I will not lie, today I have shed a few tears, on several occasions. Today I managed to do my first proper hike in 23 years, pain free. I am so happy and overcome with emotion about it all.
10 months ago, the extent of my walking was becoming limited in distance from the car park to the store and even that was so painful. My back which was suffering with a horrible lower crushing pain because of the huge amount of extra weight being carried on my torso..
I cannot explain to you fully just how liberating my new found freedom feels. This has to be one of the happiest days of my life in recent years.
I hiked 7 km today over rough terrain and the experience was amazing.
I’m not sure who to thank for this second chance but incase I ever should think about returning to my old eating habits I made this video diary complete with personal thoughts, so I would remember this day and NEVER put the weight I’ve already lost, back on.
This is marvellous, well done, Carolyn. I love reading your news it is such an inspiration!
Awww thank you!!!!! That’s very kind of you to say that!!! C xxxxxx
Oh, Carolyn, I am so pleased for you – I was crying as I watched the end of your video. And when you said you only wished you could share the wonderful experience with someone – well, maybe you didn’t in the way you were meaning, but you certainly shared it with all of us out here, and for that I for one want to say a huge ” Thank you” to you. You don’t know how inspirational you are. I know you say you’ve still got a way to go to get where you want to be – but every step you take, you’ve already won.
I didn’t think of that and you are right 🙂 I’m so glad no one thinks I’m weird sharing this stuff but I look on this as my own sort of therapy and when you don’t have someone in your life to share things with you need to speak xxxxxxxx Thank you!! C xxxx
Did you build your own inukshuk? Maybe you can do that when you do the next trail. Delaps Cove or Cape Split maybe? I am pleased you are doing so well. Keep on keeping on!
I didn’t but I’ll go back again, I’d even like to do it in rougher weather, and put one up then 🙂 I’ll look your suggested trails up on http://www.trailpeak.com … thanks Caroline 🙂 xxxxx
That video brought tears to my eyes. I’m so glad it was easy for you; now you’ll do it again. I’ve read so much lately about Olympic athletes vomiting at the end of training sessions or competitions that I almost feel put off exercise. What they do is very extreme and I suspect they’ll pay for it in later life. Beating your personal best doesn’t have to be like that, and can give almost as much satisfaction as beating the world record. I think you’re great. Well Done!
Also, thanks for the bubble and squeak recipe. I’d never realised it was supposed to have mashed potato in it rather than sliced. It all makes sense now!
Thanks Joss 🙂 You are so right…. xxxxx Yes the mashed potato in traditional bubble and squeak holds all the leftover veggies and meat (if you eat meat) together while you press it down in the pan to brown (that’s when it makes its squeaking sound). Make sure to add your cooking fat/margarine in a hot pan first until it “bubbles”… 🙂 I LOVE bubble and squeak!!
It looks as if you had a lovely day – you’re just glowing! I just came back from a 2-mile walk, with 3 pretty steep rises built in, and I’m glad I went. I was very stiff and sore today after a marathon cooking session yesterday, and I nearly didn’t go. I’m loosened up and warmed up now. Sometimes I also wish I had a walking buddy, but my spouse is not into fitness and my dog likes to direct the walk and has become set in his ways – has his favourite routes and simply lies down if I ask him to go anywhere else!
School starts on Thursday (I went back to school in midlife) and I’ve worked out that just crossing the campus from class to class, and getting to and from the bus stop, will be 12.86 miles/week. I’m planning to go early each morning, swim for an hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and take a Nia class Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have to add nearly 400 calories of food per day to meet this schedule….
I love your posts and your videos. And I’m going to make a vat of bubble and squeak for my breakfasts!
I know you’ll appreciate this, Carolyn. Yesterday my marathon cook-up was for school – I was making lunches and dinners for the next two weeks. I made vegetable terrine, and my first thought on reading the recipe was “That’s my month’s cheese ration!” All the choppings and trimmings from the terrine, and from the kale tian I also made, went into a huge vat of chicken soup. That 4lb chicken was a month’s ration of meat too, at roughly a pound a week…so I’m currently eating way above the allocations.
Oh wow!!! That;s awesome! Having to uP your calorie intake!!! LOL! What is NIA? Swimming is excellent!!! I haven’t swum in a proper pool for over 20 years- to be honest my dangly tummy is so horrid and I’m so self conscience about it I probably won’t go either for quite sometime..
Well done you!!
I’m being lazy today!
PS Thinking about bubble and squeak is making me hungry but I’ve eaten all my food today apart from some fruit I’m saving for later!
C xxxx
Hi Carolyn, NIA is Non Impact Aerobics aka Neuromuscular Integrative Activity. It’s a blend of yoga, dance (several kinds of dance!) and martial arts, all done slowly and with one foot on the ground. Old back injuries require that I don’t leap about – landing from a jump hits your poor knees and ankles with an impact of 4-6 times your body weight, depending on how good your shoes are and how resilient the surface. Also, I’m way past the desire to go thudding about and jerking my body into unnatural contortions. NIA does everything – cardio, strength, suppleness. I really enjoy it, because it’s a very pleasant form of exercise and I’m already finding my tight hard joints and ligaments loosening up. The exercise was designed for no pain with lots of gain, and both of those sound very good to me. http://www.nianow.com/
I love swimming; I didn’t really fancy wobbling my cellulite past all those young and lissome female students in bikinis who I feared would frequent the pool and sneer as I wandered past, but find that very few of them use it. The women who turn up regularly are all older than I am! Anyway, the more I swim the less cellulite I shall have, though it’s unlikely that it will ever entirely vanish – apparently 90% of women, even thin ones, have some cellulite. The pool opens at 6:30 am, and I’m hoping to get there by 7:15, swim for an hour, and have 45 minutes to shower, dress, and get to my first class in good time.
I started at your very first blog post this morning, and am reading my way through with great enjoyment as much to my profit.
I’m South African, with strong British connections, and I love British tea. I treat myself to Barry’s Gold and drink it sparingly – actually, that’s where I do fall in line with the rations, because an 8-oz box lasts me a month.
Cheese and meat- LOL yes the ration allowance was tiny wasn’t it- well I guess in comparison to what we all generally consume these days it is!! Well you sound like one well organized lady!!! C xxx
I have to be organized if I’m to survive! My school is in Berkeley and I live in San Francisco. I’ll be leaving the house around 5:30 every weekday morning and getting home around 5pm, except for Wednesday when it’ll be 7pm as I have an extra class that day. And then I’ll have homework. So I’ll cook large batches on Saturdays to ensure that I’m properly fed during the week, without exhausting myself. Thanks for all your kind words.
Gulp!!! You also sound like one energetic lady!!! It will be long days for you but wow totally good for you!! You have to come back and tell us how you are getting on!!! I’d love to go back to school at some stage xxx
This is an awesome video. Like someone else said, you did get to share it, and I am so glad you did. You’re really doing an awesome job, and you’re providing such a wealth of information and yourself, THANKS. The paths look beautiful!
Awww thank you Vanessa!! How is your wartime book coming along? I need to know more!! YES the paths were delightful- when the roots crossed the paths you had to walk carefully but it was so pretty. At other times logs were laid over boggy areas so that was fun walking on those!! C xxx
That sounds awesome! The book is currently on hold. I have a lot more research to do, and having some trouble finding just what I need. But it will get there. 🙂
Also, the video and description make me want to move Nova Scotia up on the list of places I want to visit! 🙂
Most sincerely: Jolly Well Done!
and, as so many above have said, you are an inspiration.
Thanks Valerie!!! C xxxxx