Almost a year's worth of progress

A year ago I rec'd the message heard by many forty-somethings who've sat too long in front of computers, staring at lines of text while their more adventurous peers were "spinning" and kickboxing... the exact wording is forgotten, but the internal translation follows: "you're getting older; you're getting fat; your sugar's elevated; time for some change." Fortunately, the message reached me at the time every year I start thinking about my goals for the coming year; so the most important goal became crystal clear: just figuring out how to discipline myself enough to transform my body into a vessel/carrier/physical manifestation of my spirit/THING that will carry me into the next three and a half decades, which is how long I will need to live to catch up to my fit-and-fabulous mother, who has redefined the eightieth decade for everyone who knows her.

First went the sugar: goodbye morning stops at the Donut House; goodbye sweet teas and sugar-laden coffees; goodbye Miss Meringue; Circus Peanuts; seven-layer cookies; key lime cheesecake; spearmint lozenges. These friends became enemies. (imagine cute drawing of little-shop-of-horror-like candies glowering in a kitchen cabinet)

I pulled out my crochet hooks, bought more yarn than any woman who owns her own thriving business should have and started to crochet. Every evening I picked up that hook, put a parrot on my shoulder and made scarves (everyone in my family got them for Christmas), purses, and the start of what I think is a pretty good idea for a large-scale installation project commemorating big-world tragedies (as yet unfinished; not the tragedies, they keep going on for some reason).

By January I had lost almost 20 lbs.

In March, I received a call from Cathy Moxley of Fitness Insight (www.fitness-insight.com). Cathy was ready to hire a designer and editor for her upcoming book "The Busy Mom's Ultimate Fitness Guide" and we struck a sweet deal. Some of my services would be traded for some of her services and, voila, I had my very own fitness/health coach! Let the games begin.

Cathy is a certified "Wellness Coach" and her organization, encouragement, and practical approach fit my shrinking hips perfectly. We set goals (weekly, monthly, 3-month) and began.

I wrote down everything I ate. Still do.

Hello to snap peas, big salads with all the good stuff like at Olive Garden, Splenda, protein bars, lean meat, skim milk, and a new appreciation of apples. Before I knew it the first 12 weeks was up and the weight was down... down 15 more lbs!

In the meantime, I found someone kind enough to tolerate my amateur attempts at "spending time in the beautiful wooded Hocking Hills" and who introduced me to compasses, backpacks, comfortable tents that fold and compact themselves into tiny, lightweight packages and the incredible amount of water one needs to consume when hiking in 90-degree weather -- I traded my crochet hooks for comfortable hiking shoes and off we went.

In the meantime, the second 12-week session with Cathy began. I discovered how much my Pekingnese loves to walk and how hard our Chihuahua will push herself to keep up. I found out how lovely it is to sit atop the rocks at Mt. Pleasant, look down upon the little town of Lancaster, and read a book that I choose purely for pleasure, not because someone has paid me to read it.

I lost five more pounds.

I discovered that one can really get a lot of exercise in if one's butt moves from the couch a mere foot lower to the floor, onto a matt, and just keeps moving through "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Two and a Half-Men." I discovered that a cockatoo really likes to perch on your chest while you do crunches and blow her feathers each time you compress your stomach muscles.

I read "The Stone Diaries" (finally), "Good in Bed," and a book by a blind woman who is an artist. I went painting with the Ohio Plein Air Society (OPAS), treated myself to teeth-whitening (more than you wanted to know, right?) and spoke before three groups: The Writer's Bloc at Thurber House; a not-for-profit childrens group at Henry Manor; and at the Fairfield County Library. I overcame my fear of giving speeches. I bought new clothes. Lots. I let my hair grow out. I bought pretty shoes.

I learned that a man who knows everything about being outside also knows a ton about cooking and I found out how good things can taste without sugar, salt, and a lot of other stuff that does me no good. I learned grocery shopping can be interesting and enjoyable instead of a test of willpower.

I lost five more pounds.

Now, 45 lbs less, a year later, the journey continues. I have new goals; I am finding out what works. I am so very very thankful. Thankful to those who by their words, their knowledge, and their patience, pointed me in the right direction and stayed by me to make sure I didn't fall off the path in exhaustion.

I feel the healthiest I've every felt in my life, and that's saying quite a lot really. My mind and my body have shifted and become used to the new "familiar."

Yesterday I returned to my doctor for The Annual Check-up. I sprinted up the six flights of steps to her office. Blood sugar, totally normal. Blood pressure from 140/100 to 120/80.

My family doctor of six years told me she was moving to Kentucky. I would have to see a new doctor. Some day.... for now, I've got to help plan the next big hike, take my dog for a walk, learn a new exercise from Cathy's book, and buy a new dress to wear to my mother's birthday dinner in December.... I wonder what I will learn in the next 12 months? What will you?