She's Running Off The Ticker!

B2B W13: 170/250, ***, 0 stairs

WOOHOOO! I DID IT!!!

I exercised 3300 minutes in the past 13 weeks! (3320 so far) That's 165 miles at 3mph.

I had tons of fun too. I pushed my body. My hair was soaking everyday. I love the Y. I'm well on my way to my goal for the year of 15K minutes. I'm going to be able to run a 5 at the end of the year too. Right now I can do 3 laps around the track. In 13 more weeks, I'll be able to do 10.

I am soooooooooooooo proud of myself:-D

Confession Time

B2B W13: 130/250, **, 0 stairs

Twenty more minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy smokes!!!!!!!!!!

I'm doing it!!!!!

At least there were fewer exclamation points. Wow! Best part is that I made it through March. I can't wait to start strength training.

I'm ready for some honesty. I said I didn't know why the scale wasn't showing me the rewards of my work. However, I failed to mention that for the past 2 weeks I had pizza the night before. Half of one of those make at home pizzas each time. I feel like I lied to you and myself. I'm sorry. I won't wallow in the guilt though. I'm just going to be honest with myself.

I do need to find a way to decompress in the evenings and especially on Friday evenings. I feel like the end of the week. I've had all my veggies. I ate clean. I can have whatever I want. The issue is that I use food to decompress when there's a multitude of other ways. I think I'm going to go for a manicure or pedicure or something like that. I just need to decompress. I don't want to talk to anyone or do anything that requires thought or energy. I just want to chill. Not veg, just chill.

Any suggestions?

Point 2 A-Gain

B2B W13: 90/250, , 0 stairs
B2B W12 WI: +.2 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -12.8lbs
Current Weight: 259.0lbs

Sad thing is, I'm not even annoyed. I'm resigned. I don't know why I'm skirting the 5% goal line. Honestly, I think it's in my mind.

I'm sure someone out there would say that I'm eating something wrong. However, let me assure you that I'm tracking every morsel. This week I had 21 AP's and 11 flex points left. I eat 6-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. I'm exercising. I just don't know what this is about.

Please don't say the old "maybe it's muscle." I'm not buying it.

I really believe I have an internal resistance to reaching weight loss goals. I thought I could sneak by it by reaching fitness goals, but it's having a face off with me. It's not relenting.

WHAT IS IT?!!!!!

In the first 6 weeks I lost 12.4lbs. In the second 6 weeks I lost .4lbs. Anyone see anything wierd here? At least I'm losing.

Well, this is good. I'm now frustrated. AHHHHH!

In better news, I'm only 60 minutes away from reaching the Back to Basics Challenge exercise minutes goal. It's been one hell of a ride!

Burn Baby Burn

B2B W12: 250/250, -*****, 10 stairs

Today I ran around the track FOUR times!!! I did one whole and two 1 1/2 laps. I tried to do 2 in a row, but I'm not ready...YET :-D

I feel like Christmas. I've been itching to reveal, no unveil, no present, oooh, so excited....I've been itching to unveil - yes, that sounds right - the next challenge.

The next challenge is called Burn Baby Burn. The purpose of the challenge is to kick my metabolism into high gear. I want my body to be an efficient fat burning machine. To that end, I'm kicking up my cardio intensity and adding strength training to the routine.

The Challenge will run from April 6th to July 5th. It's going to get me through Memorial and Independence day holidays. I'm looking forward to that. Memorial day I'm usually in Miami with family. This year DBF and I are contemplating a cruise. It's going to be fun:-)

Burn Baby Burn Challenge

• Exercise 3900 minutes (includes strength training)
  
• Complete 35 30-minute strength training workouts
  
• Increase running to 10 track laps
  
• Eat on plan every day

Eating on plan means I:

• Eat within my points
  
• Drink at least 48 oz of water
  
• Eat at least 6 servings of fruit and vegetables

I'm going to take the stairs as much as possible. I'll be accruing them during this challenge for use in the next challenge.

Everyone is free to join. Let me know in the comments if you're game so we can keep in touch and cheer each other on.

