Woo hoo - I have just finished my exercise for the day. Went for a 40 minute walk - talk about an eye opener - I am sooo out of shape - how come it takes so little time to get out of shape but so long to get into it - oh well - I have started the process. My goal is to walk for at least 3 times a week and work it up to 5 times a week by the end of January. Even got down on the floor and did some stretches - my hips are very very sore these days - just aching - so they need some work done on them - biggest treat I could do for them would be to lose weight - that will come. Right now I will focus on getting the exercise back into my life - must admit that I find it 'easier' to exercise at a gym then to get up and go walking along the corniche - but the corniche is my only option at the moment so I need to push myself to do it. Walked for 20 minutes then took a 5 minute rest - enjoyed watching the sea - sure does look inviting - wonder how cold it is - maybe I will get brave and give it a whirl one of these days - just put on my swim gear and walk to the beach and go for a swim then walk home - people will think I am crazy because the water is much too cold for any sensible Egyptian to be in it - but it sounds like a great idea. Time will tell. Tried to do some yoga yesterday - talk about being embarrassed - could not do much of it - as my upper body does not have the strength. On the alternate days that I do not walk I will do some weights - I have a set of 3 kg dumbbells here - and a book with all kinds of exercises - so I will work on that.

My word for the year will be health - I will strive for much better physical health and in shaa allah the mental will follow along - must admit that I never ever dreamed that I would 'enjoy' exercise - when I started back to Spa Lady I dreaded going -but of course I pushed myself and made friends - really good friends in fact - and now whenever I am in Canada I am anxious to head to the gym - mainly to meet up with friends - but the exercise is great as well. And when I was going to the Renaissance five days a week here before I headed back to Canada I enjoyed it as well - even though I did not meet up with anyone - I have reached the place where I know I need it and I actually enjoy doing it - not while I am doing it - but I really enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I get when I am finished. And I am realizing that yes I need to do it early in the morning - but does not mean I have to get up at the crack of dawn to do it - I do not have any pressing engagements - so I can get up when I wake up and go and do it. Makes the day go faster as I have less time to fret about what to do.

Today on the agenda I am going to vacuum, do some dishes and work on eating a bit better. Found a recipe on Kraft that I am going to try - not much of a recipe but a good idea - it is for a salad with chicken and bacon and cheese - using caesar salad dressing with bacon - of course I am unable to use their products as they are not available here - so yesterday I whipped up Lynn's caesar salad dressing. I need to get moving and have my breakfast, so I can have lunch and supper - if I get moving on the eating too late I run out of time to eat my 3 meals a day. So will have my usual eggs, mushrooms and salad for breakfast, leftover eggplant parmesan, beans and salad, and for supper will have the salad with chicken and bacon. Will get busy and cook up all the bacon - find I do much better at eating better if everything is prepared and I do not have to cook when I am hungry - if I do that then I am in a hurry and end up making popcorn - my one big downfall. I do love my popcorn. Am going to work at cutting back on how much I consume in a week - had been eating it 3-4 times a week - will cut it back to once a week - wish me luck. May make some bread - do not have any pita bread left - and I have a craving for raisin bread - and the only way to get raisin bread in this country is to make it oneself - so off I go to make raisin bread. Hope there is room in the freezer for one of the loaves - as the recipe makes two loaves and I do not need to eat both of them - so will freeze one of them for later. Maybe share it with Aymn - MAYBE.

Anyway - that is my plan for the day - will work at keeping you informed about my oh so exciting life.