I don't know where to start

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Polly1

Polly1

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Really, there's not too much to tell you about myself. I'm in the UK, on the Welsh Borders and living is some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer.I am 65 (born in 1950) married since 1975 and now we are both retired we are taking ourselves in hand. I was a neurosurgical theatre sister for many years. It's not as exciting as it sounds, all I did was hand the surgeon the instruments he wanted. The best part of the job though was teaching nurses and the worst part, having limited contact with the patients when they were awake.
Over the years I have tried every quick fix diet going. I lose the weight quickly then put is all back on equally as quickly. I'm attacking the problem now from a different angle. I'm shopping, cooking and eating as sensibly and as healthily as I can. I have a treat now and again, for example, Wimbledon has just finished and it is tradition in our house to have strawberries and cream watching both mens and ladies singles finals. I had the strawberries but just had a dollop of fromage frais with them.
I have an exercise bike and use it everyday. I started off just doing 3mins and now I'm up the 15. I know it doesn't sound very much but with painful knees I had to be helped on and off it the first time I tried:blush5: (yes, you don't have to tell me I know I'm a wreck) I also do step-ups on the bottom step of the stairs. I'm up to 20 each leg.
I had a check up with my doctor before I started and apart from the obvious... eating myself to death I was OK and he gave me the green light for gentle exercise, don't go at it a bull at a gate, just increase it when I feel I'm up to it.
My husband is on the new regime with me. He exercises by riding his bike and walking the dog (not at the same time) My ambition is to be out there riding with him and also walking the dog. They go too far for me at the minute
I have lost a stone since Christmas (that's 14lbs) and this week I have started on my second stone. I know it will take a long time, and I know I will fall off the wagon now and again. That's not as important as picking myself up and getting back on it though.
I think I have to be here a little longer before I can have a ticker. I didn't know what one was till earlier this week. The crafting forum to which I belong doesn't go in for tickers I'm afraid. Where to go, and how to set one had all been written down for me so... as soon as I get a signature box I shall have a bash at doing one.
 
Well, after several false starts and a large mug of tea I have got a ticker and it's showing up on my 'signature preview.' Whether or not, it will show up on posts I don't know, but I've had enough for this afternoon and it may well sort itself out. If it doesn't I will try again tomorrow:banghead: Just noticed it has appeared:hurray:. I picked this one because it reminds me of a lovely holiday we spent in Egypt
 
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Hi Polly and welcome to the forum! I think you are doing a grand job eating healthily instead of dieting (even if you´re not perfect, I don´t know anyone who is) and I admire your persistence building up the exercise little by little. Your knees will thank you for it! I wish you all the best and I hope you will feel at home around here.

LaMa.
 
LaMaria said:
Hi Polly and welcome to the forum! I think you are doing a grand job eating healthily instead of dieting (even if you´re not perfect, I don´t know anyone who is) and I admire your persistence building up the exercise little by little. Your knees will thank you for it! I wish you all the best and I hope you will feel at home around here.

LaMa.
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Thank you very much for the encouragement. You're right you know, already I feel a difference in my knees.

Re ticker
I'm delighted I managed it!
 
I think you have a great attitude to succeed and congratulations for the weight lost so far.
 
Welcome to the forum Polly! No worries on where you are starting out. About this time in 2013 there was talk of back surgery and being temporarily in a wheelchair. Today without the surgery I've run at least a mile every day for 233 days and I'm about 80 pounds lighter and my back doesn't slow me down. Being here with all of the positive support has played a huge role in that. Best of luck to you on your journey. My best advice to you is stick around. Even if you stop doing what you need to be doing, come here and say so. It will speed up your return to doing better. That has been a common shared sentiment from most of the success stories here. This is a great online community and we are happy to have you!
 
Welcome to the forum Polly. I love my exercise bike too & found a treadmill too hard on my knees, ankles, hips......etc. I read on mine! I get my speed up to about 30kmp & keep that pace going. Mind you, I have been slack lately & it's high time I got back into riding it every day again.
This community is a very supportive & kind one. Keeping an online diary is very good for you. No-one is perfect & this is a very good place to be yourself. A big welcome once again. Cheers, Cate.
 
