kiwitravelwriter, diabetes, and a walk in the park

Well it's confession time . . . but first, my morning, this morning.

I have checked - and responded to some emails, Twitter conversations, (I havent checked my Facebook fan pages yet) and checked which of my wordpress blog posts people liked yesterday, then started an article about the Kaikoura Wilderness Walks which I did last week.

Then  I took a phone call from my Drs practice nurse.

After some weeks of various tests, it seems one thing has become clear - my 'pancreas is not working as well as it should' says nurse Shirley.

Oh dear - years of being a carbo-queen have come home to roost, and now, overweight, I have sucumbed to a disease that my family is riddled with - that's why this is shameful to confess: I have known the consequences of over-eating and under-excerising and, ignoring that knowledge has caught up with me.

So this will be my public humilitation page, where I will record my attempts to recover that old svelte body and hopefully a fully- functioning pancreas.

How have I started?

• 2 hours ago I bought a pedometer on trade-me
• I have been for a 30 min walk in the fabulous Hagley Park (the biggest city park in NZ) while listening to Radio NZ - I can tell my MP3 player/radio will be used even more now 
• I have picked an organic lettuce (& mint, parsley) from my garden
• Filled a jug of water and dropped a frozen lemon quarter in it in the hope it will make me drink more
• Examined my Adidas walking shoes and realise I need a new pair and maybe even a sports bra (an item I have never owned!)

So, now home again, it's time to make a salad for lunch and think about the things I saw in 'my' park ... people getting ready for the annual 'Christmas in the park' event this weekend; a mum and dad paradise shelduck with their long legged, still fuzzy-crewcut-haired ducklings, and the people who said 'Hi' to me and the many other walkers  - what an asset Hagley Park is to my city.

(see more here on Christchurchs' official website - I am just an enthusiastic promoter of my city - and check out my 'other blog' http://kiwitravelwriter.wordpress.com/ for lots of blogs and photos about this, the biggest city in the South Island of New Zealand and stories from all over the world.)

This is what paradise ducklings look like when they are only days old .. here with mum!

I  hope my public record will motivate me, and  that some of you will help keep me on the straight and narrow as I attempt to become healthier.