It's a battle

 Just recently I was thinking about my weight loss journey over the years.  Throughout the years I have been either hot on the trail of weight loss or I have been amazingly active. It seems as if I can never have both things at the same time.  Yet if I had both things in line at the same time I would be absolutely golden!  But it never seems to happen that way.  

Years back I called myself the fattest fit person...because I was in the obese category but I was running daily, going to zumba, riding my bike, hiking and all sorts of activities.  But I wasn't losing weight!   There have been times where I was losing amazing amounts of weight...but I wasn't being active!  Why can I not get both of these things under control at once!  And then this week it hit me.  There is a battle between the two! 

All along I have in my mind linked getting fit with losing weight.  And don't get me wrong, they do go hand in hand.  The food I eat is what fuels me to do the activity.  The activity I do is what helps burn excess calories. It all works together.  But this week I realized that I have been erroneous!  I have been making these two things all one in the same when in reality I am on TWO different journeys!  I am on a journey to lose weight.  But I am also on a journey to get fit.   Similar...but two totally different journeys!

I need to start focusing on each of these as their own entity!  You see,  I set a huge fitness goal for my year 2021.  I planned to do my mileage of 201 miles for the year. And I went into the new year totally focused on that fitness challenge. I was thinking that I had covered my bases and I had good goals for the year!    And it is a great goal.  I have been super focused on working toward that goal and to take the steps that I need to in order to reach that goal.  It has been awesome (and stressful).  But seriously...that's a fitness goal.  Sure, my weight may come off as a side effect of me pursuing that goal, but am I doing anything about my weight??  What about a weight related goal???? What about my weight loss journey????

You see...I was focused on one thing and since it was lumped together I thought I was good!  But no...I need to be focused on what I can do for my weight loss efforts also!  So right here and right now I am setting a goal.  And let me tell you, I am cringing to write this out...because I HATE to set weight loss goals.  Sometimes there are factors out of our control that keep us from losing weight.  And I don't want to set myself up for failure!  But I am roughly 47 pounds away from 200 pounds.  Sooooo my goal for the year 2021 is to get under 200 pounds.  That is one pound a week!  I know what I need to do in order to reach it!     Now if my body and mind cooperate I'll be good!

So I really am on two journeys.  The first journey is to lose weight!  The second journey is to be fit!  They are both equally important.  They will both benefit each other.  But they are two very separate journeys!!!!  I've got this!!!

Weigh in Victory

 This was a crazy week.  I  was sure that my weight loss was going to be non existent!  I was sure that I was going to post a failure.  I clung to the fact that I was riding the bike at least......but hold on, I'm getting ahead of myself!  

 2021 miles in 2021

So lets talk about the mile challenge!  I admittedly had my moments of feeling totally overwhelmed by the sheer enormity (for me) of my challenge.  When I allow myself to think about what I have yet to achieve and how many more days I have to consistently get my miles I just want to cry!   Yes, cry!  I feel a bit defeated just thinking about it!   BUT....I stepped back and decided to not think about the sheer amount of numbers I have left to complete.  I am choosing to not think about how many more days of constantly grinding out miles I have left.    I am looking at each and every day as an individual challenge.    My goal is to get 5.61 miles today.  I'm not worried about tomorrow...only focused on 'today'.  And while it is still a huge goal, I feel so much better about it.  

I also had a breakthrough in my thoughts.  I have long struggled to get steps each day.  When I first signed up for this challenge I was thinking that I would be able to count  my daily steps.  But the full rules were revealed to me only a day or so before the challenge began when it was announced that only miles that are specifically exercise miles count.  I started the challenge with that mantra and I was good with it.   I had a one day at work when I was calling an insurance company and they announced that the hold times were going to be very high. (like over 20 minutes).  I stood up and walked in place for those 20 minutes (which actually turned out to be quite a few more minutes...close to 80 minutes on hold....were  walked in place at my desk).  It was 'purposeful steps' so it counted.   A week later I had another 'announced' long hold.  So I stood up and walked in place.  It was during that experience that i realized that for ME that not counting my steps are inhibiting me and not encouraging me to get any extra steps...even if it is 100 steps here and 100 steps there.    

