Boston Adventure

About a year and a half ago, I went to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Boston. They live about 1/2 mile from the train stop that takes them anywhere they want to go in and around the city, and they try to not drive their car whenever possible because getting around Boston by car is a pain in the ass. That 1/2 mile just to get to the train was awful. My knees hurt, my feet ached, I despised the one hill we had to climb, and then we had to actually go into the train station, climb down the stairs, and get on the train. By that point, I was a mess. And that was only the beginning. Once we reached our destination, we would also have to walk wherever we were going. The science museum, the Boston harbor, restaurants...it was all a complete nightmare. There were several times I was practically in tears, desperate to not take one more step.

I missed out on a lot. I insisted on taking the car several times when the train would have been the better choice because I. JUST. COULD. NOT. DO. IT. I spent most of that trip in pain and just wanting to go home to my nice suburban life where my car would take me wherever I wanted to go. I didn't enjoy the time with my sister like I should have.

It made me very sad.

This visit, 70-ish pounds down, I wanted to walk everywhere. I asked my sister how she managed to move the train SO much closer to her house. It was such an easy, short walk that I couldn't even believe that I once found it painfully difficult.

We walked everywhere.

We took the train to Harvard and walked the 2 miles back. No problem whatsoever. We did another mile or so that night.

We walked well over 5 miles one day. It was beautiful out, chilly, but the sun was shining, so we walked and walked and walked. I saw more of Boston on foot in one day than I'd ever seen there in all of my previous visits combined.

As we were entering the train station one time, we heard the train approaching. We ran for the train. Ran down the stairs, and we caught it before it pulled out of the station. It was exhilarating for this former nearly-300-pound person to run to catch a train with no problem. I wasn't even winded when I got there.

The whole trip, I kept remarking how my life had truly changed. It was amazing how easy it all was. I wasn't dragging my bones all over the place. I wasn't merely existing. I was living. Really and truly.

I crossed off two very important items on my "Reasons to Lose 100 Pounds" list this week:

39. To be able to run all around any city with my sister, up and down hills and the subway stairs, without feeling like I am going to pass out from leg/knee pain.
40. To not have a couple of miles of city walking feel as daunting as a marathon.

It was easy. It was fun. It felt amazing. My feet didn't hurt.

And a bonus? Finding out that my beautiful little sister with the adorably curvy body I'd love to have? Yeah. She's only 2 sizes smaller than I am right now. I wore her old coat. It was a bit snug but it FIT. It buttoned and everything.

I may have a ways to go before I am "done" but I am in a great place right now. I'm looking forward to whatever is coming next.

Here are some pictures of our adventures...

Bundled up in the icy cold night:


At Harvard:



Snowy park:


Breakfast with my sister and her sister-in-law and nephew:


The most amazing pizza from Pizzaria Posto - rosemary ham, brie, arugula, honeycrisp apples, and a wine reduction sauce. Yum.


Hanging out by the water:


Riding the train...comfortably!






Outside the aquarium:


With some penguins:


And for comparison, these are from previous trips to Boston. What a difference, huh?