Heart?

Have a heart? Heart throb? Forgiving Heart? Warm Heart? Brave heart? Broken heart? Take heart? This month hearts will abound and, depending on where you are in your life, your spirit will dance with anticipation or drop to the depths of despair. Of course, most of us will be somewhere in between.

I have had a change of heart - or maybe I should say I am working on that! I have slowly started to inch along learning to face the inner me - that place that decides what I put into my mouth and how much I move my body and why - or even why I don't - do something to take care of me in the first place. I have been inspired by a book recently that is about how to understand and help children who have a weight problem (Weight Watchers Family Power).

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.