I meant to start in February with walking every day that I did not have to go into work really early (which to me is 9AM. I know that's not "really early" but by the time I get up, get my devotions done, get ready to go and drive 30 minutes to work, it's "really early" for me to try and also fit in walking in the morning.)
Well, that didn't happen. I have excuses. Just excuses. Mainly I get sidetracked into doing things that are easier to do. It's not easy to break out of old habits and begin new ones.
But, my memory is kicking in now. I do remember that one issue I had with walking was that right around the same time I was thinking I'd begin a walking "program", I also began have some serious foot issues. I have a "deformed" foot. I have hereditary bunions. Foolishly, at 18 years old I had surgery on one of those bunions so that it would not project so noticeably. (My issue back then REALLY was how my foot LOOKED.) The surgery must have severed something in my foot which would allow me to move that big toe to the right. Over the years (I'm almost 66 now) that toe has progressively drawn to the left. But in the past few months, another issue began to surface. My toe next to the big toe began to pull to the right and up UNDER the big toe. This progressed to the point that I was having PAIN in my foot because of the lapover. I am on my feet all day at work and by the time I could get off my feet, I am ready to just let them rest for awhile instead of starting a walking program.
I've tried to realign the toes by using those cushioned toe thingy's you can buy at Walmart. (They are called Toe Bandages and the package says "Wrap toes in cushioned comfort with soft slip on bandages.) They are circular. I managed to pull my second toe back into proper alignment by slipping one of those bandages over it and the third toe. Doing this for awhile-- plus prayer-- has at least (finally) alleviated the PAIN I was having in my foot. But then, I got sick. So, go figure. Excuses. Excuses. Excuses.
But I have for the most part watched my calories. By "watch" I mean I have written down what I am eating and I am trying to keep up with -- at least approximately--the number of calories I'm eating per day.
I have found in the past that just doing a count of calories in my head before I actually eat something is a strong deterrent to eating things that are HUGE calorie hogs-- like pieces of thickly frosted cake or cupcakes or even doughnuts (which are often available on the breakroom table at work because of birthdays or other events).
I started my calorie counting on January 30. I had lost 8 pounds by last Saturday. I haven't done as well on my eating this week mainly because I excused myself for eating "comfort food" while I've been fighting off a chest cold. And whatever this "bug" is that I'm fighting is making me VERY weak. I must have strength for my work so... like I say, excuses... for eating too many calories. However, I did check my weight this morning and found that I'm only up half a pound. So maybe if I'm careful today, I can at least be back on track in the morning (my weigh in day) and keep forging ahead.
I am teamed up with some others in a scaleback effort in the state. We are each supposed to lose at least ten pounds in three months. That doesn't seem like an unreasonable goal but it does require vigilance. I cannot continue to eat like I was eating before and achieve weight loss.
Leaving out the scaleback effort, I need to do this for myself since I have been given the figures that show I am "prediabetic". That needs to be a wake up call. Diabetes is nothing to play around with.
Hopefully, by next week, I'll feel better and with my foot doing much better, I might convince myself to start that walking effort that I meant to begin at the beginning of February (and continue for the rest of my life).
