The biggest reason why I walk our dirt road as much as I do is primarily to lose weight. Somewhere between my last baby (25 years ago) and about a year ago I managed to put on about 100 lbs. I can't say I don't know how I did it (open mouth, insert food) but I was surprised it was so much.
I tried Weight Watchers and got tired of counting my points after 20 or so pounds. I tried Curves and got tired of driving into town and paying to go around in circles. Granted these are both good programs and they work for some people. They just didn't work for me.
I seriously thought about gastric bypass or the lap band. But frankly after breast cancer surgery and a hysterectomy, surgery is not high on my list of all time favorite things to do. And becoming someone with an eating disorder didn't work for me either. I have enough issues without adding on to them.
This is not to make light of any of these options. But I have found that if I didn't have a sense of humor about life and its obstacles I probably would have been dead long ago. Humor, even if on the dark side has a way of getting me through things.
So there weren't many options left to help me lose weight. Let's be real, go to a gym and you are the 'fat' one there? No thank you. I have an elliptical and it is the largest dust collector in the house. Talk about boring. Let's walk in one place for an hour. Again, no thank you.
So the best I could do for myself was to go outside and walk. At least there is scenery. And even walking the same road for almost a year and some 500+ miles the scenery is never exactly the same. As I have mentioned before I look for the changes and I have tried to change. This past fall I started going what I call 'off road'. Staying somewhat parallel to the road but walking up in the woods. Or following one on the many stone walls that I can see from the road.
Today I bought 2 trekking poles. They are similar to ski poles but adjustable. Now they say when walking to swing your arms. I have always thought this a bit awkward. Also to keep your head up and look ahead. You ever notice that dirt roads are not smooth? You have to look down so you can see where all the ridges and dips are. These poles make a difference. Your arms work more (and heaven knows my arms need work) and they help you maintain your balance better so you can look more ahead and less down. So I think I have made an improvement in my walking. I guess they would also help me beat off bears in the spring or wayward porcupines.
Its looking for the changes in the road and in myself that is really helping me move forward. Right now the snow banks are as high as I have seen them in a number of years. I can't even see the stone walls any more. But I know that come March with the sugaring season, the snow will melt. The road will turn to mud and it will be time to complain about that. And ain't that just grand?
I tried Weight Watchers and got tired of counting my points after 20 or so pounds. I tried Curves and got tired of driving into town and paying to go around in circles. Granted these are both good programs and they work for some people. They just didn't work for me.
I seriously thought about gastric bypass or the lap band. But frankly after breast cancer surgery and a hysterectomy, surgery is not high on my list of all time favorite things to do. And becoming someone with an eating disorder didn't work for me either. I have enough issues without adding on to them.
This is not to make light of any of these options. But I have found that if I didn't have a sense of humor about life and its obstacles I probably would have been dead long ago. Humor, even if on the dark side has a way of getting me through things.
So there weren't many options left to help me lose weight. Let's be real, go to a gym and you are the 'fat' one there? No thank you. I have an elliptical and it is the largest dust collector in the house. Talk about boring. Let's walk in one place for an hour. Again, no thank you.
So the best I could do for myself was to go outside and walk. At least there is scenery. And even walking the same road for almost a year and some 500+ miles the scenery is never exactly the same. As I have mentioned before I look for the changes and I have tried to change. This past fall I started going what I call 'off road'. Staying somewhat parallel to the road but walking up in the woods. Or following one on the many stone walls that I can see from the road.
Today I bought 2 trekking poles. They are similar to ski poles but adjustable. Now they say when walking to swing your arms. I have always thought this a bit awkward. Also to keep your head up and look ahead. You ever notice that dirt roads are not smooth? You have to look down so you can see where all the ridges and dips are. These poles make a difference. Your arms work more (and heaven knows my arms need work) and they help you maintain your balance better so you can look more ahead and less down. So I think I have made an improvement in my walking. I guess they would also help me beat off bears in the spring or wayward porcupines.
Its looking for the changes in the road and in myself that is really helping me move forward. Right now the snow banks are as high as I have seen them in a number of years. I can't even see the stone walls any more. But I know that come March with the sugaring season, the snow will melt. The road will turn to mud and it will be time to complain about that. And ain't that just grand?
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