Monday, July 9, 2007

Vacation Photos

Earlier today, I was very happy because I won the Diet Lottery while I was on vacation. I lost 4.6 lbs while I was gone, and that's good news. I was feeling pretty good about things.

Then I got my vacation photos developed.

All I can say is yuck.

I was especially eager to see the photos taken while I was horseback riding. I was an avid rider when I was younger, and I wondered if I'd forgotten how to sit a horse. Everybody kept telling me that my seat was fine, but it didn't feel fine. I certainly felt in control of the horse, and I didn't fall off, but it didn't quite feel like the animal was the natural extension of my body in the way that it used to feel. Of course I shouldn't expect that much, since it's been about nine years since I last sat a horse.

When I got our pictures back I was appalled. Although I was indeed sitting correctly, I looked...huge. There I was, perched on the backs of several different horses, looking as big as a house. The worst picture was one where I was riding away from the camera. My butt was enormous.

I'm embarrassed and discouraged.

Before I left on vacation, I felt like I was trying to put an extra amount of effort into getting in shape so I would be able to ride. All those efforts seemed to be for nothing, as I struggled to get on and off the horses, and I was plagued with sore muscles for the entire trip. I'm still sore, even though I've spent the last two days doing absolutely nothing, except driving across country to get home.

I've lost a total of 17.6 lbs, and I still don't notice a difference in my body, the way my clothes fit, or anything else. While I was on vacation, exercise was fun. Grooming, cleaning up after, and riding horses is incredibly fun (to me, anyway) and I really enjoyed myself. Now I'll have to go back to walking around the neighborhood or exercising in my living room because I'm too out of shape to run and too broke to afford a gym membership. Sadly, there are no horses nearby, so I won't ride again until my next vacation.

I'm glad I went on vacation. It's been a full nine years since my last one. But, I'm also sorry I went. If I hadn't gone, I wouldn't be sitting here knowing just how much fun I've been missing.

Can I run away from home now?

2 comments:

Martalu said...

I'm rooting for you! I'm glad you had fun, and I don't want you to run away from home, but I do want you to keep up the good work! ((((HUGS!))))

Naturally Blessed said...

lol...i felt the same way when i got back.....seems thats the best excercise for you, to do something you actually like to do...then it doesnt seem like work. ;)

dont give up! when i saw the pics form LR dissertation day, i wanted to run and hide, i looked huge! but i can't let that discourage me....if i stop now, i'll still be big as a house....and even more depressed when i view the next slew of pics from holiday season.

i'm shooting to like what i see in this year's turkey day pics. thats the long shot goal for now.