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A New Journey

A New Journey

Day 6: Courage

Gold's Gym

 

Before my eyes were all the way open this morning I was battling that inner voice offering me every possible excuse for why I really shouldn’t push myself today. Between triple digit temps and a blister the size of Texas (okay, not quite that big) on my toe my thoughts were definitely not on getting my lazy butt out the door.

I made a deal with myself that as long as I did at least SOMETHING it would be okay.

I reached for the Ibuprofen, put on my shoes and started walking; one step at a time, trying to find the courage to do what I knew needed to be done. A few miles into it all, I finally convinced myself that it was okay to head back home. I just did not seem to have the will or the energy and I wasn’t going to force it.

I spent the next several hours focused on my work and getting some writing done, but I felt like crap. What I really wanted to do was to crawl in bed and pull the covers over my head. Who the heck was I to think I could do this? I am 50 years old, for heaven’s sake!

Out of nowhere, I remembered the lyrics to one of my favorite motivational songs, Courage by Justin Hines.

“Ohhh, I said courage, won’t you come out to play, won’t you come out to play…”

Since I wasn’t going to let it go, I knew I had to put my shoes back on.

I hadn’t done my best.

It was so worth it.

As I walked out of the gym tonight, I felt more than good.

There is just no bigger high than the feeling after a solid workout. Or, perhaps it’s finding out that you are stronger than you thought you were.

I am stronger today than yesterday.

23,014 steps taken today
9.3 miles traveled today
5 floors climbed today
10 laps water walking/jogging
1 hour water aerobics class

Life is good!

 

Cricket Walker

A New Journey

Day 5: So Much More

Strawberry Lemonade

 

Is it just me, or do all of us have an inner dialogue going on with everything we do?

The thing is, one of those voices loves to tell us we aren’t good enough, or that we can’t accomplish what we set out to do. You hear that voice too, right?

Oh lawdy, I hope it isn’t just me…

Occasionally there are two voices that love to argue with each other.

Perhaps it goes a little like this…

“You have been doing so good that you DESERVE a day off. Go back to bed.”

“Are you NUTS? If you stop now, you will never get up off your tush again.”

“Oh but your muscles are aching so badly today. Maybe you should just take it easy.”

“Ummmmm…. You realize this is how you got in this position to begin with, right?”

“It’s 100 degrees out! You better wait til it cools off again, like maybe January.”

“Have you seen your butt lately? Get up and get moving.”

I groaned at the voices all the way out the door this morning. I literally drug myself through every step of the 1.1 miles to the gym while thinking of every possible excuse for why it would be okay to turn around and go back home.

Once again I remembered what my friend Christy from The Organic Geek told me.

“Remember not to listen to your lazy brain. You can go soooooooooo much further than it says you can.” (Christy Smith Schmeichel)

For just a moment, I truly hated her and that stupid dang carrot. I kid you not, I was having visions of chopping that carrot into a gazillion tiny pieces and shoving him (her?) down the garbage disposal! (I love you Christy!)

And then something happened deep inside of me.

Some sort of adrenaline started kicking in and I began BELIEVING that I could do it.

Better yet, on the walk home past the tantalizing “drinks of summer” sign, I had absolutely no desire to stop because I knew that tiny frozen strawberry lemonade packs more than 340 calories. Nope, I am not counting calories, but I am not throwing away my hard work on a bunch of processed stuff and sugar when I have an icebox filled with fresh fruits and vegetables.

It’s still about making choices. Just make sure you know what the choices really are.

You are so much more than you think you are and you are capable of more than you ever imagined. BELIEVE IT!

22,116 steps taken today
8.93 miles traveled today
20 laps water walking/jogging
11 floors climbed today

Life is good…

 

Cricket Walker

A New Journey

Day 4: Balancing Act

Cold One

 

My biggest strength and my biggest weakness are one in the same. ADHD

I think I was probably born running from one thing to the next wanting to see it all, testing every boundary, and needing to know “why” about everything.

I have never been very good at the balancing act of life.

At the age of 50 (following some really high blood pressure readings and depression) I decided it was time to figure it all out. I am not saying I ever actually will, but perhaps I can get a bit closer if I approach it with the same passion that I do everything else.

