Milestone 1: March 24

Goal vs Reality: My goal was to lose 24 lbs. I lost 13.1. Technically a fail, but I also measured myself from head to toe at the beginning and I measured myself again today. I am really proud of some measurements. For instance I lost 2 ½ inches each from my hips and my waist.

Also really encouraging measurements are my legs. Remembering that I have Lymphedema, the size difference between my legs was 4 ¼ inches at the beginning. (Meaning my Lymphedema leg was 4 ¼ inches larger around than my other leg.) Now the size difference between them is 3 inches. This measurement gives me hope! It is showing me that the leg with Lymphedema is responding well to my efforts. Perhaps my legs may be close to the same size when I’m done. I am definitely willing to continue and find out!

Lessons Learned:

Let’s not be slaves to the scale. Yes, it is an effective way to measure progress, clearly it is not the only way though. Weight is a number that is hard to define in a way. I lost 13.1 lbs. What does that look like? How much of that was fat vs. muscle vs. water vs. ____? But, when I say I lost 2 ½ inches off my waist, that is visual. That is a pants size. (Which it did turn out to be, by the way.) I will continue to weigh and to measure because they both have value, but clearly the measuring has helped put the scale in its place.

Every day matters. Some days I thought I was cheating and “just having a treat.” But some of those days ended up starting a chain reaction that cost me the better part of a week. Tie all of those together, and that’s why I’m short 11 lbs on my goal. It didn’t happen to me….I caused it. As much as I wish it were different, it is my reality right now. I might as well face it. The good news is, I am able to identify the problem and not repeat it. 

“Failing Forward” is a good description. The fact is I failed, but I succeeded a bit too. I didn’t reach my goal, but I made progress in that direction. I am happy to be here, but I also remember that this is not the end of the line. I’m only passing through so I will continue to set goals that require me to work hard and give my best. 

A balanced approach takes work. As I suspected, I am disappointed that I didn’t reach my goal of losing 24 lbs. I also suspected that I wouldn’t feel like the weight I lost was a waste of time, and I don’t. I am thankful for the weight I’ve lost and I’m enjoying the benefits it already brings. I feel the need to value the progress I’ve made…while realizing I want to make more progress…but not diminishing the value of the progress I’ve made. I hope that makes sense to someone else too!

Next Milestone: May 18

Goal: lose 15.4 lbs (that is 2.2 lbs times 7 weeks)