179.8 What A Difference A Friend Makes!

Maybe it's my personality type, or whatever, but it really helps me to have someone to walk with. When you know someone is waiting out in front of your house at 6:30 AM - remember, I live in Arizona so we start early around here due to the heat- you don't turn over and go back to sleep when the alarm rings. And, you don't hem and haw about whether you really want to get up and walk. The best part is, walking becomes incidental to the conversation, but walking does happen, and we pride ourselves on walking at a good clip.

My walking buddy, like so many folks who live here, also lives elsewhere part-time, or maybe she lives here part-time? It's the same no matter how you look at it. Anyway, she's here for the Labor Day holiday and we went walking this morning. And you know, my leg pain didn't kick in and my back was fine. Hmmm!

So if you don't have a walking buddy, find one! Most people just need to be asked. Walking with someone means the time flies, the focus can be on conversation rather than just the walking, and it's fun, more fun than walking alone, even if you are listening to Willie Nelson. Oh, that seems like ages ago when Willie was my walking buddy. I wonder how he's doing?

190.0 Always On My Mind

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a long time know that I was obsessed with Willie Nelson for a while, singing along with his music as I was first beginning to be able to walk for exercise, about a year ago. Now I am obsessed with the music from Mamma Mia and listen to it every time I get on the elliptical.

My daughter Alee recently told me that she wanted to lose some weight but didn't want to be obsessed with food while she was in the process of trying to lose it. I talked with Jennifer about what Alee had said, and her response was that when we are heavy and not purposeful about what we are eating, we are still obsessed, to use Alee's word, about food, weight, etc., and, isn't it better to be obsessed with losing weight and becoming more healthy than being obsessed with feeling fat and unattractive and thinking about eating to numb the feelings of sadness and unhappiness related to weight issues.

I've been giving this a lot of thought and think food and weight will always be on my mind, and they have been on my mind ever since I was a young teenager and realized that food and weight are intrinsically intertwined with the other.

So yes, you will be obsessed with food as you undertake weight loss, but it will be associated with becoming healthier, feeling more energetic, and having more confidence about how you look, and move. And, the obsession becomes a good thing, like someone you love very much who is always on your mind, rather than a curse.