Miles ahead, but still so far to... hobble?!

#MumDeeWalks 4 Little Troopers - Update 3 - Week 1: Miles Ahead

Hello my Darlings and welcome to Mum Dee Does. I am Dee, a mum who does (it all), and today I am posting an update on my first week of walking and losing weight.

​I am still so excited about my challenge. I have been in communication with the Little Troopers throughout the week, advising them of all aspects of my challenge - and even received an official event registration number - EV2025.

Miles: 39 done - 361 to go

​The first week of my challenge has gone so quickly. I focused heavily on walking and getting ahead with the mileage, which I feel I’ve achieved very well. I have walked a total of 39.3 miles this week, which is almost double of what I was aiming for as my weekly target (3 miles / day x 7 days = 21 miles weekly target). The weather has been sunny and summery and I captured this by getting ahead in my challenge.

​However, I was walking all this distance in my Wellie boots, which are not designed for road walking, therefore do not have a great foot padding or ankle support. What I also didn’t take into account before launching this challenge is that little Ronnie will be coming with me at all times. He is not even 2 years old yet, and his stamina is not as enduring as the challenge demands. He walks (or cycles) for a little while, but then gets tired, demanding that I lift him into the baby carrier harness and carry him the rest of the way. He weighs an additional 25 lbs, adding to the total weight pressing down on my untrained, unpadded feet.

​I walked the furthest distance on the last day of this week, a single trip of 8.2 miles. I carried Ron for the most part and did it all over the hills of Eday wearing my Wellies. This really hurt my ankles and I had to hobble back home, crying silently in pain for the last mile. I am hoping this does not have a lasting impact on my ability to walk the rest of the 360 miles required to complete this challenge, but I will take it easy next week, allowing myself an opportunity to heal before continuing on. It is better to have smaller sessions, but more of them, than one mammoth walking expedition that sees me nursing an injury for a long time afterwards. This is a lesson learned.

Weight: No change (yet) - 221 lbs

​Unfortunately, all that walking and busing my ankle, did not result in a single pound lost on the scales. I am still 221 lbs, as I was at the start of the week. I checked this on the new bathroom scales that arrived this week, as well as on the same scales of my neighbour that I used for the initial measurement. This was a real disappointment for me as I really felt that I was doing very well. 

​I have to come clean. Ron did not sleep very well at the start of the week (meaning I did not sleep either), so I did have a cuppa with some sugar in it first thing the next morning. I regretted it and did not touch anything sweet since, but I guess when my willpower is depleted to such a degree, old habits are indeed hard to break. I am being honest about it on this blog, because I think it is important to chart my failures, as well as the successes. This was indeed a failure. 

​Not a single pound lost though, that is so disappointing. People who see me on the road often comment that I appear fitter, more energetic and much happier, all of which I feel within. All these things have a strong intrinsic value of their own, making me healthier and helping me regain a sense of purpose and joy in life, which became elusive when depression descended upon me. I do feel happy and proud, despite lack of initial results. I am hopeful that this elevated mood translates to delayed success and will show up on the scales in the weeks to come. 

​I am not happy to continue the status quo when it comes to my food. I am taking this as a warning sign and reevaluating the food I am eating, reducing the portions even further and retraining my mind to accept smaller portions, healthier choices and the new routine as the only right and proper way my relationship with food should be now and continue for life. I realised that if I want to look as though I don’t eat much, I should indeed be not eating much. I am joining James on the “warrior diet” that he has been eating his entire life. That means skipping breakfast and lunch, and only eating once a day at dinner time, thus reducing the opportunity for consuming more calories than I am in need of.

Funds raised: £35 done - £365 to raise

​I have released a video on my YouTube channel launching my fundraising challenge. I am extremely happy to have raised 6% of my target online in the first week of this event. As it is my first ever fundraising effort I am not expecting people to trust in my abilities straight away - I need to prove myself to the audience watching me, show them I am serious about achieving my goals and then, hopefully, they will be willing to donate to my chosen charity, thus rewarding me for all my efforts. 

​I have raised a further £10 just by talking to local people on my island. I was walking one day and a neighbour of mine stopped by to say hello. Conversation ensued and once I informed them of the reasons and the aims of my walk, they pledged a cash donation to sponsor me. I have updated this information on the Virgin Money Giving website and informed the charity, asking them how I should handle the cash and Gift Aid from this donation, as I’ve never done this before. I am sure they will send me some forms to fill in and post back - it is all a very exciting learning curve for me. If this challenge goes well, I am definitely doing a lot more charity fundraising as they are so much fun and so rewarding (and I am in no short supply of ideas!).

Sponsor me now!