Week 5 Update -First Walk Over 3km

Weight loss to date 21.4lbs

I first talked about walking at the Spit in my Week 3 update. It is a great place to walk due to its many benches and wonderful scenery. Today was definitely a new millstone in my walking and mobility as I managed to walk a significant distance for me of over 3km.

The Difference

One thing I have to keep in mind is perspective that when I began this lifestyle change a little over a month ago I could hardly get my mailbox without back pain. My mailbox is situated for my neighbourhood at the end of my street meaning I have to walk just shy of one block to get it. That one block is all flat and has no hills or obstacles but the back pain that resulted from it was significant. Today I walked many times that amount and had no pain whatsoever. This is a serious change and something that is improving many aspects of my life.

How it Changes Things

I recently had a friend come to visit, which I will write about in more detail in the next post. The short of it is that having this mobility increase is also increasing my experiences and ability to enjoy life. This seems self evident but I cannot stress the state one can be in when faced with the overwhelming feeling and embarrassment that comes from having self inflicted mobility issues. Cancelling outings with friends, not doing activities you enjoy, or even being afraid of certain events can all be part of dealing with being overweight. The stresses and strains that come from having that weight are like being in a self made prison.

The Simple Enjoyment of Movement

Being able to move freely is a luxury so many of us take for granted. It seems funny in our modern world where we can drive long distances to get almost anywhere that would be the case. But when you can move freely in the world, maybe only slowly but under nothing but your own will, it is something special. There are some for whom this movement was restricted due to injury or disability. Those people often fight courageously for that luxury in our society. When put in that perspective it seems not so insurmountable for myself when looking at those brave enough to work so hard for their mobility. I am lucky enough to have a clear pathway to build my mobility back and I am more determined that ever to do just that.