A Brand New Me
By Cindy Walker

Wow. As I thought about what to write in this month's adventure, I realized this year is half over! And that also means my journey is at the half way mark (at least for this portion of the ride). I'm not going to stop after this year is over because I still have a lot to accomplish. But let's look back at the year so far and see if I've made any progress. Oh this should be fun!

Let's see……I began this year at 194 pounds, and as of today I weigh in at 182 – 12 pound lighter is better than 12 pounds heavier. Still not what I'd like to see, but I'll take it. I just have to push myself harder to accomplish the weight loss goal. Unfortunately I've gotten lazy – not only with the food but with the exercise as well. I went through a period where I got up every morning and did exercises. I was feeling better and could see a little improvement beginning. Then – the Romantic Times convention happened. That week was exhausting, and I wanted to do nothing but sleep when I got home. The problem is, I still want to sleep, so the exercise program has gone by the wayside. I am, however, trying to get into a walking routine, and the job at the amphitheater is helping this along.

I finally bit the bullet and had my hairdresser color and highlight my hair. It's amazing how this one thing made me feel…well, quite frankly, sexy. And to follow the new hair, my friend Rolanda suggested I slightly alter my makeup. That too has helped me feel better when I look in the mirror. I'm beginning, in some ways anyway, to feel more confident, self assured, and beautiful. Those are three things I never thought I'd feel, so I guess I'm making headway in this area. Now I just need to continue.

At the beginning of August, I have an appointment with my doctor to begin the non-invasive laser treatments for my varicose veins. I can't wait for this to begin because I feel this will be one of the biggest things I'm going to do this year that will help me take giant leaps toward my goal of liking and feeling good about me. Right now I am so ashamed of how my legs look I refuse to wear shorts outside of my own home. It's really fun now that the temperatures are in the 90's and the humidity is high! I will be sure and report on this procedure in the September issue and keep you updated on my progress.

If I may, I'd like to skip back to the subject of diet. I have recently discovered a wonderful drink called a smoothie. Now this isn't the normal smoothie that's loaded with calories and sugar. We have a new little place that opened called Camille's Sidewalk Cafe, and they specialize in serving healthier foods – wraps, sandwiches, salads, and even lower calorie desserts (their cheesecake is delicious and light!). They also make smoothies with all natural ingredients – just fruit, juice, honey, and ice. YUM! It's very refreshing and really hits the spot on a very hot day. So – brilliant me – I decided to try making my own smoothie.

I'm wild about mangos, so I've been making my smoothies from mangos, white peaches, and grapes, 100% fruit juice, and a little bit of honey. Yesterday, I put some light white cranberry juice in the mix, and it tasted great. I think this is a great way to get fruit into my diet. I have this terrible, TERRIBLE habit of buying fruit then not eating it. I end up throwing it out. I'm one of those shoppers that things look good in the store, but when I get home I think “Yuk.” Do you ever get to a point when anything sounds good?    more >>