The sure fire way to lose weight and keep it off

That title looks like a Google advert doesn't it but seriously, are you ready for the truth: the way to lose weight is to use up more than you put in. The way to keep it off is to not put in more than you use up : simples.

But "how? how?" I here you beg...simples again..WALK

A few years ago a friend took seriously ill and I started to walk her dogs for her. I discovered 2 things: my serenity lives in the fields and I could eat a whole lot more than I used to without gaining weight.

Walking turned to running very easily, I wanted to go further but hadn't got the time and now injury has forced me back to walking but I still haven't gained weight.

Walking, no skill required, no fitness entry level, no specialist clothes, nada...just walk. Walk to the shops, walk a dog, walk to post a letter, walk to school. Yup, it's takes longer, but the time seems to melt into my day from somewhere.

If I went to the office I'd walk an hour at lunch, it was about 5k.  Now I'm at home and it's dark early, I watch tv and walk 5k on the treadmill. If I'm a very good girl and I get lucky, I get to go out over the fields, alone with my thoughts. The wind blowing at me makes me want to raise my arms high and shout for joy (I can't lift my arms high of course, not with my back!!!).

Instead of having coffee with a friend a will take friend for a walk, occasionally I'll ask HWMBO to come along but mainly I just like it to be me and with every step I crush one of those little calorie creatures that hide in my wardrobe at night trying to sew my clothes tighter. 
 I love the time I spend on my 'usual' walks, I know it so well by season.  Well enough to know that this crop of rape seed really shouldn't be around in January.  It's a self seeded 2nd crop and most unseasonable.

Now my operation is pending I trying really hard to walk gently so I can still go the distance without breaking into pain. And the healing exercise after my operation, you guessed it, to walk.  I understand it should be for no more than 10 minutes for a while and it's going to be hard but I'm hoping that soon enough I'll be back to my round field strides maybe in time to see the real rape crop coming through.

And just in case you don't believe me about walking, why not pop over to family affairs, whose backing walking rather than running as a safer form of exercise.