How does your body punish you when you treat it badly? Does it make you pay for every missed workout, or every time you don't take your vitamins, or every time you drink too much, or every time you don't eat your vegetables? Does it punish you with a fat ass, or a stomach ache, or just a general sense of feeling crappy? And do you listen to it, or do you do what I've been doing, which is to say, "Shut up, you, or I'll start eating at Der Weinerschnitzel!"

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Answers

Last year at this time, I was treating my body pretty badly - eating crap and sitting my ass on the couch at every given opportunity - and I was sick from Christmas to mid-February with every cold and flu that came down the pike.

This year, on the other hand, I'm eating right, exercising, I've dropped 95 pounds (as of this morning), and I hadn't been sick since February of last year until the beginning of this week. I have a slight cold that has turned into slight chest congestion. It's not anywhere near as last year, and in fact it's not even keeping me from exercising every morning.

I may be fooling myself, but I'd like to believe my body's rewarding me for treating it right.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

My experience is much the same as Robyn's. Last year at this time, I was sick as a dog. First, I got tendonitis in my knee, so I couldn't work out, or even walk very much. Then I got depressed from not being able to exercise. When I got depressed, I never felt like I had enough energy to cook, and I started eating more junk food. All of that led to a 3-month bout with the flu last winter, and a weight gain of about 10 pounds over 6 months (which contributed further to my depression).

After that had gone on for a while, I finally went to a doctor about my tendonitis, and it soon cleared up. I started exercising again, my mood improved, I stopped wanting to eat junk food, I lost all the weight I'd gained, and I haven't really been sick all year.

So, yeah, my body definitely lets me know if I'm not treating it right. Unfortunately, I think it's really easy to slip into a cycle of unhealthy behavior that's really hard to break--if I'm not exercising and I'm eating crappy food, I don't have the energy to work out, when I don't work out, I feel depressed, and I find that when I'm depressed, I tend to try and console myself with sugary or fatty foods which further contribute to my lethargy. Fortunately, though, the flip side of that is that healthy behaviors also tend to be self-perpetuating--now that I'm running every day, I have enough energy to run, and I feel good mentally, so I don't get those unhealthy food cravings. I just hope I can maintain it this time...

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

When I was in high school I used to go through food phases. I would also conduct food expertiments. You know, "I wonder what would happen if I eat only perogies for a weak?" or "I wonder what would happen if I eat only super big gulps and penny candy?" Needless to say I was always tired and crabby, not to mention depressed. One day I said "I wonder what would happen if I start eating healthy?" so I sstarted planning balenced meals with lost of veggies and I just started feeling better. I had more energy and everyday tasks didn't seem quite so daunting. Food is one of the great joys in my life and I love to eat good food that is flavourful, healthy and fun to make. I have been vegetarian for 8 years now, and an off and on vegan. I find I feel better when I eat lots of fresh vegtables, soy, beans and very little dairy. I don't do all that much hard core aroebic excercise, but I do yoga twice a week which helps with my asthma. Yes I get lazey every now and then and the pizza boxes start to pile up, but then I start to feel like crap so I start trying to eat right again. In short, you don't have to be a health and fitness nazi, but if you treat yourself well you just feal better.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

I find I fall into the same pattern every year ... around October or November I get really busy at work, and I stop exercising because I don't have (or think I don't have) time. I don't have time to cook, so I go for convenience foods. I get depressed and stressed about work, so I eat junk food all day. Then even after the work stress is over, it takes me forever to get back into good habits.

Fortunately, it never takes me long to get back to them, either. I don't think I'll have any real difficulty sticking with this at least for the spring and summer; the real question is whether I'll just do the same thing again next winter. And I think you can all guess the likely answer.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

My body loves crap food, like pizza and Taco Bell. If I go too long without them, I get cranky and on edge. One good night of "Survivor" with a pizza (and a salad loaded with cheesy dressing!) and all's right with the world.

