In which Harriet just talks and talks...
Today I did the floor workout after stretch again, so 35 minutes of exercise.
That's great to be at 7,000 when you know one walk was cut short, Twins' Mom. Sounds like you would be able to reach 10,000 sometimes without hassle.
Ivy, what you said about books you have saved rang a bell with me. I find myself looking back at all previous plans that worked for me and reminding myself of all the things I learned. Usually even plans that didn't work gave me some insight, and most gave me worthwhile tips, at least. I am probably keeping some books that would make others wonder why keep them, if they were not what I continued for the long haul, but I see something in them.
I remember lucylee asking something like, where would I be if I hadn't tried, all this time. (Well - something like that.) And it IS cumulative. The pounds I didn't gain because I learned good information in a certain year... there was value to that. The pounds I was able to shed, even though I later realized it wasn't a very efficient way for me - well, that loss placed me at a better platform for the time that followed.
Read in the dr's office today that there's a Journal of the AMA article recently that suggests those slightly over normal BMI (slightly into "overweight") may live longest. The expert they asked why, said 1) maybe slightly overweight people go to their doctor more often (eehhnn, wrong answer - no they don't) OR, 2) maybe people who are slightly overweight when facing an illness that causes weight loss, fare better than those of normal weight who face the same illness without a store of body fat.
Now, this is significant in our household because I have to admit that HRH has preached this very same thing often, talking about his observations of the many people with whom he's worked in big food industry plants over the years. He's long said that those with some weight to lose seemed to outlive everybody, even though they went through illness that made them "waste away" for a while.
Anyway, this article says don't all the slim people go putting on weight now, just because of this study, since these are averages and not prescriptions for anyone personally, plus further studies may not bear this out, plus the study didn't take quality of life into consideration, etc. etc.
Now, here's my thought - what if the "slight" bit more were about muscle? What if the BMI of those living long was higher because they were the ones who were "normal" (whatever that is), yet had put on muscle, which would not have impacted their size or compromised their agility or quality of life at all, but pushed the weight/BMI up. In fact it would have made them "slightly" stronger and perhaps more confident in life. Hmmmm.....
Also I wonder if they took into consideration that some in the "normal" range might have missed getting enough fat in their diets, while those slightly above might eat fatty fish or otherwise get enough healthy fats.