Choose your hard

[Prognosticator68]

My PT whilst being an excellent Physiotherapist and mediocre raconteur does have a talent for aphorisms. I'll share two that I came to be familiar with early on in my journey.

In the middle of one of our intense physio sessions which I've come to loathe (an obese man's default) I like to wax (whine?) lyrical about how much I hate whatever it is we're doing. He responds with "Choose your hard" - I give him a withering, soul stealing stare of inquiry (mixed with obligatory grunts)

He takes my silence as an entreaty to explain (when in actual fact the ability to speak would rob me of very necessary oxygen)

He states, "Choose your hard, it can be now for the next 45-60 minutes or 5 years from now with all of the extra issues that would involve" (age, weight, co-morbidities etc) delivered in his usual deadpan, matter of fact style.

I thought about it and the more I processed it, the more the words of veracity rang true. I hate it when he's right - he's rarely wrong about these sorts of matters so I have learned to be quiet and suffer in silence.

The other great aphorism he likes to impart is, "You're welcome" This particularly odious statement is usually "gifted" when I am complaining about the extent of soreness suffered at his hands or the length of time taken to recuperate from his medieval malevolence.

There's nothing like hearing "You're welcome" ringing in your ears as the exertion and soreness reaches a level which threaten to evacuate your bowels without at least tacit, consent on your part.

To be fair, it would be onerous of me not to mention how important it is to form a good working relationship with all of your support network. If you're fortunate you can find someone you can work with, if you're exceptionally lucky, you find one that you can call a friend.

Mine is not one of those. Lol 😄

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

Ha - true wit but a hard hit . My fave is 'you are overthinking ' . This silences me and anyone I have the confidence to say it to .

Yes we have to laugh . I laugh at myself but internally it hurts . Laughter is my get out of jail free card and often masks my true feelings . Be jolly and folk bounce off you . Be honest - moan and face the consequences. Reassuring that your PT ain't paid to smile and is hard on you . You could replace them but I sense you enjoy that boot camp vibe.

[Prognosticator68 2024 August in reply to focused1]

Is there another word that implies the sense of enjoyment without specifically using that word? In any event it is an activity that I need to get on board with.

I like to mentally portray these interactions as a titanic engagement between irresistible force (him) and immovable object (me naturally) Call me a narcissistic Romanticist! 😄

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg in reply to Prognosticator68]

Of course -permanent euphoria. This is my idealistic lifestyle. I am buzzing . Never been happier or more content . I am the cat that had truly got the cream whilst enjoying the Mad Hatters tea party . Or go down the I am saying nada . Less = more . With an air of mystery and being an enigmatic as you can .

[Prognosticator68 2024 August in reply to focused1]

Mission accomplished 🤔❓😖

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg in reply to Prognosticator68]

Mission impossible

[Prognosticator68 2024 August in reply to focused1]

Yet, such is the tenacity, elasticity and oft indefatigable nature of the human spirit, we keep trying anyway.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

Maybe I don’t stretch that far and then - ping . Eat , sleep , yawn , repeat .

[Prognosticator68 2024 August in reply to focused1]

find your reason, we all have one. Sometimes it requires sustained efforts to uncover it from the many layers that life heaps upon it.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

Reading posts from many different people on this site . Talking to friends etc finding the reason is the simplest thing. Sticking to an agenda is hard . The UK is heaving with coffee shops , restaurants and cheap nasty food in supermarkets. A £5 bundle of ultra processed food and that meal deal which coaxes into thinking you have bought value . Sugar tax has achieved nothing . Buy your loved one a processed meal for Valentines Day and locals selling pizza and beer bundles marketing them around major sporting events . We know what to eat . There ain’t myths . We don’t need to overthink, starve ourselves. Looking at my school photos from 1966 -76 there were hardly any students that had any weight issues . What did we eat then . Fresh simple homemade food . Where was fast food ? Where were millions of coffee shops ? We have reasons and we have subtle but very real problems.