Quercus said:
Welcome to the forum Polly! No worries on where you are starting out. About this time in 2013 there was talk of back surgery and being temporarily in a wheelchair. Today without the surgery I've run at least a mile every day for 233 days and I'm about 80 pounds lighter and my back doesn't slow me down. Being here with all of the positive support has played a huge role in that. Best of luck to you on your journey. My best advice to you is stick around. Even if you stop doing what you need to be doing, come here and say so. It will speed up your return to doing better. That has been a common shared sentiment from most of the success stories here. This is a great online community and we are happy to have you!
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Thanks Quercus. I was feeling that unless I did something and fast, i too would be facing surgery. You have fired me up to keep going. Would you mind if I followed your diary?
 
cate said:
Welcome to the forum Polly. I love my exercise bike too & found a treadmill too hard on my knees, ankles, hips......etc. I read on mine! I get my speed up to about 30kmp & keep that pace going. Mind you, I have been slack lately & it's high time I got back into riding it every day again.
This community is a very supportive & kind one. Keeping an online diary is very good for you. No-one is perfect & this is a very good place to be yourself. A big welcome once again. Cheers, Cate.
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I think I go too slow to register a speed Cate! At the moment I'm just increasing the time I spend on it and enjoying the very small improvements: I no longer have to be helped on and off, or put the bike near the spare bed in case I fall off...! My next goal is the be on a sufficient time to make it worth watching TV while I'm cycling. Like you,I tried a treadmill but it made the pain worse.
 
I'm glad your fired up! Please feel free to drop by my diary whenever you like. I'll be keeping up with you too.
 
For the last month I've been using my friends 'Circulation Booster' which she kindly lent me to see if it was worth buying one. I think it is, the muscles have firmed up and I suffer with cold feet at night, but they are as warm as the rest of me now. I use it as well as the exercise bike. Just 15 minutes a day. So tomorrow I'm going to get one. They aren't cheap but we are both going to use it... though not at the same time
 
I'm going to have to google circulation booster because I think my Mom might need one, lol...she has ice block feet and complains her legs ache.
 
Good luck on the start of your journey! It doesn't matter how 'little' exercise you can do now, just work with what you can do and slowly increase from there! Though your 'start line' may be in a different place than someone else's 'start line' you are still 'starting' and that's the important part!
 
A young neighbour of mine has MS and walks with a walking frame (called a pulpit in the UK). She is a massive inspiration for me. Every day, whatever the weather excepting ice, she walks around the block. It's not far because we are a small cul de sac of just 6 houses and 3 bungalows, but when she started last year she could only get past 3 houses.
Today, my husband is sorting out the string of solar lights at the bottom of the garden, They have been along the fence for 3 years and have this weekend given up the ghost so it looks like new ones
The ones through the rose bed are still hanging in there as are the stick ones in the lavender border at the front. We had rain last night so I can get out and weed the rockery today, the ground is no longer like concrete. These days, I don't look on anything as a chore, I see things as exercise. I don't like gardening but as I've got older I feel a bit more positives about it.
The high humidity was dreadful yesterday, but so far today things are fresher. Having spent some time in Georgia and a long weekend in Texas many years ago, we have nothing to grumble about over here. Temps around 100 were considered 'just a bit warm' over there and dopy Polly was almost dead!
Since I've been on this new life style I make sure I have breakfast every day. To me, it is the most important meal as it refills the tanks so the speak. Even if its only a banana smoothie, I make sure I have something
 
I really like your positive and constructive outlook! That camel is going to plod along all nice and quietly and be at the end of the desert before you know it :)
 
I have had the same hairstyle for 20 yrs. Shortish, but boring. I had it cut this morning, just got back and thank goodness my husband likes it. I'm a natural red head and as I've gone grey my hair looks blonde. So I had a 'warmer' colour put on it and a sort of spiky cut. Not punk, quite modern and I'm happy with it.
 
Good idea to see chores as a form of exercise..I find that when I can accomplish 2 things at once, both the chore and exercise, I too feel better about the chores!

Doing new beauty things can be such fun! Your new hair style sounds cute and fun!
 
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