Setbacks...

I'd mentioned in a Facebook post last week that my Dr. had diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis in my right foot.  What I didn't get into is just how much that diagnosis has upset me and felt like a setback.

I've had friends get this diagnosis before and heard the horrible stories about how they can't walk, let alone workout.  When my foot first started to hurt me, I honestly prayed that it was a stress fracture because at least that would be fixable.  I avoided going to the Dr. because I didn't want to hear that I had to ease up for a few months.  I didn't want to hear "You need to stop working out so hard."  In the past, I would've loved something like this from a Dr.  It's an excuse to avoid the gym!  It's an excuse to mope around and eat what I want and gain a few lbs. without feeling guilty because well...the doctor told me I had to take it easy so there!

However...I didn't get where I am by sitting around and avoiding the gym and eating what I want.  I've worked painfully hard to lose my 82 lbs and I know how much of that came from working out 5-6 days a week...every week.  My "typical" week usually goes like this:

Monday: 1 hour of zumba, 30 mins run/walk intervals on treadmill
Tuesday: 1 hour of zumba, 30 mins intervals on elliptical, 2 hours of volleyball
Wednesday: Rest or light walk
Thursday: 1 hour of zumba
Friday: 1 hour of yoga, 30 mins on treadmill or elliptical
Saturday and Sunday: resistance/cardio intervals and whatever else I'm in the mood for

Working out is the "easy" part of my weight loss journey now.  I used to HATE it, but now it's the air I breathe.  What scared me the most about this diagnosis is the realization that I'll have to focus that much more intensely on the diet part...on my eating.  As previously mentioned, I've gotten a lot better about what I eat and how much, but I'm far from perfect.  And without the ability to go all out and sweat my ass off in the gym...I'm terrified that if I'm NOT perfect with my food...I'll see the # on the scale start to rise again.

So I ignored my foot.  For 3 weeks, I kept pushing myself and ignored the twinges of pain until I just couldn't take it anymore.  So a few x-rays later, I got my expected diagnosis...and I wanted to cry.  Sure, he told me I can swim...which I love...but doing it every day is not something I would enjoy.  And if I don't enjoy a workout, I'm not going to do it.  But he flat out told me NO to volleyball and NO to running.  I suck at running, so I wasn't TOO sad about that (though it's a great calorie burner for me)...but taking away my favorite workout of the week was just cruel!!  I asked him if I could still do zumba or if it would make it worse.  He said, "Well...you can do it, but you'll know pretty quick if it was a bad idea."

So maybe I'll have to ice and stretch a bit more often, but I decided to keep my zumba.  I went to class today and it felt GREAT!  I know that I need to listen to my body and not overdo it, and I've promised myself I'll do that.  But I've also promised myself that I will do my very best to not let this become...a setback.  Part of me thinks maybe it's even a blessing in disguise as it's really honed me in on my eating habits and taught me even more about what things I can eat without a problem and what things will send that # soaring.  I'm slowly learning to ignore my cravings and late night fast food urges...and I've even started a counter on my phone for days that I've gone without a food binge.

So yes, this whole foot thing SUCKS and part of me wonders why I'm having so many health issues now that I'm healthier and smaller.  But I know that this is all just a bump in the road.  I'm a happier person.  Period.  And I'm not going to let this be the thing that sends me back down that slippery slope into the 300's+.  Been there, done that...threw away the t-shirt.