Walking

Things are going well. It's easier this around in a lot of ways because I already know how it's done for the most part. I don't have to learn all the concepts and the rules, I already know a ton of the tricks and several good recipes. I even know some of the things that do and don't work for me.

Clearly, I don't know them all or I wouldn't have to be starting over, I'd just be going on my merry way. But I'm learning.

I've spent time in the last couple of days searching out blogs that I find inspiring on either the food front or the fitness front. I've even got a few that are inspiring from the weight loss point of view. Those are a little dicey, though....the two best ones in terms of approach and outlook are women who are not even thirty. And while I find their stories and adventures interesting and inspiring, I also find myself extremely jealous that they were able to do it so young and here I am nearly twice their age and I haven't been able to do it YET.

It's depressing to think of all that time wasted, and there they are getting to enjoy it all while they're still young. Clearly, I'm going to have to find a way to let go of this line of thinking ASAP, because it's not productive at all. (except for perhaps a little motivation not to waste any more time, but the damage I will do far outweighs this.) Because, okay....I'm forty-two. I'm not pushing up daisies yet. And I haven't actually wasted all this time - I've done a lot of great things, and had a pretty nice life. I've just done them fat. But truthfully, about the only thing that would be significantly different about those years if I'd been thin is that I would have been better dressed. So....have to work on this.

Yesterday, at work I felt restless and a little cruddy so I went out for a quick walk around the block (which includes a decent hill climb on one end), and I really enjoyed it. A LOT. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to go for a walk when we got home. I got out on the dirt road by our house, which is a two mile walk down and back. And....I HATED IT. It was so uncomfortable, and the rocks hurt my feet even through my shoes, and the uneven ground made my lower back hurt like hell. I was so disappointed. I'd wanted to just cruise along, clearing my head and working my body, but instead I felt like an albatross.

Turns out I like walking on nice smooth pavement. I did some walking around town today to test, and it felt great again. This is a bit of a bummer since the only pavement near my house is the busy roads, and I wouldn't feel comfortable walking there. On the other hand, I'm sure with some creative thought I'll be able to find ways to get in lots of walking in places I enjoy. From now on, if I want a walk after work, I'll do it here in town BEFORE heading home.

One thing I can foresee is that I will want a "walking bag" to keep in the car with a visor and a belt and whatever else I think might make me comfortable if I decide to stop someplace and have a spur of the moment walk. I'll have to start checking out some of the parks around here too. We're going to the cabin this weekend, so I can test out my walking preferences on the unpaved driveway there and see if it the deal is that I really like super flat and smooth walking, or if it's just that I DON'T like the large gravel/crappy road walking.

Aside from the exercise, I'm REALLY hoping to make walking a big part of my stress reduction plan, and a way to beat the depression.

Eating's been fine, about the only thing I did that could be tweaked is that I drank too much wine on a couple of occasions. (What? Drinking a whole bottle of champagne is completely reasonable when your father is visiting and your son's girlfriend is over.)

Had my first green monster of the season this morning, and IT WAS GOOD. :)  (I don't drink them in the winter, really)

Anyway - we'll see how I do over the weekend. I won't have as much control over the food situation, and I'm really not sure what will be going on. But, Dad is a big meat and salad and eggs man, so we ought to be okay.