This week has been monumental in the wellness realm. I did have a loss at my weekly support group, a total of three weeks at this point. I am beginning to realize that just like self-sabotaging before weigh-ins, I cannot set high expectations as the number on the scale is just that, a number and what it is, it is. Walking has been good to improve this number as well as being mindful of my calorie intake and drink consumption.
Before this week’s weigh in, I had a higher expectation than what I know I would have achieved. This happened last week when the I had a half pound loss, yet was walking. This week, with walking several days was hoping for dramatic results, and while I got a good result of 2.25 pounds, I was a little discouraged. When I came home that evening, I shared on our support groups national Facebook Groups and shared what I have done over the past few weeks and how the progress has been solid, yet not as bountiful as I wanted to be. I knew I had to accept what was given to me because I did work hard to get to this point and not become discouraged.
The support has been coming in consistently the past few days, hundreds of reactions and dozens of comments, even from the former President of the support group organization to not give up and continue the journey even If I might have a setback or less expectant outcome. I need to keep fighting the fight because in the long run it will be better for my health in the end. It may be hard when consistently measuring when getting a negative outcome, especially the following day when I may have thought I did well.
Recently, in my Google Photos timeline, a photo came up of the year-round toilet on the trail that was installed 11 years ago when I begun one of many spring flings of exploring the trail. While it may seem odd to remember such a odd thing, that was what I was (and sometimes still) into and was proud to have such a facility on the trail rather than have to go to the park or nearby grocery store. I also know, because I have been tracking distance on the trail this year that it is 450’ feet from the trailhead to this building. While this facility may seem odd, it can be a sense of relief to some as it is the first thing one sees when coming back into town.
I remember this year when my mother mentioned to me us getting back on the trail to exercise, I recall saying that “I wouldn’t even make it to the privy building.” Well, that first day, I went to the second bench down river, totaling three tenths of a mile that day. Each trip to the trail, we have increased our steppage down and back, as that is what you have to do. Last weekend, the effects of the spring weather came to play and it was in the forties, but we went and although we cut our distance back a bit, we got some sort of activity in.
As the weekend progressed, we did re-gain some traction. However, Monday is our rest day as we have support group that evening. Yesterday, as we returned to the trail and started out, we were both in slight pain for a moment. We only first made it to that second bench we made the first day, then we said “how about the next bench?” We progressed to the next set, feeling better that after a resting we went further to the next set. We contemplated about going further, then we said to a landmark in between those benches and the furthest we been. Once we go there, we said “what the heck” and went to our furthest point.
I have to say that if it was up to me, I would have given up at that second bench, but it was my mother that persisted that we regain our momentum and she had done a day of work and I had done a day at the day program with a hour van ride home yesterday. However, by doing so, I was able to get over 11,000 steps for yesterday and meet all my goals. I may realize that the results may not show up and we are expected to get some rain and snow most of today here in Western Pennsylvania so we will not be able to walk today because it is under our threshold for being able to comfortably walk, so we may not get to where we want to be. Where we turned around yesterday, I saw a set of benches I would like to achieve and while I would like to get there soon, I may have to rebuild my expectations due to not being able to go an additional day, however I know I have to keep up the momentum and put my best foot forward because I know I cannot go back from where I started.
Dustin's Dynasty 