According to a report from Harvard Medical School, “Each time you take a step, you put about one and a half times your weight on your foot. If you run or play tennis, three to four times your weight lands on each foot whenever it hits the ground. Every pound you gain in weight adds to the pounding on your feet.”
From the time I had to walk a mile and a half from one end of Terminal C to the completely opposite end of Terminal A at the Detroit Airport last Thursday, my feet started to hurt. During the evening Bee Squad event, I stood for two hours and then finally had to sit down to get the pressure off my feet. At the People’s Party, I finally took off my high heeled sandals and walked barefoot the rest of the night.
Friday I walked, and walked, and walked. And stood around waiting for elevators. And walked some more. I tried to massage my feet before I went to bed but it still took a while to fall asleep due to shooting pains in the bottoms of both feet.
Saturday morning, I got a reflexology foot massage at the Unilever event. My eyes rolled into the back of my head more than once, and I had to force myself not to moan inappropriately. For about two hours after that massage, my feet didn’t hurt at all. But after more hours of walking and standing, and then dancing at the Sparklecorn party, my feet had finally had enough.
I woke myself up crying in the middle of the night. The bottoms of my feet felt like they were being stabbed with hot needles. Nothing I did helped. I tossed and turned, rubbed my feet against the cool parts of the sheets, and somehow was able to fall back asleep.
Sunday morning I looked at myself in the full-length closet mirror in the room and gave myself a stern lecture. I told myself that this was the last straw. I may not have the highest self-esteem in the world, but dammit, I’m important. I am worthy. I deserve to be able to move around comfortably.
I have issues from my past that I believe have led me to be this overweight. I can’t afford therapy and am not even sure it would help. I know exactly what the issues are, exactly what makes me afraid to be thin. I also believe that I have the power to overcome those fears. Because I HAVE to.
I cannot make it through another BlogHer at this weight. I never want to experience the kind of pain I had this past weekend again, ever. I do not care what it takes. If I can’t make myself enough of a priority to get myself in shape by next year, I am not going to BlogHer. Even if I have a sponsor.
I hope that doesn’t scare off prospective sponsors, but it has to be said. I have to set a goal big enough to really want it. It has to be something that I can circle on the calendar and work towards. And the goal has to be something I want badly enough that failure is not an option.
Regular readers know that I’ve been down this road before. I’ve announced my joining of Weight Watchers, my intention to start exercising, so I know what you’re thinking. But I’ve never dangled this big of a carrot in front of my nose before. The only other time I set a goal to lose weight and was successful was for my wedding. And I went from 160 to 125 in 8 months.
I’m purposely not throwing out numbers or dates right now. I don’t want to set a goal weight number and then fail to meet it. I’m thinking in terms of physical comfort goals:
Being able to go down into my basement, throw in a load of laundry, turn around, and climb back up the stairs without my heart pounding and breaking a sweat
Being able to scrub my kitchen floor without developing an ache in my hips and thighs and breaking a sweat
Being able to be on my feet for several hours, walking and standing, without my feet hurting
In order to accurately recreate the physical requirements of BlogHer, I figure I need to go to the mall wearing a 15 pound backpack and then walk a mile, stand still for 30 minutes, walk another mile, and then stand still again. Oh, and pick up a couple of shopping bags along the way, and gradually fill them so they get heavier, and heavier.
So here’s what I am going to do – I’m going to plan to be at BlogHer next year. I assume it will be held the first weekend of August. If I haven’t lost what I consider to be enough weight by say, May of next year, I won’t buy a plane ticket to San Diego.
I’m thinking now though, that it’s too vague. How much weight is “enough”? What about pants sizes instead? Okay, I’m going to tentatively say that I want to be a size 14 by next May. Minimum. I’m an 18 now.
Obviously that isn’t model-thin, but I think it would be a loss of what, 25 or 30 pounds? That would have to make a significant difference in the way I feel on my feet all day, right?
The category for my weight loss posts will be “Blogging My Butt Off”. So if you want to follow along with my progress, make suggestions, send me encouragement, whatever, look for posts in that category.
May 2011. Size 14. 25 or 30 pounds. Whichever comes first. Or no BlogHer next year. That’s the carrot I’m dangling in front of my nose to get myself motivated.
