I’ve been walking. I love to walk and was looking forward to walking on the bike and foot trail down by the river. Kendyll doesn’t do well on the trail, though, so I’ve been walking with her around the neighborhood. That’s a big deal for me because I don’t usually walk around here.

I’ve enjoyed our neighborhood walks, though. I’ve chit chatted with people I don’t see often these days and even ran into a neighbor I hadn’t seen since his extended stay in an alcohol rehab facility last year.

Most important, though, is that Kendyll is really enjoying our walks. We talk and sometimes we stop to look more closely at a flower or a dog. Once, we even saw a rabbit hop across the road toward the woods.

I can’t think of a better way to get my exercise than walking with Kendyll. I need exercise and I love my grandbaby. That’s what I call a perfect combination.

I’m trying to cut back on my Excedrin usage but so far I’m not having much luck. I get the worst headaches!

Right now I think I’m dealing with a sinus headache because the pain is mostly on my face and over my eyes. I’ve gotten tension headaches in the past, too. My sister and nephew get migraine headaches and have even looked into the use of Botox for migraines. From what I understand, those headaches are much worse than my little sinus or tension ones.

I know that meditation can help for my tension headaches but it doesn’t do a thing for the pressure of a sinus headache. I’ve heard that acupressure helps, though. If only I could convince one of my kids to learn how to do acupressure, I’d be good to go!

Did you see Marie Osmond on those TV ads, looking all slim and fit? WOW! She looks great. I need something like that. I need to find a way to get rid of the rest of this extra weight.

I’m doing okay on my current eating plan but I want to speed things up. I need a quick weight loss plan for this last 20 pounds, so I can be ready for my trip to Hawaii this summer. I thought about the meals that get delivered but I’m not sure how long that will take.

Maybe I should just get off this chair and go walking. That would probably be my best bet.

With so many people job jumping and many more working online or doing contract work, it isn’t surprising that the number of people covered by employer-provided health insurance has gone down. I’m finding that simply researching Health Insurance Rates is a daunting task. Making the right decision is hard work!

Since attempting to find good health insurance online I can’t help wondering how people found the information they needed before the internet. I mean, I remember pre-internet days quite well, but I don’t remember how I ever got along without it. I can’t imagine having to go back to a time when I couldn’t get online. Heck, I even find myself wishing there was a search function on regular paper books!

I’m thrilled to announce that since August 17, 2007, I have lost 40 lbs! That’s right. I’m getting closer and closer to my goal of being the same weight I was when I quit smoking. It won’t be long now.

So far, I’ve found success by getting most of my calories from a protein powder drink. I add a banana in the morning and peanut butter in the afternoon and evening to increase the protein and potassium. Other than that, I mostly stuck with the drinks.

Since around the middle of February I’ve replaced my protein drinks with salad a couple times each week and tuna fish once or twice a week. I’m trying to be very careful about adding in foods slowly so I don’t stop losing or even worse, start gaining. So far, I’m still making progress, even with these adjustments.

I’ve read about certain foods acting as natural fat burners but I’m not sure if that’s fact or hype. I need to do more research on that. For right now, a low carb/high protein eating plan centering on these protein shakes seems to be working well. I still can’t believe I’ve lost 40 pounds.

I wonder if I can get down to my mid-twenties weight? Probably not. If I can get to where I was when I quit smoking, by my 50th birthday, I’ll be satisfied.

In my quest to lose weight I’ve tried a number of different programs. I always seem to go back to some form of low carb, though. That works for me, maybe because I’m borderline diabetic.

Low fat diets haven’t worked for me since my mid-twenties but I when I read about a revolutionary new diet supplement that blocks fat, I had to try it. I wish I’d read the reviews aboutAlli first, though. I won’t go into detail; just read the part about side effects and you’ll understand why I chose to try something else.

Have you found a good supplement for your weight loss? Share it with me. I’m always looking for something to give my weightloss program a boost

Sitting at my computer all day has really played havoc on my neck and back. I know I’m getting old but this is just ridiculous. I do get up to move around every 20 minutes or so but I guess that isn’t enough.

I’d love to schedule a massage but there really isn’t time for that right now. It was easier when I worked and was already out. It was really nice to get a mini massage during lunch.

I do know that a good friend has been able to keep her body limber and pain free by doing yoga. I’m thinking of buying a yoga dvd for beginners to see if that helps to keep me pain free. I used to be very nimble; wonder how long it will take to get this old body through the beginner phase?

A little bit of a shock to my system: I’m married to a man who is old enough to join AARP. More of a shock: I’ll be eligible for membership this very year. YIKES!

It’s hard to believe that we’re now considered senior citizens. We were the younger generation. We were taught to trust no one over age 30; now we’re two decades past that age ourselves. How did this happen?

I’m talking to my mom about this, getting the scoop on senior citizen discounts, medical information like medicare part d and anything else that she’s learned over the past 25 years. And frankly, I’m not at all happy about entering this phase of life.

I’m going to try as hard as I can to enjoy these final 8 months of my youth. Wish me luck.

I sit too much. I’m here at my computer most days, sitting and typing and clicking. That doesn’t provide much exercise, does it? During the warmer months, I start my day with a walk down by the river with my dog; in the winter neither Belle nor I have any desire to walk along the river where it’s several degrees colder than anywhere else. And anywhere else is pretty darn cold anyway!

I’ve looked into a few home gyms but I haven’t found anything that I think I’d stick to for very long. The fact is, I like calisthenics type exercise. For these winter months, I might just start walking up and down my steps several times a day. That would be a cheap solution to combat my spreading, uh… backside.

If you haven’t read my previous article on natural health, then go ahead and check it out. Now, if you’re not the type to dabble in herbs and such, don’t turn away just yet. Holistic-online.com has much to offer beyond herb and essential oil information.

For example, I wasn’t even aware until I began to write the previous article that there is an entire section on bioterrorism. As often as I visit that page - and I visit it several times each month - I’d never noticed that. Looks like I just found something new I need to check out there.

Another of my favorite areas of the site (well, several areas, really) are those that have to do with controlling anxiety, relaxation and exercise. I have no problem with relying on modern medicine when necessary but if I can find a more natural way to deal with my anxiety, I’m going to try that first. Not only will you find a definition of anxiety, common symptoms and common sense advice, you’ll also see a long list of alternative treatments, like yoga, with advice on when to contact your doctor. I love that this site attempts to work along with your doctor rather than simply replacing traditional medicine.

The home exercise area is especially useful for those of us who can’t afford (or have no room for) special equipment like ellipticals, treadmills and weight benches. The articles are broken down into purpose (weight loss, flexibility, etc.) with some excellent articles on specific medical conditions like diabetes or Parkinson’s disease.

There’s really much more to explore at Holistic-online.com, but I’ll leave that to you. Just remember to bookmark it because you’ll surely want to reference the information here over and over.