Progress in being more fit and healthy can be measured in many ways. Some we can put numbers to, some we cannot. Many of us weigh ourselves (sometimes daily) and measure our dimensions in inches. I am fortunate to have made some very welcomed progress in both of these areas during January. I went from 255 to 236 pounds and, for example, from a 47" to a 44" waist. My hips stayed the same at 43" -- maybe there is not a lot of excess there, maybe it is not an area I have targeted properly, or maybe that part will slim down once my waist gets smaller. My neck went from 18" to 17".
But today I proved to myself that there is a different type of progress that is harder to measure. When I started this program in January, I decided to use the office staircases as an exercise machine. I could barely make it to the 8th floor without my legs giving up on me; today I made it to the 9th floor without problem, followed by a trip back to the 4th floor, back to the 8th floor, back to the 4th floor, back to the 6th, and back to the 4th floor. My legs got a bit tired but I was barely beginning to perspire. It is obvious that my conditioning has improved. THAT makes me happier than all the numbers above. The fact that I can go jogging without significant knee pain gives me great satisfaction. The idea that I will be able to coach my soccer team without being in agony the next day gives me the incentive to keep going.
I will close by saying that SparkPeople has given me a lot and I hope I can reciprocate by helping others achieve their goals.
But today I proved to myself that there is a different type of progress that is harder to measure. When I started this program in January, I decided to use the office staircases as an exercise machine. I could barely make it to the 8th floor without my legs giving up on me; today I made it to the 9th floor without problem, followed by a trip back to the 4th floor, back to the 8th floor, back to the 4th floor, back to the 6th, and back to the 4th floor. My legs got a bit tired but I was barely beginning to perspire. It is obvious that my conditioning has improved. THAT makes me happier than all the numbers above. The fact that I can go jogging without significant knee pain gives me great satisfaction. The idea that I will be able to coach my soccer team without being in agony the next day gives me the incentive to keep going.
I will close by saying that SparkPeople has given me a lot and I hope I can reciprocate by helping others achieve their goals.
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