Our weight loss plan

As we embrace "middle age" we have been trying to get healthy. Last year late summer we started walking and hiking, and much of this move was hatched while doing that. We eagerly logged miles and then would optimistically get on the bathroom scale...nothing, nada, zilch no change. We eat pretty well, Weight Watchers taught me a lot back in the day, but I decided yo check our portion sizes and cut back a bit. Still nothing, didn't gain-which is good, but I'm talking we hiked over 50 miles in a month! We swore we would give it 6 months, but winter came and even if we bundled up, it was pretty miserable. We contemplated joining a gym, using the treadmill, but in the end neither of us could imagine walking on the treadmill for 6 or so miles.

Many of you probably don't think of us as old, but we feel it. We have reading glasses all over the house, and I had to have my first cortisone shot for bursitis in my knee. We religiously take our Glucosamine Chondroitin for the aches and pains and look for supplements that we think we should be taking. Bottom line is we are well aware that our " golden years" are affected by how we live now, so we are trying to get in the best shape possible. 

Many of the blogs I've followed are retirees, 60+ years, and I've been happy to read they have all benefited from the new healthier eating and exercise of the Ecuador lifestyle. Almost everyone I've read about has reported a weight loss of 25-45 pounds! It's  not just Ecuador, a blog from Costa Rica said his father who went for a 10 day visit lost 14 pounds! Beach town, big city, or mountain village doesn't seem to matter, fresh food, fruit,( no processed/prepackaged food) and walking seem to do the trick. We look forward to the fresh seafood on the coast. Look at these shrimp.

These shrimp are half a pound each, and all these were purchased for $3!! You can buy them right off the boat, as they bring the boats onshore. Ecuador is the worlds second largest supplier of shrimp, who knew? I saw one picture ( which I can't find anymore, sorry) where the shrimp were as big as bananas! We'll find some personally and post pictures, after we get there.

This is another reason Americans will lose weight, fruit. Nan, the blogger, said she bought 8/$1 oranges, 4/$1 mangoes, misc other stuff for $1 and the star fruit were free. I personally think those bananas are straight garbage, but I think she was making banana bread. And the avocados are for smoothies, she says it doesn't add much flavor, but a gloriously smooth silky texture. I'm game! Ecuador's number one export is bananas, with shrimp and cut flowers close behind, funny I love all those things! Because of the climate, something is always in season, I recently read cherries and peaches were at their best last month, wow.

 

We will weigh ourselves before we pack the bathroom scale into the shipping container, and won't weigh again til we unpack, anywhere from 24-60 days, it'll be interesting to see what it says. It better be good!!!   Mente sana-el Cuerpo sano!   ( healthy mind-healthy body)

Here is a link to the Blog I got the photos from. Check it out to hear from a person who is already on the ground in Ecuador. >>> Finding Our Paradise in Ecuador