The next challenge you ask?

Yes, I'm already thinking about the 3rd quarter challenge. That challenge is going to be dedicated to eating optimally, if I don't accidentally do it during this one:-) I'm thinking that I'm going to use the stairs accrued during Burn Baby Burn for a Stairs to Starch program in Heading to the Beach (South Beach, that is).

Why don't I do that now you ask?

Well, I want to win. I already have enough changes going on in this challenge. I'm upping my exercise goal from 3300 minutes to 3900 minutes. I'm introducing strength training. And I'm starting the running program early. I think that's enough.

Food is going to require concentrated effort to move from healthy choices to optimal eating. Right now, I'm comfortable with my food. I am upping the fruit and veggie intake from 5 to 6, but I do that now anyway. I am still changing my food lexicon and the way I view food. I'm still consciously choosing healthy, wholesome foods. I would like, during this challenge, for that choice to be unconscious. In other words, I want the healthy choices habit installed completely before I start letting go of the training wheels.

The Heading to the Beach challenge will be a precursor to taking off the tracking training wheels. I've said all along that I want to develop a healthy lifestyle. This year is about transitioning to that. It's all about making healthy choices and being active. The weight will melt of as a result of making healthy choices and being active. I'm thinking beyond that point. I have no intention of tracking every morsel I eat or obsessing over what food I'm eating for the rest of my life.

Being healthy will become like driving a car for me. Sure I pay attention to signals and sounds when I'm driving, but I can also talk on the phone, listen to the radio, or speak to a passenger (sometimes all at the same time) while driving because driving itself is an installed habit.

Setting Goals As A Kreativ Blogger

B2B W12: 190/250, -****, 7 stairs

When Ashley said she had something for me I had no idea it would be blog award. I am so honored. Thank you Ashley:-)

210 Minutes to go!!!!! Absolutely amazing. I have to do 60 minutes tomorrow to meet this week's 250 goal. I'll be at least 100 minutes over my challenge goal at the end of it. So cool, so cool!

For any of you out there who feel like this is an uphill battle, set a small easily accomplishable goal for yourself for 30 days. Make it completely within your control (by default it can't be weight related). Make it something like eating a certain number of servings of fruit and veggies everyday or walking 15 minutes. Keep it very simple and manageable. Do it everyday. By the end of the 30 days, you will feel empowered and successful. Then set a slightly bigger goal, still completely within your control. Then another, and another. You need to get your mind to believe that you can do this - you can be healthy, you can make good choices for your body.

You will feel better and you will BE healthier.

Okay, for the Kreativ Blogger Award, I get to tell you 7 things I love:

1. Family and friends
2. Starbuck's purple chairs
3. The Y
4. Being healthy
5. Living within a 2 mile radius of my life
6. Metaphysics
7. Making money

The blogs I love are in the side bar. They're arranged by latest posting.

I Love Exercise

B2B W12: 130/250, -***, 4 stairs

Look at how close that 3030 is to that 3300! I'm over 20% to my goal for the year. I am stoked and so excited! I can do it!!!! You can do it too:-)

Can I just tell you that I love it when my day starts with exercise. It means that I not only exercise, I'm already 2-3 cups of water in. I take my vitamins. I enjoy my fruit for breakfast. I just love clicking off all those icons in WW. I already have my activity points logged for the day. Not to mention, I feel energized and joyful and expectant and ready to have fun and bask in the day. It's all money after the exercise.

I LOVE IT!!!

Mood, Uh, Scale Swing

B2B W12: 70/250, -**, 0 stairs
B2B W11 WI: +.2 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -13.0lbs
Current Weight: 258.8lbs

I'm in week 12, the second to last week of the challenge. I only have 10% to go to my exercise goal. Woohaa!!! I feel so accomplished and good about it.

I had a .2 gain last week. I ate every exercise and flex point - rather interesting actually. For the past 3 days, instead of focusing on the excitement and joy of getting to week 12 of the challenge and completing 90% of my goal, I fell into the soup of gain despair and annoyance. OVER POINT TWO POUNDS!!!!

