I Can See!

Definitely better than the glasses I was issued by the Army in basic training!

A couple of weeks prior to my last business trip I decided to do something that I hadn’t done in nearly five years (a couple of months before making Aliyah). I wasn’t having any issues with my eyes but my glasses had definitely see better days (I don’t think there was an original screw left in them). Besides, it was long overdue and I do have vision benefits through work so it was the right time to finally take care of this task. Additionally, as a diabetic, I am supposed to have my vision checked annually so it was even more urgent that I finally make the appointment.

Thankfully, I knew where the local Visionworks was located as we have shopped at many of the stores in the same complex so I booked an appointment (three weeks in advance). When I arrived at the store, there was still a rather long wait so I took advantage of the free time I had after completing the paperwork and pulled some frames off the racks. I had put together a basic list of requirements a few weeks prior as to what I was looking for which made the culling of the optic heard a lot easier. Knowing what my insurance covered also helped during this process but was by no means a deal breaker when considering the options. By the time I had filled a tray and had it put behind the counter, they were ready to proceed with the first of many tests.

With my exam nearly complete and having to wait fifteen minutes for my pupils to dilate, I was surprised to find that my vision had not changed much if at all from my last appointment five years ago. What that translates to is that my vision still stinks but I am not legally blind. So, with my vision further blurred by the nasty little eye drops, I squinted with every pair that I tried on and slowly began eliminating both the options for my everyday glasses and those that I would use as sun glasses… I had made the decision a few years ago to do away with the transitions lenses as they were more of a hindrance over the year than a help.

By the time they took me back for a final look (after the drops were in full effect) I had already made my decisions on the two pairs of glasses and had begun filling out the order. And while they were not ready for my business trip, as promised, I was able to pick them up soon after my return from Atlanta. I forgot how nice it is to have new glasses, ones with all the original parts, without chips or scratches, and with a completely updated prescription. And, of course, it is also nice to have two pairs that properly fit my face. Hopefully it isn’t another five years before I am able to do this again.

Returning To The Gym: Not What It Used To Be

One of the resolutions that I seem to make year after year is to improve my health. It is something that I have now included in two posts on this blog but with little progress having been made until now. It had been about a year since I last stepped foot in a gym but today my wife and I broke that unhealthy pattern and signed up for memberships at the local Planet Fitness. While we have tried this before basically going into it blind, this time we made sure to set a schedule so that we have specific nights when we can hold one another accountable.

For many years when I was younger, the weight room was a place that I enjoyed going to multiple times a week. It was a place when I could just block out the rest of the world and focus on a singular task of putting up as much weight as I could as many times as I could. Now, things are a bit different. Now I am going into this basically starting from the beginning.

While in the past, I would push as hard and as long as I could, I know that is not the best thing for me at this time. While I can still push myself, I can’t simply keep pushing until something gives. It isn’t just about getting in shape and going to the gym on a regular basis, it is about changing my mentality while I am there. What worked in the past is not healthy for me now. I have to pace myself and make sure that steady progress is made. Maybe later I can push harder but, for now, consistency is what needs to be my focus.

In addition to the general joint issues that I have faced, and which have gotten worse, for the past fifteen years I am now going into this new routine with diabetes, fibromyalgia, and borderline blood pressure issues. All of these things will basically shut me down if I just go in full boar without consideration for my current health status. So it is a matter of steady progress. It will be painfully slow and will require a commitment that is a bit foreign to me but it is nothing that I can’t push through in order to reach my goal.

So, today I started my journey to reaching my goal. Time to lose the 100 pounds that has been, literally, weighing me down lately. Well, maybe not 100, it all depends on how much muscle I can build back up. A more realistic, and healthy, goal is to get my BMI back down to 10%. By far not the lowest I have ever been but definitely a healthy number to aim for and one that will be achieved in time. When, I don’t know but I will definitely be recording my progress and I am sure setbacks on this blog.

Given my previous experiences, I know that I need to do and I know the exercises, pace, rep counts, and tracking that needs to be done. However, like everything else, I don’t know everything and any input would be appreciated. Feel free to leave your comments and questions below. I look forward to reading your input.