I’ll be honest with you: these nine pounds are winning right now.
Since Katahdin, I’ve gained nine pounds, and they will not budge. I’m doing everything “right.” I eat keto, Marty and I lift weights at the Y every other day, and I move every single day. The scale doesn’t care. Being 58 is no joke when it comes to losing weight! Maybe I need to do more cardio on the machines in the basement!? We love our NordicTrack rowing machine, spin bike and treadmill. The hardest part of having them is actually using them. I’m bad about working and not making sure I have a work-life balance. It’s a constant struggle despite the scale telling me, “Pattie, get down there and get a workout in!”
But here’s what the scale doesn’t show. When I started on the ab machines, my abs complained after every workout. Now they don’t hurt at all, and I’ve moved up in weight on both the crunch machine and the rotary torso machine. I’m getting stronger, even if the number isn’t moving. Muscle is sneaky like that. I don’t think it’s the reason I am not losing, but the progress does make my heart feel a little better. I just want to see a budge on the scale!
I’m choosing to measure progress in other ways: climbing a little easier, lifting a little more, and feeling better in my own skin. This Saturday, Marty and I are hiking McAfee Knob with Ghost, and I’m going to enjoy every step, nine pounds and all. <laughter> It’s hard to accept the body changes that come with age, but I am working on it.
On Sunday we’re celebrating dear friends at their wedding reception, and yes, I’ll be eating the hors d’oeuvres and dancing it off! After that I’ll be on the road for a couple of weeks, and I’m going to TRY to find a Y and keep up my routine. Not perfectly, just consistently. I’ll be in Ohio, then spending the weekend in Indy followed by a week in Wisconsin. I’m putting this out there to hold myself accountable – I will keep on track while I am traveling! I like to set attainable goals so that I don’t set myself up for failure. While I am traveling for two weeks, I am going to try to make it to the YMCA once while I am in Ohio, once over the weekend in Indy and at least twice during the week in WI. I think 4 visits is doable.
If you’re stuck on a plateau too, don’t give up. Keep showing up. God isn’t finished with any of us yet, thankfully. <smile> I’m hoping that by going public with the struggle, it will help keep me accountable to work toward my goals!
Now for a different kind of strength💪🏻– the kind that lifts other people up. This weekend I wrote letters to two friends, one in Maine and one in Texas. I tucked the letters in blank hand-stamped cards so they could pass the cards on to someone else. I’ve made about 60 cards over the last several months (on the weekends that Marty works). Some friends write back and some don’t, and that’s okay. I just hope the card brightens someone’s day.
My challenge to you: write one real letter or card this week. Send it to an old friend, a family member, or someone you’ve lost touch with. A few sentences in your own handwriting is plenty. Tell me in the comments who you’re writing to! It’s such a blessing to reconnect with old friends. Everyone loves getting something other than junk mail, political ads and bills in the mail!
My friend in Texas and I have been writing real letters for well over a year now. I’ve just reconnected with my friend in Maine. I hope you’ll have the same success reconnecting! 💜
Never stop exploring and never give up hope. Life is good.
