End of July!

It's hard to believe another month has come and gone. I have not lost any more weight because I have not been logging my food or counting my calories. But! I have been walking a lot more, a lot farther and a lot faster. In the last 3 weeks I have logged 29 miles, and about 58,000 steps. It has been hard, sweaty work, but it has felt great! Sometimes it's hard to get motivated, and keep walking, but it feels so good when I'm done. I feel so relaxed and more cheerful. It's a great sense of accomplishment, too! I asked my M.D. Alan Sherwood how often I should walk. He said I only have to walk on the days I eat! (Ha!) I am going for at least 20 miles a week. (3 every day except 2 on Sunday.) I have also been doing stretching. I need to add ab work and strength training. I think some yoga for balance and flexibility would be good, too.

I also asked Dr. Sherwood about nutrition and diet advice. His advice was this: if God made it, it's okay to eat. If He didn't, it's not. Sounds simple, but there is so much truth in it. I have got to follow that plan! Here's to good health!

Everyone's Looking for a Magic Pill

I am the world's worst when it comes to knowing what to do for my health and weight and actually doing it. I know I need to eat more fruits and veg, limit my sodium, get a healthy amount of whole grains and lean protein, and drink plenty of water. But! too much of the time I have followed my taste buds and not my head, and that is why I am where I am! Food is my drug of choice...if I'm down, I eat. If I'm stressed, I eat. If I'm angry or upset, I eat. For fun I eat. And that has got to change. I need a 12 step program for food. No kidding.

I also know I need regular exercise--aerobic and calorie burning, strength training and flexibility maintenance. And as we age it's important to work on our balance and coordination. Basically, if you don't use it, you lose it! So, I have begun walking again. (Followed by stretches.) I don't know why I fight it so much, except maybe I'm just lazy. I always feel so good afterwards! Everyone always wants a magic pill to get skinny, but these pills always come with some dangerous side effects. Diet and exercise is way too much like work, while eating is fun and comforting! Discipline, discipline, discipline. (Why does that sound so negative?)

I had a pleasant walk today with my hubby along the Tennessee river. It was warm and muggy (Summer in the South!) but there was a lovely breeze to cool us and keep us going. It was a good way to end the weekend and prepare for the busy week ahead. What other kind of magic pill do you need?

Back on Track

Today I exercised for the first time in months. (Unless you count me trotting through Hartsfield in Atlanta when my departure gate was changed last minute...which I do! Especially schlepping all my luggage that cost too much to check!) I did two miles, plus warm up and cool down with Leslie Sansone. I even got my husband to do a mile with me! We had a lot of fun walking together and teasing each other. I pushed myself pretty hard, and felt I might be able to go another mile, but decided against it. It felt great! I really worked up a sweat, and felt much more upbeat and calm afterward. I felt motivated...I made dinner, cleaned the kitchen, did the dishes, and a few more chores. My hubby loved that. It's a great miracle medicine! If it only could be bottled! Guess God wanted us to earn this one.

A Fresh Start

Last December I made a great beginning with SparkPeople, and quickly lost 20 pounds. But when the recent stress of my life increased again, I went back to my old habits of using food for comfort. Over the last several years I had been through a number of losses and crises, and food had become my drug of choice. Like any addict, I abused my drug, allowed my drug to affect my health and well-being, and had made poor financial choices to support my habit. My husband has developed serious health issues, and I need to be healthy to care for him.