Because I’m worth it.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Good luck, and stay positive. From my own experience, the hardest part is not to gain weight once you’ve lost it. For me it took a lifestyle change, and a change in my eating habits.
Twitter: jennuinepain
says:
I hear ya! I had the same problem in Vegas for PostieCon. There were probably several things I missed out on by going back the room because I could not stand on my feet for one. more. minute. I felt like I had two sacks of ground hamburger on the ends of my legs by the time I went home!
It’s hard, but I know you can do it! I’ve lost 30lbs since April 11th. I’m only down 1 pants size so far, but I was probably busting out of the original size. For my mom, 10 lbs is a pant size for how she carries her weight. For me, it’s looking to be more like 20, maybe even 25lbs for a pant size.
You have plenty of time, but even if you don’t quite hit your goal, you may feel good enough to go. I know I feel better at this size coming back down than I did on the way up. I’m on my feet a whole lot more these days too, which helps me to be on my feet a whole lot more. I’d definitely fare a whole lot better in Vegas now than I would have on April 11th.
Best thing I ever did was give up sugar. Seriously. Sounds crazy, most people think \how can that be even possible\ as I did at first, but then I did it and I never looked back. I don’t have any trouble staying thin now. If you want something, you’ve got to be strong. It’s worth it.
Twitter: xyfexmedia
says:
Best of luck it will be hard but keep on telling yourself that you can do it and you will
Twitter: dawniemom
says:
I have no doubt that you’ll make it as you’re a BlogHer whore – and that IS a big carrot!
Twitter: average_jane
says:
Best of luck! It takes a lot of little changes and a few big ones to make it happens, but I can be done. In fact, I’m starting the process myself.
You can do it!
Average Jane recently posted..Average Jane Learns Things
Its hard, but not possible. Don’t lose your confidence. Be confident on your commitment. All the best to you.
Twitter: Charla healthyhomeblog
says:
You can do it!
I agree with the above. Lifestyle changes in small steps are where it’s at. I try to do exercising that’s fun for me and vary it. For me, I might do yoga stretches (great for losing weight and toning muscles) to my favorite music, go for walks in pretty areas of our neighborhood, walk at the mall where it’s nice and cool. I’m having a hard time, though, being motivated to use my little hand weights which are probably covered in dust, but I know I really need to! So…starting right now…I’m going to make an effort to find a fun way to incorporate those into using those a couple of days every week.
If you’ve never tried Stevia, it’s a natural sweetener and the only one my doctor and my chiropractor said to use. We use KAL brand Stevia powder which you can buy at health food stores or online at a really good price through Vitacost.com. I agree with staying away from sugar! If a sugary drink spills on the floor, it’s sooo sticky. Just think what sugar does inside of us! Yuck! I still have a little dark chocolate from time to time, though.
I’m with you. I had a “this far and no further” moment this week. PM me if you want to buddy up. I want to see 14 again too, and I’m at 18 pushing 20…
I have been having pain in my feet for sometime now and I know the extra weight I’m carrying around isn’t helping my heels any. So I joined Sparkpeople it’s a free online site that has so many of us dealing with the same thing. I wish you luck on your journey to a healthy you.
Ginny recently posted..Commercial Kitchen Swinging Doors
I appreciate the strength of your character – I have no doubt that you’ll definitely achieve your goal! Good luck to you!
I think a lot of people go through this at one point and time in their lives. Good luck to you.
Best affair I anytime did was accord up sugar. Seriously. Sounds crazy, a lot of humans anticipate \\how can that be even possible\\ as I did at first, but again I did it and I never looked back. I don’t accept any agitation blockage attenuate now. If you wish something, you’ve got to be strong. It’s account it.
Awesome. You will do it!!
Jen recently posted..DaySpring – Pass It On
Twitter: sbshortie
says:
I never fully realize how bad it is to be overweight at all! I wonder if my feet would hurt less if I weighed less!
I am on a weight loss journey myself right now and have lost about 5 pounds. I did it once before, but I was eating the same boring food every day and wasn’t that happy (food wise). I need a new plan, and Weight Watchers scares me…or something!
Becca recently posted..Trip to the Dog Pound-Shelter
I stopped running because of the weight on my knees was too painful.
For weightloss, try using the Daily Plate on livestrong.com. I lost 20 pounds by using their food tracker, managing my weight finally made sense after using their tool. I could never do it before. I highly recommend it!