Skip to main content

Renewal

While everyone celebrates Easter, I am sitting here reflecting on some of my goals. Easter has a way of getting me to think about renewal. Perhaps it is the nice weather, that is allowing me to sit on my back patio while I type this, but I feel fresh, I feel excited for what is next!

I spent last week in Colorado, and boy was it a blast... from skiing with my cousins and sister-in-law, biking with my brother and company, hanging out with my brother!!! I couldn't have asked for a better vacation!

The thing is, I always end up thinking about what I want for my athletic self when I spend weekends so physically active, as I was in Colorado. I had a conversation with my friend about it just yesterday morning, and the honest truth is I simply want to enjoy every athletic pursuit I embark on. I love my bike, I love running, I love swimming... I love putting my hands in the dirt, I love my cat, I love spending time with my friends, I love house projects, and I love rest. Can I have it all? The answer to this question is, of course I can! It is all about balance.

With that being said, my weight has forever been a struggle of mine. Quite honestly it is the biggest barrier to me 'having it all'. Since I was little I struggled to lose just ten more pounds. A few years ago, I was looking at losing 160 pounds... Yep, that is right, I got to the point in which some think there is no return. I am an example of what return can begin to look like! I lost over 100 pounds, but have been yo-yoing for the last year and a half, and am very thankful I have not yo'd back up to 100 lbs heavier!!! That would stink... So, I would like to think that it is my medicine causing the yo's, but two of my medications cause weight loss. Figure that one out! The reality is, I can't blame it on any one thing... I'm sure there are several factors that impact my weight, but the bottom line is I'm the biggest factor!

I will not be the person who goes on some weird sugar free, gluten free, carbohydrate free, meat free, only eat salad diets, because that is not sustainable for me, probably anyone. I will however make sure I pay attention and order eggs during my favorite meal of the week, Saturday morning breakfast, instead of the delicious pancakes that taste like cake!

In the spirit of renewal I'm going to focus my efforts on weight loss again, I also have renewed my efforts on gardening by building a garden bed behind my house, and will continue those efforts next week at my friend's house (if she lets me)!!!

The bottom line is this... We all have the opportunity to do some work that could improve our abilities to 'have it all'. The fact of the matter is it all has to start within, because if we aren't focusing on ourselves, in the long term, we are no help to others.

Here's to a day of renewal. Enjoy your Easter, and next week I'll be back, probably talking about my longest run of the season.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

All in a Day's Work

I don't even know how to begin this post... Several months ago, my sister had this bright idea to do her first half iron distance triathlon. I have always wanted to do one so I told her if she did it I would do it too. Next thing I know I was clicking register now on the registration page of the Highcliff Triathlon in Wisconsin. You can read about some of the reactions I received when I announced to various friends that I was going to do this race here . Over the months my friends have taken on the challenge of being supportive and cheering me on along the way. This was no easy feat as I was on the training roller coaster. As the day approached, I thought about all of the possible things that could go wrong and right. I had visions of myself standing on the side of the bike course with a flat tire, me holding on to a lifeguard boat, dreams about wearing clown shoes for the run, and on and on... I also day dreamed about the finish line, what it might look like, who would be the

Jumping the Gun!

This is a 'total' bonus post for the week. I highly recommend reading my previous post, to better understand where I am coming from. You can check it out here .  I am not going to go into details but my name and grandma have been used in a sentence TWICE the past two days. Seriously? Do I look or act that old??? I must... Perhaps it is all the pie making! I am a woman of my word (for the most part, we all falter from time to time) and I mentioned in my last post that there was a chance I was jumping the gun with my dramatic flare related to being sidelined! Well, sidelined I am, but maybe for less time than I initially anticipated. The doctor will tell me my plan in three weeks. The overarching goal? The Chicago Marathon!  While running the Columbus Marathon, last year, I was blessed with amazing spectators and also running companions during the race. One of my companions was my sister. Somewhere near mile 25 she took a picture of me STILL smiling. It isn't ofte

I Have Multiple Sclerosis

One of my favorite bike rides ever! I have debated whether I was going to make this public for quite some time, however there really aren't any significant reasons why I wouldn't share. It hasn't impacted my life dramatically, and if I'm lucky, it never will. I also don't want to be a poster child, nor do I require or want any special treatment simply because I have MS. The thing is, I know more and more people who are impacted significantly by this disease and I feel compelled to help the cause. So for one purpose only, I am outing myself. Here's the brief story. Two years ago my tongue went numb, my arm went numb and I though I slept funny or had a mini stroke. I brushed it off as sleeping funny day after day, after day. Then my eye started twitching, among other symptoms. I decided I was simply crazy... After a while all of these symptoms became so infuriating so I went to the doctor. While at the doctor, he chalked it up to stress, but after a closer