The Long and Winding Road

Day 69

I'm treating this weight loss journey like a marathon instead of a sprint. And, I can finally see my Q1 Check Point ahead. What was once a tiny spec in the distance is finally beginning to loom larger and larger with each passing day.



This will mark the longest I've ever been able to sustain any kind of diet and exercise plan primarily because I'm treating it like a lifestyle change and not a diet. I've attempted many, many, many times to lose weight. But, I've always given up somewhere between week 4 and week 6 when I realize that I'm not going to meet my lofty goal. In the course of this quarter, my goals have changed a bit. One of them was to be able to run a mile without tossing my cookies. It's time to face the music on that one. I'm not a runner. I don't even want to be a runner. The thought of running makes me shudder. I have plenty of body parts heading south already. They don't need any help.

The crazy thing about goals is that if they aren't something you really want for yourself, you'll never achieve them. In the beginning, this journey seemed like a straight line of flat road. Easy right? Oh how wrong! It's been filled with hills and curves and bad weather. But, I've made it through and today the sun shines on my back and I'm confident that I can make it to the finish... I mean checkpoint! I may not come in at 25 pounds lost this quarter. That's ok. If this is the case, it won't be because I didn't give it my best.


My fitness level had declined so much over the past few years, that at the beginning of this  journey I could barely get through 20 minutes walking on the treadmill or playing Wii Fit Plus. Ten "lady" pushups nearly killed me. And, horror upon horror, I could barely bench press 65 lbs. (A few years ago, my max was 105 lbs) Instead of giving up, I made peace with my starting point and set a goal of improving my stamina everyday. Last week I noticed that I was able to knock out 3 sets of those lady push ups! Benching 65 lbs is getting easier. And, I can now do a 17.5 minute mile on the treadmill. Eight short weeks ago a 20 minute mile made me feel bad about myself.


I'll be rolling through Check Point 1 with some bumps and bruises. But, that's all part of the journey. I don't mind falling down from time to time. The important thing is to get back up and keep on moving forward. I've essentially got three weeks to lose 10 pounds and I'll be traveling for 11 of those 21 days. That's a tall order. Wish me luck.

Cheers!
Margaret