One Foot on a Banana Peel

Ugh.  So, I’ve been being good since summer vacation started.  I’ve dragged my half awake butt out of bed and down to the walking trail where I walk 2 miles with a woman I work with.  I’m not drinking much pop.  I’ve switched almost completely to water and sugar-free iced tea.  I’m sneaking more veggies into our meals and cutting back fats and carbs where I can. 

So, why can’t walking be simple?  I am walking, but can I just admit and whine for a minute that it really hurts?  My ankles just ache something fierce after a short bit.  I’m really not sure if it’s the joints or the muscles.  I do stretch out a good bit before and after and I wear really good (read, expensive) shoes meant just for walking.  I think it’s from the impact of my foot on the pavement.  It’s not fair!  I once worked with someone else who complained of the same thing and said that an eliptical machine was a lifesaver for him.  He got an aerobic workout, but without the pounding on his legs.  He could do it pain free.  We tried out several machines at Sears the other day and found one we really liked.  I didn’t do a whole workout in the store (though maybe I could just go to a different store every day and pretend to be shopping for a machine…it’d be a lot cheaper), but I was amazed at how smooth it was and how different my legs felt compared to walking.  An eliptical machine is now number one on my wish list.