Well, I have not been as productive with my training as I had hoped. I’ve walked outside for 3 miles once during week 1 and once during week 2. I’ve also been doing Sri Sri yoga once per week as well. My body is sore most days and I KNOW that it wouldn’t be as sore IF I was to get moving more!
That is the goal of week 3: MOVE, more often!!!
Brisk 3 mile walk.
In the cold.
Body is still sore.
That is all.
I completed my last 5k a year ago in March 2018. It’s time to do it again. I have not been working out for a couple of months now because of a sore Achilles tendon, so I have some work ahead of me.
With exactly 9 weeks to prepare for this 5k, I wrote down my plan. I’ll be doing combination walk/runs over these weeks, working my way up to running 3.1 miles nonstop. That is my goal.
I’ve completed 5ks in the past, but only ran one almost completely, minus about 30 seconds of walking up a hill towards the end. So now, my goal is to run nonstop.
My speed matters NOT. I just want to run the thing. No walking. No stopping.
I’m going to run it.
Progress post to come…
Just taking a moment to enjoy my first cup of tea in my new space. Bliss.
As I emerge from my winter hibernation, I am giving myself the gift of an early spring! Never mind what mother nature has in mind with more cold, snow and freezing rain in the forecast. Every part of me is already in spring mode, and I plan to act accordingly!
The winter months provided me a time to slow down and catch my breath after the whirlwind year of growth that I experienced last year. I was able to curl up into a ball under warm blankets, sip on bottomless cups of hot tea and reflect on all of the changes that had occurred both within and without. Some felt completed, as if the transformations had come full circle and I was able to graduate beyond that stage or level. Others seemed to have changed course, no longer applicable to my life and where I am going. I was able to release those and leave them by the wayside, grateful for the purposes that they served. Still others felt as if they were still in progress and required continued focus on my part, as I move forward in my growth.
Stepping out of my cozy, comfortable winter zone, I am ready to pick up the pace and get moving again. First thing’s first: nourish and replenish my mind, body & spirit.
At the top of my list is to create a space for myself within my home of 6 people and 1 cat. I took possession of a downstairs room that was being used as our “hide the crap, company’s coming” room. I spent two full days clearing EVERYTHING out of this room, wiping down walls and vacuuming. Once the room was cleared out and cleaned up, it became a blank canvas. I began to visualize what I want this space to be for me.
There are a few concepts and items that are absolute necessities in my space: clutter-free, calming music, gentle fragrances, real plants, space for yoga, meditation & stretching, artwork that speaks to me and tranquility.
Everything about my new space is a reflection of who I am and what I am feeling on the inside. This is MY space for peace and serenity, so that I may connect with my higher self, listen to my spirit, release all resistance and simply breathe.
It’s coming together perfectly!
A few of my favorite things and my new places to work, relax and reflect:
Yesterday, December 28, 2018, was my 44th birthday. Today, December 29, 2018, marks the first day of the 45th year of my life on this planet.
I spent yesterday reflecting on all that I have learned about myself and my place in this world this past year. I have undergone a tremendous amount of growth and spiritual evolution. I have learned to love myself unconditionally. I remembered who I am and what I am capable of.
I will spend today focusing on my next steps. As I enter this next chapter of life, my personal new year, I have many seeds to plant for the future that I want for myself.
First thing this morning, I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 32 minutes. Perfect way to begin this next chapter!
So…what’s next?
So…this is my current weight, today. Tomorrow it may be something totally different. At any rate, this is where I am right now. And this is where I pick up and continue on along my fitness journey.
This morning, after I got all four of the children on the school bus, I got myself dressed in my workout gear and went outside. I walked 1/4 mile, SLOWLY jogged 1 mile and finished with a 3/4 mile walk. 2 miles total! I feel refreshed and my legs are letting me know that they got a pretty decent workout out of it.
Though I haven’t run or jogged in months, my plan is to give myself this 30 minutes every morning to run a mile and walk a mile around my neighborhood. The fresh, cool air does wonders for me. I am able to clear my mind, connect with nature and set my intentions for the day.
For my listening pleasure during my jog/walk, I play Soul of Healing Affirmations by Deepak Chopra & Adam Plack. Amazing stuff!
And now…what to eat??
Recent Weights:
228.9 on July 16, 2015
225.2 on February 20, 2016
211.9 on July 3, 2016
222.0 on December 30, 2017
197.0 on August 27, 2018
I’ve been attempting to lose weight and get healthy since my mid twenties. I finally took that step to get myself healthy in the beginning of 2016. I completed the C25K (Couch to 5K) program and ran my very first 5K on May 21, 2016. I had lost approximately 10 pounds and went down a few sizes by the end of the program. More importantly, my leg muscles were developing and I could comfortably run up to 3 miles nonstop! I felt amazing inside and out.
I also slipped and fell down some stairs the same rainy night that I ran my first 5K. This left me with 2 bulging discs in my lower back. I still ran a little after that and completed another 5K that fall. After that run, I took some time off from exercise and ended up gaining the weight back that I had lost. The pain in my back increased. It became debilitating at times and I found myself feeling sorry for myself. I was beginning to convince myself that I would have this pain for the rest of my life.
I tried heat therapy, cold therapy, physical therapy, massage, stretches, injections, all to no avail. My part time job was not extremely physical, but it was enough motion every day to aggravate the pain and required daily doses of Aleve to get me through the day and night. I gave up sleeping on my Sleep Number bed and moved downstairs to a recliner.
I had gotten to a point where I just adjusted my life and limited my mobility in order to lessen the pain…until a good friend of mine suggested that I get back to running.
What?! Run again?? With this back pain??? Uh…
I went out on a chilly November morning in 2017 and I ran Week 1, Day 1 of the C25K program. Slowly. But I ran. And my time was even better than the first time I ran it in 2016!
And I haven’t stopped working out since! I completed a few more 5Ks and then switched from running to walking on an incline on the treadmill, using the elliptical and the stationary bike, and walking 3 miles outside around my neighborhood.
31 pounds GONE and down from a size 18 Women to a Regular 14/12/10, depending on where I shop, and still going!! And my back pain is no longer an issue! The discs are still bulging, but I go on about my life and activities and because I give it no thought or energy, I don’t feel the pain anymore.
This has been the biggest solo accomplishment of my adult life. No one could do this for me. Even with the best encouragement, it was all up to ME to get up, get dressed and move my body.
I will continue to take care of this body, so that it can take me all the places that I want to go and do all of the things that I want to do!
Where Is Hope Taking You? 