Like millions of people, I watched this lively summer TV series. While I indulged
my fondness for dance, I saw actor/contestant John O'Hurley drop 20 pounds. Not
that this silver fox had a weight problem to begin with. But he proved that
people can trim down and, literally, have a ball doing it.
I was hooked. Yes, I studied tap and ballet, but I had the most fun with
Twist, the Watusi, and all those gyrations that kids did in the 60s. Well, that
was exercise, wasn’t it? More to the point, did I ever come home from a party
with a twinge of pain?
I dug into my old records and tapes or tuned my radio to "That Old Time
Rock and Roll." Considering my crummy physical condition, I started with
just ten minutes a day, alternating slow songs with fast ones. The movement was
remarkably easy, and time absolutely flew by. The sight of their chubby mother
prancing around the house brought some snickers from my sons, but I was
undaunted. When they laughed, I just grabbed them and made them dance with me.
At the end of the third week, I began to add five minutes per day per week.
I am now up to 30 minutes per day. I haven't had one bit of pain, I haven't
spent a dime, and I feel great. I breezed through my three month diabetes
checkup. Moreover, my blood pressure is down, and my cholesterol levels are
normal.
Weight loss? Only seven pounds, but I have lost a dress size. I don't expect
anything drastic to happen with my weight. It took eight years for me to get
fat, and it will take awhile to lose it. The good news is that gradually I am
trading fat for muscle. If I watch what I eat and keep moving, I know the
transformation will occur.