Today felt great. Really great, like ‘I’ve got this’ great. After that last post, I met my friends, Dawn and Ray at the beach and we walked. Dawn has already done this journey, not with 12wbt but I know she knows exactly where I’m coming from. I’d already walked our youngest son to school, so I had a kilometre under my belt before we started and then, together, talking and laughing, we did another 4km. The walk up the beach was fine, it was the way back where I started to struggle.
I thought about stopping, I did, but they were walking and showing no signs of discomfort, which is logical, since they’re very much fitter than I am, but something in me just wouldn’t let me stop. Also we were going to look at a house, so there was a time constraint…
Today was really hot, which I didn’t really notice until much later, when I was walking back to the school to collect my boy…and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I slowed right down and progress up the hill was painful.My feet hurt! I did it though and back again. What about the after-workout shower?! I’d forgotten how amazing it is! I lay around for the rest of the afternoon, feeling wrecked, until it was time to make dinner.
A total 7k walk probably doesn’t seem like much when you’re fit (and I look forward to that) but for a large woman who’s been sedentary for years, it represents a challenge smashed, a thing to look at in triumph and I do.
I ate really well today too and felt satisfied. Porridge for breakfast, lots of water. Walk, almonds, apple, water. Two little bags of frozen grapes (thank you earlier me) Then later, a truly delicious and awesome meal of garlic and chilli, lemon juice, mushrooms and zucchini noodles, with 120g sliced halloumi, fried with a tsp of butter. Lots of mushrooms….like….lots….it was fabulous!
Calories for the day still came in at under the 1200 that I have every day, at 1064 but I know I’ll get the balance right soon.
Something else that occurred to me today is how grateful I am to be surrounded by encouragement and people who are honestly, from the bottom of their hearts, hoping that I’ll stick at this and reach my goal. It’s not just my family, my husband and kids…it’s my friends, my Mum and Dad and most recently, the community at 12wbt.
When I wrote on my personal facebook page that I was starting this program, comments tumbled in, offering support “you can do this” “go hard girlfriend” “I know you can do this” “good for you, let me know how it goes” “congrats and good luck”.
Given that I haven’t given them any reason to suppose that I can do it, I was completely touched by their faith and encouragement . Then today, after reading my blog for the first time, after we’d finished our walk, I got a text from Dawn “you are truly amazing and I am very proud of you” I smiled all the way home.
Tomorrow I walk with my darling, laughing friend Natalie, who didn’t blink an eye when I asked her to walk with me instead of sitting drinking coffee as we normally would. So, today felt great. Really great, like ‘I’ve got this’ great. And tomorrow will be even better.
Walking Back To Myself 