Why do we do that? I said the words, "I'm not bringing in my tracker because body weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons." Meanwhile my psyche went through the trained I don't give a F#@K response. What's that all about?

I know I'm doing well. My food is cleaner. I'm moving my body and loving it. I feel leaner and healthier. What is the deal with my mood swings that go with the number on the scale? Why go through the process?

Fun Fun Fun Run Run Run

B2B W11: 295/250, ******, 15 stairs

Life is wonderful. Ran 3 laps on the track. Thinking about how I'm going to progress to 10. I was hoping that I could do 2 in a row. Maybe I'll try that next week sometime. I'm just having so much fun with it. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Check out the stars!!!

Less Than 500 Minutes To Go

B2B W11: 235/250, *****, 12 stairs

And more than 2 weeks to do it in!!! That means that I'll definitely surpass my goal.

My food is very good. I started eating just fruit in the morning and that's worked out really well. During the day at work, my food choices are very healthy and wholesome. I bring my breakfast (fruit) and snacks (fruit, veggies, cheese). I go out to lunch everyday. I eat well there. Then I go home in the evening. I want to start eating cleaner in the evening.

By the time I'm done with work, I've surpassed my veggie goal for the day. In the evening, I don't go on a spree, but I don't eat the healthiest, wholesomist (should be a word) food either. At the end of the work day I feel mentally exhausted. I often just want to take a nap or at the very least sit in a chair and sip a cup of tea. Duh!!! Why don't I just do that? I just want to have 30 minutes of silence.

DBF, who's an extrovert, works at home all day. He picks me up. From the moment he picks me up, bless his heart, he starts talking. Just at the moment I don't want to talk. TO ANYBODY.

The reason this is important is that while I don't eat when I'm not hungry. The mood I'm in when I'm hungry sometimes dictates the food that I choose to eat. I am working myself out of that habit. However, on the other end, I really would like some Calgon time when I get home. It will help me to make more nourishing food choices. I LOVE making nourishing food choices.

I am finding that as I choose healthy, wholesome food, my points automatically come into alignment. This is what I want. At some point, I'm going to take off the points training wheels and just eat the foods I choose to eat. I want to choose those nourishing foods. The other reason I want to develop the healthy eating habit is that I don't want to obsess about what I'm putting into my mouth for the rest of my life. I'm re-wiring my subconscious. I want nourishing eating, healthy habits, and activity to be infused into who I am.

The Next Challenge

B2B W11: 185/250, ****, 9 stairs

My veggie of the week is cherry tomatoes, actually I think they're grape tomatoes. They're great. I'm having them for my mid-afternoon snack instead of baby carrots. Very tasty:-)

In other news, I ran around the track 3 times again today. YAY!

I'm thinking about the next challenge. The minute challenge is 3900 over 13 weeks or 5 1-hour workouts per week. Originally, I was going to do Body for Life, but the program doesn't thrill me. It's just too complicated. I think the challenge is going to be to be able to run around the track 10 times in a workout and do 35 30-minute strength training workouts. The 3900 minute goal will stand, but it's a given. Also a given, is staying on plan with my food which has been excellent lately.

The objective of this challenge was to inculcate the habits of eating healthy and moving. I'm very pleased with the results. I still convince myself to get out of bed and to the gym some mornings, but I motivate myself with the feeling that I know I would have when I'm done, energized and invigorated. I'm choosing tasty, healthy food. Better than that, I am actually beginning to see healthy foods as filling. That's huge because I feel satisfied.

The purpose of the next challenge is to turn my body into an energetic, smoldering, efficient fat burning machine. By the end of the challenge, I want to feel highly energized and vital. I want to be able to keep up with my niece and nephew (right now just looking at them exhausts me). I'll be adding strength training to the routine, and I'm going to up my intensity on my cardio.

Best of all, I'm going to have some serious FUN!!!

