On the go

It's almost 4am. I'm not sure why I'm up. I thought that maybe I have something to say. So here we are at the blog. I'm trying not to be too excited about losing 5 1/2 pounds but I am. It's nice to see my efforts rewarded. I know there will be times when it feels like I'm not getting anywhere and during those times I need to remember the small victories. Why is it so much easier to gain weight than it is to lose it? I think it's because sitting and eating are such passive activities while walking and eating healthy are proactive activities. You have to put more into losing weight.

I'm hoping I feel strong enough to go to the Zoo later this morning. There are a lot of hills and tons of walking around. I'm looking forward to the challenge but don't want to over do and stress myself past my limits. We'll be stopping a lot to watch the animals so we both should do okay. If not we'll just leave the Zoo. We have an annual pass and can go back anytime we want to.

I think I'll bring some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit so when we leave the Zoo we will be less apt to stop for something to eat. It's figuring out that kind of trigger that is helpful. Usually we would stop at McDonald's or some such place to bring lunch/dinner home. I'm not going to do that today. One meal at McDonald's and I would gain back all the weight I've lost. Not a good deal.

When I was looking at pictures again last night, it really struck me that I was always on the go. I had a life. I don't have much of a life now but I'm trying to get it back. I've become scared of doing things or know I will feel uncomfortable so I just stopped.

I had somewhere to go back then. I was on the move. I don't particularly remember exercising in those days but I know I walked a lot and was always outdoors. My life has become sedentary in the last 15 years. I think part of the reason why I sit around so much is because of all the meds I'm on. I'd like to think that I can get myself well enough that I won't have to take so much medicine. Just having a life was enough back then.

So many people look for an easy way out of weight loss but there isn't one. I have to eat less than my body is burning in calories. I have to eat healthier foods, especially fruits and vegetables. And water, I've got to drink more water. I'm only drinking about a bottle a day and that's not near enough. Drinking water will also help me to lose weight. There are no magic exercise machines, pills or food to lose weight. It's just common sense and the ability to keep on moving. I really think I will look and feel better at 50 than I have in my 30's and 40's. That's a goal to achieve.

I look at these pictures and wonder where I was going. I know that John and I were always going somewhere, a place that involved hiking or walking (or for him, running) or biking. Junk food wasn't such a problem back then. It seems to have insinuated itself into ever aspect of our lives. In the grocery store you have to walk past the Starbucks, cruise on by all the junk food that is postioned at eye level and on end shelves, and try to make it past all the candy that is up at the registers. I can't avoid it and I always have to be aware of the marketing strategy. They set you up to fail. Then you feel bad because you fail, so you go back to there products for comfort. It's a Catch-22.

The other thing I notice about pictures of me way back when is that I was always somewhere other than home. I always was on an adventure. Now, not so much, but that can change. My goal is to have adventures again and include them in this blog. I want people to see that even if you're really out of shape like me you can still do things. You just have to do it in babysteps. If I tried to overdo I would defeat myself. I don't want to be my own worst enemy anymore.

So now it's 4:35am and I'm going to start doing some laundry and put dishes in the dishwasher. My back still feels cramped up but I'm looking forward to going to the Zoo anyway. It will be an adventure and I need more of those.