New challenge. And a dose of gratitude.

So I managed to walk/jog/run 130 miles in July, which helped me hit that 700-mile mark for the year. What better way to celebrate August than to go for 150? That's only 4.838 miles a day – let's just call it five, shall we?

We'll be going on a short trip later in the month, but I'm pretty sure we'll be able to manage a couple fitness walks among the other touristy walking we plan to do. If I throw a couple six-milers in each week, that should take care of an unplanned rest day.

But since I'm streaking (18 straight days so far), I'm not planning on having any unplanned rest days, either.

I was sitting somewhere yesterday – can't remember if it was in the car or in a chair – and felt a little itchy right between my shoulder blades. So I scratched that spot, and then realized that was something I didn't used to be able to do. It had more to do with shoulder pain than mobility, but 40 pounds ago I had to ask for help. 

When I get down to brass tacks, I think not wanting to ask for help – not wanting to need help – pushed me to try Whole30. I seriously did not want Velcro sneakers, but I was seriously having trouble lacing up my Brooks Adrenalines.

Like most women my age (62), I'd like to look as young as possible for as long as possible. I've been blessed with youthful genes. Most people are surprised to learn I'm in my 60s. But more than not looking my age, I don't want to feel my age. Here in southern West Virginia, 60-year-olds use walkers and ride scooter chairs in the grocery. They tote portable oxygen tanks with them wherever they go.

Some of the health problems in the aging population here are due to work conditions. Retired miners have lung problems, and retired loggers have been injured on the job. But far more age-related health issues are due to lifestyle.

West Virginia's obesity rate is third in the country, behind Louisiana and Mississippi. Thanks in part to the pepperoni roll. The  gooey, doughy, cheesy West Virginia concoction came out on top this year in a national competition of favorite state snack foods. (Our local Amish neighbors have learned how to make them; only glazed donuts are a bigger seller at the bakery.)

West Virginians smoke. A lot (we're 9th in the country).

It's difficult for the average Joe or Jane to get out and walk, particularly in hilly, rural areas which don't have sidewalks and do have one-lane roads. 

My mother, her mother and my father were very good examples of how I don't want to age. All were obese, all smoked, all died due in large part to health conditions which could have been prevented.

I'm glad I've finally found a way to get and stay fit and active.

Oh, and to scratch my own back, too.

Remember a week or so ago ...

when I mentioned my blood pressure was a little higher than normal, and maybe I should start taking Lasix again? Well, I did, and my goodness what a difference it's made.

My blood pressure is once again in the 120/80 range, which I expected. What I didn't expect was to have so much more energy and to feel so fit.

Down the driveway and make a left.

When I walk on my road, the first third of a mile is flat. After that it's either uphill or downhill until you get back to that last flat stretch of road again. I'd gotten to the point where I actually had to stop and rest on the uphill parts. It was a big reason why walking was moved to the back burner during the last month or so of election season.

Because, really, who wants to exert oneself when it's so hard to exert oneself? Exerting should be easy, right?

When I was doing Up&Running, I only ran the downhill parts. I kept thinking I'd drive down by one of the rivers here and work out on a long flat road, but life got in the way and that never happened.

And, of course, once exercise goes, then you I give gave myself permission to stop writing down what I was eating and y'all know where that leads. Pretty soon I was eating whatever I wanted. No one's looking, after all.

Except me.

Funny thing is, I don't seem to either gain or lose weight, whether I'm exercising and eating right or being slothful and eating crapful. I'm sure it would catch up with me eventually, and I don't want that. What I do want is to be able to walk up that hill without having to stop and rest. I like being outdoors, I like moving my body, I like feeling functional. I like feeling good instead of feeling old.

The Lasix helps. I might as well keep taking it, and I might as well keep walking.

Comments on comments

Wow, it's early.

Coupla things and then I have to scoot. 

Jen has been eloquently writing about intuitive eating, a plan I haven't learned enough about, but which intrigues me. Taking the focus off food/dieting sounds soooo desirable. I've been dieting for 50 years and I'm pretty tired of it. <smirk>

She also left a comment here a couple days ago about how her dad felt that food didn't taste as good after he began wearing dentures. To show you how intuitive eating is not part of my psyche, my first thought upon reading that was, "Hmmm. If food doesn't taste as good (it doesn't, by the way), then maybe I won't eat as much and then I'll lose weight!"

Clearly I have a long way to go.

Winnie commented yesterday: "What I love about your blog is that you are a no nonsense kind of person, shoot from the hip and are so very real."

I said a big, "Awww" when I read that, loud enough that my husband heard and asked what I was awwwing about. So I read it to him and he agreed.

Although he knows I have a blog, he's never read it. He's afraid he'll destroy the computer if he touches it (not just my computer, any computer, how's that for a power complex?), so he's never poked around the internets to find it (or anything else – which is job security for me, I suppose. Heh.)

I said, "How do you know? I could be a completely different person on the blog." He gave me a look and said, "No. You couldn't."

And he's right. What you see (read) here is what you get face-to-face.

Finally, I got a lovely compliment in an e-mail yesterday and the warm feeling I got when I read it lingers still. I want to remember how lifted up I felt when I read it (and, honestly, still feel this morning) and I want to find ways to pass it on. The world needs to feel as good as I do.

Dentures and all.

I've got nuthin'

No Friday quote (has anyone noticed I've abandoned it?).
No photos.
No words. (Well, not many. Heh.)

But also?

No problems.
No worries.
No angst.
No hassles.
No drama.

Life is good. I think I'll do everything I can to keep it that way. I'm so grateful for your readership and for your comments and for your support in my doofusness and weight-loss efforts and the general ups-and-downs I go through. Today is an up, for reasons I can't really figure out. I just feel … good.