Virtual Route 9

Still going, slowly but surely!


















I am so close to crossing into Nebraska! If only I would have had a more productive month. Sigh. More on that later. Here are the stats:

Stats:
Start date of this leg: 6.23.09
# of days traveled: 23
# of stationary days: 12 - *head hung in shame*
Miles traveled: 63.4
Hours on the road: 17.9
Calories burned: 9170
Total miles traveled: 742.6
Miles 'til NYC: 1614

Thoughts:
Summer is tough. It's amazing I managed to exercise as much as I did, I was so busy - and that's not just an excuse for missing so many days. Between work trips, fun trips, people visiting, camping, staying up too late talking to friends and neighbors, and other fun stuff, it's a wonder that I didn't miss more.

Waking up at 6:20 am to walk has become easier to do. There are still mornings when I have to drag myself out of bed, but that's usually due to staying up too late. On the days when I would rather sleep another hour, I warn myself that I've become so busy in the evenings that if I don't walk right then, it won't happen and I'll have more Missed Days on my Stats. Even evenings I think are empty have a way of filling up. I'm not complaining - I'm having lots of fun this summer - it's just something I've come to realize.

The only drawback to walking in the mornings is my hesitation to try a new walk. I know exactly how long it takes me to walk the three routes I normally walk and two of them are the perfect length for the morning. I'd love to try some new routes that Mom has mentioned, but I don't know how long it would take ME to walk them. I'd hate to get going on one and discover that it's taking too long, possibly causing me to be late for work. There's an easy solution to this problem - measuring the routes on Google Earth, like I do for my Virtual Route - but I just came up with it as I typed this paragraph, so I haven't done it yet. *smile* I already know it takes me 45 minutes to walk 2.5 miles, so it'll be easy to go from there. So, I guess there are no drawbacks to walking in the mornings. Woohoo!

Next Month's Goals:
1. Miss less than 4 days. This was last month's goal, too. Yeah, totally didn't happen. I have high hopes for August, though.

2. Travel over 100 miles. Again, last month's goal, but it's such a do-able goal if I really put some effort into exercising every day and twice a day whenever possible.

Two Small Successes and a Big Success

Small Success #2
I didn't have to work on Friday, July 3rd, so I planned to really clean my house in preparation for the arrival of my cousin, Cassie. I still wanted to get in a walk, though, so I woke up a little early for a Saturday and headed out. I have three "walks" to choose from as I step out my door. Since I had a pretty free day, I chose the longer of the three, the 4-mile walk up the trail to East Canyon Park. Well, when I reached the park, I felt like going a little farther, so I decided I'd go to the pavilion at West Canyon Park. As I walked toward the pavilion, I figured I might as well go up the canyon to the bridge. When I got to the bridge, I thought I might as well go all the way to the end of the trail, since I'd gone that far already. I walked the whole walking trail! It had been a goal of mine for a few months, so I'm thrilled to have accomplished it. I walked a total of 2 hours and 7 miles and at the end of the walk, my feet hurt. And, my legs were sore the rest of the day. It was totally worth it, though! I'm hoping to walk the whole trail again someday - if I ever have enough free time to do it!

Small Success #3
Last week, my family arrived for our annual Utah Shakespearean Festival tradition. For more details about the experience, Cassie wrote a great posting here. Ever since I started attending all six performances, I've kind of dreaded the plays showing in the Adams outdoor theatre. It's a great venue for the plays, but I've always been really uncomfortable in the seats - my hips have been too big! This year, being quite a bit thinner, I fit into the seats a whole letter better! They still aren't the most comfortable seats in the world (even for skinny people), but it made a world of difference. I'm excited to be even skinnier for next year!

Big Success
I've now lost 100 lbs! This summer has been rough - no wonder I gained so much weight last year! With all the traveling, the BBQ's, special functions, Shakespeare, etc, it's a wonder I've lost any weight at all. I fell a bit behind my "schedule" of 10 lbs a month by 2 weeks, but I'm still feeling pretty good about where I am. I haven't weighed this little since I returned from my mission over 9 years ago! There are some emerging bad habits that I need to nip in the bud, and I'm confident that I'll be able to do so.

Anyway, here are some pictures:

The Before Shots:
Taken a few days before surgery at my doctor's office
Weight: 351 (WOW!)


