Most Generous Liker. This is a title I earned with last month's weigh-in.
But I'm not really.
I didn't go as far as some others, that 'liked' every post no matter what it said. I liked every post that meant something to me. An achievement. Something that was either something I could never do or something I had to strive to do. But not that ones that didn't seem like they were trying. Not pushing hard enough. Not serious about this committment that we had all agreed to undertake.
And then realized I am as guilty as the others out there doing that to my posts.
We all come from different walks of life, and are at different places there. I come from a place where I used to be very athletic. Very skinny. I could eat anything and everything and not gain an ounce. Then I had child. Became a single mom. Quit smoking. Got a new job with over twice the stress level. Gained over 80 lbs. and didn't notice it until halfway there. Figured it was a phase and I could just make it all go away again when I got good and ready.
But the worse I felt about myself, the more I ate. The less I worked out. It seemed like all I could do was gain weight. My new job was a sedentary position. I literally moved to enter my vehicle to drive to work, entered work, exited work, and entered my house again. Maybe 200 steps a day. 300 at best.
To find out the average amount of steps a day a person should be doing is 10,000 was a MASSIVE panic attack. How in the world was I going to make THAT happen?
Slowly. Every day, walking a bit more. Parking a bit further away. To hit an average of 3,000 steps a day was a HUGE accomplishment for me. I had someone mock me in a post...that perhaps I should just try a little harder. Excuse me? I was trying. Very, very hard. Maybe not as good as Johnny Jump-vaulter, but for me...this was an major accomplishment.
I came to the realization that I could NOT let this comment stop me. I had goals, and they might not match everyone else's....and that is OK. I stopped 'liking' everyone's posts. Then I stopped reading them completely. I only came on the website to weigh-in. But that's not very fair now, is it? The website was set up as a way to help...a way to grow. With a potential bonus at the end if you make it. But all in all, it is supposed to help others over their hurdles...not toss new ones into the mix.
I hit my very first 10,000 step mark yesterday. It felt TERRIFIC! I can't wait to do it again. Just not today.
Today, I'm going back to 'liking' the postings. Getting some more motivation from others. And if I don't 'like' your post, please don't think I've forgotten that you might have just made your personal best for the day as well. Be proud of it!! No matter where you are in your walk.