Celebrating Small Victories

1. Working out more consistently:  I was able to work out six out of seven days this week, a personal best since my ACL tear last May.  My level of activity significantly decreased after surgery.  I have been on the upswing since being release from physical therapy and this week reached  the number of days that I used to workout pre-injury. Win.

2.  Making personal gains: During my fitness post-assessment on Wednesday, I exceeded my pre-test numbers.  My knee is steadily gaining strength although I can't jump or sprint until April 22, 2014, but who is counting? Win.

3. Reactivating the  Bear Fit Club:  We have been on quite a hiatus since my injury. Instead of Happy Hour, we walk and eventually power up to running on Fridays after school. We walk through the neighborhood where many of our students live. We wander by softball, flag football, tennis, baseball, track, and lacrosse practices and games. We see our kids and cheer them on. They see us and cheer us also. A wonderful way to close the week. We will expand our 3 miles to 5 and by June delight in the wild blackberries that pop up in the park that borders our school. Yesterday we saw two gold finches. Many wins.

4. Bod pod testing: Yes, I am overweight, but I have more muscle than you think and now I know for sure. It's just data to add to all of my data. But the cumulative qualitative and quantitative data are helping me move forward and holding me more accountable. Win?

5.  Increasing my water intake:  I've stopped drinking soda, but I haven't been drinking the water that is needed.  On weekends I make a pitcher of spa water.  I have been more careful to carry that attention to my water this work week thereby increasing my water in-take. I still haven't hit my designated ounces, but move closer each day. A win.

6. Managing my lows:   Diet and workout changes wreck havoc on my basal rates. I have been working out more and paying better attention to my food and water choices. Consequently an increase of lows.  I have to manage these lows well until I figure out the patterns to make the necessary changes. Typically, I panic and over-treat, but I have been staying calm and patient and making better choices. Win.

7.  Working out despite not feeling it:  I stole the last three words from the reluctant reader that I conferred with Friday. He told me that  he wasn't reading that day or most days because he "wasn't feeling it."  I told him the secret the difference between being a young adult and a child.  As a young adult you are learning how to do what you need to do although you are not "feeling it."  Thursday night, I felt the same way about working out. A cold front was coming in.  It was rainy. It was cold. I wasn't feeling energetic. I went to work out anyway. It looked like I was going to be the only one there.  I didn't turn around and go home. I got out of my car and went to work.  Two other campers braved the elements too. We got it done and by the end we were feeling it, which is what hard work can do even when you aren't quite up to it.

Lots small victories to
celebrate and be thankful for this week.