20. Back on Track

After losing track of my work outs for several days, after letting myself indulge in sugar and fat laden foods for a week over the holiday, after frankly not feeling very well as a result...I'm left wondering where I went wrong?

I missed Pilates when I drove to St. Louis for my uncle's funeral.  I managed to get in a couple cardio, workouts in the gym over the last eight days, and I did meet my goal of climbing 280 steps last Saturday (50 more than the week before.)  However, overall, these last ten days I've gone way off track.

To meet my goal for the year of reaching a whole new fitness level, there's no way around it, I have to change.  I can't become something different by staying the same!

I registered for a six-week fitness camp in San Diego, to begin on January 1, 2011.  (I posted FitcampSD's link to their website at the right.)  This is a good idea for many reasons: 

1)  Weather-wise, who wouldn't rather spend Jan. 1st through mid-February in San Diego instead of Chicago?

2)  What a way to begin the New Year--six weeks of daily supervised and supported workouts!  If that doesn't set the stage for a year of dedication to my goal, then nothing will.

3)  The training instructors are people I know, admire, trust and find to be most inspiring.  The way they live their own lives, truly inspires and motivates others to join them in their fitness quest.  Six weeks with them is well worth traveling all that way.

4)  I will have absolutely no distractions.  I'll be single-focused for six weeks.  How often does that ever happen?  Never.

So why the tinges of anxiety, the wondering if I can do it, the moments when fear of the unknown grows?  I lose sight of my goal in the midst of to-do lists and expectations.  I stop trusting that there is a plan for my life and all I have to do is take little action steps each day.  When I let that lack of trust stop me from taking steps forward, I revert back to old comfortable habits and ways.  Doubt creeps in, then fear, then disappointment...a spiral downward instead of up! 

When I set the goal of climbing/hiking the mountain in October of 2011, new doors began to open almost daily.  I walked through them and now will climb to the 52nd floor of the John Hancock building on February 27th.  I will attend FitcampSD for six weeks at the beginning of the year.  This week I also discovered an opportunity to travel with Harold to Estes Park in Colorado in June (he's going for work.)  My next step is researching a preliminary hike/climb in the Rockies for June! 

All I have to do is keep taking steps daily.  If I'm not walking forward, I'll miss these doors of opportunity.  What good is an open door, if I don't walk through it?

It's time to get back to writing, to accountability, to taking the necessary steps each day.

We finished putting up our Christmas tree about twenty minutes ago.  I've put off my weekend climb up the stairs till now--Sunday at almost 6:00 p.m.  Adding 50 more steps this week--it's time to lace up my shoes and hit the 330 steps!

I'm out the door...

I'm back!


Cousin Carol, cousin Norma...I just checked and there are still openings for the "Hustle Up the Hancock" 52-floor climb.  Go to www.hustleupthehancock.org and register if you're coming along :)