Hello everyone I just joined last night. I’ve read quite a few inspiring and supportive threads on this forum. I look forward to participating as well over the next 12-months. Today is the first day of my health and well-being journey. I’m 62 and finished with being lazy and overweight, period, done with it! My California daughters said something profound to me yesterday which has inspired a complete paradigm shift in the way I will now live my life. They said (with kindness), “Mom, it’s one thing to grow old, but another thing to grow old fat ‘n sloppy.” Well, lah-di-dah! They are so right. So, here I go. BTW: A couple of years ago I tried this diet for about 8-weeks and lost a ton of weight, then got bored and let go of my discipline, per usual. But now I’m in a different place mentally; calm, committed, content and looking forward to walking/hiking, eating healthy, reducing the nightly red wine consumption and taking care of myself…Why not, eh? Anyway, my 2016 Goals:
(1) Lose 42-lbs (19kg/3stone) within 8-months (23rd July 2016)
(2) Achieve a BMI between 20.5 and 22
(3) Reduce my neck size to 14-inches (35.56cm)
(4) No more then more than one glass of wine in the evening (not 1 bottle, 1 GLASS)
(5) Find happiness and self-confidence in the process of being disciplined
(6) Remember to stretch every day!
(7) Create a positive inspiring pledge or mantra and say it daily (often)

and remember what Richard Simmons once said, “What REALLY feels better, finishing that bowl of macaroni & cheese or slice of chocolate cake OR hear someone compliment you and say: “Oh My God you look SO different, so beautiful and radiant!” I know which one I’d rather experience!

Thanks bunches Bronx, I DID take my daughter’s comments as blunt-love. I couldn’t have accepted this information if it wasn’t the bald-faced truth. Albeit they DO both live in Southern California where there is a HUGE OTT focus on keeping one’s body ‘young’ looking, nevertheless, becoming trim, firm and flexible is just smart stuff, especially at my age.

I’ve never met Mr. Simmons but I used to work-out to his video ‘tapes’ years ago. He inspired(s) me; lucky you. So off I go for a brisk sunset walk with dog! I’m pretty darn excited about putting some success in my pocket!

Hello and Merry Christmas to you!Thank you for your email of encouragement. You must miss ‘Bronx’
I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback female (Betsy) who LOVES big fat hikes. I lived in Bavaria for many years and hiked nearly all the Karwendel and Wetterstein Alpine peaks. I used to take Tuesdays off work (I had my own company at the time), leave the house early and spend the entire day on a high mountain hike for 5-7 hours on average in the winter I could go cross country skiing from my back door. I LOVED THESE DAYS SO MUCH! As a young woman I fought forest fires fires and such things for many years in the Pacific Northwest of America, but now days my body is very sore…even walking (which I LOVE) takes unusual amounts of concentration, perseverance, with (boring) slow warm-ups and slow cool-downs. BUUUUT, there is only one way to succeed at this and that’s (as NIKE used to say) ‘Just Do It!’I’m committed and VERY lucky that it is warm and dry here. We just moved to this country cottage a month ago. It’s set amongst a range of small hills so it should be OK to hike 45-min 2x per day as flat ground walks are a killer for me. Yes, twice a day excellent idea and endurance hikes 2xs per week. You’re talking right up my alley!