Just Listen

I've been dreading this post. But sooner or later, I had to face the music. I can't just post about the downs of my journey, I gotta come clean on the ups as well. This week that up was 1.6 pounds.

R and I went to Winona for a long weekend to visit Hayley. It was grand. R's sister and her husband met us on Saturday and, armed with Hayley's "clipboard of fun!", we had ourselves some fun. We ate. We drank. We ate some more and then we relaxed. We ate and we drank. And, you get the picture. Nirvana much??

I knew the intake portion of the weekend would be a challenge and it was. I had a lot of issues. I guess that has been part of my problem all along. My issues. But let's not go there. Let's just suffice it to say that, like so many other things, I topsy-turvey this cliche and instead of letting my issues eat me, I eat them. For breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's the whole point of this 12-week experiment, isn't it? To break that cycle and learn how to deal with things in a healthier way.

Well, I'm making progress. You want to know what one of the best things was about the weekend from my perspective? The one thing I'm proud of? I worked out. All three days.


Shhh. Listen! Can you hear that shattering? Yup. That's the sound of a cycle breaking, babee. I actually took my workout clothes and my shoes and did more than carry them around for the weekend. I actually used them.

Friday afternoon, Hayely and R and I searched for a trail up to Sugar Loaf, a high rock formation. A famous Winona landmark, which rests upon a peak, overlooking the city. We never did find it. After quite a bit of driving around, however, we did find another trail. They dropped me off with instructions to return in an hour. And went to Walmart to buy toilet paper or something. Twenty minutes into the trail I smell the end. No worries. Just pick up another trail. No can do. The only one in sight is unmaintained and vertical. A total "attempt-at-your-own-risker." So, I start walking back to a huge hill I saw a ways back. Garvin Heights Road. It's long and it's a good incline. I start bookin' it up. Twenty seven minutes later, I'm at a fork in the road and 57 minutes of my hour is up. I call in the troops. Work out #1. Check.

Saturday, we checked in to a lovely Inn in the shadows of the colorful Winona bluffs. It is gorgeous. While the guys relax and Hayley takes a much needed break from us elders, my sister in law, Sherri and I take off on a circuit. For an hour we cruise at a brisk pace with stops in between for push ups, squats, step ups, shoulder presses (I brought a band), bicep curls, side shuffles, jacks, front kicks, stairs and calf raises all around the beautiful campus of St. Mary's. Basically, whatever we could think of we did. It was actually sort of fun. Work out #2. Check.

Sunday, while R watched the football game at Hayley's apartment and Hayley took pictures at a friend's event, I went for a walk around Lake Winona. Hayley thought the trail was about a mile. Since R wanted to hit the road soon, I told him I'd be back in half an hour or so. A mile didn't seem like it should take that long, but I would figure the rest out on the fly. So, off I went. It was a bee-uu-ti-fuuul day! Plus, I had my new lavender beanie on that I got at the dollar store, so I felt very stunnah. I was walking at a good, brisk clip and checked my watch about the half-way point. Hmmm. 30 minutes all ready... Ruh-roh...Should I go back, or just keep going? I wasn't going to make it back in anything close to what I had expected. I decide I might as well just keep going. I hauled ass, but didn't make it back to Hayley's apartment for another half hour. Luckily, R was understanding about the miscalculation and I got in an extra half hour that I hadn't expected. And, as it turns, out, I'm glad I did. Work out #3. Check.

So, when I got on the scale yesterday with Jen, all I could think about was the poor food choices I had made and the wine I'd had. Somehow, on Monday, as I faced the scale and Jen, those goodies didn't seem that important or worth it. Why is it, in the moment of indulgence, it's so easy to sacrifice the long-term goal for that immediate gratification. But hold on, Sloopy, let's not get into dissection of the human psyche, this post is already way long.

Anyhoo, my goal was to break even. I did not accomplish that. I gained 1.6 pounds. But I did learn something about myself. I can change. And I can persevere. So I'm not going to pound on myself about missing my goal. I'm going to tospy-turvey that mother and be proud of myself for being dedicated enough and creative enough to get in some quality work outs on the road.

O.

M.

G.

Did you hear that???? I am the queen of cycle-breaking.


5 Weeks/5.4 pounds. Roar.