Seven years ago I experienced an agonising collapsed disc in my lower back. After 18 months of rehabilitation, walking in water, gentle stretches, physiotherapy, patience and persistence, I slowly got my life back to normal. But there were ongoing problems with my back — just doing a simple task like putting something in the bin, I’d feel my back go and be back on painkillers again.
I was determined to stop this from recurring and my husband said it would be great if I started exercising. So every morning after I dropped my child off at school, I went down to the river and began to walk, from Mondays to Fridays. I started off gradually — if there was any discomfort I’d slow down to a comfortable pace, but I walked for 40 minutes. It took three months before I noticed the weight dropping off. I was sleeping through the night, felt more confident, people said I looked younger and healthier and this really motivated me to continue.
It has been 10 months since I started my daily walk, I now do the course in 30 minutes, have gone from a size 14 to a size 10 and feel fantastic, light on my feet, (my boobs have shrunk and I can see my feet!) I have all this energy and people say I look 15 years younger! The exercise has strengthened my stomach and back muscles and I have been taking a daily glucosamine tablet, which people with arthritis can use (if you don’t have an allergy to seafood). I watch the amount of salt, sugar and fat in my diet, eat at approximately the same time each day and have an occasional chardonnay. The daily walk is my time, my little holiday to clear my mind. I experience very little stress, I feel more feminine, take a lot of pride in my appearance and look forward to having a fun life with family and friends! So ladies and gentlemen, look after your body and mind — just 30 minutes a day will do wonders for you! Go for it!
Dianne Mazur
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