Of course, a few years ago I did that no-carb diet, and the rebound really messed me up. I lost 10 pounds in two months, but then gained it all back plus 8 more in the next 8 months. It's taken a long time to re-balance my metabolism. My body just has certain requirements, like pizza and beer, that it needs to be happy.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

I've been having the same problems. for me, I think they are linked to daylight. I have mild seasonal affectiveness disorder. I think I have had it for a couple of years, but always found an excuse for it to be something else. last year it was post-wedding depression, the year before it was wedding planning stress, the year before...getting engaged stress, before that...buying a house stress, you get the idea.

last year my doctor gave me a Rx for a tiny dose of zoloft (50mg) to use during the winter months. I was amazed! I felt like a normal person. I can definitely tell the difference now between the long and short days. I am also on doctor's orders to exercise and eat healthy. and no caffeine. (no, the zoloft isn't a cure all, unfortunately. if only there *was* a pill that would fix everything.) when I am doing these things, I feel great.

lately, however, it's been rainy (ie, no sun), and I've been busy at work. I've started eating junk food and not exercising. I've also started drinking coffee and diet coke again. now I feel like I am at a all time low. it seems like that's all I've been whining about in my journal lately. fat, lazy, tired, unhealthy, etc...

I did the body-for-life contest once before and it made an amazing difference for me. however, I didn't finish because it ended right before my wedding. like I had time to exercise and eat right when I was trying to pull off a catholic/hindu wedding! right. anyway, I was thinking of doing it again. I've been reading the book. I'd like to do it with my husband, but he get's psycho-nutty when he's into that kind of stuff. he's impossible to live with. so I'll probably have to do it on my own or find a partner. anyone interested in sharing some moral support?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

My body has punished me with a fat ass (which has become other fat things) and just generally feeling vaguely crummy all the time. I used to be in shape and exercised a lot (working at night and having all the day free is good for that) and certainly got sick less often, too.

I am tired of feeling out of sorts and crummy and kind of stiff and achey all the time. I am starting yoga. Maybe not the end all be all, but hey, it's something. Unfortunately I pretty much hate all sports and or and all forms of aerobic exercise, with the exception of the 2,000 dollar elliptical trainer I cannot afford to buy (but really will, someday).

I have become pretty religious about vitamins and I think they help a lot. I have not been really really sick yet this year (a little sniffly and sore throaty here and there) and I attribute it to taking a daily vitamin (and calcium when I remember it). If I am going to be out of shape, I can at least get my vitamins.....

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Hi, I've never posted here before but I thought I'd take the opportunity to regale you all with my sickness woes. I have a mild case of Seasonal Affective Disorder too, which means that this time of year always finds me with a lot less energy and a lot more bitchiness. I also have GERD (reflux, Gastro Esophogeal Reflux Disease, whatever you wanna call it) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome so I have to take medication and watch what I eat. This is no fun when the SADs has me all depressed and I have to limit my chocolate intake. Also, I'm underweight and anemic so I have to eat stuff high in protein and Iron or I start randomly keeling over in the grocery store like Xeney. I'm allergic to all pollens, molds and dust mites so I get the lovely sinus pressure migraines and sinus infections year-round. All in all, my 21 year old body acts like it is 81 instead. I try to be all healthy, take my meds and vitamins and stay on a nice bland iron rich diet; but I usually get fed up with eating rocks and go on a tasty-foods binge that leaves my tummy screaming at me. Or I forget to eat, the doc says SADs does something funky to my metabolism so I hardly ever get hungry, and not eating isn't good for the IBS either. I suck at remembering to exercise, even though yoga (I use videos to learn the moves, the do it to my own music) helps keep my SADs in check. Luckily my boyfriend is very good at recognizing when I'm being a depressed-bad eating-couch slug and drags me offa my slackass. I don't want to rely on him for that though, so I've been trying to make more of an effort to monitor my habits. I use the timer on my cell phone to remind me to eat, and I try to jot down what I eat so I can make sure I get a balanced diet. I've put sudafed and Tylenol in every possible niche so when I feel a sinus migraine coming on I can stop it before the puke fest. I keep my meds on me so I don't forget to take them and I changed all my lightbulbs to those "natural light" ones. I don't know if they really work, but maybe the placebo effect will help.

