Thanks to Lyn at Escape from Obesity for this idea. It's a letter to myself on December 30, 2011:
Dear als,
I hope December 30 of 2011 finds you happy, healthy, and doing what you love to do. I hope you’ve lost the (at least) 50 pounds you aimed for, and CAN fit back in to all your beautiful dance costumes that are currently too small for me in 2010. I hope that getting out to run/bike/swim/exercise in general is second nature to you, rather than the struggle it is for me, and that you can finally squat/kneel/go down easily for floor work and get back up without struggling.
Remember back to where I am now: 238 pounds, relatively inactive (especially when there are no dance classes in session) with foot problems, and occasional hip and knee problems. Remember how I used to be a lot more flexible without all the bulk in the way? I’m looking forward to getting back to that point.
From where I am now, these goals seem pretty daunting: Lose 50 lbs or more; build back up to running on a regular basis; enter and complete a 5K event- possibly even a 10K; ride my bike to work at least once a week during the summer and late fall. These goals aren’t out of reach, though, and I WILL do what I can to achieve them!
I will continue to use the MyPlate tool at Livestrong.com to track intake/exercise, and I will continue to blog regularly to stay accountable. I will use the Cto5K and/or Cto10K plans to build up to running again, and then find a local run and enter it. I will plan and practice a route to work on my bike on the weekends, and will figure out the best times to actually doing it during the week.
I hope you’re looking at these “daunting” goals of mine and shaking your head with the thought: “That really wasn’t as hard as I thought.” Or “Yes it was hard but I DID it!” No matter what, I will try to make it so you can look back on all of 2011 and say with certainty, “that was a good year.”
Love, als
