Blogging is Good

I have had a hectic week and hadn't taken the time to get on the blog...until tonight.  When the email was pretty quiet today, I decided to see what was happening on the blog.  You all have been very busy.  And it's great!

I want to thank Anita for her "cool food that helps" the last couple of days.  I picked up some sandwich thins at Sam's tonight, and I'm already salivating over the egg sandwich I get to have tomorrow morning.  And thanks Lindsay for setting up the blog.  Also, thanks to Lindsay for reminding me how much I love smoothies and for reminding me how much better food tastes when I'm on a challenge.

I want to concur with Anita's observation that it's easier to get your water in early in the day.  I also try to have half my water down before, during, and after my 45 minutes of exercise.  Then I only have four more cups to go, and that's a cinch if I just put some water on the table with each meal.

Wendy, I commend you for doing this challenge.  Many success stories have come from these types of health challenges, but I'll tell you about my mother-in-law who did the last challenge: She has had high blood pressure for as long as I can remember and takes daily medication for it.  She started having some serious health problems during the last challenge, and when she went to the doctor, he told her to stop taking all of her medications for a while.  For the final six weeks of the challenge, she was not taking any medications, including her Rx for high blood pressure.  However, she continued on the challenge, which included exercise and all the rules you're obeying.  Now, her idea of exercise and mine are two very different things.  But she made a big effort to do something that exerted herself to get her exercise points each day.  Sometimes she pulled weeds and worked in the garden.  Other days she went walking up and down her driveway (I can't think of anything more boring, but whatever!).  A week or two after the challenge was over, she went to another doctor for some ailment she was having, and the nurse there checked her blood pressure.  Her blood pressure was in the normal range, which it hasn't been for years.  What I am saying is that living a healthy lifestyle has many long-term benefits.  Try to find activities that you can do to exert yourself without antagonizing your knee.  Keep at it, and I promise you'll eventually see great results.

Stacy, I am feeling really bad that you were locked out of your house this morning.  When I took the kids to school, they even commented, "Wow!  Stacy's sure raking her leaves early today."  And then to find out that you were locked out, I feel like a terrible friend for not stopping to see what was up.  Well, I hope you didn't catch cold and that you have a terrific birthday and sweets day tomorrow!

Suzanne, I was happy to see your comments on the blog even though you haven't actually posted anything.  Thanks, everyone, for your inspirational blogs.