These Feet Are Made For Walkin'

30 days to a happier, healthier me - day 3




Whenever I feel like exercising, I lie down until the feeling passes.
- Robert Hutchins

I couldn't have said it better myself, Robert, hehe.

One of our favourite, local walking tracks 

I started off well with my exercise plan about six months ago. I wore my pedometer for a few weeks to monitor how many steps I was taking. I was only shy of the 10,000 a day by around 3,000 steps, which works out to about a half an hour walk. Funnily enough, the instructions with the pedometer suggested that an average day plus a few extra steps here and there and a 30 minute walk, should do the trick. But of course, I wanted to try finding a way around it, LOL! You can read KB's tips on easy ways to reach your 10,000 steps a day here. Shame I can't take my own advice, hehe.


I was reading an interesting book about womens' health and it suggested looking at walking not as exercise, but as a chance to get out in the fresh air on your own to think and meditate on your life. Sounds much better than exercising. Changing my frame of mind about these things has helped me heaps. The funny thing is, once I get out there, I love it. Coco usually has me giggling about something within no time, I listen to embarrassing pop music (without fear of mockery from Mr Whitesnake), come up with writing ideas and inspiration for life in general
 
The reason my walking is so sporadic is because vigorous exercise brings on similar symptoms to a panic attack. In the past, when I was out on a long hike, I would experience shortness of breath, rapid heart beat etc and I thought I was going to have a heart attack, when in fact, I was fine and experiencing a panic attack. Sounds so silly when I write it down but it can be a terrifying experience. Whenever I reach for my walking shoes, there's the fear in the back of my mind of having a panic. My walking went by the way side AGAIN after I had a big panic about a month ago. Time to get back into it. Actually, walking is one of the best things I can do for myself when I feel anxious but the thought of going walking can sometimes bring on anxiety. Bit of a vicious cycle with me but I shall keep plodding on.  My plan is to go for at least one 30 min walk this week and increase by one walk per week, until I'm walking 4 times a week. I plan to walk a steep track twice a week to really get my heart pumping.
 
Wish me luck!
 
Love KB
xxx

P.S. Still on track with day 2 of my plan...I've already had one alcohol free day for the week (my week starts Thursday - don't ask) and just one tipple last night. Go me!

Read more about 30 days to a happier, healthier me here.

KB GETS MOVING

Whenever I feel like exercising, I lie down until the feeling passes.

- Robert Hutchins

I couldn't have said it better myself, Robert, hehe.

Actually, I'm doing ok with my exercise plan. I wore my pedometer for a few weeks to monitor how many steps I was doing. I was only shy of the 10,000 a day by around 3,000 steps, which works out to about a half an hour walk. Funnily enough, the instructions with the pedometer suggested that an average day plus a few extra steps here and there and a 30 minute walk, should do the trick. But of course, I wanted to try finding a way around it, LOL!

I was reading an interesting book about womens' health and it suggested looking at walking not as exercise, but as a chance to get out in the fresh air on your own to think and meditate on your life. Sounds much better than exercising. Changing my frame of mind about these things has helped me heaps. The funny thing is, once I get out there, I love it. Coco usually has me giggling about something within no time, I listen to embarrassing pop music (without fear of mockery from Mr Whitesnake), come up with writing ideas and inspiration for life in general.

Yesterday, I tried getting back into Yoga. Spent most of the time laughing or cursing under my breath. It's a little difficult to stretch and bend with a sore shoulder and a Coco Spaniel sticking her head in your face. I was surprised how much flexibility I have lost in the last couple of years. I used to do muscle strengthening exercises a couple of times a week at home or at the gym but it seems I'm getting a little stiff and worse for wear as I age. I've noticed quite a difference since I've turned 40. Perhaps I'll persevere with the yoga a bit longer before trying something else.

Everything is going well with me at the moment and I'm feeling happy, loved and motivated.

That's all for now folks.

Love KB
XXX



BOOKS READ LAST MONTH

Life Makeovers - Cheryl Richardson

FOUR SEASONS IN ONE DAY

We have been experiencing the strangest weather lately. Beautiful sunshine, followed by thunder, lightning, storms and a couple of days ago - hail. I don't think I've ever seen such weather in my neck of the woods. What's going on?





LOOK CLOSELY TO SEE A RAINBOW



IN OTHER NEWS...

