Sunday, June 11, 2023

All or Nothing Teaching

I have issues with all-or-nothing-thinking. But let’s acknowledge everyone learngs things from somewhere. Maybe some of us are especially good at picking up negative habits. But it’s still usually influenced from somewhere. Today I’d like to acknowledge all the dorks who helped me have a crappy attitude.

The doctor who told me you HAVE to exercise at least 25-30 minutes or else there’s no point. Thank you so much for that professional view that haunts me even when I disagree with you for years. So if you have a couple 15 minute breaks, or can only talk a walk for part of your lunch, don’t bother, because it’s absolutely useless and doesn’t do anything. I realize what you meant was it won’t burn enough calories to get past sugar and start burning fat. But this really wasn’t helpful advice. Every time I try to do a little here or there, or baby steps, I imagine you mocking me.

The provider at the orthopaedic place who told me I should never, ever go hiking again. No uneven surfaces whatsover. Thank you. What little I thought I could look forward to and enjoy if I ever got back into shape, has been dashed to pieces. In my youth I used to exercise thinking of how I was training and preparing to go on beaufiful hikes. I'd push the incline because I knew it would not only burn calories and get my heart rate up, but it would help me do something I could look forward to. To tell me it’ll ruin my knees if I ever walk on uneven ground is basically telling me not to bother being healthy at all. If I can’t do anything fun whether I’m out of shape or healthy, there’s no point working for the latter.

The nurse that told me to not worry about walking or aerobic activity and focus on weights; uhm, that wasn’t necessarily helpful either. I get that you were trying to say focus on weights more, but you just told me to ditch the walks I was doing three times a day at work and veg and look at my phone. Could you please work on your phrasing? I already blow things out of proportion. Don’t tell me not to worry about walking, because what my brain hears is “don’t bother walking.”

The specialist who said don’t bother strength training. Yes, I am big enough that flapping my arms around might do something, but really? You’re going to tell me to ditch the 8 pound weights and dio nothing? I get that most of your patients are old and frail, so maybe you think we’re all going to snap like a twig. But you’re basically telling me to give up and stop what little progress I’ve made. Do you teach a course in “Giving up and waiting to die” too? You talked to me like a three-year-old telling me that even two-pound weights are sooooo heavy.

Now I've been told don't walk, do weights, and don't do weights, they're heavy. Don't hike, don't go outside (yet a different health issue). No wonder I've started down the slope of "if it hurts, bag it." Thanks for all your unhealthy advice. Please stop. It's as bad as the nurse who told me no dietary changes would help my cholesterol unless I cut out all fat (did you know even some plants contain fat?) and would not allow me to leave without taking a prescription she promised would ruin my liver and possibly my kidneys. You know what? I took some natural supplements and lowered my total 20 points in 6 months. So go bite me. You weren't helpful either.

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