15 years of working out, eating right

 

Steve, Kirstin and chubby me, before the
North Scott High School Homecoming event in October, 2007.

    This week marks an important anniversary: It was 15 years ago when I decided -- during one of the biggest weeks of my life -- that I would work out five days a week, without fail, and eat right.

    We are talking about a frustrated, chubby almost-50 year-old newspaper journalist who had just been assigned the Health beat. If I were going to be a health journalist, I thought, I better get in shape.

    I made my way to the Scott Family Y in Davenport, and joined up. I was at about 165 pounds -- 25 pounds overweight. The goal was to drop 25 pounds and try to weigh something between 130 and 140 pounds.

    It took a while, and several strategies (such as portion control), but I did eventually reach the goal weight.

    In the meantime, husband Steve, who had retired in 2007, was busy walking about 2-3 miles most days of the week. He'd take our dog and mostly do this in the morning.

    I worked out either before or after work but mainly at night. I started with an elliptical at the YMCA at Davenport North High School. It was terrible at first but I grew to enjoy this device.

    It has become more of a habit in the years and I keep upping the ante. I was 63 years old when I thought it would be fun to prepare for a 5K race, and as many readers know, I've been doing that sort of thing for two years now.

    It is a particularly rainy day this October, 2022. I got my run in, nevertheless! It is fun for some of us to run outdoors in a light autumn rain.

    Good physical health is key to general well-being, especially for aging Americans and we Baby-Boomers.  It is actually the only "silver bullet" doctors know of, to stave off illness.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, adults ages 65 and older need:

    1. At least 150 minutes a week (or 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or, 75 minutes a week of a vigorous activity such as hiking, jogging or running.

    2. At least 2 days a week of activities that strengthen muscles. (This is especially important for older women!)

    3. Activities to improve balance, such as standing on one foot, about three days a week.

    The CDC also reported in 2018 that only 22.9 percent of Americans actually exercise regularly.

    Back in 2007, both Steve and I were excited that our youngest daughter, Kirstin, was up for Homecoming Queen at North Scott High School. 

    This included a number of events we completely enjoyed. In one example, the Homecoming Court went around tee-peeing houses and they certainly got our house! Fortunately we didn't have a goat grazing on the front porch, which happened to another candidate.

    Future plans are to join the new Scott County Y facility now under construction in Eldridge.

    Keep on keeping on!

That's me before the 2-mile version of the Quad-City Times Bix 7.
I ran it in 23 minutes, 12 seconds. Not too bad!