Just Too Freaking Much

There has been talk of replacing one addiction with another and while I don't drink or smoke or take drugs, I have found that I love shopping and walking.  Sometimes, I think I shop so that I can walk the malls.  I found that I cannot just be still.  I walk about 4 and half miles three to four times a week; although, I am fighting the urge to walk everyday.  Sometimes, I wal****il my legs feel weak. My husband wants me to talk to my doctor about the not being able to sit still thing.  I get up in the middle of the night with the intent to read or write on my  dissertation and I end up taking off and before I know it, I'm fast walking my route.  I know how dangerous it is to walk at three in the morning but I just get so restless.  I share an office with four other teachers and they laugh at my constant movement and cleaning and walking and bouncing.  I think that in the grand scheme of things, walking isn't a bad addiction but I am thinking that the walking isn't the problem but the constant restlessness.  I don't know.  Oh, did I tell you guys that I am under 200 pounds.  Yep, I am only ten pounds away from goal, or the goal that my doctor set; however, I am going to go a little further.  Gotta go, walking calls. 

Jeannie if you have to have an addiction, walking is a great one. Mabye not in the middle of the night! Congratulations on the weight loss. Are you feeling good? It is good to see you post. Nan

I am feeling really good.  Most of the time, I am on the go.  Hubby and I still rock hunt and since he has lost weight too, we have been doing some hiking. If either one of us ever has the time, we think we are going on a vacation.  We spent a week in New Orleans for a College Composition Communication Conference.  I cowrote and presented a paper and I think it will get published in the journal this organization puts out.  I'm hoping so.  But writing, working, teaching, and walking is about all I do.  How have you been?

Oh, I get you.  I can't stay still, can'****ch a movie on tv, can't even bury myself in a book for hours like I used to.  I sometimes wonder if it's hormonal or metabolism changes. 

How about a treadmill for the middle of the night thing?  How about posting to us in the middle of the night? Are you still writing? And I don't mean school stuff? Creative writing, journaling whatever. You have such a creative, fertile imagination it certainly needs to be kept busy!

I agree 3am walking is probably not the best idea depending on your location. 

Under 200 lbs! way to go Jeannie.  By the way rock collecting with you will be on my list for our next visit.  Karen C

I am still creatively writing and still in my writer's group. I do more academic writing but sometimes the urge to really write takes over.  I can't wait until you get back to this area and we'll go hike and hunt and do all those wonderful things that I was unable to do when you were here last.  I have lost 160 pounds.  I still only weigh when I go to the doctor, so I can't tell you if I ever had a time when I wasn't losing.  I have gotten where I have to remind myself to eat and when I eat, it's usually when I'm on the go. But today, I'm cooking and am going to sit down and eat.  I miss food, I really do.  I think I miss the way that food soothed me.LOL, but no more.  I use food for fuel and that's it. 

So, how have you been doing?  I sure do miss the board and when I come back, it's nice to see the familiar. 

Exercise is good, but you may be overdoing it. For your safety, why not get a stationary bike for exercise, or a recuberant bike for exercise. I have a NuStep machine, which my wife got for a rehab problem with a shoulder surgery years ago.  The bikes would be cheaper than the machine though, but something to keep you busy without walking at 3-4 AM.

I'm thinking about getting a treadmill. I have a bike that I ride and I have been riding it on nice days for as far as I can without hitting hills. I still can't ride my bike up a hill. LOL.  Maybe I need one with lots of gears.

So good to see you Jeannie. I think you may have hit  the nail on the head with the replacing one addiction with another. When we see something as healthy as walking we hate to say anything, but the fact you are unable to sit still andt ake off in the midle of the night like that ,I see why you are worried and I would say talking with your doc is a very very good idea. I don't have that problem ( Saturday I laid around  and watched 3 Nora Roberts movies in a row, blessed wasting of time that I seldom am allowed.)But some days I  crave getting out and walking. You know when you  go to the airport and they have these moving sidewalks, you get on one and instead of standing still you walk fast on it and you feel like you are flying and it even tickles your stomach? ( OK am I the only nut here?)  On good days when my arthritis lets me have a day off thats how it feels walking, like I am flying and it is so wonderful I just can hardly wait to do it again. They talk about " the runners high" I think that is what we are experiencing. After being held hostage by our bodies for so long it just feels so good to LIVE. I am so excited for you  just 10 pounds from goal, WOW. Blessings

No Jean, you are not the only nut!  I walk up escalators 'cause they move too slow   Of course, there are those days when I am a total slug and don't want to move. Debbie

I am happy that I am not the only one unable to be still.  I would love to have one of those swimming things that you swim and swim and go nowhere.  It's good to talk to you again.