Back in about 2012 I think it was, I read an article that read if people would walk 10,000 steps every day, they would be healthier. 10,000 steps is about five miles give or take a few feet.   I decided I was going to try it.  I began by walking a mile or so every day.  I had the same route I’d take every  day, over the railroad track and around the back road where there was a rock quarry.  There were always a lot of trucks I had to dodge, but I would take this route every day. Then I started to branch out, walking around our block two or three times, it being a little over a mile around our block.  Then I started walking all over. Living where we do, there is a lot of traffic and not a whole lot of walking spaces. No sidewalks.   I would find lonely roads to walk. People began to notice me and talk to me   Then they began to notice I was losing weight. When I finally hit 10,000 steps I celebrated.  After that I walked five miles pretty much every day.  Rain or shine.  Even in the snow. I did not walk when it was icy out, but I walked inside.

I really did not do this to lose weight.  I never weigh myself. NEVER.  I went that route for years obsessing about my weight and finally  decided I would rather be healthy than skinny.  But, the weight began to fall off me.  I was still eating well, but it seemed like every day I would lose a pant size.  I think some people thought there was something wrong with me, but I was perfectly healthy.  My doctor, at one of my regular visits, told me how much I had lost and I didn’t believe him.  I knew my clothes were loser, but still I never weighed myself and I never look at how much I weigh in the doctor’s office.  I was rather shocked. Even more so that I had that much to lose.     I told him I was not on a diet, I just walked.   He said to keep it up.

The year we went to Alaska, David would stop at rest stops and parks and I would walk a mile or two before we drove on. I counted my steps diligently.   When we rode the ferry up to Alaska, I walked the deck over and over. One day it was pouring rain and only me and one other woman were out walking the deck.  I was obsessed with getting my 10,000 steps in.

Then about three years ago, I hurt my right leg. Pulled a muscle or tendon or something and I was in great pain.  It was hard for me to even walk three miles, let alone five.  I was just getting back to normal when in Fredericksburg, Texas, David and I walked up this small mountain and I tore something in the back of my left leg that hurt so badly, I just fell down where I was.  From then on, I was afraid to walk much because it hurt too much.   Then that began to heal and I was getting cocky about myself and was coming down the stairs pretty fast and got the most excruciating pain in my left leg again.  I became careful about going up and down stairs. I walked very little.  Then, this Summer, I thought I was having heart trouble  and could barely walk around in my yard without getting winded.  I had many tests done and my heart was fine. Just needed my medication adjusted.  The cardiologist told me to walk.  Soooooo.  I am slowly starting to walk again. I am doing it in my house.  I set the timer on the stove for twenty minutes and just walk.  Today I managed over two miles.   I am hoping to work up to 10,000 steps again.   Next year David and I plan a big trip out west and I want to do a lot of walking along the way.    I don’t care if I lose weight, but if it’s a side benefit, that’s okay.   I just don’t worry about my weight any more. Fat or thin,    I just want to be healthy.

So I am writing this in order that I will keep the walking up. David is getting me a treadmill for when the weather is bad.   I am going to get up to 10,000 steps again, if it kills me. Let’s hope it doesn’t.   Bye.