Hellloooo Healthy Peeps! My exercise routine went to hell in the proverbial handbasket. DH and I bought a business in NH (we live in MA) and agreed to work at another location up there, as well as our jobs that we have here during the week. Add a concussed teenager who needs PT two times a week and the holidays..it has been ugly over here. The good news is that my weekend gig is busy and I haven't time to over eat. I do miss Crossfit a lot. In my new job I make Waffles and burned my hand pretty badly on some caramelized sugar. I was afraid that it would keep me from the gym, but it isn't as tight as I thought it would be, so I totally could have gone there this morning. I'm just so freaking TIRED! So I decided to just be kind to myself and take it slow. BIL told me that some people were asking for me which is nice. Someone on FB posted this post from Michael Moore, who I dont' always agree with, but it has stuck with me this week and I thought I'd throw it out there for you all..... I am now in Week 42 of my walks. Each day, 30 minutes, that's it. Thousands of you have joined me since that Sunday night on March 18 when, as a joke, I said I was going for a walk. I had read that morning in the paper that there were now more people in the U.S. on anti\-depressants than those who go to the movies. I tweeted out that maybe that's the problem \-\- perhaps if people got out and went to the movies more they might feel better. This unleashed a lively conversation about mood\-aletering drugs, the lousy movies these days in theaters, the rip\-off prices for 3D films, etc. Finally, someone wrote: "Sometimes I think what I need is just a brisk walk." I tweeted, "Hey, there's an idea! I'm putting my shoes on right now." I went out and came back home after 30 minutes \-\- and a few hundred of you had amazingly joined me where you live. So I went walking the next night, probably out of some sort of obligation because so many had written to say "please let's do it again tonight!" So I did. And the night after that. By the end of the week it was hard to determine how many thousands were now going out with me on these "virtual walks" in hundreds of cities and towns, but it had taken off like a rocket and so we all went walking every night from that point on. Now it's 250 days later. What a simple, great idea that person had! Some have asked, "Why are we walking?" "What's the cause?" There is no cause other than to go for a walk. We do it just because it feels good. We do it because we can. We do it because it's free and it takes no time. All you need to know is how to put one foot in front of the other (or, for the disabled who've joined in, by any means necessary). It's the perfect slacker/schlub activity. I am often asked "How much weight have you lost from all this walking?" For a while I didn't understand the question. I mean, why would I want to lose anything? I have enough trouble finding my keys! Then I got it \-\- skinny people (1/3 of the country) want us, the majority, to be like them. That's so nice of them. But the truth is, exercise does not work, diets do not work, feeling crummy does not work. Nothing works. My advice: Quit trying to be something you're not, be happy with the life you've been given, and just go for a pleasant walk outside. With me. Wherever you are. Get off the treadmill, stop drinking diet Coke, throw out all the rules. It's all a scam and it conspires to keep you miserable. If it says "low\-fat" or "sugar\-free" or "just 100 calories!" throw it out. Remember, one of the main tenets of capitalism is to have the consumer filled with fear, insecurity, envy and unhappiness so that we can spend, spend, spend our way out of it and, dammit, just feel better for a little while. But we don't, do we? The path to happiness \- and deep down, we all know this \-\- is created by love, and being kind to oneself, sharing a sense of community with others, becoming a participant instead of a spectator, and being in motion. Moving. Moving around all day. Lifting things, even if it's yourself. Going for a walk every day will change your thinking and have a ripple effect. You'll find yourself only eating when you're truly hungry. And if you're not hungry, go clean your room, or have sex, or call a friend on the phone. Without knowing it, you'll starting eating like the French (there is no French word for "fast\-food") \-\- and you will feel better. You do not feel better admonishing yourself or beating yourself up or setting up a bunch of unrealistic rules and goals with all the do's and dont's that are just begging to be broken. You wanna know something? I eat ice cream every friggin' day. I drink a regular Coke every single day. I put butter on things. But I also walk every day. Some days now, I walk twice. And now I've started to do some push\-ups and lifting stuff. It's building muscle, and in doing so, has created an extra furnace to burn stuff and create energy. Weird! That, in turn, makes me sleep 7\-8 hours a night which is another game\-changer. And all the walking and lifting makes me thirsty, so that makes me drink more water \-\- another huge plus! So, you can see from the photo of me up in the box that something has changed. I have no idea how much weight I've lost and I don't care. I don't care about that or diets or home gym equipment or rules about what I can or cannot eat or anything other than making sure I go on my walk today. That's it. That's the big secret. It costs nothing. I feel great. I can see my feet! There they are! Hello, feet! Wanna go for a walk? The feet say YES! Ask yours right now. And if you want, join me. But do NOT go on that walk with me if you are doing so to "get fit", "be healthy", or "lose weight". You are fine just the way you are. Only walk outside with me right now because you know it might just feel good, because it's a beautiful day, or someone is joining in with you, the fresh air is invigorating, you have to drive down to the drug store but you realize you can walk there, or simply because it's just nice to be alive for one more day. Walk to walk and nothing else \-\- and the other stuff will take care of itself. I'm heading outside in an hour. Join me. And let me know how it went! 18,068 Anyway, I'm going for a walk on the beach tomorrow. Even though I haven't set my business up in Quickbooks, even though I have a billion things to do. I'm aiming to get 8 hours sleep a night this week (without the "monkey brain" at 3 AM worrying about the proofing of a waffle or whether we have an employee or not) Beth P.

