Taking My Body Back

I read recently, that if you blog about your desire to regain your health (or weight loss exercise program) you are more likely to stick to it. You have people watching your progress. Well, many years ago, a friend of mine made an offer to Jenny Craig corporation, that if they paid for her food, she would write about her progress with their product for the local newspaper, as she was a published free lance writer. Her first article was great, having chosen the tittle, "Losin' It." Well, that was the only article she wrote and she stayed the same. So...I don't know. We'll see.

For me, it's been 10 years like this and getting bigger from the "lose a little, great, then the body's Natural Famine Panic sets in and you eat everything" phenomenon. I've had enough. My dress size is really getting in the way and I am uncomfortable. I am having the symptoms of obesity/age onset diabetes, (tingling and sharp pains in my toes when I have eaten poorly), but when I eat right I have no symptoms. My father got this and after his diagnosis, his eating habits got worse. If he wanted ONE pastry,or anything else sweet/high fat, he bought a big box of 6 (or more) on his way to my house, ate one and left the rest for us. He did things like this repeatedly. Well, when you do that around a food addict....it calls your name. You cannot throw it out. You have to eat it. My weight gain began 15 years ago when I moved closer to my father. I ate right until then. Do I "blame" him? Of course not. Food addiction and diabetes is a hard combination to deal with when you don't understand them.

I would like the next 15 years, and beyond, to be better. Once upon a time, I lost a gazillion pounds, and was a size 8-10 (thinking I was still fat), working out regularly at the big boys gym, teaching fitness classes, doing great, eating right. When I had to quit teaching aerobics due to overuse injuries, I was directed by the Lord to get into Yoga. (My achilles tendon injures were so bad I couldn't even walk my dog. I needed Ace ankle braces just for normal walking around) Well, I tried to start too advanced and gave it up. To this day, my injuries are still there, and in one way even worse. I enjoyed water aerobics after my husband died, but I stopped going when there were too many people to be able to find a deep enough spot in the pool. Then I just didn't feel right leaving the family (normal response after a death in the family).

Then I started back, using the stationary exercise equipment (yuk) and the free weights (yes!). Started finding it a little weird working out around young, buff guys who went to beef up dramatically and look at their own physiques. Great for them, sure, but (yawn) for me. Sure, I worked out hard and they noticed that, taking time out of their lives to notice how much weight I was pressing out on the leg press. But I stopped going when the van broke down and I was too paranoid to drive it in and out of town every day. Still having a hard time leaving the family behind to go.

Our homeschool group went to the McGee center for an activity one Friday, and amazingly, the indoor track called my name repeatedly until I just couldn't stand it anymore and walked. I normally don't walk because of injuries but.... How refreshing!.. ...how I longed to just turn on the afterburners and GO, but the injured must take care of themselves or they will not be able to do it again. So I walked 4x around the track with a friend and loved every minute of it.

So now, I am back home, with videos and fitness equipment galore. Where shall I start? Oh where shall I start? Monday morning, January 25. With Patrick. On the road. Walking. And free weights.