So I have a change.  While I was originally ok with the not counting my steps. I wanted to change it to encourage me to get extra steps no matter when or how.  So  I went back and looked at how many steps I get on an 'average' day where we don't walk after work...a sedentary day.   That is my  first number.  The next number I needed was to find out how  many steps I take per each mile.    The third number is my fluctuating number each day...my daily step total.   So each day I do a simple math equation.  

Total steps for the day  - (minus)  Sedentary Day steps =   Extra steps for the day    I then take the number I got for my extra steps for the day and divide it by the number that I have for how many steps I take in an average mile.    And that is my walking mileage!  This encourages me to stand up and walk and earn steps!   I hope to take my daily total of steps from barely scraping 5000 to many many more each day!  (If I use a GPS counter for a run or a hike then I will also deduct that from my daily step count!)   I started this just on Friday and I am very happy with it.  

Ohhh two more tidbits about my mileage thus far!   Number one, I am over 20 miles AHEAD for the year!  I am not planning on using those miles unless I absolutely need to.  I know there will come a day where something happens and I am honestly unable to complete my miles.....so those banked miles are for unavoidable issues!   Number two....Jason told me last night that he is proud of me.  He expected me to already have stopped and quit the challenge because it is soooo big.   

My Weigh In

I struggled a bit early in the week with my daily weigh ins.  But I did not give up.  I readjusted and moved on.  And when I stepped on the scales I almost danced a jig. (OH wait, I did!)   I lost 2 pounds!!!!

So I had a super successful week!  I am so proud of me!!!!!!

Update on my 2021 challenge

 This challenge that I set for myself is huge!  I knew it when I decided to sign up for the 2021 miles in 2021.  I knew that 5.61 miles for me would be a stretch and really push myself!  Yet I did it anyway!  I signed up for the challenge and I decided to do it solo, meaning that I would be the only person responsible for accruing 2021 miles!

I was so excited to start the new year and get this challenge rolling.  I woke up on the first of the year and I eagerly went to the exercise bike and got my miles in! I pushed hard!  The room was hot.  I felt so dizzy after getting off the bike! I didn't let that stop me.  On December 2nd I was back on the bike!  I was there again on the 3rd!  Every day I hopped on that bike and I rode.

But it wasn't long before I started to feel the dread...the overwhelming feeling of working on a challenge that was WAY TOO BIG!  Every day I drug myself to the bike and grudgingly rode.  And I questioned my sanity!  I mean, It's only one week into the year.  I've got 50-51 weeks left! This year is going to be long!

But I'm not giving up!  A true challenge is something that tests you and pushes you to your limit!  That is what I want!  So I will keep pushing forward.  I will focus on one day at a time!  I will do this!  

The Challenge for 2021

 Happy New Years!  I am smiling as I welcome 2021!  I have plans and goals for this year and I can't wait to have success!!!!  I am planning on doing this with an immense challenge to myself!!

I actually attempted this same challenge in 2017...but then Jason and I both switched jobs and added a HUGE commute that ate up our time for evening walks and the challenge fell by the wayside.  I am going to attempt it again!

The year is 2021 and I have set a goal to walk/run/hike/bike 2021 miles!  I had the chance to do it as a team and I honestly pondered this. But I want a challenge!  (Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment!)

2021 miles in 2021...that is about 5.5 miles a day!

2021 miles in 2021....that is 168.41 miles a month! 

That is a whole lot of miles for anyone!  Especially for this girl who is barely walking 5,000 steps a day as it is and struggles to reach that goal!  I am counting on using the exercise bike to help boost my miles in the off season.   During bike season I know that our outdoor bike rides will help accumulate miles pretty quickly!

I have my new (well a few weeks old now) Fitbit Sense  (Affiliate Link) to  help me along on this journey and I am ready!!!! I am also ready to rock that Exercise bike I got last year (The Schwinn IC3...Amazon Affiliate link)

Wish me luck!  It's going to be difficult!  I am also giving you permission to ask me about my challenge111