Time to get serious (again)

Since I've been home all I have thought about was going back and hiking the Appalachian Trail or trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or any other place my brother and I could find.
I've been struggling with my weight trying to get back the pounds I gained while I was gone.
I've discovered after reviewing and re-evaluating myself that I got lazy! Seriously lazy about this. Yes, I was getting in the fitness minutes that I had set up as minimums for the week. No I wasn't burning enough calories. Duh! No wonder I wasn't losing anything.
Yes, my diet wasn't always up to par but I am working on that. Trying new things out so I can get it straightened out again. Get my digestive system revved up again.
I'm seriously out of shape. I'm better than I was that's for sure but I still have a lot of work to do on me.
Fitness wise I'm still stiff and awkward. I can get around better and have much better balance. I've been slacking off and hoping that things will work out on their own.
Duh! What am I thinking? I have to take responsibility and do the work myself. Nobody else can. All these thoughts run through my head but that's not getting me in shape or burning calories while they're still in my head.
Yesterday I got the new Prevention magazine in the mail. There was a 94 year old woman in there. She had been doing yoga for 70 years or so and was still teaching classes. It had her picture doing a yoga pose - she looked great for someone 94! I can't even do a basic yoga pose! I read it to my son. I showed him the picture and he couldn't believe it. We talked about yoga.
The new Prevention magazine got me to thinking about what I'm NOT doing. I've been slacking off. I've made excuses for not doing something. Yes, some were very valid like the ST after a heart cath using the radial artery in your arm. They was mandatory rest. Now two months later I'm getting back into ST again slowly because of a problem I had while on vacation with my right upper arm muscle feeling like it was ready to tear. I've been seeing if it was what I was doing then and if it was going to happen again. I might have just overdone the bowflex weights and exercises that night. So far I've not had any trouble this week but I'm taking it slow with it for now. If it happens again, it's definitely something I should talk to my doctor about. Now that I am home I haven't done anything or lifted anything that has caused me any concern. I'm just having to start over from square one again.
My cardio was strictly walking my dog. Period. Nothing more. So today I dug out the Leslie Sansone walking video and started that. I did two 30 minute sessions. The last 15 minutes were killer and I wanted to stop so bad but I kept on. Afterwards I walked my dog. Woohoo! I feel awesome now. My fitness minutes will rock now as long as I continue this. I figure I can do 15 minutes here and there easily several times a day or I can lump together 30 minutes, just whatever works.
While I'm at it I'm looking for other workouts - both ST and cardio to do. Mind you I am a klutz and still have some balance issues. I also have problems - major problems - getting up off the floor. I'm the woman in the floor saying "help! i've fallen and can't get up." I'm being serious about it too. My excuse has always been "well I was diagnosed with moderately severe arthritis in both hips in 2001 and my knee had to be rebuilt so it still doesn't work right". That is a problem but it should not define me. Right now I still have swelling on the side of my knee from my fall July 2nd - not much but it's where the screws are - so I'm erring on the side of cautiousness with that until there's no swelling - I don't want to ever have surgery again - ever.
Ego boost for the day: I ran into a neighbor who asked me how much weight I lost. She said I was looking really good. She also said she remembered when I couldn't walk - back in January 2008 after the near death experience post gall bladder surgery complications. I barely made it from the car to the house. I had to start from scratch back then. I remember that all too well. That was when I was at my heaviest.
I just talked to my brother and when I said I was ready to go hiking he laughed. He said "well I could pick you up labor day weekend and maybe we could go somewhere then". So who knows. I planted the thought in his head.
Have a great life y'all! Live, laugh and enjoy every single day of your life - no matter what. There are no guarantees for tomorrow so live each day to the fullest. Work towards your goals. Fulfill your dreams. Live life.
Sending y'all hugs....