0 It's just a pain in the butt!

Some things in this world just makes you go "huh?" 

There’s this woman I know, who’s been losing weight too; so far she’s lost 31 pounds.

Excellent achievement!

She looks great and I can imagine... it feels damn awesome too.

The only thing is, she’s been experiencing a terrible pain in her butt every time she sits for a long time.
Every time she gets up to go do anything, I hear “aaaaaaaiiiii CHANCHAN!!” (ouchhhhh my BUT!!).
The thing has come to the point where I think she isn’t really aware she says it anymore. (YUP, she said it in a couple of embarrassing situations already). Before she lost any weight, she never before experienced this pain.

Question is; what in the world is wrong with her butt? Is it that, after you lose years of accumulated padding around your butt, your tailbone starts letting the world know it exists? I mean, logically thinking...that could be it. Maybe the tailbone was hidden all the time behind a housing of extras and now feels so free that it has chosen to make its presence known in quite a harsh way.

But, I searched it up (duh!). And it seems to be that this woman's not the only one with this problem. Many women (and some men) worldwide seem to be living through this pain every day. Some of them went through surgery to remove their tailbone and some others use doughnut shaped pillows or tailbone pillows to relieve the pain. The internet is full of information about this uncommon phenomenon; from personal experiences, to doctors’ recommendations. It appears to be that pain in the tailbone should heal by itself with time. And it seems that permanent tailbone pain is very hard to explain. A doctor said the pain can be minimized depending on the way you sit. Leaning backward causes more pressure on the tailbone and thus more pain. Doctors too recommend a doughnut pillow, for comfort and relief. More than forums and some small, very medical articles I haven’t found much explanation for the tailbone pain after this woman’s weight loss. But I’ve found some pretty interesting facts about the tailbone itself.

Here are just 5, for your enjoyment...

·         The proper name of the tailbone is the “coccyx”, derived from the Greek word for cuckoo. Not because of the tailbone’s function, but because it looks like a cuckoo’s beak;

·         The tailbone isn’t really (completely) a bone. It is rather an appendage of skin and fat and occasionally some bone. (Well, that could explain the link between losing weight (fat) and tailbone pain). Dr John Loeser M.D. calls it a disorganized hunk of tissue on the bottom of the butt;

·         Women have (a little) more protection in the tailbone area than men. The female pelvis protects the tailbone somewhat. Plus, women have more fat on their buttocks, which protects the tailbone, says Dr. Haldeman.;

·         Even thou injury to the tailbone happens rarely (because you’d most likely land on your buttocks rather than on your tailbone), this type of injury is called “coccydynia”. Which just means “pain in the tailbone”;

·         Some people still discuss whether the tailbone is a remaining of a tail that lost its function during evolution.

So, no answer for this woman’s literal pain in the butt, yet still an inch smarter...

0 The lost massa report

In one of my first blog posts I stated about my weight loss journey. And yes, I’m still working on it.

Sometimes the going is very easy and the motivation is sky high. But at other times not even the most motivational article online won’t do the trick. Nope, not even the colleague who tells you that you’ll gain 11 pounds if you eat THAT.

I’ve learned thou, through trial and error, that it takes a good control of that switch in the mind that makes you eat excessively, unhealthy or just wrong.
I am by nature a stress-eater; meaning that I’m used to suppress stress by eating. (Read: indulging my senses; sometimes to in an uncontrollable manner). And not to mention my harsh PMS knock downs. Stressed states and PMS, for me, normally goes paired with chocolate, chips (and dips), sweets, ice cream and junk food. 
So, in the battle for a new lifestyle, between my overindulgent self and my (now) more self conscious self, I had to find another way to deal.
And I guess you’d expect me to say that I’ve found the formula, right? Well, yes...and no!
After months of travelling the weight loss lane I have one conclusion. There is actually no super formula to the cravings for something totally satisfying when you’re wired with stress or having PMS.
The cravings will come!
And the way to deal is to have control on the mental switch that says “GO AHEAD,...satiate your wanting!!!”  and the other switch that deliberately tells you “No,...not now!”.
In other words, it’s all in the mind!!

I still get cravings. (MAYOR CRAVINGS). And I’ve managed to strengthen my mental switch quite well and can (most of the times) silent the need to gratify. Besides, I have found healthier ways to pace down the need for snacking (to mention an example. Peanuts (especially almonds), raisins or simply a good fruit juice often does it for me.
Everyone should experiment with the healthy choices and find their favorites.
At other times I DO succumb to my cravings for a good, juicy and fat burger for example; or simply a creamy chocolate bar. Of course, if I need to make this my new lifestyle in order to lose and maintain a healthy weight, I won’t be able to do a lifetime without sir!!! So I occasionally do give in... but the key is, not to overdo.

So far, I’ve lost 46 pounds (20,8 kgs) and I’ve lost track of the overall centimeters lost. Losing the extra weight feels absolutely great. You feel more comfortable in your skin, gorgeous and super self-confident.
People will soon start noticing and giving you compliments on the new you. (Even thou you have to watch out not to let those compliments boost you into allowing yourself to eat more than you should).
But the best part of it all is when YOU start noticing all the differences... It’s an achievement YOU made. And that’s such an awesome feeling! You can be sooooo proud of yourself for it...

I still have more losing to do. I’m aiming for another 44 ponds (20kgs), but most people told that much is not necessary. So we’ll see what it’ll be!  
My dietician told me I’ve reached my so called “stubborn fat”. And well ironically my friends sometimes tell me I can be quite stubborn myself. So, let’s see who wins this stubbornness battle...

Will occasionally keep you posted on the warfare updates =)

3 Get a tune up!

By this time of the year, many of us would have forgotten about all thebeautifulgoals, promises and resolutions we had at the beginning of the year.
We go about, living our own life, minding our own business and forgetting or lazy-ing out towards what started as a goal. Just the old self!

Often times, just to start yet another year, when this one ends, solemnly promising and wishing to work on the same resolutions and goals as u were meant to the year before.

Take this as a nudge,… Get your resolutions in tune. There’s still plenty of time to make them happen…START RIGHT NOW!

"This year,

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love and then speak it again."

~Howard W. Hunter

May this new week be filled with joy, challenges and victories