If This Were the Oregon Trail...

When I was a kid I absolutely LOVED the computer game Oregon Trail. Well, that's not completely true. I didn't just play it as a kid, I still play it and still love it. Whatever. I'm five. It's fine. But in playing that game I learned a lot about the frustrations of trying to get from Point A to Point B with everything in one piece. There were so many different problems that could pop up and I was inevitably always the person who got 30 miles out of the starting location and had someone get bitten by a snake, or come down with dysentery, or break a leg and then they'd end up dying because of it. Who dies of a broken leg in real life, Oregon Trail?! Who?! Stupid game... anyway... I quickly learned to stop naming my wagon characters after my family or friends. There's nothing quite as traumatizing to a child as a computer game forcing you to write the epitaph on your sister's tombstone (sorry Trace, you always went first for some reason). After seeing that this was always the case for me, I tried several different strategies to keep all members of my covered-wagon posse alive.

There was option 1) Forge ahead. If they're not strong enough to overcome that silly, fatal rattlesnake bite then I certainly don't need them in my wagon when I'm trying to ford rivers later on down the trail. Homegirl gonna drown and I don't need her taking up space in my wagon. Now, this strategy usually got me to Oregon in great time but I was often the only one left in the posse. Not the best choice.
     Option 2) Rest for a few days and give the people a chance to recover. They have a little time to suck it up and get over this ridiculous cold called typhoid fever because I'm nice but again, if they can't hack it... oh well. We gotta get back on that trail without them. This strategy generally saved me a life or two for the end but I still lost most of my party and took a hit to my overall time. Not the best choice.
     Option 3) Rest until I see the notification that the person is healthy again. This usually took several days of resting, even a month in some cases, but the people often made a full recovery. I'd make it to Oregon with almost all, if not all, of the posse even though it was an incredibly slow way of getting there. It may have been frustrating to keep slowing down but I always felt good in the end that I managed to save lives. That was generally the best choice.

So now I bet you're thinking 'What's the point KJ? I thought your blog was about your weight loss journey. I want numbers, not analogies'. I assure you friends, I'm going somewhere with this. Stick with me!

Last week, I came down with a nasty cold. No, probably not typhoid fever, but it was still a rough one. I went from being completely healthy, exercising every day and getting great results, to feeling like I could barely get out of bed or eat anything except soup. Even when I had soup, it was hard to work up the appetite to finish it so my progress in the health quest obviously was derailed for a little while. Then, in true Kelly Jo fashion, I forced myself to work every day and even continued with plans for my insane trip to Texas for a few weddings. Instead of guaranteeing that I was at full strength, I forged ahead, intent on keeping with plans and making the best time. So my cold held on longer than it would have if I had just rested and even now, a week later, I'm still not back to complete health because I've been overdoing it.

I was so focused on getting to a certain point that I forgot about taking care of myself. I didn't want to stop working out, I didn't want to change my eating habits for a few days, and I didn't want to lose momentum. So I pushed forward and guess what? My body rebelled. I haven't felt well enough to exercise in a few days and my eating has been whatever is available. And okay fine, I'll admit that we've had to eat out for most of our meals here in Texas and it was much easier to just eat off the regular menu than try and find healthy options. I got lazy! I pushed myself too hard and in doing so, I've now had to pay the price of waiting extra days to get back at it.

Just like in the game, I should've listened to the warnings that my body gave me. I should've stopped right then and rested until it was time to start up again. I think that when we get on this path of lifestyle change, we get so caught up in where we're going that we forget to take care of ourselves. If I had listened to my body and taken the time to recover, I would've only been down for a day or two as opposed to the week it has now become. Sure, it would've frustrated me to slow down but at least I could have avoided this stopping completely that I've had to do. That's even more frustrating!

So my point, fellow travelers, is that this is a long journey. In the game you go from Missouri to Oregon and I am literally going from Kansas to California. If I want to continue on in my progression and be where I want to be when I leave for the Biggest Loser in Malibu, I have to remember that every day is a struggle and a part of the quest. It's okay if I have to slow down, it's even okay if I have to stop, as long as I get right back up. I'll be a lot healthier and a lot happier if I don't pressure myself to make good time or hit bigger numbers. So I'm working on it and every day I'm learning as I continue moving forward! There is no keeping me down for good, I'm almost four months in and still going. That's longer than I've EVER stuck with a lifestyle change. I'm so proud of that!

As an added bonus for reading all the way through this blog, I'll share another of the photos I've been taking of my progress. This one is of my favorite pair of jeans which I got when I was at my heaviest. A few months ago they were completely filled out and fitting snugly. Now, 40 pounds down, see the difference? I'm having to invest in belts rather than a larger pair of jeans! How awesome is that?

That's a good 5 inches off my waist and stomach!

If this were the Oregon Trail, this would be the first major landmark. I'm not stopping til I reach that destination. Can't wait to see where it's at next month!