2025: Year in Review

2024 was the year of walking, the year of cancer and treatment. 

2025 started as the year of the aftermath - the hysterectomy, the healing, and the getting back to routine. 

So, the first half of the year was slow, and a little aimless, but necessary. 

By mid-year, I felt fully healed from surgeries and cancer treatment. I'd taken up rowing (erg), paddleboarding, and continued my walking... until my knees flared up. Suddenly, back to the square one. BUT, I kept on with my progress in other areas. I hired a new trainer, who has really gotten me back into proper strength training. I'm on a good schedule, consistent! 

I've logged almost a half of a million meters on my rowing machine. I'm sweating my butt off on my spin bike trying to improve my VO2 max (not that I've had it tested or anything). 

I've gotten my full blood panels done and everything is in "ideal" ranges. Absolutely fantastic. 

I haven't lost any weight. I haven't lost any inches, I look the same. I would be lying if I said that didn't bum me out. That I didn't feel like I have nothing to show for the hard work I've put in over this past year. But I know it's not for nothing. I know the scale and mirror don't show the whole story. 

Eventually, my strength and abilities will show my progress, even if its only to myself. I know things are changing for the better! To 2026! 

My future fit self

 Visualize yourself at your goal fitness level. Beyond just the number on the scale, describe a specific "non-scale victory" you are excited to experience. Why does that specific moment matter more than the weight itself?

Oof, this one is a loaded one. I've been answering this question in my head (and in numerous blogs, lol) since I was 10. BUT, that question was never about fitness, it was always about weight - specifically, body-size. So I am excited to think about this from a strength, cardio fitness, stamina point of view. I will say just one thing on the aesthetic side of this conversation. And that is that I want to look like I am fit. I want to be able to talk about exercise and not get a side eye and a pity nod. Like, "of course she's working out to lose weight". I want it to be obvious by my physique that I work out seriously. 

Ok, onto non-scale victories that I look forward to as my future fit self: 
• Not injuring myself doing household tasks (lifting heavy things) note: I actually feel like I am here now. 

• Walking and talking with a friend without breathing hard/loudly and sweating immediately. 

• Standing up from the floor easily and gracefully.

• Not feeling silly and sausagey in my workout clothes.

• Performing "sporty" tasks naturally - running a short distance, hanging/pull ups, pushups from the floor, hopping or jumping. 

• Being lighter on my feet when moving about and when dancing. 

• Fitting in public seats comfortably - planes, buses, theaters, restaurants.

Out of reach milestone

(I'm starting to use journaling prompts, because I want to maintain this habit, but I feel as though I have nothing to say as of late)

Identify one physical milestone that still feels out of reach or intimidating right now (e.g., a certain distance, a weight, or a specific exercise). Write about why that goal matters to you.

I don't currently have a big exercise milestone I am going for, but I do have a couple small ones that I can think of. One is raising the weight I use in my Lateral Raises. I have been using 10lb dumbbells since the first set. It is now been months of doing this exercise and many attempts at raising it to just 12lbs and I can't do it. It makes me feel like I am making no progress, that all of my lifting has shown no growth. 

I know this is not the case, as I have gone up in weight in every other exercise. But I find it very frustrating to not progress in this one thing. 

Though, I have been able to up the reps and do sets of 12 instead of 10. When I started, I had to take a break after every 3 reps! This is still improvement, even if not in the way I am hoping for. So I am sure I will get there! 

I guess it is important to me because I have progressed in every other exercise, but when I do that one exercise, at the same weight as Day 1, it makes me feel stuck, like its all been for nothing and I am working so hard and getting nowhere.  I know this to not be true, but its the feeling I get! 

No workout is ever "good for nothing". Anytime I move my body is a tally in the good-for-me column!