The Elongator

B2B W11: 125/250, ***, 6 stairs

Today, I discovered the ELONGATOR. This is a phenomenal machine. I was contemplating beginning yoga during this quarter's challenge because my body was screaming for some stretching. I was going kind of batty trying to figure out where to put it. Would I stop going to WW meetings and just do the online program so I could do hot yoga on Saturday morning? Could I take a class in the evening?

Well, when I went to my meeting on Saturday, I realized that I need the support of the meeting for now. I want to get those stars and hurrahs. I want to see what other people look like when they get their 10%. I like the ideas that I get from the meetings. One week someone said that they text themselves bravos and inspirational messages and when they feel like eating a house they look at the text. It's really good for me.

I considered going to the meeting, then going to hot yoga, but the timing was off. I also enjoy going to the gym on Saturday mornings with DBF.

And hell, saying that I'm going to do anything resembling exercise in the evening at this point is setting myself up for failure.

So today, I decided to tryout the contraption that I first saw in the ladies' locker room. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO good. It was just what I wanted and needed. Five to ten minutes of stretching that feels like I elongated my spine and my muscles. Now, I feel tall and lean (even if I am only 5'4" and weigh 258lbs :-).

Oh, and I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, incline 6 intensity 5. Here's looking at you Tony!

A Pivotal Week

B2B W11: 60/250, *, 3 stairs
B2B W10 WI: -3.2 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -13.2lbs
Current Weight: 258.6lbs

I had a mental shift this week. I've been talking all along about choosing to be healthy, choosing to move, choosing to eat wholesome food. This week I shifted into choosing. I shifted from hemming and hawing over how much I HAVE to do this and how much I SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be eating something into doing it because I want to feel healthy. I shifted into really feeling healthy this week. I shifted into being inspired by feeling energized and invigorated. I had the mental battles over what to eat, but once I reminded myself that I'm making the choice to be healthy, the enemy (whatever it was in my head) surrendered. I felt at peace with my choices. I felt that I was moving in stride with what I said I wanted.

It happened through a series of conversations I had with friends. On Monday I was reminded that my life is not an obligation. I do have the power to create it. The activities that I engage in are activities in which I choose to engage. Exercising and eating healthy are things I chose to do at the beginning of the year. I made a commitment to change the way I see food and movement for life, not just a spurt while I'm loosing weight. No one is punishing me. The moment I let go of the battering ram, all of my choices became MUCH easier.

I also watched a Law of Attraction video that let me know that I was struggling against the natural flow of Life. My natural state is health. My being wants to be healthy, that's why it's such a strong desire. All this time I'm MAKING myself do stuff, I'm going against the natural current. I simply reframed my thinking from "have to" to "get to". I get to go to the gym. I started being appreciative of the ability to work on the treadmill. Rather than think about how sleepy I am in the morning, I thought about how exhilarated and invigorated I feel when I exercise. Instead of swallowing my veggies and suffering them until I could have the good stuff, I started to imagine clean, vital blood flowing through my muscles and organs. Healthy blood carrying the nutrients and fuel that I need to live and thrive.

Best of all, I shifted from being my best critic, to being my best coach.

Victories!!!

B2B W10: 375/250, ******, 15 stairs

I RAN AROUND THE TRACK TODAY!!!

TWICE!!!

My pace for 45 minutes was 3.2 mph! For comparison, I usually do 2.9 mph.

I passed the Navy couple!

I didn't want to go to the gym and almost didn't. I even let myself out of it. Then, I thought about how energized and invigorated I feel when I go and I got dressed and got out of the house...IN THE RAIN!!!

I walked down the block and across the street. I ran up the stairs. I did a spectacular workout. I feel energized and invigorated.

Setting a small, easily achievable goal and meeting it is the best thing you can do for yourself on your weight loss journey. I have proven it true for myself. In the first weeks of this challenge I was so excited just to meet my goal. I proved to myself that I can indeed do it. I stopped beating myself up for failing because I was succeeding.

