172 lbs.
I am happy to report that 85 fewer pounds makes a huge difference in my life, and especially in my ability to enjoy outdoor activities. The last time I visited Salt Lake City, UT to see my sister, I was really feeling the altitude, and I broke out in a sweat (even in the dead of winter) just walking around outside. I don't have a typical sedentary family. In fact, one of my sisters is very outdoorsy and athletic, and is always walking and moving around. When I was overweight, it was uncomfortable or painful for me to exert myself to the level of everyone else, and as I reached my heaviest, I would flat-out have to pass on certain activities. That was a painful memory and source of shame for me.
When I embarked on my weight loss program, part of my vision board contained the activity of hiking, because I have longed to hike with my family in the beautiful forest or in the desert. This past weekend, my dream came true. I didn't have any problems breathing in the altitude, and I had no trouble walking for miles (most days reaching my 10K steps before 9am!) without getting winded. I was shocked and elated at how normal it all felt. I just took it all in, as if I were in a dream. The smell of the pine trees, the deliberate but confident steps down a slippery slope, and small steps going up a long hill. The wildflowers were in full bloom, and the clouds in the sky were reflected in the beautiful lakes that we hiked to or around.
Below are some pictures of my adventures with my beautiful sisters (I'm on the far right):
So this is the post to remind me of how far I've come and how life-changing this experience has been. All of the times I've said "no" to food have been worth it.
The scale didn't go down as much as I would have anticipated given the sharp increase in activity. In fact, it was just an average weight-loss.. I did eat an extra shake on the days that we hiked or walked to an extreme. I also had a soup with my family every night. I knew I would need them! When I got home, I was very motivated to keep moving and walking, since I had proven to myself that I could do it. I am loving this new energy and physical fitness. I treated myself to a new fitness toy and downloaded FitRadio. I've been listening to the DJ mixes that keep me stepping to the beat and increasing my speed. I'm channeling my inner 25 year old.
I hope you all are doing well on your programs, and taking some time to reflect on the small and large reminders of your progress. It's nice to take a moment to enjoy the good things in life.
Edit: Please give yourself a gift and take a second to read this beautiful post. It's short, but will make your day and maybe help you on your way: http://momastery.com/blog/2014/07/06/body-masterpiece/
I am happy to report that 85 fewer pounds makes a huge difference in my life, and especially in my ability to enjoy outdoor activities. The last time I visited Salt Lake City, UT to see my sister, I was really feeling the altitude, and I broke out in a sweat (even in the dead of winter) just walking around outside. I don't have a typical sedentary family. In fact, one of my sisters is very outdoorsy and athletic, and is always walking and moving around. When I was overweight, it was uncomfortable or painful for me to exert myself to the level of everyone else, and as I reached my heaviest, I would flat-out have to pass on certain activities. That was a painful memory and source of shame for me.
When I embarked on my weight loss program, part of my vision board contained the activity of hiking, because I have longed to hike with my family in the beautiful forest or in the desert. This past weekend, my dream came true. I didn't have any problems breathing in the altitude, and I had no trouble walking for miles (most days reaching my 10K steps before 9am!) without getting winded. I was shocked and elated at how normal it all felt. I just took it all in, as if I were in a dream. The smell of the pine trees, the deliberate but confident steps down a slippery slope, and small steps going up a long hill. The wildflowers were in full bloom, and the clouds in the sky were reflected in the beautiful lakes that we hiked to or around.
Below are some pictures of my adventures with my beautiful sisters (I'm on the far right):
Not the most flattering picture, but here I am carefully trying not to slip down the hill:
One of the biggest thrills was seeing this moose in the water!!
And here is the breathtaking mountain scenery!
The scale didn't go down as much as I would have anticipated given the sharp increase in activity. In fact, it was just an average weight-loss.. I did eat an extra shake on the days that we hiked or walked to an extreme. I also had a soup with my family every night. I knew I would need them! When I got home, I was very motivated to keep moving and walking, since I had proven to myself that I could do it. I am loving this new energy and physical fitness. I treated myself to a new fitness toy and downloaded FitRadio. I've been listening to the DJ mixes that keep me stepping to the beat and increasing my speed. I'm channeling my inner 25 year old.
I hope you all are doing well on your programs, and taking some time to reflect on the small and large reminders of your progress. It's nice to take a moment to enjoy the good things in life.
Edit: Please give yourself a gift and take a second to read this beautiful post. It's short, but will make your day and maybe help you on your way: http://momastery.com/blog/2014/07/06/body-masterpiece/
4 comments:
What a beautiful post! I'm so thrilled for you and that you could join your sisters on such a wonderful adventure. That last picture is absolutely breathtaking.
Thanks Kathy! You inspired me with all of your fun vacation pictures!
This is amazing! You have made so much progress, and it is fantastic for you to be able to celebrate and enjoy your success like this!
Thanks Tara. It was really a pleasant surprise since I hadn't had the opportunity to test my body under those conditions. I think it's one of the quirks of losing weight so fast. It takes time for my brain to catch up to my body.
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