My Journey - Wisdom Sign Post #1

It is hard to believe that it has been over 365 days since I started my blog.  More importantly, it is even more startling that I have been on a journey to a healthier me for one whole year (plus 3 weeks).  I have learned so much about what it takes, what made this attempt so different from the many others over my lifetime, and how I know in my heart that this is it - this is my new life.

As so many others around the world start to look at the New Year and often a deep desire for a body with fewer pounds or one that can move easily and accomplish more or live longer and healthier, I wanted to share some of what has become more and more apparent to me each step of the way.  Having the patience to figure out what would work and, more importantly, what would not work, was one of the keys to success.  It all started when my mind connected to my heart!

Swim Suit Day

I mentioned the possibility of potentially maybe sometime dragging my bathing suit out of the drawer it has been stuffed into since its last wearing in 2008. I wore it for one hour that year. As you can tell, swimming is not and never has been a favorite pastime. I did use it once as a relaxation technique when I lived in a building with a beautiful, very under-used, quiet, warm, salt water pool with a fountain in the middle and low lighting at night. I ventured down there most nights about 9 PM. In this Plus 40 building, most residents were Plus 70 and in bed by 9 PM so I had the pool area all to myself. I used a long forgotten back stroke and relaxed and glided through the water at my own steam. I was impressed with the feeling of calm and also with the stiff arm muscles the next day. But I was never won over to idea of getting wet in order to exercise. My brief foray into waterworld ended the year we sold our lovely apartment and my swimsuit never surfaced (or sank!) again until the aforementioned 2008 appearance at a hot tub in Arizona. The lovely blue suit is therefore in great shape - no fading, no thin material - just tummy-tucker, shape hugging fabric ready for the next swim.

How the INCH Tried to Steal Christmas

It was a snowy, snowy night and all the little WW's (Weight Watchers) were snug in their cozy homes drinking eggnog, munching on the last of the chocolates and shortbread and nodding off from turkey and stuffing and all the rest of the Christmas feast. They had been to the town square, sang carols around the tree, sipped a little mulled wine and then joked and laughed with each other as they headed back to their little homes scattered along the base of the mountain they called their own.

No sugar plums dancing in their heads tonight - they were all eaten by noon today! The stockings were no longer hanging; they were hidden in little WW's closets still full of old nuts, oranges and a little Christmas candy - not a chocolate snowman to be seen. The living rooms of the little village were strewn with a few dishes of nuts & bolts on coffee tables, one lonely piece of mincemeat pie left on the kitchen counter and cookie crumbs swept under the mat for tomorrows clean up.   Smiles lingered on many faces as they patted their tummies in satisfaction and headed off to bed.