The last four years have been brutal on my mental and emotional well-being. Losing my job, then our home, getting covid, and sending my four-legged buddy over the Rainbow Bridge, all over a year and a half, had me ignoring my physical body. My diet crashed, I gained a bunch of weight, and my overall health was heading into the toilet. I could feel myself tipping into the abyss of obesity.

I changed my eating habits when my doctor called me out about it. I started walking the rescue pup that came into our lives just before the proverbial crap hit the fan. I promptly lost ten pounds, and my blood sugars dropped to “acceptable” levels (I’m bringing them down more). My rescue pup now walks me daily, at least a mile, and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer—unless it’s raining. She hates the rain. I won’t let her drag me out if it’s icy, so we’re even.

I’ve started taking care of my aging shell by walking and getting the physical therapy I need to keep my shoulders moving and muscles from freezing up around those joints. Keeping everything loose and moving makes it easier to sleep without pain. And I’ve always loved my sleep. Besides, insomnia sucks.

My eating habits are also changing. As the house cook, I’ve made sure we all have at least one meal with protein and lots of fresh steamed and sauteed vegetables. Instead of loading up on starchy side dishes, I’ve been doubling up on the veggies, so we have more salads and such. I’m not just trying to lose weight. I’m working to bring my blood sugar down to pre-diabetic levels. I do not want to subsidize pharmaceuticals any more than necessary. Personally, I think farm-aceuticals are much more healthy.

If I’ve made any resolution for the new year, it’s to get my body back into shape. I need to lose a few more pounds before I’m happy with what I see in the mirror. I want to work the kinks out of the ol’ bones and keep my strength and stamina up. I’m starting slow because I know if I jump into the deep end on this, I will not only quit before I reach my goal, I’ll probably get hurt. I started seeing my chiropractor to keep all the pieces-parts where they belong.

So far, I’ve been staying on track with the change in eating habits, but I know I’ll have those days when I “cheat.” For example, we do pizza when we have D&D night with the kids. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to feed ten people with the least amount of cooking. We get frozen pizzas to satisfy all the taste buds (the kids are easy, pepperoni and cheese, or plain cheese), and at least one with a thin crust and a ton of veggies for me and First Reader. Everyone’s happy.

I encourage anyone wanting to make changes in their lives to find one place to start, whether it’s walking your dog up and down the block (or even just yourself if you don’t have a pet that will train you to walk daily). The fresh air alone will lift your spirits. Begin with one day at a time, one step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll look forward to those excursions.