It’s hard to believe that it’s been six weeks since I started this effort. Really, the time has gone by quickly, and I feel better every day. I most definitely feel stronger. Keeping my butt off the scales has also done a splendid job of keeping my brain in check, too.
This past weekend, I had an event to attend for business. Anything that requires walking worries me; my knees are crap, I deal with a certain amount of pain just in walking, and over and above that, I’m a large person who tires easily, can’t keep up, and I just don’t know too many people for whom a coating of sweat is a good look. 😉 Body builders, maybe, but not me. So, when I have a circumstance where I might not be in control of how much walking, standing, or moving around I do, I get nervous.
Saturday turned out to be a good day, though. While I wasn’t on my feet just a whole lot at all, I could tell in my walking that my endurance has improved. I think one of the things that really frustrated me in my last effort was that I felt like I was killing myself with exercise and getting nowhere at all with endurance. This time around, it seems so much better, and I’m really at a loss as to why. I’m not fighting exercise so hard anymore; in fact, I’ve been incorporating swimming laps into my water workouts, and it’s going… um… swimmingly. 😉 Swimming is the absolute ideal exercise for me and I’m thrilled that I’m getting back into it.
Summer is just around the corner, and while I know that I’ve got my work cut out for me this summer, I am going to keep reminding myself that by next year this time, if I stick to my guns and continue, I’m going to be in pretty awesome shape. I don’t believe I will be near goal, but I will weigh significantly less than I do now, which helps everything. It helps my health, my knees, my endurance, and most of all, my attitude.
Because the truth of the matter is — I miss moving. Pure and simple. When I lost 140 pounds, I also lost myself at some point and quit fighting so hard, but one thing I remember very well is how easy it was for me to move. I could walk for fair distances — miles, in fact. I could hike. I could climb. I wasn’t limited by weight. I had crappy knees then, too, so while I’m sure they’ve deteriorated since then, every pound I lose makes walking and moving easier. Heck, I could dance. I love dancing! But I don’t. I’m not sure of myself. I’m afraid I’ll hurt myself, and I don’t like living in fear. I want to break free of the limitations I have placed on myself by staying at the weight I’ve been at.
Otherwise, I’m still feeling good. Food hasn’t been an issue. I could always stand to be more disciplined with water intake. Exercise is going great. I am feeling results, more than anything.