Monday, March 20, 2006

Spring vapors

It must be due to the changing of the season. It could be due to the sunshine that has graced us for the past few days, including this morning. Whatever it was it motivated me to try to break a bad habit.

I'm a large woman, as you have seen in past posts. I've never been really active on a regular basis. Give me the choice and I'd rather curl up in a chair with a good book. But this lackadaisical attitude is working against me. I'm 90 pounds overweight. Not a good thing at all. Not that it's easy for me to lose it. I've been heavy all my life. But age is against me and if I don't start changing some of my habits I'm going to pay for it big time down the road.

The majority of city dwellers rely on some sort of transportation to get to work simply because they live too far from their employment. This has been true for the last half-century or so. If I belonged to the majority, it would make sense for me to drive to work every day. But I don't need to. I live 6 blocks from work.

The habit started when my knees got so bad from ill-placed kneecaps that I had to drive. I also developed plantar fasciitis. After knee surgery and orthotics, the reason for walking to work went away. Then I got my dream car.

Ever since I got my Beetle, I've driven to work. I just love it so much! I stroke it when I go by it. I'm smitten, I tell you!

My dream car is killing me.

This morning, I woke up and realized that if I didn't break the habit of driving to work, I would ruin my health and my car. There is no reason for me not to walk. So this morning I walked to work. It was a beautiful morning full of song and the rush of morning traffic. By the time I got to work, my butt was saying to me, "What the hell are you doing?"

I walked home and got the same reaction. Instead of plopping into a chair, I stretched my muscles to make them shut up. They've been inactive too long.

I have further motivation. If I'm to walk about Hawaii in three months, I need to get in better shape. Walking around New York City was a wake up call. I thought I could make those blocks without any trouble but my body told me otherwise. I'm not going to be an old lady yet. I have years yet to go if I work it right.

2 comments:

Sharon Rose said...

YAY!!! :) Definitely get ready for Hawaii, you'll be glad you did!

Anonymous said...

Great idea. Glad you decided to do that. Walking is just so great on so many levels.

If you start to feel like you'd like to add more exercise, I can recommend aquafit. The water supports and I find it significantly different from any fitness class I have tried (and hated) in the past. I think it is also easier on the knees. there is some impact (though there are versions without, in deep water) but it is softened by the water.