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I recently talked to a friend who lost 50 pounds. I asked her how she did it, hoping there was a pill I could drive down to Mexico for, but she said what everyone who loses weight says… diet and exercise. Sigh. It's the only way and I know it. Lying on the couch watching The Bachelor drinking red wine hasn't worked, that's for sure. So yesterday I took an early morning walk. My calves screamed and my right hand went numb for some reason, but I kept going. My glasses fogged up from sweating and Doug kept peeing on everything. (Doug is a dog, so that was okay.) I kept going. I had a million things to do and didn't have time for a walk. But I kept going. What kept me going? The vision of me on a beach in four months in a bikini? The hope of wearing a pair of jeans without also wearing my spanks? My brother's wedding in May? Nope. It was music. I turned on my Spotify playlist and everything thing else, all the excuses and obstacles, disappeared. At last month's comedy night, I plugged in my phone and played my playlist while people were arriving. My son asked who's lame music was on. Instead of getting defensive, I proudly claimed it. Yes, I'll admit it — my favorite song right now is Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. This is my favorite part: "Before we leave Lemmi tell y'all a lil' something Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up uh I said uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up Uptown funk you up" Sure, it's not Shakespeare set to Mozart but it kept me going. I'm not going to get in shape hoping for a magic pill to be invented or cleanse I can stand for more than five minutes. The only way it's going to happen is by moving more and eating less. It's science, people. When I was in college, I was a chunky monkey. I weighed in the neighborhood of 170. It helped that I was super poor and could only afford a 50¢ chicken pot pie for dinner every night, but I still wasn't losing weight. So in October that year I decided to try walking. I'd walk every night and listen to Depeche Mode or INXS. After a month, it became a compulsion. I HAD to walk. I remember hosting a Christmas party and realized at about 11 pm that I hadn't walked that day. I got a group of party-goers together and we took a walk. We took our red Solo cups with us, of course. It was a party after all. I walked in rain, in cold, in the dead of night. I walked if I was sick, tired or busy. Every stinking day. By May that year, I was down to 115. Just walking. No fancy machines, no yoga classes, no magic pills. Here I am again. And I know what works. So do you. So, if you are in the same fat boat I'm in, let's get out there. We have so many amazing trails in Yucaipa and the weather is almost always perfect. Plus, there's music. Find a list that pumps you up and gets your mind off the fact that your right hand is numb. Here are few that get me moving… Centuries (Fall Out Boys), All About That Bass (Meghan Trainor), Hollaback Girl (Gwen Stefani), Uma Thurman (Fall Out Boy), Beware the Dogs (The Griswolds), and Super Freak (Rick James). Spotify is great too because you can listen to your favorite genre of music, and if you like a song, add it to your own playlist. Smart phone technology, for the most part, is horrible and ruins lives but that's pretty cool. And walking gets your blood flowing releasing endorphins that reduce stress and improve your mood and actually make you happier. Oh! That's another one… Happy by Pharrell Williams. I bounce around and wave my hands over my head like an orangutan on uppers when I hear that song… and I don't care if you think I'm lame, Benjamin. "Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah, Well, give me all you got, and don't hold it back, yeah, Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine, yeah, No offense to you, don't waste your time." Because I'm happy. See you on the trails! 4 OUR YUCAIPA | MARCH 2015 ~ Courtney This Chunky Monkey is Taking A Walk

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