Information and Statistics

Machu Picchu

-5 square miles in size

-It has over 3000 steps linking it's levels

-8000 ft above sea level

-Has Wet and Dry Seasons - most of it's rainfall happens from October through April.

-It is surrounded on three sides with vertical cliffs ranging from 1480 ft to 1870 ft with a river below.

Machu Picchu means 'Old Peak' in the Quechua language. It was built around 1450 at the height of the Inca Empire. It is invisible from below and completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed several times the population, and watered by natural springs. It was abandoned as a result of the Spanish conquest in 1572 although it was not found or plundered by the Spanish. This is known because the Intihuatana stone is still intact.

The Spanish would destroy this sacred stone in any site they found because it was believed that the Gods of the location would die if it was not intact. Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 and has become one of the most visited locations in Peru.

Myself

- 40 years old - just barely.

- Mother, wife, mom, nurse, daughter, friend

- I would describe myself as stubborn, honest,

affirming, determined, over ambitious,

crazy in love, faithful, generous, insatiable,

self critical, loyal, organized, responsible and tired.

Oh.. and I'm obese. Morbidly so.

I am morbidly obese by about any text book. I have this goal to climb up the Inca Trail and enter Machu Picchu through the sun gate and there is no chance I would succeed if I tried today.

Here's my stats - On Jan. 1st, 2011 - I weighed 252lb. I am 54.5" tall. That equals a BMI of 42.58. I need to be half of myself. My measurements of my various parts equal 252.11" around. I haven't calculated how many inches I need to lose, but it is many.

I have struggled with losing weight, my self image about my weight, my self loathing about my inaction on my weight for years now. I told (hear warned) my husband that pregnancy was terrible for my body and he told be he would love me anyways. He certainly does love me just as I am. I'm thankful for that, but I need a motivation to get fit. I can think about the health reasons and the shopping reasons and the many different reasons that are all good to get in shape. Yet, I do nothing. So - I have decided to combine my need to travel and see places in the world. I decided that Machu Picchu was definitely good incentive to lose weight for. So, I'm giving myself a trip to experience this amazing place as a reward and incentive for my weight loss. I need to lose about 120lb at this point. It will be a total of 150lb lost from my heaviest. I am setting MP as my 100lb incentive. I am also planning to set aside money ($50) for each pound I lose so that I will have the ability to go when the time arrives.

The sun gate itself is neat.

But the view and the first glimpse of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate will be worth it all.