I'm Popeye the sailor man!

Have you seen that 30 day plank challenge?

You know what a plank is, right?

THAT is a plank.

I'm gonna go ahead and answer your question before you even ask it.

Yep!

I look exaaaaaaaaactly like her when i do it.  Pretty much carbon copy of me right there.

No shaking, or sweating.  Certainly, no desperate gasping for air.  I pretty much look like an airbrushed model from start to finish.  When I stand up afterwards - I'm strong.  I'm fierce... and a spring breeze comes wafting around the corner and blows my hair in waves around my face and I....

yeah -  so day one - 20 seconds - i thought i was gonna die.

no, really - like - i heard this weird "whoooshing" in my ears?  I thought it was the early beginnings of an aneurysm forming.  I was shaking like an earthquake hit and coughing out "18... 19... 20!!!!"  

- and I said "20" with such explosive force and flopped so hard on the ground like a fish that I'm pretty sure I had a mild stroke.

and my kids were all "yay mom!  yeah!!!! you did it!"  

and i didn't have the energy (or the heart, lungs, or consciousness) to cheer with them.  I was just pondering how it was possible that the passing of 20 seconds could be so slow to defy the laws of nature.

Why was I doing a plank when I clearly was out of my comfort (um.. strength) zone?  Well...

I joined this challenge on Tribesports website.  It's free.  It's cool.  I like the site!  I like how it tracks my workouts.  Here is the 30 day plank challenge.

You saw that, right?  Day 1 is 20 seconds.  

And i just described to you what that was like for me.

How in the world was I gonna do 30 the next day?!?!?!?!?!  

and yet.  I did it.  and flopped like a fish at the 30 second mark instead of the 20.

ok ok - but how in the world was I gonna do 35 the next day??  On day 2, 30 seconds was my absolute limit.  I mean it!!!!  If you offered me a million dollars to do 35 seconds I would have fish-flopped on 30 and then cried my eyes out (7 minutes later when I had enough air in my lungs to cry properly) about how I have no upper body strength and how could i lose a million dollars over 5 measly seconds?!?!!

So here is the crazy thing.  Are you ready for the crazy thing?  Cuz i'm gonna tell you the craziest thing in the world.

Every day, I've been like - there is NO way i can do what they're asking tomorrow - but.... whatever, I'll try.  I'll prove to them that I can't do it and they're asking too much of me and my weak body!

Today was day 17.  Guess who just did 120 seconds (that's two full minutes, baby!!) of planking?!?!! 

THIS GIRL DID.

BOOOO-YAH! I'm Popeye the sailor man!  toot toot!  Who wants to feel my biceps?!?! 

aaaaaaand ...I don't shake as much, I actually breathe smoothly throughout, and I don't fish-flop at the end.  ok- i did hear that weird ear whooshing again that is undoubtedly a pre-cursor to an aneurysm- but I SAID I'M NOT FISH-FLOPPING!!!! CAN WE FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE!!!  lolol

sooooo tomorrow is day 18.  Let's see that's...... 130 seconds?!?!?!?!  What the.

oh geez. there's no way i'm gonna be able to do that.

VIDEO: Week 4 weigh in

Here's my video log for week 4 :)


i'm a happy girl!

Don't punish yourself, let Jillian Michaels do it!!!

You cheated on your diet.

You skipped a workout.

The scale betrayed you. (et tu, Scale??)

For a million reasons, you're feeling low for not taking your weight loss seriously... and so you feel the need to punish yourself.

I know.... because i've been there. and done that. but STOP. don't spend another moment beating yourself up!!!!

I have a solution for you!!!!

JILLIAN MICHAELS.

that chick will punish you more than you could ever punish yourself! hahahahaha

i have a love/hate relationship with her. (ok.... at the moment, it's more like hate/hate... semantics.)

i've had her "30 day Shred video" for YEARS now. and i think i might have done it a total of 4 times.

why? because i'm not a masochist, that's why.

but i did it yesterday. and felt quite strongly that i truly loathed that woman.

I found myself making rude comments at the tv, hoping she could hear me, and staring daggers at her when she said, "it hurts, doesn't it, buddy?!?!"

ARGH! i'm not your buddy, Jillian Michaels!!!! Buddies don't hurt buddies!

We can be buddies when you make my abs look like yours, Jillian ;)

Buuuuuut.  Tomorrow is weigh-in, so today, i thought - ok. how about one more day for my good ol' buddy and pal, Jillian?? Let me just work off a few more ounces before I jump on that scale tomorrow morning!!!

and SURPRISINGLY... i actually found it 1% easier to do today. I said one fewer mean comments than I did yesterday, and I actually finished the workout without blacking out.

