In London

Trust.  It isn’t always the easiest thing to do.  It can even be hard to trust oneself.  I’ve often heard people say they need someone to lock the refrigerator at night as the only way to curb their snacking.  Trust has been a big issue for me, because I’ve lost weight so many times and binged my way back up to regaining it all so many times.    On the weight management journey of the past few years, occasionally I have fallen into a sort of rigidity that felt comfortable – comfortable because with those strict walls all around me, I wouldn’t be “tempted.”   But I don’t really want to live in a prison, even if it’s one of my own making.   So I have to set myself free and trust myself.  In particular, I have to believe that while I’m not in the routine of my daily life at home, I can continue to exercise portion control and maintain an activity level that keeps me healthy and happy.   I believe! I believe!

Live From London!

This has been a wonderful experience so far. But I will admit that my glutes hurt. Forty-five miles is a long way to walk -- more if you count all the time I spent lost wandering the byways of the Cotswolds. I continue to learn a lot ... about England, about myself, and about the psychology of food! I've never done a marathon, but this experience is slightly similar in that its a big endurance contest. What I don't understand is how weight-minded runners avoid eating their extra-earned calories in junk food. I have to admit I did more than that of I would have expected. Something to work on, for sure. The really cool thing is that I'm not worn out, I'm looking forward to going for a run, and have plans to hit the gym as well. Its amazing what can happen if you give yourself the opportunity to believe. And I just have to say, as much as I found the countryside to be astonishing and amazing, it is wonderful to be back in 'civilization.' This weekend will be about shopping and sightseeing and entertainment. Just enough of it that I'll be ready to start that next walk. Live from London, indeed!

Travel Day

Its my hope that while I’m in London during this vacation, I’ll have a chance to get online and post to Jack Sprat’s.  As I’ve mentioned before, the blog is not just a sop to my vanity.  It’s an opportunity for me to think through what this whole weight maintenance journey is about.   Its really helpful to have something to focus on other than weight LOSS.  Because its keeping my weight and fitness at a healthy level that I really want to work on.   Also, there is that funny ‘guilt’ factor.  For instance, if I write about an upcoming party, or trip or exercise challenge, I’m far more likely to follow through, knowing that I don’t want to prove myself wrong.    So, for the record, I want to put it out there that my goal on this trip is to maintain an even keel in the eating department and be as active as I can (even aside from all the walking stuff).    There, I’ve said it, so now its up to me to make it happen.

Walking

Relaxing is not my thing.  I can’t think of anything I’d rather NOT do than lie on a beach all day.  Call it a character flaw, or simply think of me as uptight, but I much prefer the opportunity to be active, even when I’m on vacation.   What initially appealed to me about doing a walking tour was that I could see a part of the English countryside that I’d heard about, but had never seen.  But what sold me on the idea was that I wouldn’t just be sitting in a chair LOOKING at it.   That would bore me to tears.  Even if its cold, or raining, or the road is bumpy, I’d rather be out IN the elements than just observing.  Last winter at Lake Tahoe I took Paco on a nice long walk on a bitterly cold sub-freezing morning in the snow and I think loved it almost as much as he did.   But not quite.  After all, he has a drip-dry fur coat.

Walking

I’m a huge fan of the Myers-Briggs personality inventory – it can not only tell you a lot about yourself, it can also help you find ways to accommodate and communicate better with others.  The funny thing is, I learned from the score that I’m a fairly strong ‘introvert.’  Even after all of the public speaking I’ve done and the travelling and the jobs I’ve been in, that hasn’t changed.  But being an introvert doesn’t mean I don’t like people, it just means I have a different reaction to group situations than others might.   The way I explain it to people is this:  When we go to a party, Devin (an extrovert) and I both have a good time.  The difference is that at the end of the party I’m exhausted and want to go home and recharge my batteries.  By contrast, Devin is energized by the experience and wants to go out for a drink.   That’s why this vacation appeals to me so much.  There are times when I’ll be around people, but for the most part I’ll have the opportunity to be alone and refresh my energy level.  Who knows, after being alone all day, I might even want to talk to someone when I’m done!

Walking the Walk

This walking trip is both easier and more difficult than I anticipated. It's cool to know that I can walk 15 miles a day, as I've done for two days, and not really feel tired at all. But I have to say as someone with little or no sense of direction, I find this kind of tour stressful as I'm supposed to clamber over walls and cross large fields with no visible pathways. I find I get lost easily and panic easily. Who'd have thought the countryside could be so stressful? On the brighter side, I've had brilliant luck with food choices. I have plenty of time in the evenings so I can spend a long while at the market picking and choosing healthy things for a hike. Today about mid-way through my walk I sat on a stone wall and had a nice salad and a prepackaged tuna/salsa bowl. Far better than the usual trail mix and other sugary stuff. (Hmmm.... maybe that's why walking doesn't tire me out). Anyway, I'm learning a lot about the art of hiking and having a great time. I've only caught myself thinking about work TWICE! Off to check e-mail and get the news. I'll check in again soon.

Checkin In

Before I left for England I tried to set up a few posts -- hopefully they are going to keep coming in once a day! This is just a quick hello .. 'live'... from the Cotswolds. All is well and there is tons to write about. See you soon!

Travel Day

Back in the days when flying was only scary because of potential equipment trouble (and not because of people trying to kill you), I used to enjoy it a lot more.  Now at best I can tolerate air travel, because it gets me to places I want to go.   By contrast, I’ve always liked train travel and I still do.  Even on the rattiest of trains (and I’m talking New Jersey Transit) I like the feeling of being in a rail car.  Some train stations are fascinating too – even poor old Pennsylvania Station, stuck in the basement of Madison Square Garden.   I look forward to travelling to Moreton-in-Marsh by rail on the “bank holiday” today.  It should give me a nice glimpse of the countryside I’ll be visiting.

Arrival

London’s one of my favorite places to visit.  Oddly, one reason is that when I travel there is I don’t HAVE to see and do everything, because I’ve been there/done that and will probably be back.  So I can just wander around, look at a few things, maybe shop a little, etc. and I never feel like I’m wasting an opportunity.  Usually I go to a play, visit a museum, or explore a new neighborhood, but not always.  Sometimes its just nice to hang out with my friends.  On my last trip to London one of the highlights was finding a good gym.  Now if only I can remember where it was …