Walking Off Weight

This poor old blog has been so badly neglected that I could almost shut it down and not miss it. I have two other blogs I’m trying to maintain, but I think I’ve found new motivation to keep this one going – but on a slightly different theme. Just like the blog, my body has also been sorely neglected over the past years, so I’ve decided it’s about time to get things back in shape both on the blog and in my body!

Twenty one years ago I weighed 190 pounds and in January of 1990 I made up my mind to lose 40 pounds by my 40th birthday which was in July.  I had 6 months from when I started until my birthday and I did accomplish my goal. I walked religiously at least 4 miles every day and I drank 2 of my meals each day in the form of a protein shake along with a ton of water.  I also hiked, climbed and skied with my local Mountaineers club.  But then we moved to a new town and I lost touch with all my hiking buddies.  I also took a sedentary job and the weight started to creep back on.

In 2001 was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through about 7 months of treatment which included chemo-therepy, mastectomy, and radiation.  Throughout that process I became very inactive and my metabolism seemed to come to a stand-still.  Some people lose weight during chemo, but I gained.  And during radiation I was putting on about a pound per week.  I knew something had to have been out of whack!

Sometime after my treatments ended my docs discovered I was low on thyroid, so now I’m taking a daily dose of thyroid replacement.  I had hoped maybe that would be the cure-all and I’d start losing weight, but unfortunately it hasn’t been that easy.  Over the years my weight has crept up to 210 pounds and today I’ve finally made up my mind to so something about it.

For the past couple months my husband and I have been making green smoothies for breakfast.  I thought maybe that would jumpstart the weightloss – after all starting our day with nothing but fruits and vegetables seems like a good idea, right?  And I’m sure it is, but it’s not enough.  What we really need is exercise.  I’m 60 years old now and my metabolism is about zilch!  It’s time to start walking again.

Yesterday I was at my oncologist’s office for another one of those pesky check-back appointments.  Thankfully, everything remains good – no sign of a recurrence, but getting weighed and coming in at 210 pounds proved that I had put on about 10 pounds over the winter.  This has been my pattern for the past 5-6 years.  Lose 10 pounds during the summer while working in Alaska, then put it back on during the dormant period of winter.  Well, after 17 years of tour guide work, I’m not going back to Alaska this summer, so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether I’ll be able to lose the automatic 10 pounds again this year.  So now I’m thinking it’s pretty obvious I better have a plan!  Besides, I want to lose a whole lot more than 10 pounds – more like about 60!!

After my appointment I stopped into the little health care store at the clinic.  A small, inexpensive spiral bound book caught my eye and on impulse I picked it up and brought it home.  It’s called “Walking Off Weight – The 14-day, 14-step program for lasting weight loss”.  I know walking worked for me in the past, so I’m hopeful maybe I can get back into that routine and walk off the extra bulk I’m carrying around with me.

So today I read Day 1 in the book and went for a walk.  I even got my husband to come along too, which is good because he has a few pounds to shed as well.  My walk wasn’t long – maybe 1 mile – and I didn’t walk particularly fast, but it was a start.

I’ll try to check back often to keep you in-tune with my progress.  And if you’d like to start a walking program along with me, just post a comment to let me know.  Maybe we can support and motivate each other through it all.

When I walk I like taking my camera along.  I never know what I’ll find, but I can at least share some of the small details I discover along the way.  If you go for a walk today; notice the small things like wildflowers in spring, interesting rocks, interesting people.  Use your senses and discover all there to find along your route.