Victory amidst the failure

I feel empowered today. I feel like I’m actually doing something for myself. It’s actually a really nice feeling. In saying I’m empowered I mean to say that I actually feel in control of my addiction this week. I’m not out of control. That’s not to say the week wasn’t without its slip ups and failures. But that said that doesn’t mean that my week is without victory.

When I first started thinking about this post, I was thinking of total failure except for one tiny little thing… But then I started to see the  sun  behind the clouds. There actually are victories within the failures. That is when I realized that we need to stop being so harsh on ourselves when we fall down. Not only are we learning lessons when we fall down, but sometimes there are still victories hidden within the pain of the failure.

Let’s start with a failure ....8000 steps a day. I nailed that goal on Monday. I got to work early enough to get that before work  walkaround the lake, and that was enough to add to my other break walks and allow me to easily make my goal.  Tuesday was rainy, but I did manage to walk inside the parking garage… And on one break when the rain cleared I even walked outside on the top deck of the parking garage. I even found a quarter, time, and Penny.



But even though I walked in the parking garage I only made it to about. 5000 steps. The sun was out on Wednesday and Thursday and I walked around 7000 steps both days. I walked ....I just didn’t make my step goal.  

Where is the victory in missing my goal? There’s a couple victories in there.  The first victory? On Tuesday when it rained, I still Walked. Do I like walking in the parking garage? Not exactly. But I made the best of it, and when I had a Wee little break in the rain drops I walked on the upper deck so I was close to cover should it start to pour!  I could have so easily given up, but I didn’t. I didn’t make my goal but I at least walked. In my book, that’s a victory.

There is another victory in my  step goal failure. So many times when I realize I’m not going to make my goal I give up. I throw my hands in the air and say I’ve already failed , why even try. I didn’t do that this week I kept walking even though I didn’t make my goal I kept walking. Can I say victory?

Time for another failure… My sweet treat eating criteria. I set a plan this week.  The plan was that I had certain to criteria that I had to meet before eating a sweet treat at night. One, my sweet treat could not take me over 1499 calories for the day and two, I had to walk  8000 steps for the day. On Monday I had no problem , I made the steps And I was under my calorie goal so the sweet treat went down the hatch, it felt great. Tuesday was that rainy day with 5k steps.  Failure alert!!!  I ate a piece of cake that night. I didn’t make my step goal on Wednesday either but I did not eat the cake and on Thursday I had a small cup of ice cream…even though I did not reach my step goal. Two of the four days were failures.

Victory alert… Two of those days were successes!

Another victory? On the days that I did indulge without earning, I chose smaller portions. End it even more important I did stay under that calorie goal on all four days.  Minor… Yes but a victory nonetheless.

The other victory amidst the failure? My weight...I’m down a pound from last week!

I have a three day weekend coming up...so I am worried about my weight this weekend...weekends are rough for me.   Hopefully we will be very active and I can keep my eating under control!!!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!!

Wiped Out

We had a very low-key weekend. We got some bad news that Really  just put a damper on everything.

The sun finally came out on Sunday. And we did manage to get outside on our bikes. We went to the Canal. It was wet muddy but it was fun. We rode about 10 to 15 miles and got to see a lot of parking lots and roads flooded… Not to mention the river really really high. The pollen was horrible, and we paid the price all afternoon after our ride with sinus pressure and headaches and itchy eyes. Regardless, it was good to get outside and I would do it again in a heartbeat even knowing the allergy problems.

It was a good ride...much better than my earlier rides this year...which blows my mind because it’s been a month since those rides....I guess the week of lots of steps helped!

 Even more bothersome this weekend was the arthritis in my knee. Granted the weather changing affects it for sure but I can look at my weight and know that I am at the point where my weight really starts to affect the arthritis. I have to do something because I know how debilitating arthritis can be.

As I mentioned on Friday, my weight hasn’t budged and is hovering at a number that I do not like.

So what is my plan????   8000 steps a day is the first thing.   The weather is supposed to be clearing up a little bit (only one day of rain forecasted.) So there is no excuse to not walk at work. If I walk both brakes and my lunch I can come very close to my step count… I will still need to push it at home a little bit but it’s more doable for me.  Why is this important?  Well it’s activity in an otherwise sedentary work day.  Secondly it makes a difference in my fitness...small efforts add up!  But also...arthritis is helped by activity.  It’s hard though because it hurts...but I know it helps!!

Another thing is the Sweet treats. I’ve written this paragraph a couple times. Part of me says I need to give it up totally. So I write the paragraph that way. But then I think about how unsustainable that will be in the long run, and I delete paragraph. I really am going back-and-forth. I hesitate to even write this paragraph. I know the other week I was still losing weight when I was walking a lot and I was still eating sweets.  There has to be a happy medium. Life can’t be all lettuce and celery.    So I’m going to leave the sweet treats up in the air.   What I AM going to say is this....two rules for dessert.   

1.  I’m not aiming for about 1400ish  calories a day.  If I can fit the cake into the food budget then it’s a go...

And 

2.  If I’ve made my 8000 steps for the day!  

Otherwise...nope!!!  Hmm and my mind is looking for a loophole....can I bank steps???  Hahahaha. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it!!!

And the last thing, work on continuing to track my food!!!

Additionally, I am going to try to add in the bike trainer and or some runs in the evening.  Those are hard because I’m soooo tired when I get home.  So those are extras!!