Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I am awesome!

But, then, not so much.

So I was feeling pretty darn great about myself this past week. First, I finally got a research grant. Mind you, it's the least prestigious grant of the grants for which I applied. But I got a grant! So I get to go back to Malawi and finish my research and write my dissertation and be done with grad school. Yay!

And on Monday, I set a sub-10-minute pace on my run. So it was a 9:59-minute mile. That's sub-10. And its a big improvement from the 12:30 pace I was doing just 8 weeks ago. So again, Yay!

But then I went to the doctor yesterday and was bummed to find out that I haven't lost nearly as much weight as I thought I had (only 9 lbs). Then I had lab work done this morning as part of my medical clearance for the aforementioned grant. And I found out that I have high cholesterol!

Admittedly, although I've been very faithful with exercising this year, I have not been as great about food. I've all but given up soda (I think I've had maybe 3 sodas since Christmas), and I've been limiting myself to one snack a day and trying to eat healthy snacks (almonds, Luna bars, fruit). But I don't count calories at meals, and my lunches frequently include a side of french fries. And my good intentions have a way of falling apart on the weekends.

Still, I was rather shocked to find out that I have high cholesterol. I eat loads of veggies, whole grains, fruit. I don't eat any meat, and I've cut way back on cheese. I've always been fat, but I've generally been healthy---low cholesterol, good blood pressure, normal blood sugar. And because I have a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, I do watch those numbers carefully.

So, not feeling quite so awesome anymore.

4 Comments:

At 2:19 PM , Blogger Bearette said...

I'm always suspicious of cholesterol readings, anyway. I think I had high cholesterol once simply because I had eaten some oatmeal beforehand? No one had told me to fast (though I was supposed to, apparently).

 
At 4:04 PM , Blogger artemisia said...

You are not fat, my goodness. Congrats on the grant and the pace! so, how do you feel about getting the grant and finishing your Ph.D.?

 
At 9:34 AM , Blogger Lisa said...

Artemisa---You haven't seen me in a few years! Living with a psychotic nun in Italy, a two-year depression in Austin, almost four years of grad school---I've dealt with all of them with copious amounts of comfort food. And have put on quite a bit of weight as a result.

As for how I feel about the grant: conflicted. I'm thrilled that someone finally thought my project is worth funding. And I think I have a really interesting topic. But . . . part of me was hoping that I'd get rejected so I could just move on with my life. Now I have to go back to Malawi for a year and spend another year or two writing a dissertation. Which may or may not have any actual value to me.

 
At 1:42 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

You are awesome. No matter what else stick with that! And I mean it. Persnicketiness included :D

 

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