Doctor Grandma

I have never been obese. It’s just been a steady gain since I hit my 40s. Now that I’ve begin my 60s, I’ve finally made a turnaround — toward health.

It’s not mostly about weight, really, it’s about health. So this is a good beginning. I am eating lighter, focus on healthy salads, have sworn OFF fast food drive-ins! I drink more water, have meat and veggies at night, eat nuts fruit and yogurt when I am hungry for a snack, and have started to exercise.

Now that I’m 61, I find that I cannot walk. My knees have failed me. In my 40s, I started running regularly. Got up to my goal of running 2 miles without stopping, and quit. Now, 20 years later, especially my left knee can just go *out* at any point, without doing anything strenuous. This has happened twice. The first time, doctors didn’t believe I hadn’t fallen or done anything strenuous. I said, no, I was just walking. So, what do you do when you can’t walk??

I’ve started stretching, leg lifts, AND yoga. I can hardly do anything right now. But that is also not important. The important thing is to DO, regularly, consistently, religiously. So that’s what I am doing, and I actually work up a sweat.

Three yrs ago I had a complete hysterectomy. It was very freeing, best thing I ever did. Doctor’s office called a few weeks ago and said a few years back, I had an irregular pap test and could I schedule another one? I asked, “Do you think I’m going to get ovarian cancer?” It was pretty funny.

However, now, 3 years later, I feel that my insides have shifted, on their own, towards the front, and I have lost my waistline. This is very disconcerting, and a new thing, hence the exercise to work on my abs, and we shall see.

I am also going to start walking, again, very gently, and see if my knee pops out again. If it does, then I know, I really can no longer walk. In any case, it’s not going to be fast walking. I will be happy if I can walk a mile, slowly.

This is a beginning chronicle of my journey with weight, just so I can check back in and see how it went. I won’t post weight here, but will post any weight loss. So far, nothing. 🙂

It is going well. 🙂 I have the time right now to do this well, so I am being consistent. When school starts……….. it will be difficult.

Tomorrow I plan to get up & walk farther than I ever have, on a new route. It is 3.5 mi. Let’s see how long it takes me.

As do many Americans, I want to lose some weight. My plan is to have a regular plan to get more healthy, and in the process, lose 30-35 lbs. Though the world is not interested in my health plan and progress it helps me to write out my thoughts, experiences and feelings. Therefore, I am starting a new category for health and weight loss.

This afternoon I walked 3 miles for the first time in about 2 mos. I am sweating and it definitely elevated my heart rate. It is rather sad to have this much effect from just walking 3 miles! But it is what it is. In the hot Carolina sun, maybe not too surprising.

It’s pretty simple. The main thing is to HAVE a plan and do it daily. Consistency is always the key. It is also so easy to change your diet in summer, with all the fresh produce. So here goes.

My Daily Plan:

walk 3 miles

exercise routine indoors for leg lefts, abs, stretching

4 containers of ice water per day

calcium, fish oil, St. john’s wort for now

cereal for breakfast – very light on breads

fresh fruit, salad for lunch with lots of produce goodies

meat & veggies at night

frozen yogurt, sherbet, popsicles, real juice bars or light ice cream if anything

1 cup green tea (with others for flavor) at night