Yes, I would like to lose some weight, but I am not really dieting.

See, I have been on a gazillion diets over the last 10 years or so and failed every single time. The fact is, I don’t just like chocolate, I absolutely LOVE it. I just really never want to be that person that can’t enjoy an iced coffee at Starbucks now and then, or have an ice cold Smirnoff Ice after a good old fashioned Texas BBQ on a hot summer day just because it isn’t on my diet.

So what is the answer for me?

It’s that balancing act I have been talking about.

It’s about making choices.

It’s okay to enjoy eating at a BBQ but you don’t need to refill your plate. It’s okay to have a cold one at the end of a hot summer day, just don’t choose to have a dang 12 pack! I don’t actually count calories, but I am making myself aware of them so that my choices are more educated.

Walking is helping me find balance. With every step I take, I feel the stress and depression lifting. There are those who may say that I am going overboard with the daily walking, but ya know what? It’s working for me, so I am going to keep it going for now. Why? I kinda like living. I think I would like to do it for another 50 years. 🙂

Life is good…

20,782 steps taken today
8.39 miles traveled today
20 laps water jogging

 

Cricket Walker

A New Journey

Day 3: Good Enough

Reserved Parking

 

I was losing the light fast and still didn’t have my picture for the 30 day challenge.

I was tired and more than a little hungry.

It would have been so easy to turn around and go back home. In fact, the little voice in my head was daring me, all the while assuring me that I had already done “good enough” for the day. I was soooooo tempted.

Didn’t I deserve a break and maybe some chocolate?

And then I saw that stupid little bird staring at me.

He was sitting on the reserved parking sign mocking me. It was as if he was telling me, to go ahead and go back home as long as I didn’t mind the fact that I would end up needing that parking spot if I didn’t keep focused on getting physically fit.

I cranked up the tunes and kept on walking.

I exceeded my goal today and that is more than good enough.

18,121 steps taken today
7.32 miles traveled today

 

Cricket Walker

Fitbit Ultra
A New Journey

Day 2: Fitbit vs. My Left Foot

The sun was beginning to set when the ‘lil Fitbit hooked to my waistband decided to attempt to motivate my left foot. Let me tell you, it wasn’t a pleasant discussion.

It went a little like this…

Fitbit: Wait. WUT? You aren’t thinking about calling it a day yet, right?

Left Foot: Ummmm… Well, yeah I was.

Fitbit: Not on your life! You still need almost 2,000 more steps!

Left Foot: You realize I can step on you, right?

Fitbit: Ha! You realize Cricket hasn’t taken a picture yet today, right?

Left Foot: I hate you!

Yeah, it is possible I am losing it! LOLOLOL!

My Left Foot

 

On the other hand, the cramps in my left foot tell me it is time for new shoes!

It’s dark now and I exceeded my steps goal for today.

Life is good.

 

Cricket Walker

A New Journey

Day 1: On My Way

Starbucks

“I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.”  Carl Sagan

Several years back, while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, I got totally slammed by a huge wave. In a moment of panic, I couldn’t figure out which way was up or down. My heart was pounding and my lungs were aching for air. When I finally let go of the fight and relaxed, the wave brought me back to the top and into the sunshine.

I think maybe life is a little bit like that giant wave.

Perhaps sometimes we need to let go and just be…

As with most things in life, I started to over think the photo challenge to take one photo a day for 30 days. I wanted to have this fabulous theme. My mind raced with all the different things I could do. Since I am on a quest to improve my health, I thought maybe I could take a picture of a smoothie every morning. Or, maybe I could take a picture every morning on a daily walk. Oh, oh, oh! What if I had a color theme, like 30 days of pictures that involved the color red?

The problem with complicating the things we want to accomplish is that we end up never starting! We can plan all we want, but until we actually begin to take action, nothing is going to happen! (That is exactly why my kitchen is such a disaster!)

In the middle of all my frustration over what my first picture was going to be for this challenge, I decided I really needed to spend some time at Starbucks where I could think it all through. It was then that I saw my first picture right in front of me.

Haley and Korey In Starbucks

 

Yeah, I don’t need a theme for this. I am just going to shoot what I happen to see in front of me every day. (Yup, that is passion tea!)

 

Cricket Walker