I started this here blog back in the olden days -- January 1, 2002. I was in the throes of a weight loss program and had already lost 20 pounds.
I'd started losing weight because I'd had a bout of viral meningitis. My blood pressure was sky high (like stroke level high), I had sleep apnea, and my blood sugar was nearing diabetes levels.
I stuck religiously to the diet. I exercised a lot too -- Curves, yoga, and lots and lots and lots of walking. I lost 76 pounds, all told. My blood pressure dropped like a rock, I stopped snoring, and my blood sugar was perfect.
Annnnd then I had hernia surgery. Annnnd then my mom started failing. Annnnd then I developed Meniere's disease. Annnd I stopped exercising and quit eating properly and gained most of weight back.
My blood pressure is high again, and I snore, and my blood sugar finally cracked through into diabetes territory. It's not scary high, but high enough to require pills, as is my blood pressure.
Then the weather turned perfect. I got off the subway one lovely morning last week and, rather than take the bus from the subway to the office, I decided to walk. It felt pretty good. I did that a couple more times last week.
Joe started walking around the little lakes in our neighborhood again. I joined him last weekend, on a whim. We walked Saturday and Sunday.
I started eating a little better. I can't say I'm on a diet, because I'm not. But I have stopped eating a daily candy bar. I've switched from Cokes to water. I'm eating more fruit. And, wonder of wonder miracle of miracles, I've cut back of salt (a little -- no sense going crazy). Just today, I stared down a Goldenberg's Peanut Chews in the vending machine and bought a pack of Juicy Fruit gum instead.That, my friends, is an achievement. Well, it is for me.
I have walked to work from the subway every day this week. Granted, it's only a mile (if that) a day, but it's a start.
I have even lost a tiny bit of weight.
So... yeah. I've taken the first baby steps back toward reclaiming some level of healthiness. I worked it out -- I do this just about every 10 years, whether I need to or not. I know the fabulous weather won't last, but maybe I can get into this walking thing enough to keep it up. And maybe I can keep on chipping away at my eating habits and change them for the better.
One step at a time. One step at a time.
