What are your hidden / non-body-shape successes?
Heather_MXP
Posts: 48 Member
I've struggled with something called "metatarsalgia" my entire life, even when I was a fit and strong farm kid. I have to be careful with my feet so I don't get huge blisters on the balls of my feet and it's just plain painful to walk long distances. After about 1/2 a mile my feet hurt quite a bit and I'm dying to stop. Over the last couple weeks I've been feeling frustrated and depressed that walking my dog hasn't become easier for me. I adopted her in September and thought the more I walked the easier it would get. But that hasn't seemed to be the case. Walking 2 or 3 miles is just as painful and miserable now as it was in the beginning.
But last night I realized something. I'm walking faster. In the beginning my dog would keep the leash taut as she tried to trot / pick up the pace. Then she's give up and trudge along side me for a bit before trying to trot again. But I realized that isn't happening anymore. She's trotting, with my leash slack, the entire time we're walking. (Well, except for when she wants to stop and sniff something. haha.) I use a fitness tracker for my walks and I looked back over the stats. In the beginning I was doing 27 to 30 minutes/mile. Now I'm doing 20 to 22 minutes/mile. Sure, that's still pretty slow. But it is an improvement. My feet still hurt. But it's holding me back less and less. Even though I'm not seeing that in distance... yet. I hope as I lose weight (thus less pressure on my feet) I will feel up to walking 5+ miles. But even if keep struggling through pain to do the same 2 or 3 miles for the foreseeable future, I am making progress. So the frustration is gone.
Anyone else finding successes where they didn't think they were happening?
But last night I realized something. I'm walking faster. In the beginning my dog would keep the leash taut as she tried to trot / pick up the pace. Then she's give up and trudge along side me for a bit before trying to trot again. But I realized that isn't happening anymore. She's trotting, with my leash slack, the entire time we're walking. (Well, except for when she wants to stop and sniff something. haha.) I use a fitness tracker for my walks and I looked back over the stats. In the beginning I was doing 27 to 30 minutes/mile. Now I'm doing 20 to 22 minutes/mile. Sure, that's still pretty slow. But it is an improvement. My feet still hurt. But it's holding me back less and less. Even though I'm not seeing that in distance... yet. I hope as I lose weight (thus less pressure on my feet) I will feel up to walking 5+ miles. But even if keep struggling through pain to do the same 2 or 3 miles for the foreseeable future, I am making progress. So the frustration is gone.
Anyone else finding successes where they didn't think they were happening?
25
Replies
-
5 years ago I was borderline metabolic syndrome...
abdominal obesity...check
hypertension...check
elevated fasting blood glucose...check...but pre-diabetic, not diabetic
elevated Triglycerides...check...through the roof
Low HDL and high LDL...check
Everything has been corrected except I still have to take meds for my hypertension which at this point, my doctor and I have determined is a hereditary issue.5 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »5 years ago I was borderline metabolic syndrome...
abdominal obesity...check
hypertension...check
elevated fasting blood glucose...check...but pre-diabetic, not diabetic
elevated Triglycerides...check...through the roof
Low HDL and high LDL...check
Everything has been corrected except I still have to take meds for my hypertension which at this point, my doctor and I have determined is a hereditary issue.
Good for you! I ignored it until I was a full blown diabetic. But I'm working hard and hoping to put the 'beetus into remission. I'm like you, though. I'll always have to be on the bp meds. Stupid heredity.1 -
My a1C is well out of the danger zone. My high blood pressure is gone! No more meds! I walk faster and more easily than ever before and now walk to places that I would have driven to in the past. I walked to my dentist appointment today and realized that had I driven it would have taken the same amount of time due to traffic and parking. The thought of driving today seemed ludicrous, despite the heat.5
-
I don't get chronic headaches8
-
I've seen my BP go from 130/90 (borderline between pre-hypertensive and hypertensive) to 125/85 (middle of the pre-hypertensive range) at my last checkup just under 3 months ago. I go back in September.
Yesterday, I took the stairs, not the escalator out of the subway and, while I didn't run, I'd say I took them at a good clip. And I wasn't winded at the top!6 -
Less hip and knee pain and much smoother flexibility and range of motion in those joints.6
-
I used to have to struggle and push myself to get 7k steps in now on a non exercise day I get 10k without trying.....naturally more active7
-
I could barely move my right arm above shoulder level and have been slamming ibuprofen, sitting on special pillows, and barely walking without pain from my coinciding back injury that *allegedly needs* surgery back in January.
Now I have people in my lifting classes asking advice when back in March I didn't even know how to get a treadmill to turn on and wouldn't have dared take a group fitness class.
I realized today that I haven't taken an ibuprofen in months.9 -
Tonight. I just did my first 'downward dog' stretch where I was able to keep my heels on the floor for all 30 seconds. (The rest of me is still over the moon!)15
-
i can just slightly, just sometimes, make some space happen between my left toes. not always. and i can't control it exactly - i just stare at the foot and sweat and endure random twitches and jerks from every other part of my body and then sometimes it happens in among all of that.
but this is progress, believe it or not. meanwhile, with my right foot i can turn doorknobs. i know i broke that big toe 35 years ago, and i know i dropped a sharp-edged shampoo bottle right onto something important at the top of the same foot in 2015, but this is so extreme now that i'm working on it, i'm starting to wonder if i should have someone check out my dna.2 -
That's great! It's so important to recognise and celebrate those NS victories!
When I started my journey I did the 30 Days Shred (mostly beginners modifications) and remembered feeling sore all over my body for some days. Now (1.5 years later) I do a Level 2 followed by a Level 3 or 1 workout (intermediate level with weights) and rarely feel sore the next day! Never thought I would become so strong! It feels amazing!1 -
Haven't had a gout episode in 3 1/2 years. Haven't thrown my back out either since losing weight.3
-
I am not. Taking my anxiety medication as much!!3
-
I used to get plantar fasciitis so bad I would have to switch to pool walking. I get a rare flare up now that I can just massage out.
Today I walked six miles up to the high point of the pass and feel great. MFP even said it was a brisk walk, that's new. I tried running that same route over the winter when it was nice and cool, but gave up and went another way because it was too steep.
Oh, and the other side of the mountain was on fire. My asthma is now so well controlled I didn't even notice until I started to smell smoke. I turned around at the top and the whole valley was hazy. That would have sent we wheezing to my rescue inhaler the moment I opened the front door a year ago.2 -
I have not had heartburn since I started this journey. 29 days so far.1
-
Just randomly finding that you have bones in parts of your body you didn't know were there for years!0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions
Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!