The Wellness of August

Creaky bones and joints; stiff muscles and a touchy back; too many large portions with cheese this and chocolate flavored that have all done so much damage over time that I have declared August to be my personal wellness month. I dragged myself back to Weight Watchers last week where I happily learned that participants get more points than ever and all fruits and most vegetables are now "free" all the time. What a deal. So as I get hungry (now for instance), I can dig around for some berries and carrots anytime I want to. Not that I think those make the best snacks, but I'm trying to do the re-thinking required here. I thought I would be bothered by the amount of Weight Watching thinking that I have to do, but as my daughter says, "When are you NOT thinking about food anyway?" That's just way too true. So good-by regular cheese and hello to reduced fat Tillamook! So long butter and mayo and greetings to mustard and tomatoes! One month. One month at a time.

Another part of the Wellness of August is the personal trainer. Her name is Angie and she is the big buck item in this project. I had my first hour session today and survived with minimal sweat and still able to breathe comfortably. I'm sure this will change as she gets to know what my body needs to get itself running more smoothly but I really like having a live person to help me understand my aging body. No hiding in the back row of the aerobics class here! She is sensitive to my recent arm injury, gets it about my bad back and doesn't laugh at my work out outfits that aren't really outfits at all. Rather, they are just a practical application of old shorts and a clean everyday t-shirt. No fancy shoes either. I'm in this for the long haul and want to spend my health dollars on nutritious food and sound exercise instruction.