My Journey With Weight Loss – Time To Regroup

Today was a good day. Firstly I am past the 4 day Omicron incubation period and tested negative again today. I’ll do one more test Sunday before I go to a family function but am fairly confident I am ok. Then today my husband fixed my desk. This desk belonged to my Mom and is 50+ years old. At the end of 2019 I had it refurbished but the typewriter shelf wasn’t working properly (there’s a cubby hole with a large pop up shelf). The shelf could be pulled out but it wouldn’t come up to the proper height. However, it now works exactly the same as it did when I was a kid. Not sure what I am putting in there but it doesn’t matter, it now works.

I have realized that the weight I have gained in the last 3 months is not coming off in any way. Not to worry, I still fit into a size small but things are getting pretty tight. I decided it is time to regroup. By that I mean I feel I have been a bit to complacent with things. I know I run 30k+ each week but looking back at my posts from when I started this journey 2 years ago I am not putting in anywhere near the effort I was doing then. So, I need to step up my game without jeopardizing my training.

I decided the best route to take is to add in more walking which will get me some more fat burn/cardio without stressing out my muscles too much. My goal is to go back to 20-25k steps 6 days a week. I started this on Tuesday when I did an 8k run and then later in the day a 3k walk. But, a problem came up after the walk. I thought I had been going on at a good clip but when I got to the end of the walk I checked my Fitbit and went, what? Most of that walk my heart rate was below cardio. Ok, I didn’t understand at first how that could have happened because I was passing others walking so I knew I was doing a good speed. Then it hit me, I am far more fit than I was even a year ago so I need to put way more effort into my walking if I am going to get anything out of it.

I know on Wednesdays I can easily get in as much as 30k steps as I start the day with a 10k run and then a long walk with the seniors’ group that I lead. Today was a recovery day so no running so I started off the morning with a very brisk 6k walk. I was happy at the end of it that I had stayed in at minimum my cardio zone. Then this afternoon it was time for a 5k walk but the latest atmospheric river had hit and that means pouring rain. I debated for a bit because I could use the treadmill but I never seem to be able to get the right walking speed on the treadmill (remember it is an old one so the display that shows things like speed doesn’t work). Ok, it was time to shore up my resolve, put on the rain jacket and do a brisk walk. I was successful in this endeavor and again kept my heart rate int he zone I wanted. Of course when I got home I was soaking wet (no umbrella was involved since I want fully swinging arms while I walk to help the heart pump) but you know what, I felt pretty good about the fact I am turning back to that idea of no excuses, just get ‘er done.

Tomorrow I am doing my long run but I fully plan in the afternoon to do another brisk walk. I am going to keep at this until I am back down to my fighting weight where I want to stay. I know I can do this but I will take this weight gain as a lesson that complacency is not my friend. There, fully regrouped.