One down, a gazillion more to go (I hope!).

I am talking about "weeks" since beginning my "Way of Life" boot camp adventure.

Way of Life : the habits and behavior that characterize a person or group of people.


I like this definition because it is simple, something that we all know and understand.  I have been told all my life that my 'fitness, weight and health' are determined by my habits and behaviors.  I guess I would have to admit that I have had very bad habits and behaviors much of my life to be in the shape I am today.  Growing up I considered myself very 'active'.  I played sports in all levels of school (grammar school, high school and college).  As a young adult I would have to say that I became much more sedentary.  Rather than staying active I would rely on crazy fad diets to keep my weight down -- and this I now know -- was my downfall!!  

FAD : short-lived fashion: something that is embraced very enthusiastically for a short time, especially by many people

Experts say - "The truth is fad diets don't work to help you keep the weight you lose off long-term."  Where were these EXPERTS when I was younger?  Maybe they were there, but I didn't listen - because I was LOOSING WEIGHT!  Which was the only thing that was important to me at the time!  But now not even the Fad Diets work for me!

Marriage, divorce, parenting, working 60 hr weeks, more fad diets, finding and falling in love with my soul mate, more diets - healthier ones sometimes; and the scale went up and down, and up and down ... but still I didn't figure out that I needed to stay more active!  Heck, we went to a gym and hired a personal assistant for over a year and I didn't loose any more weight than I had when I was doing the fad diets -- and of course as soon as I stopped, the scale went up once again!

That brings me to retirement ....

I believe that there are two main reasons I have had trouble over this last decade loosing weight and getting in shape are: #1. Slower (now 59 yr old) metabolism and #2. not eating enough food, and the foods I do eat (even though small amounts) are all the wrong things.  (is that three reasons?  Oh, well - you know what I mean.)  Oh, and one more thing, I guess I thought that when I moved into an "Active Adult Community" in 2004 - it automatically meant I became active.  Not exactly true.  I did begin playing tennis, but that was all.  At that same time started going to lots of parties, drinking lots of wine, and also discovered another vice to add to these - tequila.  (I can barely write the word without hearing the trombones - and being ready to chime in - "TEQUILA"!)

But I digress.  My point is, I need to discover my new 'Way of Life' and continue on my peak walker quest!

I took yesterday completely off (Forrest said so!), and today I walked 2 miles and will be with my grandsons later for more 'child play' exercise.  (hey, don't knock it until you've tried it, it's a workout!)

Wish me luck as I head into week two!