Keep Moving

Keep Moving

This past Monday in my cardiac rehab class, my main takeaway was a simple term: keep moving. That’s been on my mind all week. I pulled my back recently, and while it’s painful getting up from a sitting position, if I stay standing and keep going, it actually feels better—the pain pretty much goes away. I had surgery in that area 25 years ago, which was successful, but it’s still something I have to manage.

Lately, I’m trying to find that balance of staying active without overdoing it. I’m learning to be easy on myself; when I stumble, I get up, and when I go too fast, I slow down. Yesterday, I went swimming for an hour to take some pressure off my spine. Being in the water is so much better for the back than just standing. My motto all week has been: don’t sit or lie down for too long—just keep going.

So far, I’m having real successes. Instead of just seeing progress, I’m starting to feel it. A lot of people focus on the mirror, especially with weight loss, but I’m looking for that feeling of success. Whatever physical changes come along with that will be there, but the feeling is what matters most.

This morning, I took Sascha to the dog park. A bunch of little dogs were barking at her through the fence like tiny ninjas, which didn’t help much, but we had a good time. She got a great run in, and we both got to see the world. It was incredibly hot even in the shade, which maybe wasn’t my best decision, but we got it done and headed home.

I just finished making lunch—my own creation of Pickled Lemon and Lime Tuna Salad. I grew up on my mom’s tuna salad with oregano, relish, and mayo, but I’ve adjusted the recipe over the years. Right now, it’s all about feeling the difference rather than just seeing it, as I said before. I’m happy to walk, not run, toward my goals.

Have an awesome day. Peace!