Keeping it Moving is the Key
The Day I Started to Get Fat
I remember it like it was yesterday. I was about to turn 29 and I got my second car, a Brown Toyota Corolla 1983. This is the day I didn’t have to walk to the bus anymore. This was a happy memory but it also was the day that my body did not get regularly exercised. Before this time it was automatic that I would get at least 2-3 miles a day walking to and from the EL or Bus. I didn’t have to think about it. This is the day that my inner thighs began to close in.
My job downtown soon came to an end and any job I had over the next 30 plus years would require me to only walk to and from my car… maybe 300 ft. a day. Being that I work in the administrative field there would be no long hours standing on my feet or walking around the plant so the weight began to settle.
How can I be so certain that this contributes and is responsible for the extra 50 plus lbs. I have on my frame? I am confident that my theory is right because every time I have been without a car, the weight just starts dropping off. Without even thinking about changing other things it seems to melt away. I haven’t been without a car for a while so slowly but surely the pounds have multiplied. I am blessed that I’m not real flabby but I am THICK, and not in a good way.
I know the key to losing weight is to increase your movement and change your eating habits. Both are a problem for me. I am a glutton. I was taught to finish my plate no matter what’s on it. I eat so fast sometimes I scare myself. I need to find some type of physical activity that I can do without thinking its exercise. Because I am so overweight my first choice is walking. I don’t mean power walking just regular walking. I know I’m overweight because my back hurts when I walk too far. To build up stamina, I will start walking around the block, approximately a ¼ mile. Yes my current walk is ¼ mile. That’s all I can do at this time, but I am shooting for doing this 4 times a day. My walking schedule is once when I get to work, then once about every 2 hours till I go home. So that would be 4 walks a day and equal to one mile. Think about how that sounds, I walked a mile today. That’s an achievement! That’s my goal for this week. You do what you can do.
I’ve tried to do too much coming out the gate which never works out. I went to Zumba 3 times in one week when I was trying to start exercising and my body told me stop. My neck and arm got stiff and I couldn’t raise my right arm. Your body will tell you when you do too much. When I get close to the end of my walk my back starts to ache a little. That tells me my length and pace are just about right. When I get back with no problem I’ll add another half block.
Let me know if you have any ideas for exercise that we can disguise and do without thinking that you are exercising. I know I like to dance and that’s great exercise so I might try to add line dancing to my activities because it will also give me something fun to do when we go to parties – after the pandemic. I could try to learn a new line dance every week or 2. Remember by adding each new dance to a practice routine you will end up with a great fun work out!