Oregon locked down exactly one year ago today. We had plans to go to a spacious venue to see an Irish band that night as I remember, but of course that never happened, along with a myriad of other things -- weddings, graduations....funerals.
All along, we knew the world would still be there once we turned a corner and vaccinations were available, so the trick became to avoid the virus for as long as possible. And we did. Perhaps you did, too.
The actual day of lockdown, we took a long hike up to an area known as "God's Thumb" on the coast. We had no idea the state and federal park systems would also shut down for several months and hiking would not be on the table as an activity after that day, so I'm very glad we went when we did.
And now, it's time to get back out there. I have a list of six wonderful hikes on my to-do list. Except I'm not sure I would be able to make it up a mountain today; certainly not God's Thumb. Because as it turns out, after having 12 months in lockdown, I've discovered I quite enjoy sitting on my ass and doing nothing. And now I have the ass to prove it.
And so, that has to change now, so that I can get back out into the world in roughly the same shape and size I was when I left it.
I've gained seven pounds during the pandemic; enough that I can feel the additional weight through my midsection and behind, but thankfully not enough that my clothes don't fit anymore. But if Our Pandemic Year was about limitedness, Our Recovery Year needs to be about making up for lost time. More gatherings with friends. More travel. And more hiking for heaven's sake!
And so I'm embarking on that most dreaded of things -- a diet. Even though I'd promised myself I would never be an old lady on a diet, I'm going to make an exception in light of this extraordinary year, and try and get back not only to the weight that was on the scale in March 2020, but also my STAMINA. And not for watching Netflix. For hiking mountains.
I'm NOT going to be posting a lot of boring diet updates (you're welcome), but in writing it here I'm hoping to hold myself accountable to Summer 2021 in some way; to say, "I'll meet you on the mountain," and be able to make it up there without needing a call from the paramedics or to be flung to the wayside, sitting under a shady tree while everyone else scrambles on to the top.
I will admit that during this rough year I comforted myself with too much food and too many cocktails. Epic cocktails, true. I don't blame myself for this, instead, I give myself credit for playing by the rules, keeping distance and at first, disinfecting everything that came into our house, including us. Our discipline may have saved us.
But the time has come to begin planning on emerging from that, and I've decided that in order to walk through that door back into Life As We Knew It, you must first actually fit through the door. Bah Bump Bump. A little diet humor for you there.
So here I go. Without blame or shame, just wanting to get up that mountain again. Happy Diet Season to everyone who needs or wants it!
Hey I'm rooting for you. I stopped doing much hiking or walking through trails because of the weather here. I actually lost some weight though because Mike was down helping our son who broke his knee and needed help with various things including our grandson ...and I stayed home and ate differently. Mike is the cook in the family so I ate much lighter than normal and lost some pounds. We still have more snow and cold weather ahead of us but more days where we can get out now. I hope u get those pounds off and get out there and move it move it.
ReplyDeleteI hope your son is on the mend now and more able to get about! Honestly the hardest thing about getting moving is the weather. Hard to feel motivated when it's 42 degrees, cloudy and windy outside. I may have to find an online Zumba or something to motivate me to move! And thanks for the well wishes on this endeavor, I'll take all the positive vibes I can get!
ReplyDeletesometimes just putting music on helps - but i agree about the weather - i find it difficult to get motivated too and it seems anymore - every season brings more and more wind events. Zumba - i need to look into that also.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the wind! Seems like it get worse every year.
DeleteI really enjoyed your post, enjoy how you described your pandemic time and I will add that wind and heat is what will keep me inside. I love clouds and rain and light breezes but not heat, snow, wind! We have had more wind this year than any year I've been on the Central Coast. I really would like to live on the coastal side of Oregon. I've always wanted to. Music also motivates me to move it, move it and puts me in a good mood. Luckily here, I still can find protected areas to walk in where the wind is not constant. Other times I look out at the dancing trees and I say 'Nope, staying in today." I can't fight it. Good luck on the weight loss! I bet you'll be hiking more than you think you will as long as the weather cooperates.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing. I wish I had been able to follow you for a long time because I just checked out I think something you wrote maybe in August of 2018 or 017, about shaking the dust off. I loved that post (story) about the hiking you did, how you felt about where you lived growing up (as a teenage we lived in Covina as an adult worked in L.A. for a while then had a job that put me on freeways every day of the week and all I really wanted to do was get out of that part of California. Anyway, I love reading about women who travel, hike, visit other countries, etc. A book I just finished was "Braver than you Think" by Maggie Downs who hiked in 19 countries, I believe it was, for a whole year. Anyway, I am going to go back in your blog archives and read more about your life!! You're a good writer.
ReplyDeleteSorry I wrote so much, but I just couldn't help myself.....lol
ReplyDeleteHey, comment as much as you want, I always love reading things that something I wrote made you think of! I love hiking too, I was brokenhearted when they closed all the state parks during the first few months of the pandemic; it was like taking away the one good thing we had left lol. The book by Maggie Downs sounds interesting; I love travel memoirs and also anything about women hiking and traveling so I will read it for sure, thanks for the recommendation!
Deletewell now i have to go back to august 2018, lol.
ReplyDelete