AJ....good for you going back to the Y. I think your body will adjust as you start an exercise program ~ sounds like your starting off slow enough to let it adjust. Awm....35 degrees....Brrrrrr. I walked yesterday for 45 mins & considered getting my bike out but I wanted to listen to the iPod:) So glad you see your weight dropping:) Hhierno - great information. And good for you for going to the gym:) CB - keep up the healthful eating!! It's weird, almost like an alcoholic, I hit a bottom with my bad food habits. I smell grease and I feel nauseous. (Now, anyways) I think the suggestion that we should check with a medical professional before starting a diet or exercise regimen is often ignored. Those numbers are vital and can help alert the doctor. I thought I was having thyroid problems & had my blood work done. Not just the routine stuff that the OB/GYN does yearly. Now for that danged hula hoop....I STILL can't hoop;) My DH and my 10yo DS can hoop, but nooooooooooot ME!! I have even broken a blood vessel on my back!! I am determined, thou and will conquer that multi colored beast. Down 6 pounds and can feel the relief my zipper must be experiencing:) The yellow polka dot bikini is coming out this summer - LOL!! Not really:) Smiles:)

In my thirties, I began sneezing every time I peeled potatoes. The sneezing gradually progressed to asthma, and worse. I had never even heard of a potato allergy. My DH and I joked that it was un-American. We planted potatoes in our garden, thinking I was reacting to a chemical spray of some kind. But that didn't help, and I eventually faced the fact that I'd have to give up potatoes in all forms. My family had to give them up at home, too, because I couldn't be around raw potatoes. It took me years to learn that the substance I react to is solanine, present in large amounts in potatoes but also present in the other members of the nightshade family: tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. It was not pleasant to give up these foods. Just two years ago I learned (the hard way) that solanine is in artichokes and blueberries. I love artichokes! I love blueberries, too. I was surprised and disappointed to learn they contain solanine, but giving them up hasn't been difficult because eating them produced such nasty results. I still haven't been able to learn much about my reaction to solanine. My doctor never heard of it, and there isn't even much on the Internet. I seem to find a new mention of it every year, but the Web certainly isn't flooded with information. I blame stuff like this on all the radiation I had as a child. I could be wrong about that, and probably am. But one thing I know is true: I didn't make this up. I haven't imagined it, and I didn't invent it to get attention. In fact, I avoid talking about it, and I always hope people won't notice my unusual eating habits.

sweet holly, thank you. aliris...you are very kind. I wouldn't know how to make a restaurant a success with my talents...such as they are. After working in my son's restaurant for 5 years I have to tell you ...I am way too lazy to work that hard :) I had no idea you are so familiar with the San Jacinto area. He just loves CA and says he will never live anywhere else again. He spent 6 days in early Sept up in Sequoia Natl park. He was in the wilderness for the whole time. Even set up the tent inside a hollowed out dead Sequoia !! There was plenty of room. He swam in the lakes up there and had a wonderful time. If he can keep things on an even keel I think he has the makings of a naturalist...his degree is in microbiology, so he has plenty of background. We'll see. Tea4all...I too am so glad you have joined the fun here on Kitchens. There are SO many special folks here. We have a bond that starts with the kitchen and then moves on to some great friendships. A number of us have gotten together over the years in real life too. It is a special place. I am glad you like my ramblings . A book is most likely not in the picture...it would have to be a set of paragraphs...vignettes of my life...who knows...maybe someday. The mentioning of a coops and Aliris saying how much she misses it reminded me of my kids and how they were when we had the coop. It met in my garage. I did it for 8 years. We had a small truck that came out of Atlanta. Later they sold out and it came from Gainesville FL. We had an 18 wheeler that was refrigerated and they backed up in the driveway. Designated folks met the truck and unloaded. We had a fridge in the garage. All through the day folks came and subdivided the food according to the paper order forms that were turned in. This was the early 80's-mid 80's. My kids loved it when they got home from school and saw all the "goodies". Also playing with the kids of the families that belonged to the coop. At one point we had probably 75 or so families. We got peanut butter in 30 # buckets...had to be stirred ! Whew...we also got cashews in huge 30# sealed cans. Honey in 60# cans. All out flour came in 25 and 50 # bags. We got raisins and dates in 35 # boxes. Cheese all came in large blocks. Either 5# for some or the 30# wheels. We had special cheese knives with 2 handles to cut the cheese. I have an order sheet from that time period with the prices...sure wish we could get the almonds for that now LOL. Anyway my kids hated unsalted peanut butter and carob !! They would beg for " real" food LOL. Depending on what I made them they would swap lunches at school, I didn't know this at the time , with kids that didn't want "store bought" food and my kids thought it was an illegal treat to have store bought. They still laugh about the peanut butter and carob. Fortunately that was the only 2 things they disliked. We were lucky. No picky eaters at our house. Nice memories indeed. And more to be made....what a sweet thing to be able to open this thread time after time and still have such nice surprises...words as well as a new friend. c