I May be Overweight But...

  

We went hiking today.  It was my husband, our ten year old daughter, my little dog, and me.  Hiking is something that my husband and I both discovered we enjoyed a couple of years ago. 

For me, it can be challenging.  I am not athletic.  I'm not fit.  I'm not even thin.  I'm overweight.  After years of metabolic problems, losing weight is challenging.  I'm even on a ketogenic diet right now, and the results have been minimal. 

I am active.  I walk for miles daily.  

My husband is in shape and healthy.  He is active and doesn't gain weight.  In fact, he will run hypoglycemic level blood sugars if he skips meals.  Keeping up with him on a hike can be a challenge.

 

But I don't want to miss out on family time or the adventure of hiking new trails because I'm not where I want to be physically. Yes, it is hard.  My feet swell and my knees ache. I am out of breath with inclines and steps.  Steps are evil!  

My time with my family is limited.  I've been battling weight and health issues for years, and my insecurity has kept me, at times, from enjoying family adventures like I should.  I have spent a long time feeling very aware of how I look.  I was not heavy for the first three decades of my life.  I remember being smaller, thinner, more fit.  I can compare my insecurities and feelings about myself then and now, and the difference is drastic. 

 

Three of my daughters are now adults.  My fourth is nearly there.  Time goes by so fast.  Moments with my last child, also a girl, will pass by quickly.  I don't want her memories of me to be that her mom was unhealthy and didn't go hiking or swimming (eek!) with her.  I want her to remember me being by her side, tackling the muddy hill and getting dirty with her, as we did today.  

 

I am working on my health.  I have researched and researched, and am making progress.  It may be at a snail's pace, but it is progress nonetheless.  My goal isn't to be thin and garner attention for my looks.  My goal is to hike with my family without being out of breath.  My goal is to live a life WITH my kids, not sitting on the sidelines watching them live life without me. 

 

So, if you see a mom on the trails, struggling a little, give her a smile and encourage her.  It can be embarrassing to struggle on activities others handle with ease.  And know this:  The memories she makes with her family are worth any struggle.