My First Walk In Months!

It's been months since I took a walk.  I thought it had only been a couple of months, but looking back over my blog has really revealed to me how quickly time slips by and how far off track I've gotten.  I haven't dared to weigh myself in over a week, as the number on the scale kept climbing and climbing and climbing and I was scared to death I'd see that original 328 appear on the scale.  I am planning to bite the bullet and weigh myself in the morning.

I picked up a pair of jeans from a stack of clothes this morning and, after looking at them for a minute, I nearly just laid them down, fearing that if I tried to put them on that they'd be too tight....or too small to even put on....and make me feel even worse about myself.  But, I went ahead and slipped my foot into the leg.  Then my other foot.  And to my surprise, I just pulled them right up and zipped and buttoned them and they were fine.  Of course, we're not talking about "skinny jeans" (because I don't own a pair), but jeans that were too tight for me at my heaviest.  Realizing that I was able to pull them on and comfortably wear them was a big motivator.  It was a reminder that I had not completely un-done all my hard efforts and that it was not too late to turn things around.

Anyway, I realize this is a very boring post so far.  I'm not gonna go on and on.  I just wanted to say that I went for a walk today.  I went for an hour.  It hurt sooooooooooooo bad.  Within a block or so, I already began feeling my shins ache.  Within 2 blocks by back felt like it would break.  I really thought I had made a huge mistake to leave the house and considered turning around and going back.  Then I heard, "Push through the pain."  I opted to obey that voice and I continued to walk.  I won't lie.  It hurt so bad.  My legs.  My back.  My shoulders.  I was winded.  My head started to pound.  But I kept walking, one foot after the other.  I was walking fairly slowly.  Every step hurt like hell!  Every few steps I would stop, but only for a split second because I knew if I stopped I would never have the courage to do it the next day.  So, I walked.  

There is a little mom-and-pop store about a mile from my house.  Maybe just short of a mile.  I told myself that I would walk there, get a bottle of water and rest on the bench outside.  I barely made it there before they closed.  They were locking the door and I actually had to beg them to just let me come inside to buy the water.  I stood outside and talked to a friend for a minute afterward and forgot all about my desire to sit on the bench.  When she drove away....I just continued walking in the direction AWAY from my house.  Suddenly, I realized, I didn't hurt any more.  I felt good.  The weather was perfect.  There were pretty things to be seen.  The music on my Blackberry was rockin' and I was rollin'!  

I walked for an hour away from my home.  I felt on top of the world.  Relaxed.  Refreshed.  Free!  

Unfortunately/fortunately I remembered that I had left soup cooking on the stove (I had only planned to be gone 15-30 minutes at the most!) and I had to turn around and head back toward home.  I ended up deciding that I should call my mom for a ride home because I really didn't think the soup could last another hour without burning or even possibly starting a fire.  So, all I walked was an hour.

An hour!  I walked an hour!  I pressed through the pain.  I found my stamina.  And I will walk again tomorrow.

I'm really so proud of myself tonight.  Just wanted to share............

By the way.........I took this picture of these railroad tracks while out on my walk.  Didn't think anything of them at the time (other than it was a cool view).  Now, it occurs to me that it's symbolic of the fact that I'm now on the right track!