Body, Mind, Spirit
I walked hard this week. My distances were long (for me) and I took new routes. They were fun. On Sunday I walked 2.5 miles and then played about an hour of tennis. That wasn’t planned. I would love to buy a bike. I’m only 3 miles from a few supermarkets, which is close enough for a bike ride but a little far (time-wise) for a walk. Plus, I think bike riding is fun.
I’m trying really hard to act like I don’t care that I have walked every day of the last 69 days and haven’t lost ? of an ounce of weight. I try to focus on how strong I am becoming, how much faster I can walk and how my foot–the one I was sure was broken for years–no longer bothers me when I walk. My legs might be slimmer, maybe, but I forgot to take measurements when I started. I should take measurements Monday morning and see where I am 69 days from now.
There is no question my stomach and face are both puffier, and I don’t know what that’s about. It freaks me out–a lot. I think it’s because I no longer deny myself bread, carbs, and grains. I don’t go crazy–I have a piece of sourdough toast when I have eggs for breakfast, and occasionally I’ll make pasta for dinner. Pizza on Fridays, of course. (Thank you for all those awesome recipes, by the way! I’m going to try all of them and do a taste test.) That’s hardly an overabundance of carbs, but my nutritionist says that gluten does make some people bloat. Maybe that’s what is happening. I see her in a week or two, and I’m sure she’ll explain it all to me in a way that makes sense.
In other news, I was much better with my gratitude journal this week. Bible and Catechism reading remains poor. Hope that I will do better at both: high.
Song of the Week
Keep on Walking – Passenger
Everything I read says ‘one habit at a time’ is about all we humans can manage. I know that’s true in my case. It might help you to fast forward to when you are elderly (it will take some imagination I’m sure). At an advanced age, fitness isn’t about cute clothes or sex appeal or even self image. It’s about avoiding life-threatening injury, staying independent enough to remain in your own home, about being able to enjoy your grand-kids. Any exercise habits you form now will help a lot when it really matters.
Ah Passenger again! So apropos. Don’t despair about the weight – there are changes that might seem invisible that are really important. You have 69 days under your belt of something you thought impossible – what a coup! That alone is a beautiful thing. The weight will come: but the mental win is already underway. xx
Was just about to throw several studies your way on the benefits of walking to your overall health, but then retracted. Here’s the synopsis. – walking is good for you! Osteoporosis, cholesterol, blood pressure, type II diabetes, triglycerides, metabolic conditions, cancers – all lowered by being active, in as little as 20-30 minutes per day. The other incredible thing, this little activity improves overall mental stability. These few steps have such incredible overall impact.
If it helps, at all, I’ve been there every day with you and have not lost a single pound. I feel better though. Haven’t had a cold or heartburn the whole year. Don’t know about the puffiness, maybe they just seem puffier because the rest of you is trimming down? Carbs fuel your brain…that must be why your face is puffier ;) Hopefully your nutritionist has a better answer.
I’m feeling bad because I haven’t posted a photo in so long…I’ve got a few, just time has been flying, our internet at home has been intermittent during the renos…there are tonnes of excuses. But I’m there walking beside you. It has been great.
On to biking. Love it. Can’t believe how inexpensive bikes are at Walmart (I’ve never been to one, but reading your reader comments, it seems kind of crazy). You could always check out craigslist for a bike – just make sure it isn’t a stolen bicycle.
Love this series of pictures. So glad to hear your walks have been fun and lengthy. No great advice, just know I am cheering you on along with so many others. My older daughter went off gluten last summer – we discovered the lactose intolerance we always thought she had is actually a glucose intolerance. I will ask her about puffiness – I know her stomach has been better and her migraines have greatly decreased.
That’s an amazing amount of walking. Really. I set out to “move more” this year and so far have utterly failed.
I’m always trying to cut down carbs, but not really trying. If that makes sense. I have NO IDEA what people on low/no carb diets eat for breakfast every day. I guess one could research that, if one was so inclined. ;)
I wish I could give you a high five for sticking with walking, seriously awesome.
Also, I want a bike too.
I want to thank you for your honesty about walking and your relationship with food. It is brave and I am humbled by it. Cheers to you for walking everyday! I wish I could say that I have followed my fitness/’moving more’ goal half (or even a quarter!) as well as you have. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me.
You are amazing and a great inspiration to me!
I am so impressed by your habit of walking every day.
I am on a “write every day” kick, though since I only started yesterday, I can’t call it a kick yet. But I hope that it will be one.
When that is firmly established (maybe 69 days from now), I will try to add in daily walking beyond “around the city for transport”.
i’m so glad you write about this kind of stuff – i find it so encouraging (i gave up scales as my only new year resolution, and for once, i’ve stuck with it!).
in other news: is it weird that i started the video and went “hey – i know that place!” then second guessed myself for the rest of it, then looked it up and found out the guy who filmed it is based in perth? hooray for WA! (the bigger one… ;) )
That is incredible! I have just gotten up to 2 miles, and feel that’s an accomplishment. But everyday? Not me, so you should be really proud of yourself. I’ve heard that it takes time for your body to catch up and you might start losing the weight really fast at a certain point. I’m trying to lose weight too, I’ve lost a pound. Not really much, but I’m gonna keep trying.
Hey just a thought about the puffiness- remember how sure you were that you had gained before, but it turned out you’d lost some. Maybe this is the same, maybe you just feel puffy. That distorted perception is part and parcel with disordered eating, but of course you know that. I was just thinking maybe an outside eye, like your nutritionist, might have good perspective there. You might be hesistant to bring it up, but that what you pay her for, right? :)
That said, I don’t eat any wheat at all, but that’s because I have celiac sprue- so you can have a healthy diet without wheat, too.