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million steps – day thirteen – inspiring others

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more rain today, think that makes almost a week of walking while getting wet.  I am getting used to it, and I have my lovely new waterproof jacket to keep me dry.  Actually rain isn’t a big problem, it means there are less people about, which I like, and it keeps me cool when walking.

I did the usual route this morning, and then later in the day persuaded hubby to come out with me.  Remembering our epic trek last week this time I offered a compromise of city walking.  We travelled north from home to the city and spent a happy couple of hours walking around canals and shops before stopping for a bite to eat.  You see there are lots of ways to get the steps in.  Hubby also managed to buy himself some new shiny shoes, so everyone was happy.

While out and about I had a couple of messages come through on my phone.  This blog is documenting what I am up to and how I am getting along, my Diabetes UK page is keeping count of my steps and encouraging people to sponsor me.  A lot of my friends are very interested in my experience, especially those, like me, who have never really thought about exercising.

Two different friends contacted me in the past couple of days.  Both are a little bit older than me, retired women with busy lives, families and grandchildren.  One said, and I quote,  ‘Hi, you are a great inspiration to me’ she then went on to ask how I counted my steps and what device I used.  I happily explained about my app and my new counter thingy.  Another friend, also contacted me to say that since reading my blog she is now walking for an hour every evening.  Wow,  that is fantastic, not only am I benefiting from this challenge but now others are picking it up too.

I said right at the beginning if I can walk a million steps, anyone can.  I am hoping that my friends enjoy walking as much as I have learned to do,

million steps – day nine

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Today was a good day.  After yesterday when I felt bored and tired and achy I decided to vary my walking and begged a lift of hubby on his way out to work.  He dropped me off at the edge of town for me to walk back.  It was a great idea.  I made my way down roads I usually only travel on in the car. The unfamiliar made for interesting walking and energised me completely.  It was early so not many people were about and as I turned off the main road into the smaller side roads the countryside was all around me.

A group of rabbits were playing alongside the school field, I stopped to watch them for a minute as they chased each other.  I couldn’t help but feel that this new world I am living in is full of surprises around every corner.  Walking puts me in the picture, not looking at it framed through a car window.  I am part of the landscape and able to connect with it in a way I have never done before.  I notice things I would never have seen and I am seeing the world in a very different way.  Leaving the rabbits to play,  I carried on along for a mile or so then started making my way back towards home.  It was a long walk, but I enjoyed every step.  I think this will become a weekly treat,  my long walk home.  When I arrived there just after 8 am I really needed my breakfast.

The day went on as Saturdays often do.  Spending time in the shop, chatting to people and sorting and packing donated goods ready to be sent off to where they are so badly needed. It was carnival day in our town today, and it was great to watch everyone heading up to the market place for fun at the fair.  We closed the shop just as the carnival parade was heading up the street,  it was full of smiling people, some were on floats, others were walking or marching with the bands. The sky was threatening rain but it stayed dry, which was great news for everyone.  Later we walked over the market place and down into the park to listen to live music and catch up with friends.

Today was a high step count, almost 20,000 which seemed very easily done.  Walking new routes, walking with friends and concentrating on having fun meant many of the steps were done unnoticed.  I am proud that my fitness levels are improving so much, I find it easy to walk and talk, even up the hills, something I could never do before.   It seems to me that I am beginning to understand that this maybe a million step challenge, but actually it is a life time change for the better.

 

million steps – day 7 – on puddles

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to be honest I have been feeling exhausted today.  I was out early this morning and completed my usual distance but it was a bit of a struggle.  I had a difficult moment in the park when an enormous dog was barking a lot and running around, I like big dogs as much as I like cows.  I managed to find myself a short cut through a hotel car park to avoid it, but this then meant I was off my route, from then on it was a struggle to get back in the walking zone.  For once I was very glad to be home.

I was just sorting the last of the chores when my gorgeous Granddaughter arrived to play. Waving off her lovely Mummy, we settled in to enjoy her mid morning snack.  The weather was looking a bit grey outside, but as the rain was not actually falling we set off for the park.  All the way down the hill my lovely girl is telling me about everyone she loves.  She loves her Mummy and her Daddy and her Nana, she loves her Aunty and she loves Thomas the Tank Engine, well to be more specific she loves Rosie who I think is a bus.  As ever when I am with her I see the world through her eyes.  Wagons thunder passed and she tells me ‘they are very noisy Nana’  she is not wrong.

