Obstacles

There’s this great...here it comes...TRAIL I walk with friends (NO, she didn’t! uh-huh, I did:)). Towards the end of it we meet this huge obstacle course that we always fantasize about: get a party of friends together and do it! Why? Because it’s adventurous, would stretch us and heck, it looks like fun!!

Life’s obstacles...? They definitely stretch us, they’re sometimes adventurous but are generally only fun when we look back at them.

My obstacle this week has been moving! Yes, the grind of packing, sorting, dusting, stuffing boxes and general chaos!

The stretch -- sticking to the health challenge schedule while packing.

So, I was trying to complete the 1,000 steps challenge (whoa!) after doing core exercises. I failed to count my initial attempt, but given the amount of sweat that suddenly appeared, I’d say it was 100. I continued on while a sweet but nagging little voice kept asking: Mommy, you done? My 3.5 year old was sitting, patiently watching me and thinking: Given the sweat and panting, she’s done. Surely, I can go home & get my hot dogs now!

350... (gasp) In a minute honey...370... Mommy, I show you (cue for: OK, enough now, let’s go!)...425... Mommy, there’s sister (his baby sister that was now getting in on the action)...550... MOMMY!!!...600! OK, I finally gave up. Saved by the kid! Running up and down for 1,000 steps seemed OK until I attempted it -- with added pressure from the little chorus! Big stretch. I may not have done 1,000, but I certainly felt a sense of accomplishment! Chomping hot dogs and stuffing more brown boxes followed.

The adventure -- keeping tabs on the food intake!! I thought I’d be ‘clever’ and eat steamed veggies & a protein in order to speed things up. WRONG!!! What happened was by Sunday I was hungry for TASTY food and ended up eating Thai for 3 days! (Portions were in check - I ate the same meal for those days). Still!! When I weighed in, the weight-loss wasn’t dramatic!! Since everything’s a mess at home, it’s been an adventure keeping the structure within the chaos! I’ve found eating Japanese salmon rolls a great solution: 110 calories and delicious! Also, I baked some veggies along with the protein - the spices and olive oil made all the difference!! I will probably have Thai again, but it won’t be due to deprivation -- just a convenient alternative.

The fun -- the joy of continuing to do core, hike, run and power walk with friends or with the kids. Just knowing that in the midst of the packing, dust, boxes, I could still make this a priority and get it done has been exhilarating!

OK -- off to my 7am workout before the movers come!


Trailwalker