Wow, seeing that all written out makes me feel like a major hypochondriac. Does anybody else do that? Feel like a hypochondriac when your sick even tough you aren't really imagining it?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Diabetes always punishes the weak and stupid.

If I choose to sleep in on the weekends, rather than drag my ass out of bed at 8AM to eat. I feel like shit all damned day. I usually choose to sleep and tolerate the icky feeling.

If I eat poorly for a couple weeks and start putting on new weight, my sugars get more volatile and you guessed it...I start feeling like shit until I lose the weight again.

Oh, and if I want the most painful breasts in town? I go to work all day, don't pump, and drink a lot of water and by 530, I've got 44GG's and serious attitude. And it's amazing...when I am that engorged, I simply don't give a crap that she's got her top and bottom front teeth.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

I almost feel like the lone sausage in a tuna factory.

I work out on a regular basis. Mainly cuz I am extremely compettitve and hate to lose at lunch time b-ball. Course, I'm getting older and starting to realize that fat, bald and slow may not be so terrible, so I don't have any psychological problem if I miss a day.

If I drink coffee on any particular sludgy morning I can kiss the afternoon goodbye. The body just wants to shut down after lunch. If I take tylenol pm sleeping pills I can kiss the whole freakin' day goodbye. I wake up in a funk I just can't seem to shake without a full night of natural rest.

Soft pudgy middles and a little extra hip meat on women is attractive. Not so much on men. I 'spose I'll keep on keepin' on - for a while anyway.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

We had a superbowl party and had all this leftover crappy food-- cheesy dips, chips, cake, and cookies. Not that I never eat these things, but I don't usually have this much of it in my house at any given time. Now my face is all broke out and I'm craving sugar all the time because I'm eating more of it. (I know diet isn't supposed to affect your skin but, whatever, my skin doesn't know that...)

The big thing my body told me this year is that it doesn't want me to drink. I was a very happy, responsible, social drinker until any and all alcohol began to make my sinuses blow up. I sneeze non-stop and my head just completely plugs up. Once and awhile I can have a couple drinks and it won't happen, but mostly it does. It's usually not worth a try. It's sad, I miss an occasional beer or glass of wine.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2001

I noticed something interesting. I've never been very good with the water quota we're supposed to follow. For two weeks now i've been working on that. Last week i drank 5 glasses per day, this week i'm doing 6. The idea is to slowly build up to the recommended 8 per day.

I've been doing remarkably well, and when i decide i feel like drinking something, i actually enjoy water and choose it over cola drinks.

Tuesday i messed up and only had 2. I felt the effects tremendously. I was dehydrated, sluggish, and headache-y. This is great - it will help keep me on track. I hope.

And i find that if i eat too much take out junk in a certain period of time, i start to crave vegetables the same way that you might crave a candy bar.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

Well, this past year I managed to loose at least 20 pounds, but then again, I have a new baby to show for it... seriously, I lost weight to start with, and i had 30 extra to spare... I also got my tubes tied afterward, and this week (6 weeks later) I kept poking at the scar tissue. Now it hurts. Picture me saying to hubby "It hurts when I poke it!". of course, he says "Stop poking it!"

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001

every nov (when it snows and get cold) i start eating those 'comfort foods' and hibernating. then, of course, the holidays come along and by jan i have an extra 5-10 lbs (that i definately don't need!) to show for my efforts...

this year i kept going to the gym and am watching what i eat (counting calories, sticking to low fat and unprocessed foods, taking my vitamins faithfully, drinking more water) and i feel great. i usually have the mid winter doldrums by now and have suffered through at least one bout of the flu, but this year i am still operating at 75% (vs the usual 50%) and winter is almost over! YEAH!!

i have a genetic fat ass so i don't count that as a punishment, it is a curse feeling good truly is the reward

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2001