We leave the main road behind us and wander towards the park.  We pass a building site and we stop to watch the diggers and the machinery, I am almost delighted to see one of the machines is being operated by a young woman.  This I feel is good for my Granddaughter who hopefully won’t grow up with the stereotypes of my youth.  As we are watching the builders the rain starts to fall fast.  It is that soaking fine rain that leaves you so wet without you really noticing.  We get a move on and are soon in the cafe in the park. Here is the soft play area she loves so much, and the good coffee I enjoy.

As I keep a careful watch over her playing I am touched by how she reaches out to the other children.  She smiles at everyone and is not fazed at all by new faces.  It makes me wonder when do we lose that, if we do lose it of course.  I am still the person who smiles at strangers, but I do know lots of other people don’t.   We build towers and knock them over and she shouts me from across the play area,’Nana, look at me!!’ Soon my coffee is finished and the rain has stopped.  Time to head out into the park.

Sadly the rain means the swings and slide are not usable just now, they are far too wet, but the rain has left other play opportunities.  My Granddaughter loves puddles.  She is suitably dressed in her wellies and raincoat and her infectious laughter as she runs from one puddle to another is attracting attention.  People stop to watch her, everyone is smiling, especially me.  We spend lots of time looking for and then jumping in puddles.  It occurs to me that I had forgotten the fun they can bring.

As we walk back home she is chatting away, ‘I love puddles, Nana’ she says. I am reminded that without the rain we would not have had any puddles, and surely this is as it is, always. If I wasn’t walking for Diabetes UK we would probably have used the car to go out and I probably would have gone home when the rain came down so much.  I may have missed out on the puddle jumping and a lovely morning of fun and laughter.

The step count today is less that on previous days but I have still done almost six miles, some of it making precious memories with my gorgeous girl.

 

Million steps – day 4 – the F word

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by now you all know that I am attempting to walk a million steps to raise cash for Diabetes UK and along the way help myself to fitness.  Well I cannot write any more before addressing the real motivation behind this crazy challenge.

I have managed to become incredibly fat. There, I have said it, the F word.  Fatter than I have ever been, fatter than when pregnant with twins, fat, fat, fat.  And with all the fatness I have also had aching limbs, clothes that don’t fit me and a struggle to tie my laces.  Really I don’t understand how this has occurred.  It is true that for the past four years walking has been difficult. Joint pain, previously diagnosed as Fibromyalgia, meant that some days any exercise was out of the question, but did I really have to spend the time sitting down eating??

Right, enough was enough and a couple of months ago I decided not to be fat anymore. Now I am not saying that being fat is wrong or bad, some people maybe happy and healthy. I am saying I was not.  A week of extreme dieting using shakes instead of meals broke all my bad habits, and when I went on to introduce food again I only chose the healthy options.   It was hard at times, and now two months in it is still difficult.  But, I am proud to say I am still doing it.  And I am less fat, a whole lot less fat.  My limbs are not aching anymore, I believe the Fibromyalgia was actually a reaction to wheat, since stopping eating tons of bread the pain that has blighted my life for four years is no more.

So, then walking became an option, and it is fast becoming a way of life.  I don’t ever leap out of bed declaring how much I am looking forward to a three mile walk before breakfast, but I do it anyway.  Some mornings I am tired, the rain is falling and bed is calling me back, even on such mornings  I have dressed, donned my faithful trainers and walked. Clocking up the steps is addictive.  Seeing the world before everyone else is awake is magical, knowing that with every step I am helping myself to fitness and health and raising much needed cash is my motivation.

Day four and at the end of the morning walk I called into my GP practice as they were opening for early morning surgery.  There is the scales, the very ones where I finally recognised just how fat I had become.  I don’t go there often, maybe once a month is enough.  Today I slipped my trainers off and popped on the scales.  I was very happy, my not fatness is really happening, the scales say so.