My Journey With Health And Fitness – Obsessing With My Goals

Yesterday was an awesome day. Our City provides excursions to people 55+, a category my sister and I both fall under. During the summer they do what they call ‘Magical Mystery Tours’ in which you get on the City’s bus and have no idea where you are going or what you will doing during the day. We have done several in the past and have always had a great time. Yesterday was no exception as we went to a First Nation/Community museum, a trading post museum and a BC farm museum. All of them were just so interesting.

Now the problem I had was the bus was picking me up at 8:00am which meant I had to be at the meeting place by 7:30am. I got up at the regular time and by 5:20am I headed out for a 2 hour walk. Obviously I had to skip bootcamp because there was just not enough time to do a class along with a long walk. But a 2 hour walk simply does not get me to my active calories goal. I have that goal currently set at 750 calories burned due to exercise. I wasn’t worried about exercise minutes which I have set at 90 nor stand time which means standing and moving during at least 8 hours during the day, those goals I knew I would easily achieve. Once back from the day trip I met my husband at the local Elks lodge for the Friday night meat draw and I realized I was short about 100 calories to meet my active calories. The only solution was as soon as the meat draw was over I hit the road to walk home. I made sure it was at a good clip. I was thrilled when my Apple Watch said the my ‘move ring’ was closed. Phew, that meant 5 consecutive days of closing all 3 of my goal rings.

Today I was up early and hit the road by 5am to get in a 2 hour walk. I got home and was so disappointed. On my walk I only scored 466 active calories. Normally on a 2 hour walk I am closer to 600 calories. I am a bit challenged today as my schedule is pretty tight so I only have time for another 1 hour walk and I am short 284 calories. I headed out again and this time I focused on my pace and getting my heart rate up. Truly I walked hard and it worked because I ended up burning 301 active calories getting me past my 750 goal. I’ve closed my exercise minutes ring and am already at 5 of my 8 stand hours and have no doubt that ring will be closed by the end of the day as well.

But here is why I feel like I am starting to obsess, as I was out on my 2nd walk I was already planning my time tomorrow to make sure I get all 3 rings closed. Seriously? Sunday is supposed to be my recovery day but I am mentally determined that I have to have a perfect week and close all of my exercise goal rings. Unfortunately the way my head works is once I get focused on things I just can’t let it go and this is a prime example. I am literally debating myself about what time I need to get up and how I can get a 2nd walk in. This is despite the fact that I have plans with the family tomorrow. Sigh, yet I know I will figure out a way to get it all done.

I’ve come to realize I have got to do some work around letting this go. It will not be detrimental to not hit my goals every day. Next week I am going to the lake for 5 days and I go there to relax. That means it is unlikely that I will hit my goals any of those days. I’m just going to have to remind myself that doing some recovery days is not a bad thing.

I have so got to be determined, stay fit but to let things go occasionally. Definitely a work in progress.