Today, I'm moving from not beating myself up to actually championing myself. I want to be my best coach. I am often my best critic. I tend to see my job as identifying my flaws and punishing myself for them before anyone else has the chance. I do this so I don't get blindsided. That is shifting in me. The best part is that every aspect of my life is benifitting from this new attitude.

Be your own best coach.

In other news, I'm rethinking what I'm going to do for the next challenge. Stay tuned.

Less Than 750 Minutes To Go

B2B W10: 330/250, *****, 12 stairs

I am soooooooooo excited. I feel so psyched just for meeting this goal. I didn't really think I was capable of meeting goals anymore. Shocking and sad to say, but I actually felt that way. Now I'm almost 80% to my first goal of the year.

Wow!

Food is still healthy and wholesome. I'm liking the 2 fruit in the morning. By the time I leave work, I've had 6 servings of fruit and veggies. I have 2 in the morning, 2 for lunch, and 2 for a mid-afternoon snacks. You would think I would have the mentality of oh, it's done. I won't lie. I partially do, but mostly, I want more healthy food!!!!

Exercise is great. I am pushing my intensity on the elliptical. I think of the Anti-Jared and Brandi and Lyn and KK and Diana and Jared and Pasta Queen and all the other wonderful, supportive bloggers. I imagine that the row of ellipticals and bikes and treadmills are filled with us. I think that I could be peddling alongside any one of you and I want to give my all. I also set mini-targets and I get psyched to hit them. Today I ellipticalled at 4 mph on 10/4/4/4 intervals. I burned 555 calories. Next week I want to try intervals at resistance 5. The machine automatically programs the level 10 at resistance 8. One day I will be able to do that.

This Monday I had lunch with a friend of mine and I realized that I view my life as one obligation after another. No matter how beneficial, or enjoyable the activity is at the moment, I tend to view it as an obligation. That goes for my job, my food choices, exercise, church, cooking, and so on. Everything, all of a sudden, has become a chore, rather than a joy. When I had the realization, I decided to change my perspective. And in that moment, just like that I switched. My life is filled with joy. JOY-FILLED!!!

Healthy Me

B2B W10: 280/250, ****, 9 stairs

Wow!!! I have about 25% to go. I remember in the beginning it seemed as though she was running along so slowly. Now the time is just zipping by. It's adding up really fast.

I am doing well with my food. I'm trying something different this week. For breakfast, instead of a breakfast bar, I'm having fruit. My body is just craving more nutrients. The more I exercise, the better I want to eat. The better I eat (meaning more whole, healthy food), the more whole, healthy food I want to eat. It's an upward spiral.

This morning I walked around the track and they were doing a sports conditioning class in the gym below. My goodness! I was so impressed. I now aspire to finish that class in its entirety by the time I get to onederland. They did everything. They ran, did stairs, weight bands, tricep dips, jump rope, abs, lunges, jump squats. It was truly inspiring. I found myself walking around the track faster.

Also, this morning, as I was inspired by that class, I got the inclination to walk with weights. I picked up 2 2.5lb dumbells thinking I could walk with them. HA!!! I ended up standing there doing bicep curls and stopped after 10. I soooooo need to add strength training. Can't weight to start the next challenge in 3 weeks.

I felt so healthy walking the track: healthy skin, healthy blood, healthy heart, healthy bones, healthy organs, healthy muscles:-)

Quick Check In

B2B W10: 230/250, ***, 6 stairs

I'm in training today, but this is just a quick check in. I tried the Macaroni Grill garlic herb chicken penne from the box with turkey sausage yesterday. It was delish:-)

Another Reason to Lose Weight

This came out today at my job.

Effective 7/1/2011, all members who have a BMI (body mass index) of 40% or higher, will be moved to the 70/30 plan and will have to cover dependants as listed for the smokers above. Then in 2012, they will lower the BMI to 30 or 35% restrictions.

Ironically, I was looking at DBF disqualifyers last night and said to myself I need to get below 231 so I'll be eligible for health insurance if I ever get laid off or I become self employed. Seems like I need to do it even if I stay at my current employer. A BMI of 40 means about 231 lbs for me. This is now one of my mini goal. Next will be 205 (BMI 35), then 175 (BMI 30). At 175, I'll be merely overweight, rather than obese. My goal after 150, then 135.

