Here's the introductory paragraph from drbloodaxe:
The premise is simple. I'll post a weekly review diary around 10-11 EST Saturdays, wherein we all share our experiences over the last week in getting in better shape physically. Nutition and exercise are the most likely subjects of comment, but we want to know (if you're willing to share) your start weight and goals if you're trying to lose weight, or your BMI, or your starting exercise plan and goal, or however else you're measuring your progress. The more of us supporting each other there are, the more likely each of us is to meet our own individual goals, or so we hope ;)
I hope you guys know that I usually post around 7ish MDT, which works out to 9ish EDT (or 6ish PDT). :-)
This week, I'm thinking about Mother's Day (in part because I get to have a few glorious hours along with my dear mother when we go out to brunch tomorrow without my kids... don't worry, we'll do our thing with them later). Mothers are pretty important figures in our worlds, hopefully for better and not for worse.
I got started thinking about my own mother and her looming health problems... she's obese, has high blood pressure, and is "pre-diabetic"... Her doctor is encouraging her to do the South Beach Diet (big emphasis on staying away from unhealthy carbs, sticking with lots of fruits, veggies, healthy proteins and healthy fats) and to get more exercise. As I've alluded to in the past, I'm pretty concerned about her. Overcoming years of unhealthy habits is going to be pretty hard for her.
Ironically, though, she did help me form some healthy habits growing up. Although meat was a prominent part of every meal, we always had two veggies (and generally a salad). We ate whole wheat bread and brown rice. She signed me up for swimming and tennis lessons, little league softball, basketball, and soccer. When I got to junior high, she encouraged me to try out for the team sports, and so I became a 3-season athlete through jr. and sr. high. And she shuttled me quite willingly to all these activities.
After I left home, my parents divorced, and both of them experienced a degradation in their eating habits. They both ate more processed food and less produce. They both put on a lot of weight. (My dad is diabetic, and he has some serious bone degenerative stuff going on, I suspect in part because of how heavy he is.) I, on the other hand, became a vegetarian and a recreational runner and hiker. Very different paths.
Anyway, back to my mom. My support for her changes is pretty darned important. I'm hoping maybe I can remind her of some of the habits she was trying to instill in me when I was a kid: eat your veggies, apples are good snacks, etc. It will be hard, though. We live about 40 miles apart, and it's easier to have more influence when there's more physical proximity. She's scared, though, and so far, she's sticking with her plan.
In the comments, let us know about good (or bad) things you learned from your mother, as pertains to your health and fitness.
(And last but not least: check out the Daily Kos University for more links to more great diaries and diary series on fitness, health, and a wide range of topics.)