Hello everyone! The Unleashed One here. Wow, it's hard to believe, but my step adventure has reached its end. For those of you who need to play catch up, here are the links for you to read:
Here is how the final week went:
As you can probably tell, there were days where I had a bit more spring to my step than others. I am going to recollect, as best I can (for I didn't have time to do a thorough mood tracker), the elements which played a part in my not having as much overage on some days than others.
Hiccups
Unexpected News:
Those who know me know that I am a workaholic by nature, although I've done a better job over the years to balance my work life with a personal life. However, one characteristic of me which hasn't changed is my disdain for instability. I found out before the month of June ended that my hours were temporarily being cut at my place of employment, which was a blow to many at our workplace, since ninety-five percent of the time we are exempt from anything having to do with a furlough. All up until the last part of June we were told this.
I know that I'm going to be fine. I've gone through worse, but it's hard to stay in motivation mode when you're trying to calculate figures in your head and decide what financial arrangements to make, even if it is temporary. For those of you who are saying I should be thrilled because of the extra $600 a week the federal government is supposed to pad on top of state unemployment, it's difficult for me to share enthusiasm due to how petty the Placeholder in Chief can be. I give those who have no choice but to depend on the federal and state governments their props because you have to almost be on pins and needles, just in case something happens that cuts funding or slows things down. It's an existence not favorable to me, or maybe it does boil down to the fact that I'm a control freak.
Needless to say, on Tuesday (6/30) I was distracted but also by the end of the day, I was in pain. Arthritis (in the knees) and DOMS (with the ankle area).
Job Training
On Wednesday (7/1) I had training for a new job function that I would primarily do the following week (7/6, 7/8, and 7/10). Because of this, I did cut my morning activities short. In addition, although the arthritis pain was in check, I still had a bit of DOMS. Rather than stubbornly push through, I used some overage from earlier in the challenge.
Temporary Drawback
On Monday (7/6), I had an appointment with my endocrinologist. A lot of people are gaining what I'm calling the "COVID cushion". I was not exempt and it was reflected in my weigh-in and the slight elevation in my A1C. I picked up 9 pounds since I last met up with him in December. I did assure him that I would be back on track by our next visit.
I am hoping that some more weights will soon become available for purchase since there is no telling when the gym will open up in my area. I have tried to compensate for my former activity level at the gym with (1) incorporating morning walks (2) doing short workouts during my 15-minute breaks from work as well as the evening. Unfortunately, at times, my body claps back from soreness or exhaustion. So I recognize that I have to continue to make modifications to food, not just amount but quality. Healthy eating is going to have to be more front and center as opposed to side by side.
Takeaways from the Challenge
1. I am very impressed that I achieved some overage almost every day.
2. I am shocked I only missed my goal 2 days out of 30. I really thought my knees would play more of a factor in slowing me down.
3. Walking in the mornings, most days, helped keep my energy up for most of the day.
4. Focusing on my steps did throw off my isolation exercise schedule significantly. By week 2 of the challenge, I found myself forgetting which body parts I'd previously worked on, which caused me to do some areas more than others. In the end, I opted to do full-body segments in combination with walking to strike some semblance of balance.
5. My sleeping pattern took a hit, for I was trying to ensure I had downtime between my morning walk, breakfast, and work.
6. I've noticed better flexibility.
7. My overall stride has been quicker.
Do I think I can do 10K a day every day all the time?
Factoring in ....
Working from home
Arthritis and carpal tunnel
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
Sleep schedule modification
For me, at this current stage, I'd have to say ...
However, I can strive to do 10K on a more frequent basis, maybe a couple times a week or every other day. Just to give my legs a bit of a reprieve from time to time.
Before this challenge, I walked somewhere between 4,500 and 8,000 steps daily. Now that I know I can do more, I will strive for more.
Thanks to everyone who has followed me on my 10K Step Adventure this past month.
And on that note ...
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