Mockingbird Hill Cottage

I have never been what I would consider athletic. I’ve always avoided exercise, simply because it bored me and I couldn’t commit to an exercise regimen even though I knew that I should do something. Add to that the fact that I used to be very tall and very thin, could eat anything I wanted and not gain a pound. Now I was facing a very different body, one that I didn’t recognize or like. Something had to change.

I am convinced that part of my downfall is my love of sweets. Oh boy, do I have a sweet tooth! So last December, I cut out all refined sugar and stopped buying or making pastries, cookies, pies, and cakes. No candy. Nothing but fresh fruit or, in a pinch, canned fruit with no sugar added.

The pounds started coming off. My ‘exercise’ this past winter came in the form of shoveling mountains of snow. But now that spring is here, my husband (who is as averse to exercise as I am) and I have started hiking.

Yes, you read that right – hiking.

I love to walk. I lived in cities for years and nothing made me happier than to take off for the day, traveling for blocks and blocks, observing people, looking at shop windows, all the time walking briskly. That’s the kind of exercise I like.

But now we live in the country on a country road that, ironically, gets as much traffic as a city street without the benefit of sidewalks. What to do?

We live at the foot of a mountain ridge and there are several parks or preserves up on the ridge. One of those preserves was offering a free pass for a month to local residents. We took them up on their offer. And for the past month, we have been hiking high up in the mountains, covering at least 4 to 5 miles on each hike, gazing out at the spectacular views in this part of the Hudson Valley – feeling good. Feeling more fit.

This has become our new regimen. No refined sugar. No fattening baked goods. Healthy food. Hiking.

It’s been exciting and it’s definitely a new path for us, one that we feel very good about. Wait a minute…have I finally discovered a healthy exercise regimen that I like? Is it as simple as walking?

Yes.

We barely recognize ourselves! Who are these two hikers?

Just goes to show that it’s always possible to make a positive change.

Have you been considering making a positive change in your life? Read below to find out how you can enter for a chance to win $10,000 to make your dreams come true!

Merck Consumer Care, the makers of OXYTROL FOR WOMEN – the first and only over-the-counter treatment for overactive bladder – and MORE magazine are launching the “Open A New Door” program to help women 50 and over overcome barriers when pursing their passions.1,857 women 50 and over on MORE’s reader panel were surveyed to reveal what dreams they want to pursue in their second stage of life and what barriers they would face trying to reinvent themselves. In a perfect world, 97% of the women surveyed would choose a variety of ways to reinvent themselves in the near future. However, nearly 9 out of 10 (89%) of these women admit they would face obstacles in their quest for reinvention.  

One woman who enters the “Open a New Door” contest will be awarded $10,000 to help her realize her reinvention goals in the areas of professional development, volunteerism or travel, in addition to a personal coaching session with Pamela Mitchell, founder and CEO of The Reinvention Institute. Women 50 and over can visit MoreOpenDoors.com to enter. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN IN THE OPEN A NEW DOOR CONTEST. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE THE CHANCE OF WINNING. Starts 8:00:00 am ET on 5/20/14, ends 11:59:59 pm ET on 6/30/14 (“Promotion Period”). Open to women who are legal residents of 50 United States and District of Columbia and 50+ years. Void where prohibited. Subject to the Official Rules, inclusive of the entry judging criteria, available by visiting MoreOpenDoors.com during the Promotion Period or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by 8/4/14 to: Open A New Door Contest RULES, P.O. Box 13106, Bridgeport, CT, 066733106. Sponsor:  MSD Consumer Care, Inc.”