Weight Management

Every political generation we see a new round of advertising on matters of health. From the 'Slip! Slop! Slap!' campaign of 1983, through to the spin of Life Be In it advertisement where even Norm took up the advice.

Norm was Life Be In It's poster child for not being active and had a long history of advertising in Victoria before being adopted nationally. With ads looking at his habits and then campaigning to him they covered all in ways that simply would not be 'politically correct' today. (Oh, how I miss seeing those campaigns).

Gone are the simple fun advertisements to be more active of yesteryear. Today, we are bombarded with the 'be active' campaigns. They are not as pervasive on television. But instead, bombard our car parking at the supermarket instead, telling us that we should park further away from the doors just to 'be active'.

And, of course, it wouldn't be political unless they were also promoting it through our schools with their 'be active' Challenge. Yes, each year some schools run a 4 or 10 week challenge for their students to undertake an hour of activity each day for 5 days a week. At four weeks the child gets a medal and at ten weeks the school has a chance to get a certificate and some State Government funded sports gear without tapping into their own budget.

Of course, I do wish that more Aussie schools and communities would become more pro-active in and of themselves. I love our local walking groups and all our sporting teams that play locally. With all the global media now it can be so hard for the profile of these vitally important local groups to be raised. Of merit too, are those schools and community groups who organise something active and fun that is outside the norm. One school in the United States captured my attention this week.

Primrose Schools are having a competition-based family dance off. Of course, none of the silliness of the school dance-off on Grease, no, of course it will be crazier than that! You can find out more, watch some hilarious footage, and be inspired to shake that bootie for yourself by checking out the web site for the full scoop as "legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia" submit their videos in the hope of snatching up the cash grand prize whilst raising money for charity. Now, that is community and charitably minded and, by golly, I hope to see more of it!

If there is one thing I hate more than having other people hold me back then it would have to be having my own body do it. For many, many years I had fibromyalgia swallow up my ability to move forward. I could only have one priority activity in my life and it needed to be my sole focus. The minute I added more than that my body would fall apart as well as the areas I was focussed on. That was my lot in life in that season.

Now as a 'well' person I have grown to be uneasy with any ailments which slow me down, particularly those that carry similar symptoms to the fibromyalgia. Which, in the case of this week, has me a little disgruntled to say the least.

It all started on Thursday when I took a trip to Victor Harbor. Along the way, I found that my throat was itchy and mentioned as much to my travelling companion. That night I awoke in the wee hours to this sensation that my torso was being compressed by someone pinning me down with a big blanket and the sensation in my lungs of something spidering out. It was as if I could feel that nasty thing, whatever it was, reproducing on my own turf.

I prayed against it, demanding it go, because I needed to be up and able to do things the next day as it was quite a full agenda. I was pleased to wake up yesterday morning to find that I was back to only a sore throat and wondered if I should have prayed against it too!

We had a great day in Victor and the salty air did me good and I only had myself to blame for the 20 minutes spent in the sun that led to sunburn on one of my arms. None-the-less, I felt better until we got in the car to go home and evening moved in. Suddenly, my chest didn't feel so good and neither did my ears.

We got back to the city, somewhat tardy, for a birthday party by which time my voice was in the process of being lost and a cough was starting to set in. Then, when I got home and faced the task of unloading the car I found myself struggling for breath and wheezing. What was going on with this bug? It was taking my body over!

So, today, feeling crappier than ever, I dragged myself to the doctor and found that I had an inflamed trachea, probably caused by an inhaled pollen during our drive to Victor Harbor. The inflammation, at the time, probably included my lungs which is why I did not feel so good that night.

Apparently, the ears and nose are not as fast to respond to allergens so they set in afterwards. In fact, about the same time that some sort of bacteria decided that my inflamed sinuses, lungs and throat would be a great place to set up camp.

Presenting with what feels like a flu-on-steroids my body has been screaming at me to spend the day in bed. Which, on the most part, I have. Probably a good thing too as I am on doctor's orders to spend the coming two days indoors, away from draughts or cold air and any sort of dust or pollens to give my lungs a chance to get better.

It means that I have missed out or am missing out on a bonfire, an engagement party, a coffee date with a friend and more moments of general productivity at home and at work. "Grrr!" I say to that.

I detest being sick. I detest being at the mercy of others also for things like drink and food. I am the worst patient in the world and simply cannot stand being held back!

So, it has been decided...

..after going on a long fitness journey that has included everything from yoga and pilates to weight training and boxing, I have decided to get myself qualified as a pilates instructor.

I haven't worked out all the in's and out's of how this can happen yet. So far as I am aware there is only one qualified place to gain instruction in Adelaide and I am not sure if I have to do my 'hours' there or whether I can do them elsewhere. I guess I'll find out that later!

More news as it comes!

Well, this is the beginning I suppose...

..of, what has been titled, Target Trim Teacher which will be my own personal 12 week challenge. (My birthday is in 12 weeks time).

Of course, many of you know I home school my children but am not a qualified teacher. However, my boys have followed by journey through pregnancy and now laugh at the sight of my post-baby belly. (Thank goodness they don't notice my thighs!) They are with me on the journey too as most of my activity includes them which is great. They have had a head start on me though as they have almost completed a full 10 weeks of the Premier's 'be active' Challenge. So today is the recording of the statistics that success will be measured against. So here are the figures that I feared measuring...

When everything else in life appears to be falling apart people often turn and say, 'At least you have your health!' The odd thing is how often people shrug this off without realising how profound a statement that this is.

I am a car accident survivor - one who endured 'whiplash to fibromyalgia'. I am one of only a third of fibromyalgia suffers who has seen improvement in their condition and one of the vary rare ones that can be considered 'in remission'. This healing occurred in October 2005 after almost 6 years of enduring chronic pain and fatigue.

To me having your health is vital for an individual to undertake all that they need to do in order to make a difference in this world before their time has come and they are called back home again. This section is dedicated to sharing aspects of health including my reflections on having fibromyalgia and the post-children weight management journeys of contributors.