A Tale of Two Scales

An interesting (for me) thing happened the other day.  As hinted at occasionally I have been struggling to lose weight, like most middle-aged people, where the biggest problem is too much late night snacking.  I have definitely cut back on that, though I still slip up now and again (not at all helped by Kawartha Lakes Dairy up on Danforth with their evening summer hours...).  But my clothes are generally fitting well, and I perhaps can even get into one smaller size of jeans.  I'll try that soon enough.

I actually had a dream that the doctor told me my blood sugar had dropped, so I was particularly anxious after doing another blood test last week.  When I went in for the results, at the weigh-in, I had definitely lost some weight and indeed my blood sugar level is now at an acceptable level, though I can't afford to just cut loose and do whatever I want.  I don't even need a follow up for several more months.*  This is all fantastic news. 

But when I got home, the home scale said I was still over my target weight, which was hugely discouraging.  I had gotten below that weight -- on that scale -- but now I was above it.  I think there must be a 5-8 pound difference between the two scales, with the doctor's scales being more favourable to me.  At the end of the day, the blood sugar levels are what really matter.  Despite the frustration, I will double down and make sure that even the home scale** reports progress over the winter, when it is so easy to slip up and gain weight.  That certainly happened to me last winter.  I really am on the right track, so I just need to keep it up.

Maybe the worst thing about trying to celebrate losing weight is you can't treat yourself to a piece of cake.  However, I did have a samosa at lunch (whereas in general I am cutting even further back on breakfast and lunch) and then had an ice cream cone at Budweiser stage, though this was partly to counteract the spicy Indian food I had on the way to the venue.  It was from a roti place on Queens Quay, and I probably won't go there again.

 

* Apparently, the doctor is having his own struggles getting his PR card, which seems unfair (or at least short-sighted on the part of immigration officers in not giving even more "points" to doctors willing to move to Canada).  I think going to the press is probably the right thing to do to get some lower level minister involved in his case, as Canada is so desperately short of family doctors.  As he said, if they don't eventually fix his status, 8000 or more patients in Toronto (including me) will lose their family doctor!  So I am very much wishing the best for him to get this straightened out.

** What I wish is that the gym would bring back the scales they had (the same type that doctors use) as they seem a bit more reliable to me.  I asked a couple of times to restore them, but it just seems easier for them to keep blaming COVID and not actually do anything about it.  Sigh.