Mini Goals

265.0 - 5% to GOAL!
Met 02/07/09

257.8 - 5% lost
251.2 - 15% to GOAL!
244.6 - 1st 10%
231.0 - eligible for self employment HI
224.0 - 35% to GOAL!
217.4 - Second 10%
210.2 - 40% to GOAL!
205.0 - 35 BMI
196.4 - 55% to GOAL!
182.0 - 65% to GOAL!
175.0 - 30 BMI, just over weight
162.4 - 80% to GOAL!
155.4 - 85% to GOAL!
145.0 - 24.9 BMI, healthy weight
135.0 - GOAL!!!

McDonald's Is No Longer An Option

B2B W10: 180/250, **, 3 stairs

Went for a walk around the lake yesterday and did the bike this morning at the gym.

I was reading one of my favorite bloggers and I realized that I hadn't had McDonald's in about 9 months. I used to frequent them for the quick nugget meal and the Oreo concoction. When I did consulting work in the next city over, I would pick up a McGriddle on my 3-hour commute on Monday morning as a "treat". These days though, Mickey D's doesn't even cross my mind, despite having 2 within a 1 of each other and 1/2 a mile in either direction from my house.

I feel the sense of not speaking too soon, lest I get a ravenous craving for the oreo concoction. However, for the past 9 months it hasn't even been a thought. Before that for 9 months, it wasn't a thought either.

As I read this morning, it occured to me that if I could do that with MD, I could do it with anything.

Why do I feel so threatened when I realize that I can't have a particular food for a long time?

I get this panicky, what's going to happen to me, how can I live without it feel it. This is not a normal response. After all, it's just food isn't it?

Well, it's a process. Last night I contemplated going out to dinner after taking down ground beef to defrost. No particular reason to go out rather than cook. I wasn't tired. We didn't need to spend the money. There was nothing to celebrate. After DBF suggested that I cook, I found myself getting a bit biligerant. Why can't I...? It's like a little brat in my head.

I cooked anyway and it was great. I knew exactly how much and what I was eating. I made a nutritious, delicious, wholesome meal for both of us. I felt relaxed and oddly accomplished when I was done. It was a fulfilling experience. So what's that other stuff about?

I recognize that I am changing and I am willing to change. Radically, if necessary. I am willing to do what it takes to live a healthy, energized life. That isn't a short term 6, 12, or even 18 month journey then back to "normal". It's about creating a new normal where MD is no longer an option.

Less Than 1000 Left

B2B W10: 90/250, , 0 stairs
B2B W8 WI: +1.8 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -10.0lbs
Current Weight: 261.8lbs

I walked the park twice today for 4 miles and some change in 90 minutes. I gained 1.8 this week again, and again the receptionist tried to reason about why. I should have put her out of her misery and told her that I had dinner after 10 last night. I went to a workshop that ended around 9. Didn't get to a restaurant until after 10. Could have not eaten, but...

At any rate, I am satisfied with myself. I am eating healthy and exercising. I want to be more consistent especially with my eating. I would like to get to healthy, wholesome choice as a matter of course rather than a conscious choice. However, in the process of building the new habit, I'm in the conscious competent state. I can accept that. I'm doing well. This is the rest of my life, not one week on the scale:-)

Have an amazing weekend. It's beautiful, clear, sunny, and best of all HOT, this weekend!!!!

The Anti-Jared Strikes Again

B2B W9: 265/250, ******, 8 stairs

Tony is amazing. If you are serious about losing weight, read his blog. He has no excuses.

This morning the alarm went off at 5:15am and I hit snooze until 5:35. I wrestled with whether or not to go to the gym and decided against. I wanted to cuddle and be held and sleep some more. And I go to the gym every day. And I've met my goal for the week. And I'm tired. And I deserve a break.

Then I read the Anti-Jared. He had a similar experience at 5:43 this morning. Go ahead, go over and read it. I'll be here when you get back.

