7 Million Steps     Blog 52

I’ve Walked My Butt Off

On Thursday I tried on some slacks in Macy’s for wearing in Washington DC, my usual attire of walking pants, track pants and jeans wouldn’t “cut the mustard” in your Nations Capitol.

It was the first time in ages I had the benefit of a full length mirror, umm something was missing?

Where has my butt gone?

Well I knew mentally I was working my butt off but it seems physically I no longer have a “butt!”

My body not surprisingly has completely changed, my weight is around 132 lbs 59 kilos.

I have lost around 40 lbs 18 kilos since commencing the Warrior Momz Walk out of Carlsbad in September.

Kelly and I have been eating pretty well, although initially in those first 6 weeks I was so sick, food was not my friend – I was relying on Protein shakes, smoothies, eggs and protein bars. Kelly would say how fussy I was with my food choices, but in reality just like it was after Josh’s accident I couldn’t eat! The thought of food made me want to throw up! “Amplified Agility” had provided me with a supplement range and I had brought vitamins with me from Australia which I took every morning,  somehow my body was able to keep walking, although there were days when I could have truly given up! It is fair to say the first weeks really until Oklahoma, the Walk tested my very being and of course Kelly’s!

In hindsight I know I was meant to endure, experience much I what I went through in those first 10 or so weeks, it has made me a lot more in sync mentally and physically with what someone experiences with a spinal cord injury; I thought I knew / understood so much, but the Walk has really shown me how little I did know!

It’s ironic, the year before Josh was injured (1999) my goal was to return to my pre pregnancy with Josh weight. I wanted to be fit and fabulous for the year I turned 50…I lost a lot of weight was pretty fit but looked gaunt! …Mid 2000, Josh had his accident and for the past nearly 18 years I have struggled with weight fluctuations.. Now as I approach my 68th birthday in the next few weeks, I am near my pre Josh weight  and I do feel pretty fit, not looking fabulous as the wrinkles have taken over, but overall I am pretty happy with my fitness and finally my mental state is pretty much back to normal!

And I am sure my butt will return to normal given a few months at home, when I will be back enjoying my wine and Wendy’s cooking…What will surprise my friends is, I have drank very little alcohol on this journey, I couldn’t afford the wines I normally would drink, so I have sought out wines I like that are affordable which are very few, overall, I have been happy to be alcohol free for most of the journey!