New Beginnings

Yesterday, I did something I have never done before.  I participated in a 5K Walk/Run put on by our local elementary school.  Jackie really wanted to do it this year, and pushed us all along to sign up and walk as a family.

The past year/year and a half has been difficult for me in the healthier living, weightloss category.  I've slowly seen the weight I lost several years slowing be gained back.  Thankfully, not all of it returned; but half of it, and enough to continue to make me uncomfortable in a variety of things.  Simply, for me, it impacts my ability to enjoy so many different things in life.  Yet, for all the awareness of that fact, I have struggled to regain the motivation I had 4 years ago, when I was walking 2 miles almost every day on route to losing 100 pounds.    Some of the struggles aren't my fault (hello partial MCL tear).  But most of it simply stems from my inability to get things started.

And that was my idea with yesterday's 5K.  I know I am not always going to eat the right thing - and that's not the point.  I want to eat healthier, and for the most part I do, but I want to be able to enjoy the "bad" foods knowing that its not a setback, without feeling guilty about it.  Exercise does that; because if you know you are going to keep doing that, enjoying special foods every now and again isn't a big deal.

So we walked the 5K; at my pace.  I do believe we were the last ones done (part because of my slower walking pace, and part because we let Maia walk certain parts of it).  It was a "color" walk, so Jackie and Maia enjoyed getting their shirts powdered with chalk throughout the walk.  With the stroller, I stayed clear of all that.  But I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed knowing that I was doing some active again, and feeling like this was a kickstart I needed.

[caption id="attachment_1035" align="aligncenter" width="300"] All smiles after the walk[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1036" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Enjoying her post-color walk yogurt.[/caption]

After the walk, and some afternoon naps/rest for all of us, we went out for an early dinner (a treat in its own right), and then played at a park for awhile with Maia.  We followed that up with a small ice cream treat at one of the five (yes, 5!) ice cream places in our small town (talk about making it difficult ;)).

[caption id="attachment_1037" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Swinging at the park.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1038" align="aligncenter" width="300"] What's about a little chocolate ice cream on the face?[/caption]

It was a good day - one I enjoyed all the way through, because I felt like an honest, good, first step was taken on re-initiating my weightloss journey.  And due to that, I was able to enjoy everything else without feelings of guilt or inadequacy.  Small things make big differences.

 

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu