixing an EP album and I just finished Part 2 of the book I’m writing, which was the big one of it!

Anyway, we went south east to lounge in natural hot springs (nature’s jacuzzi) in the middle of Palm Desert, CA. It was awesome. We got to know each other even better than we do while getting out with nature and just breathing.

BUT

Something I like to do on vacay is have a Diet Coke.

I know, I know. It’s not ideal but I like to splurge while vacaying and well, DC is part of that so….

I allowed myself a few. I have not, however, had one since we’ve been back (Sat) and I’m okay without any.

SO……..

I was thinking. Can I be a limited DC drinker?

Now, I get it. I sound like an alcoholic asking if they can have the occasional drink…

But here’s the thing. What if I can? Is it so bad to have a few DC’s throughout the YEAR?

I quit the daily disgusting habit but a handful throughout the year…. well….

I know it will come down to if this opened the gateway for me to DC destruction. I do not plan to allow it but I will write again about this in a month to either assure you I haven’t touched Diet Coke or to admit I was woefully wrong.

Stay tuned…

Losing 15 – no wait, 20 – pounds post 5

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Seeing that my weight is now at 141, I decided to change the title of these posts to reflect the truth.

I want to lose 20 pounds after I somehow gained a few pounds while I tried to lose… what?! I know…. (read post 4.)

This past week has been okay. I haven’t added any weight but I’m still not losing. It’s beyond frustrating.

The little changes I’ve made along the way feel good but they are clearly not enough and not as effective as I want them to be.

So, I’ve been doing some research for external help. Weight watchers app seems cool but another method has caught my attention.

Intermittent fasting.

This has been tremendously helpful to my husband, who maintains his chiseled physique with the gym, healthy eating, minimal drinking and intermittent fasting.

The idea is to fast for 16 hours a day. I’m not sure if this is going to work for me, but I’m going to give it a try since I don’t like to eat in the morning and typically wait till the afternoon to eat anyway. It’s not a diet per se, but a style of eating.

I am going to start this in a week because my husband and I are going out of town this week to do a little relaxing since I finished a large section of the book I’m writing and he finished mixing an album he’s working on (he’s an audio engineer/producer) and I don’t want to fast on vacation. I mean, come on….

BUT, I will be beginning this next week and in the meantime, I am going to accept myself and my body and feel confident rocking my bathing suit at the pool, all 141 pounds of me.

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

Losing 15 pounds post 3

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I feel like screaming.

It’s been two weeks since I started my #losingfifteenpoundsdamnit journey of healthier eating and living but the results have not been what I expected.

I haven’t lost a damn pound.

I haven’t gained one either but still.

Not one pound?!  How is that possible???

I’ve forgone tortillas for lettuce wraps. I’ve swapped out licorice for strawberries. I’ve tried to kick it up a notch in yoga and I’ve walked to do my errands. I drink sparkling water at ever meal.

But still, I have somehow not shed one damn pound.

Well… fine then. I am not going to take this sitting down.

But okay, body, I hear you. You want me to work harder and give up more of my unhealthy habits. I know the amount of white wine I consume is certainly not helping my plight and neither is the bread addiction.

Oh, how I love my bread but damn, I have to accept it can’t be a daily thing for me anymore. Multiple-times-a-day-thing if I’m being honest. And power yoga twice a week is not enough. It’s time for me to take my husband’s exercise tips to heart and take my workouts to the next level.

I thought I could get by with minor changes but my body got a good laugh with that one.

Not again, though. It’s on.

I will not look at the scale again for two more weeks but I will definitely be trying harder.

Stay tuned…

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

Quitting Diet Coke 3.8

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The struggle is real.

When quitting something, I notice there are a bunch of firsts involved. First day without, first time eating El Pollo Loco without it, first long car ride with no DK and recently, going to see a movie in the theater without a two-liter cup in the holder beside me.

It was not easy.

I wanted a Diet Coke so bad yesterday when I was watching “Coco” with my nephews (great flick btw!) that I literally talked myself down from the ledge upwards of a dozen times. Even after the movie, the urge hadn’t left me and I thought about how great a tall cold one would be with my nephew’s birthday cake.

Yeeeeeaaaah, that’s when I realized I was extremely close to the edge. Birthday cake? Really, Christina?

But I didn’t touch a sip.

I realize now some days will be harder than others and one’s will power has to be kept on reserve to be called upon at a moment’s notice. It’s this will, this desire, this determination to make a change in my life, that keeps me from simply giving in and having a Diet Coke party of one, me, a bag of ice, a restaurant-style water-glass and a twelve pack.

Will it get easier as time goes on? It did the first time. I hope it will this one. But I know that I never want to go through this again. When I quit smoking cigarettes over a decade ago, I thought I had fought the quitting battle of my life but damn, this is a close second.

And thank you again, for the continued support from all my readers, family and friends.

The struggle is real.

Day 58 and counting…

#quittingdietcoke

Quitting Diet Coke 3.6 – a holiday special

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The holidays have a way of making it easy to indulge. From the treats and sweets that seem to appear during those times, to the drinking and eating events that multiple from November to December.

Yes, I’m generalizing but overall, in some form, people tend to splurge during the holiday season and many times it has to do with food and drink.

It’s already happening to me. I’m seeing Diet Coke everywhere and preparing myself for being offered it and having to turn it down, more than normal.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have thoughts of drinking an ice-cold DK with a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.

But no, I tell myself, no.

I must be strong when the temptation is great and though I know it will be easy to slip, I am determined not to.

Stay tuned…

#quittingdietcoke

Quitting Diet Coke 3.5

/ christinaparisi / 6 Comments

Hello.

My name is Christina and I’m a Diet Coke addict.

It’s been six weeks since I’ve had my last drink of the dark stuff.

And you know what? I feel pretty damn good. The cravings still come and go but I control them with ease now as opposed to six weeks ago when I thought I’d slap someone for even mentioning the soda in front of me. (God, I’m lucky my husband is a patient, loving man…!)

I was in Mexico recently and my husband and I are VIP members for a hotel chain, which allows us some perks like a concierge lounge. Well, inside that lounge among the chips and cookies were FREE Diet Cokes! Ice cold and ready to be consumed. It took everything out of me not to grab six and run to my room in ecstasy with a bucket of ice swinging from my hand. Actually, I envision myself skipping rather than running but I digress…

The point is I didn’t do it. I didn’t drink any. Not one. 

And I was quite proud of my will power.

So, okay, six weeks. 42 days and counting…. I feel good about this!

And a BIG THANK YOU for all those who have come along for the ride with me and continue to give me support!

#quittingdietcoke