Today we skipped church because I've had a pretty nasty sore throat since yesterday. It didn't take long for us all to start grumping at each other, so I decided we should go on a walk to the park. I had been watching the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (which I found quite inspiring, even though the juice fasting thing probably is not for me), so I was really mulling over my diet and weight goals as we walked. By the time we got to the park, the last thing I wanted to do was just sit on a bench and watch the kids play, so I decided to walk laps around the playground. There were several other kids there and by the time I'd gone around 4 or 5 times one of them called out, "Why are you walking around the playground?" I smiled to myself and called back, "Because it's better than sitting still!" He gave me kind of a puzzled look and went back to playing.
Anyway, then I got to thinking about what I said and wondering how much of my day I actually spend sitting. I don't think I could even guess. So I think that tomorrow I am going to use my stopwatch and actually track how much of my day I spend sitting. And in addition to my more specific exercise, diet, and weight goals, I'm setting myself a more general goal to just spend less time sitting still.
I was also thinking about how well my comment applies to my life in a more metaphorical way. There are aspects of my life in which I've just been sitting still for a long time. This weight loss is about so much more than my body; it's about reclaiming myself. It's about getting my life moving again, rediscovering the things that I have lost. And the weight is really just the beginning. Sometimes that feels overwhelming, but it all comes down to the quote that Angie pinned the other day: "Losing weight is hard. Maintaining weight is hard. Staying fat is hard. Choose your hard." Changing your life is hard. Sitting still might seem easier, but really it's just as hard in a different way, maybe even harder. As much as I want life to be easy, I guess it probably never will be. So do I embrace that fact and find a way to be who I want to be despite it, or do I keep sitting still and let it beat me?
I think I'll go now, I've been sitting still too long. ;)
6 comments:
Wow. You're all metaphorical and stuff.
That is all so true.
Real, dumb question. Is it easier to figure out how to do this when you're married and have kids? Or just as hard but in a different way? Would like to "move" ... just have no idea where or how. :/
I like this post! My thoughts: the largest chunk of the total amount of calories you burn in a day comes from the stuff you don't even realize you're doing, like walking around. And digesting. And talking. And chewing gum. Even sleeping. I'm a big 'foot-tapper' or 'leg bouncer' when I'm sitting. All those 'movements' last WAY longer than any amount of exercise I could ever muster up in a day. And so those daily movements add up like crazy, and contribute to the most calorie burnage you'll do. Now, exercise is GOOD because it revs up your metabolism, and builds muscle, and does all kinds of other great things for your body... but I am a true, true believer in exactly what you're talking about here and just getting my butt up and moving. Park a little further away at the grocery store. Walk to the neighborhood mailboxes instead of drive. Etc. It ALL adds up!!
yep I agree... this is a good one. so let me set here and read it again. LOL
Love you sis.
Ang, I think it's always hard, no matter what your situation in life is. Personally, I think that being married with kids gives me a lot of excuses not to "move"; I often feel like I'm chained to my kids, in more ways than one. It's easy to let it hold me back when really I'm just too scared to do something. And I will readily admit that being willing to get your life moving and knowing where to go with it are two different things, and having one doesn't necessarily mean you have the other! I feel pretty lost and overwhelmed when I think about what to do with my life in terms of a career or a cause or whatever it is I need to do to find some personal fulfillment. So I'm trying to take it in small steps and the weight loss is step one. I think that it's pretty vital for me to do it to regain my self-confidence, and that will help me be brave enough to find my way in those other things. I hope, anyway. ;)
And you know, it's pretty easy to blog about all this stuff, but's it's not like I've really got it figured out!
If I were Indian, you'd be my guru. Dot, not feather.
I really relate to this:
"...it's about reclaiming myself. It's about getting my life moving again, rediscovering the things that I have lost."
Exactly
S
just found your blog and already enjoying it.
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