Amazing Ability

I have this amazing ability. I am probably the only person you know who can gain weight while sick. This is the same ability that allowed me today to continue eating and snacking while having a massive stomach ache.

A few months ago, my mixed double's partner was explaining to me about how sick he had been that week and as a result, how much weight he had lost. He had actually lost a fair amount of weight while ill. Of course, most of the weight was regained after a few healthy days, but like normal people, he still came out with a net loss. Whenever I am sick, I come out with a net gain. Being sick might suppress my appetite, but it does not mean that I eat less. I usually eat more because I am so miserable being sick that I am constantly looking for a pick-me-up, usually in the form of food whether it is a bar of candy or five bowls of chicken soup. Add on top of that not being able to workout and it becomes a simple inequality--calories in >> calories out. No wonder the scale reads a few pounds heavier.

For the last month, I have been trying to eat healthier by the usual means--more fruits and veggies and less processed food and sweets. Today, I was quite on track towards the end of the day, eating my carrots and sugar snap peas. These veggies were not quite filling so I had some oatmeal too. Somehow, these foods or this combination at this particular time of day did not agree with my stomach and I ended up with a bloated, uncomfortable stomach. Then, somehow in my twisted logic under physical distress, I reasoned that eating more food would help the situation. Of course, that did not provide the relief I was looking for. Any normal person would have known to stop eating, drink warm herbal tea, and lie down.

Learning that food is not the answer to illness, stomach aches, stress, bad days, screaming babies, etc. is clearly something I need to work on. This amazing ability has got to go.