As I mentioned in the last blog, I have been dealing with some health issues. I had been floating between GP’s since I moved house and my previous GP went on leave for several months, so these health issues remained largely unaddressed.
The more my fatigue began to impact my ability to function, the more I realised I needed to get some help beyond a casual clinic visit. A fainting spell brought this to a head and I serendipitously ended up with the fantastic doctor I have now.
I went to see this doctor about my fatigue and… they came up with a PLAN! Now, anyone who is on the upper end of the scale will tell you that doctors will tell you that your cold is the result of your weight, right? Well, the thing that set this doc apart was he never brought it up. At all. He looked at blood tests. No vitamin deficiencies? Maybe there’s an issue with your sleep…
In my last post I mentioned that I had done some information gathering on my own around my weight. A gem I found was a weight loss support program provided in the public health system. The problem? I had no idea how to access it or if I was even eligible.
So this doctor who never chastised me for my weight or implied my fatigue could be weight related was the first person I felt I could get real with about my situation. I showed them the program I had found and they said, “You’re not sick enough for this.”
Shit.
It’s all up to me.
More than ten years of diet for 2 days, binge eating, exercise fads, and fitness gurus not sinking in and I’m in charge?
Well, yes… and no!
The doctor looked at what the program offered and said, “We can do that here.”
WE.
And this brilliant doctor, again, laid out their plan.
I was real. About my weight, about what I wanted. I made myself vulnerable to judgement and received compassion.
So I booked a longer appointment for later this month to break down our strategy and broker in other supports.
I don’t know what other people’s situations are, but I do know my own struggles (much of which I’m leaving out for clarity and brevity). If I hadn’t Googled weight management supports in my local area, I would have never opened the door to this conversation with my GP and would not be receiving this support.
For Australians, HealthDirect.com.au can help to point you in the right direction and state specific services can support you in finding out what’s available in your region.
That said, I’m aware I’m coming from the privileged perspective of a white, middle class, cis-woman, so I’ve created a Facebook page and group for people to join and start their own journeys to their wellness goals. It’s a supportive environment where people can share their goals, their strategies, their resources, and garner support when the going gets tough. Your wellness goal doesn’t have to be weight or fitness based, it can be anything you want to achieve to get to the best version of yourself.
The public page is https://www.facebook.com/S2Wellbeing/
And you can join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/449174685578799/
One thing a wellness goal needs is to be tangible and have a time frame (more info on goal setting here: https://www.smartsheet.com/blog/essential-guide-writing-smart-goals)
So my goals are:
Drop 4kg (9lbs) and 11cm total (from waist/hips/arms/legs combined) by 25/09/2018
Eat 3 balanced meals per day at least 70% of the time from 07/09/2018 to 25/09/2018
Reaching 10,000 steps and/or 30mins of exercise at least 5 days per week 07/09/2018 to 25/09/2018
Steps to Wellbeing 