Maybe this wasn't such a good idea!

   Have you ever bought a brand new pair of leather shoes? Maybe you noticed that they fit a bit tight and need to be "broken in". After the first time wearing them, maybe your feet were sore. Imagine what happened to me in 1980 with a BRAND NEW PAIR OF HIKING BOOTS! It didn't take long on the trail for me to realize, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Yes, the boots were lighter, but they were stiff and certainly not "broken in". I worked hard to make sure I didn't get any blisters. Fortunately I had something called "moleskin" that helped to keep the blisters away. It has adhesive on one side (to stick to your skin) and a cushion on the other side. I put the moleskin on my heels and other "hot spots" until the boots were broken in. That took a while! Believe me, you can't hike very far if you rub blisters on your feet! Some hikers had to stop and heal before they could continue their trip. I wanted to be careful that I didn't get sidelined, even if it meant going a little slower and being extra careful.
   On my current project, today I weighed in at 182.2 pounds (no change from yesterday). When losing weight in the long term, it's easy to say "maybe this wasn't such a good idea". Some days there is little or no progress, some days are spectacular, other days I actually gain weight. Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, I have to remember those brand new boots. I can have just as much patience now as I had in 1980. I can take extra care of my body now, the same way I did back in 1980. I simply have to persevere and keep the "big picture" in mind. Today my niece graduated from college. The feast afterward was good, but I cheated a little. That dessert sure did taste good though! Maybe that wasn't such a good idea either.......!