Marching On: February Recap and Upcoming Surgery

As March arrives, it's time to reflect on February—a month that brought more challenges than victories in my ongoing journey. In this post I will go over my total steps and weight loss for February, share insights on motivation levels, and set goals for March. I’ll also provide an update about my upcoming surgery that is happening this month, a breast reduction and lift following my breast cancer journey.

February Fitness Recap

February was a roller coaster for my journey. I started with high hopes of sticking to my goals. Unfortunately, various circumstances made it tough to stay on track. It's amazing how much you need your head to stay in the game and how that alone makes or breaks the entire month. While I aimed for 310,000 steps, I ended up logging 237,556 steps throughout the month. Not the worst, but certainly not the goal.

Despite those setbacks, I continued to move my body here and there and as I could. I learned that even small amounts of activity can contribute to progress. In February, I still managed to lose 3.1 pounds. It wasn't the significant drop I initially wanted, but every bit counts in our personal journeys.

The Importance of Perseverance

One key lesson from February is that our response to setbacks defines our journey. Even when I felt disillusioned, I realized that acknowledging small achievements is vital for motivation. I needed some small reason to keep going and never give up entirely. Sometimes I just needed other people to point out those achievements for me.

Maintaining a somewhat consistent routine even when I missed my daily step targets helped me stay connected to my goals. I mostly kept up with my intermittent fasting, I did small bursts of dancing even when I didn't do my usual morning session. Each time I gave in to temptation, I reminded myself of the bigger picture: success is not a straight line. Being gentle with myself while striving for more is what is important.

I also have to give a shoutout to a couple people who really helped me through this month, Melissa and Kim. These are two people I confide in whether it's the best of moments or the worst of moments. They also have goals and ambitions for their own health goals and things they are hoping to accomplish this year. It's helpful to have friends just listen and provide encouragement, so that in the days I feel that it's too much, I have two cheerleaders making me remember I am not alone in this. Change is HARD. Losing weight is extremely hard. Thank you girls.

Personal Updates: Upcoming Surgery

March will be a bit tricky for this journey as I have a surgery on the 10th. This surgery is a breast reduction and lift, stemming from my breast cancer journey and radiation treatment. For those who haven't followed my cancer journey closely, here's a recap.

I was diagnosed at the end of October 2023. Following a lumpectomy in November 2023, I then underwent radiation for several weeks at the beginning of 2024, which drastically affected my body and mental well-being. (Thus the weight loss journey as I gained a ton of weight after that surgery and while on tamoxifen) Coping with lymphedema has been annoying and I finished my second stint in physical therapy just over a week age. I have been wearing compression bras and swelling spots and even night vests at times, all trying to help with the fluid in the breast and to heal the tissue as much as possible prior to the procedure.

Another side effect of radiation other than the lymphedema has been the amount of irritation and at times yeast infections under the cancer breast. I've been using a prescription cream for over a year to try to help as best I can. I jokingly told my oncologist a few months ago that had I known all the issues and follow up I'd need, I'd have just reduced my breasts long ago. She then referred me to a plastic surgeon who said once we did a bit more therapy and more time passed, we could try to get the breasts reduced, evened out, and lifted up. So next week on March 10, that's what we do.

I had an appointment with my surgeon Friday and we got to talking about the meaning of this surgery. He had noticed my new tattoo and I told him the meaning and how it's a rebirth after years of trauma. He then told me that a good way to look at this surgery was to look at it as me taking back control and doing something for me.

This is the positive point in the journey where we get "me" back a bit. I love that he said that and something I will take with me. This surgery symbolizes a step toward reclaiming my health and comfort. I look forward to (after recovery) alleviating the physical discomfort I've faced and embracing a new chapter of self-acceptance.

March Goals

As I look to March, it’s going to be a tough month to make a ton of physical goals. My surgery is on the 10th and I shouldn't be exercising for at least a couple weeks following that. I did make a goal of an average of 10k steps between 1st-9th and an overall goal of 150,000 for the month. (I know, I'm already behind if you looked at my step tracker on the site haha) We shall see what happens! Doesn't matter how fast you go. The point is that you just keep moving forward. Whether you sprint, jog, walk, skip, jump, or stumble the entire way......keep moving!

Remember, weight loss is not merely about numbers; it's about self-care during tough times. It's also about giving yourself grace. A single day in the week where you intentionally move, is a day more than maybe the old you would have done. and that is progress. I hope anyone facing similar struggles finds strength in perseverance and celebrates every small victory along the journey.

Through my experiences, I hope to inspire others as others do for me. Reach out if you need a partner in your journey! Here’s to a month of progress, healing, and all the possibilities that lie ahead after this month!