(That poor sweater vest - it looks like it's about to pop!)

After Shots:

The beginning of June - 90 lbs lost
(And the two below)

Today - 100 lbs lost
(As of Sunday)

On Clothes

There are a lot of positive aspects about losing weight. In fact, losing weight is a 98% positive thing. I'm healthier, more energetic, and more attractive (I hope). There's just one thing that kind of bugs me:

My clothes!

I've told you about the clothes that I've had in my closet for years, unable to wear because they were too small, that I can now fit into. Woohoo for those clothes! However, I've neglected to tell you about all the clothes that I've been able to wear for years that are now unwearable (or close to it) because they are too big. And then there are the clothes that are too big (or close to it) that I still wear even though I feel like I'm drowning in them. It's either wear pants that are baggy or not wear pants at all. Honestly, every article of clothing in my closet that is designed to cover my lower half is too big. Miraculously, this morning I stumbled onto a belt (I didn't think I owned any) and it has been a boon. Left to their own devices, the tan pants I'm wearing right now sit low at my hips with the hems of the legs dragging on the ground and the crotch hanging to my knees (or close to it). Now, with the belt, I can keep the waist where it's supposed to be...at my waist. Give Mr(s). Belt Inventor a gold star, please!

I don't think the clothes issue would be so frustrating if I lost weight slowly. I could replace my pants and know I would be able to get a good amount of use from the new pair before they got too big. The pants I wear now, the ones that are so baggy, were purchased the end of April - two months ago! I don't really want to buy new pants just to wear them for 2 months. Not to mention my shirts, shorts, skirts (which are actually holding up a lot better than the pants), and unmentionables. It would cost a fortune. And be a pain.

I'm not a shopper. Even if I took people's advice and bought "new" clothes at a discount store, it would still mean taking the time to go and look for clothes. I hate that. It's one of the reasons I wear something until there are holes in the elbows/knees/collar/whatever, the elastic has stretched beyond recognition, or I've grown out of it. Style is secondary to convenience, and not having to go shopping for new clothes is mega convenient.

Let me be clear - I'm not complaining about losing weight or even about losing weight as quickly as I have. I'm thrilled! It just never really occurred to me that I'd have to get new clothes. I know that sounds stupid, but it's true. Here's what I've decided:

1. No new shorts. The 3 pairs I own are at varying degrees of bagginess but I'm pretty sure they'll all last me through the summer. Even if they get horribly baggy and I have to wear multiple belts to keep them up, I'm not replacing them.

2. No new unmentionables. I'm still not 100% sure of this decision. They are pretty loose currently and I can't imagine what they'll be like when I'm down another 70 or so pounds. However, I just can't see the benefit of buying new unmentionables just to have to replace them in a little while. And, they aren't something I could get at a discount store, even if I wanted to. Which I don't!

3. One new item a month, max. Hopefully this will minimize spending and shopping time but still give me a couple items to wear that actually fit me. I like wearing clothes that fit me. The one outfit that I think fits the best is my favorite because I feel like I can actually tell that I've lost weight. All my baggy clothes hide that fact to varying degrees. So, to sum up, fitting properly = looking skinnier; baggy = not being able to notice as much.

4. Try to lose as much weight as possible as fast as possible so I can wear all the clothes my mom gave me. Okay, this isn't really true. I'm not going to do anything special beyond what I'm currently doing, but I am looking forward to being able to wear the clothes Mom gave me. They are cute, free, and sitting in my spare bedroom, so it will involve no time at all to pull them out when the time comes. They are still a few sizes smaller than where I am, so I have to be patient. It'll be a great day, though, when I can fit into them! Hooray!

To reiterate, I'm a lot happier to be in this position than in the opposite position. Before I had my surgery, my jeans (which have been unwearable for over a month) were getting to the point of being unwearable for a different reason - I was growing out of them! I really didn't want to buy bigger jeans, that is so depressing, and honestly, Wal-Mart didn't sell a bigger size. I felt horrible. So, to be going in the reverse direction feel amazing! Liberating. Joyful. Woohoo!

Just don't be too surprised if you see me with belts around my waist, thighs, and knees to keep my shorts from falling down around my ankles. *smile*