His post made me realize again that this is not something I'm doing for the short term to lose weight. Exercising in the morning is a habit I am building for my life. It's like getting up and taking a shower, or going to work. If I treated my job the way I treat my health, I would be fired by now.

Imagine...Wakati, your job responsibilities are to eat healthy, wholesome food and exercise every day. First 6 weeks on the job, everything is wonderful. Week 7, I get some negative, constructive feedback and I say oh, to hell with this, I'm just going to do what I want now. Monday, I eat healthy but don't exercise. Tuesday is a good day, I exercise AND eat healthy. Wednesday, I exercise half-heartedly and I almost eat healthy. Thursday, I have a stellar day. Friday the same. Saturday, by some fluke, I get amazing feedback for something I did during my 6-week perfect stint.

Week 8 I decide to "get back on track". I struggle and get more negative, but constructive feedback. Should have seen it coming based on my performance last week. Week 9. This job is a chore, don't I deserve a raise yet.

Imagine if I treated my job like that. Why do I treat my health that way?

I'll be at the gym this evening. DBF should be ecstatic. He loves the sauna. I think I'll spend some time in there myself. It'll be my treat at the end of an invigorating workout. That'll be my decompression this Friday.

Progress Not Perfection

B2B W9: 265/250, *****, 8 stairs

Yesterday, I sought food for comfort. I did not eat beyond full. I stayed within points. I made healthy, wholesome choices. I had the comfort food while talking to friends about the situation. However, in the essence of full disclosure, I wanted to say that I did, in a way, turn to food. I am getting better. As they say in OA, "Progress not perfection." However, I did seek comfort in it.

On a happy note, I'm over my goal for the week, but I need to make up some minutes this week so I'll meet the goal for the challenge. I'm so excited about finishing up the first challenge for the year. I learned a lot this quarter about myself and my relationship with food. I love exercise. After drinking water it is the easiest part of a healthy lifestyle for me. I just love how my body feels when I exercise. I feel lean, sensuous, and invigorated. I feel energized. It's an easy win.

BTW, look at that chick go!

Sweatin' to the Trini

B2B W9: 220/250, ****, 5 stairs

Great workout this morning. I burned over 600 calories (603, to be exact) and I worked the elliptical at 4 mph for the first time. I did it at 4 and 10 incline intervals at level 4 resistance. I am so stoked. When I started at the beginning of the year I would do 45 minutes at a flat 2 incline level 1 resistance SLOOOOOOOOWLY. It would kick my butt. Today, I was going to the beat. I loved it!

My food is very good so far this week - very healthy and wholesome. I am finding sustainable with my food and I'm enjoying it. I'm still working on reframing how I see healthy food and I'm changing what I choose to eat. On Saturday at dinner, for example, I chose salad (which was scrumptious), instead of soup. I imagine when I'm eating veggies that they're cleaning up my blood and helping me to be lean and strong.

The Last Teen Days

B2B W9: 165/250, ***, 3 stairs

Thank God for Walk Away the Pounds. The gym is probably opening late this morning. I ventured out to find the lights out. Walked back home and did the 3 mile WATP DVD. It was a good change of pace.

I checked out my arms this morning and I noticed that the flab is going away. My clothes fit comfortably now, some are big. When I started WW they were snug. You know you get to the point where you refuse to buy a bigger size. That's where I was. Although, in some cases, since I was already at 26/28 Lane Bryant, I was petrified that there was nowhere left to go. Alas, I've retreated from that point and joyously heading in the other direction.

So Proud of Me

B2B W9: 115/250, **, 3 stairs

I ate a restaurant serving of cavatappi pasta and alfredo sauce over 3 servings. That has NEVER happened.

I ate 3 cups of raw spinach last night that was absolutely delicious.

I ventured out - and I plan to in the future - and purchased asparagus for roasting this week.

I sludged through the snow to do 55 minutes on the elliptical at the gym this morning, even though I took a snow day.

I am changing the way I look at food and being healthy and active and I LOVE it!!!