ElderThink

For years now, I've been hearing about my lifestyle choices and how I need to "Be Healthy." Every food package has the number of calories printed on it somewhere but mostly, I have been ignoring that information. I'm sure all the things I really like have more calories than I should be taking in. Every now and then I get serious about dieting for awhile and lose a few pounds. Then I buy new clothes which I can never wear more than once because I gain those pounds back. In my lifetime I think I've lost a thousand pounds.

When I'm dieting, I crave food...and wine...and a good beer. A tub of extra spicy chicken wings and a beer sounds wonderful. But really, as the years have rolled past me, I have gained a little weight here and there. I might be obese or "almost obese." My cutest shoes have a buckle and I have to unzip my pants to bend over and put on those shoes. At my last checkup, my doctor scolded me and prescribed blood pressure medicine.

In a magazine, I read about "going for long walks in the velvety night." Might be a magical experience. Might be fun, might not be so safe, a movie on TV is better. Have some wings and watch TV. That's much better.

Every public recreation center and senior center in the US has free or almost free exercise programs. By almost free, I'm talking about $25 or maybe $35 A YEAR for older folks. Depending on the location, that small fee could include fitness machines, tennis courts, and swimming pools. A class where we all move our bodies around together is usually about $5 each time. There are 11,000 locations for Silver Sneakers. This is an exercise program paid for by our health insurance.

But, I tell myself, how can I exercise? My knees hurt and maybe my hips too. I hobble from the car to the grocery store. It's hard to even get my wings and beer. Thank goodness I can use a drive-through to pick up my blood pressure meds.

I could break my back in an exercise program! In my heart I know that isn't true. I can't even stand on one foot to put my stretch pants on. My muscles are in sad shape and the stiffness I feel could very wll be from underused and tight liganments and tendons. I could break my back falling over.

So am I just going to sit here on the couch until I die? I have to change this. My life is not getting longer. I think I'm a little depressed. Maybe I'll try one wing and a salad.