This week has been one of those weeks. You know the kind. Full of unsuspected challenges. Disappointment. The kind where you count the hours until the end of the week. But most importantly, the kind where having an outlet is a most wonderfyl thing. My outlet these days? The gym. It is, and has been for the past eight months, my salvation. I never thought a statement like that would come out of my mouth (or my keyboard, as the case may be), but it’s true. It is a place where, for an hour or two, I can leave everything behind. I can clear my head. Refocus. And let go. I focus on giving 110% in an exercise class. Sculpting a muscle. Carving out a new curve. The shuffle on my iPod. Nothing else matters for that time. Sacred.
Challenging week or not, I think we can all use an outlet or two. Some activity or place where we can just escape from it all, be it for five minutes or five hours. A place where nothing else matters and everything is right. It could be gardening and digging out flower beds. Getting behind a blank canvas or a set of drums. Pounding the pavement for an intense jog. Sometimes it’s baking. We all need a place or a thing to just shut it all out. A place to make it better. What’s yours?
Project 365
August 12, 2010, Photo #146
Awhile back, I shared one of the things that I do to keep motivated while losing weight. For every five pounds I lose, I put a bag of sugar on the kitchen counter. A great visual reminder that really puts into perspective just how much five pounds is. Especially when it’s on your body and it needn’t be. While I loved the idea, and stuck with it for several months, there were now eight (EIGHT!!) bags of sugar on my counter. I need a new idea. But in the meantime, I wanted to take a picture to commemorate my accomplishment. My idea was to take a picture of Nick holding all the bags of sugar. Only problem? After about fifteen minutes and several various attempts, he couldn’t hold it all. So I got the best shot I could, and now even he also appreciates how much forty pounds really is.
First of all, Cate, I am so proud of you. Forty pounds is no easy feat. I know. I’ve been there. I need to be somewhere near there again and just can’t get motivated. Maybe I need to buy some bags of flour/sugar and start there.
My outlet used to be running but now that I’m injured, it’s baking and blogging. Now if only I could run while kneading bread…
Congrats on losing all the weight. That is fantastic! My outlets are reading, baking and walking my dogs…..
What an awesome accomplishment to lose 40 lbs and to have found a perfect outlet for those “harder” weeks!!!
I started running in June and while it was hard at first, I actually look forward to running now! I’m going to do my first 5k in a couple of months, which is what is keeping me motivated.
Cate, that’s terrific! I lost 100 lbs some years ago & it was just about the hardest thing I ever did. (Now I’m losing weight again, y’know, the baby weight I gained thanks to my son. Who’s now 4. 23 down, maybe 5 to go!)
WOW, 40 lbs. is great! Congrats to you.
Congratulations, Cate! That’s fantastic, and what a great way to motivate you. I love it.
Congrats, Cate! That’s absolutely amazing. I just love your sugar bags as motivation – so clever and original.
Great job!! 40 lbs is amazing!
Congratulations, Cate!!! That is HUGE accomplishment – as evidenced by all those heavy bags of sugar! I loved your visual motivational trick. :)
Thanks all – I’m very proud of myself!!!
Awesome!!! Congrats!