I weighed myself this morning and am pleased to report I've lost another 2kgs. Woohoo! All the walking, eating properly and reduction of the vino is paying off. My goal is to lose one more kg then I'm done.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW...

There are one million ants to every human in the world.
Frogs cannot swallow with their eyes open.
A quarter of the bones in your body are in your feet.

POLL RESULTS

Thanks for those who voted. Looks like Missy is IT, hehe!

CATCH YA LATER
Love KB
xxx

MEN HAVE ALL THE FUN, FOLLOWED BY RAMBLINGS

It's been raining here in Auckland (or as I like to call it - DUCKland) for days. Every time I put on my shoes to take Coco for her walk, the rain poured down again. I decided to take a walk on the treadmill instead.



Coco came to see what I was up to and proceeded to spend half an hour staring at my feet. I couldn't stop laughing, I could imagine what she was thinking...

"Why is Mum walking without me? Why are her feet moving but she's not going anywhere?

Speaking of exercise - it's almost time for my annual check up with the Doc. He's been my doc for about eight years and he's the best one I've ever had. Last time I saw him he was pleased I was off all my meds and well, that hasn't happened for a long time so I was pleased too, woohoo!. He weighed me - hate that part. He told me my weight was fine but (isn't there always a but?), I'd been steadily putting on a little weight each year since I'd given up smoking and he wouldn't want me to gain any more. He put it in a nicer way than that but I knew what he was saying.

Next came my favourite question (NOT), how much was I drinking? I used to lie through my teeth when this one came up but I decided it was time to fess up. The Dr almost fell off his chair when I replied. He informed me that I was consuming the equivalent of what was suggested for a man to be drinking and since I was clearly NOT a man, I should cut back by at least half. Bugga, men have all the fun!

Luckily for me, my eldest step-daughter is a personal trainer. She asked me to keep a diary of what I ate and drank for a week. She told me I was eating too many carbs and not enough protein. Which was true, I love spuds, bread and pasta. When hubby was away I tended to live on noodles and beans on toast. She made up a food plan for me and stuck it on the fridge. She also worked out an exercise programme for me...bless her.

One of things I've learnt from these changes is how much the food and drink I consume affects my mood. I have suffered with depression on and off for years so I have to make sure I look after myself physically which in turn improves my emotional well being. I woke up this morning feeling tired and grumpy. I thought back to what I'd been eating and drinking for the last week or so and how often I'd been walking. Hmmmm, too much pizza and wine me thinks. The last thing I wanted to do was get on the treadmill but I did. I cooked myself a healthy dinner too and now I feel so much better.

I'm happy to report I've lost 4kgs in the last year and have cut down on drinking. I still want to lose a little more weight and cut back even more on the red wine but I'm pleased so far. Hopefully the Doc will be too. Wish me luck!

Which reminds me of something else. I'm such a rambler today. A fellow blogger recently asked me why I sometimes talk about personal stuff on my blog and did I do it for sympathy. It wasn't said in a nasty way, just an onbservation. It's been on my mind for some time so I thought maybe there was some truth in it. I do like the attention but anyone who writes on a blog must be the same way, if they didn't want to share stuff...they would make their writing private.

I love my blog, I write about topics which interest me, experiences I've had in life. Writing what's on my mind is like therapy for me some days. Sometimes I share my thoughts and other days I post them privately.

Why shouldn't I write about my anxiety and depression? It's nothing to be ashamed of. One of the reasons I was depressed was because I was trying to be something I wasn't, I was trying to be what was expected of me. The therapist I saw explained to me that the anxiety attacks I was experiencing were part experiences I had been through and part hereditary. I was trying to be perfect so as not to upset others. Keeping all those emotions inside had to come out some how and in my case, they came out in the form of anxiety. It wasn't until I started talking to people about my problems that I learned of the history of depression and anxiety in my family. If someone had told me at my lowest point that I wasn't alone, that other people experienced these things and it was OK to be me, well, I think things would have turned out differently. Maybe sharing my experiences here will help someone else realise they are not alone.

Working through these things (with the support from my family and friends) has made me the person I am today, it's part of who I am. I've accepted this and feel much more comfortable speaking my mind. I'm not going to change who I am for others. If you don't like what I share...read something else!

Righto, that was a long ramble, I'm not sure if it will make much sense to anyone else but I feel much better for it.