That's progress, I say!

will i do it tomorrow? hmmmmmmmm. probably.

but only because i found a way to eliminate her voice.  ha!

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV...

I don't even remember what it was a commercial for - but I remember that line!!!!  Hahahahaha!  I've always thought it was funny! ;)  so classic!

I was just thinking about that line because I'm not a jogger - but I jogged last night - and i THINK i'm planning on jogging today too.

did it hurt?  yeeeeeeeeeeees. why, yes it did.  Thank you for asking.

but it was a little bit of a good kind of hurt.  ha!

I went with my daughter and we just jogged off and on, off and on, until we couldn't anymore.  Then when we got back home, I got on the treadmill immediately and finished up with another mile.

so here was the plan, Stan.

Step 1. 
get on my treadmill, do a nice slow mile to kinda bring me back into the land of the pain-free.

Step 2.
get off treadmill, after returning my heart to a nice reasonable pace.


And I followed that plan perfectly!  Except for step 1 and step 2.

This is what actually happened.  I got back home, and my treadmill said

"so.... you jog now, huh?"

yeah i guess.

"Ok. so jog, jogger."

Pfffffft! Alright, I will.

(such a snarky, snarky treadmill.  I would normally buy a treadmill WITHOUT the snarky attitude.  But this was a gift.  So.)

I put on some music, and before I knew it I was jogging for a half mile.  (take that, Tready.  and also take my sweat dripping profusely all over you.   and don't complain - cuz you're the one that taunted me into becoming Jogmaster.  Mess with the bull, get the horns.)

1/2 mile of straight jogging.  Apparently - this - is my current limit.  So, I'm not a jogger.  But I imagine myself to be!

I know there's a "runner's high" - I know this in theory of course.  Because if you've been following..... i normally move at the break-neck speed of a walk.

Jogging? sure, i tried it.  Running? Um, not unless there was a pscyho killer behind me.   or one of those camel spiders running into my shadow!!  HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE THINGS?!?!  All i wanna know is - what nightmare were they taken from?!?!  A giant cat-sized spider that runs after you because they want to be in the cool of your shadow?!?!?!  stop it right now!!!!  Yeah if i lived where those things roam - i'd be a runner for sure.

but I digress. I wanna know if there's a "jogger's high" - cuz if there is??

Dude.  I'm going for it.

Life, death, and the journey in between...

(No video this week... just the weigh in and update)

I've been working hard this week.  Not too hard - but definitely much more focused on choices this third week.  It's interesting what happens psychologically as you get each day further into any lifestyle change.

especially when it's a lifestyle change that overthrows some "dictators" that you've allowed to rule in your heart and life way too long.

but that's another post for another time... ;)

Everyone always says "don't worry about the scale.  Watch how your clothes fit.  Look at the way your body is changing."

yep.  i get it.  Those are not difficult words to comprehend.

but there is something about seeing those numbers on the scale that makes it FEEL so much more tangible than trying to detect the smallest changes in your body.

trying very hard to not be consumed with those numbers - but it feels very good to see them going in the right direction!

this week - i was battling a little *ahem*  "water retention".... and so when I weighed myself earlier in the week, i was irritated and disappointed and even though I KNEW that i would probably see a difference on the scale and did feel quite bloated.... i still didn't want to see those numbers going back up.

and i got moody.  i didn't stop working out or eating right - which is what i was tempted to do - "after all," ( you tell yourself...)  "what good is it if i work out so hard just to have the numbers go back up?!?!  i might as well just eat what i want then!"

silly silly rabbit.  trix are for kids.

so - i didn't let those tricks bother me.  I did stay irritable.  LOL  but that was probably due to other things... but i kinda also kicked myself in the butt.

Like - "really, Leah?  THIS is what you're going to choose to be upset about?  Just keep working out, do what you're supposed to do - you're body will get back on board soon - and then we'll be over this little hump... but quit whinin about it!"  incidentally - my weigh in this morning was back on target and i lost another 1.4 pounds this week.  that's 6.9 total in 3 weeks.  :) 

but there is  nothing like a little perspective adjustment to help that process.  illness and death seem to be clinging to this world lately - like a shroud.  Nothing like a shock to the heart to help you remember that time is short, and the things we choose to whine about start to look really silly in the face of real loss.

I lost a dear friend yesterday.  A sweet, tender, funny, hard-working, talented, important friend.  He took a piece of my heart when he left.  But thankfully, he left me with enough memories filled with laughter (the kind that makes you wheeze and see spots before blacking out hehe)  to last a lifetime.

This morning I'm looking forward to working out.  To celebrate my ability to work out - cuz not everyone has that ability.  Death, illness, injury... lots of things can rip blessings away from us. I have the privilege of working out.   Does that sound cheesy?  I'm not sorry if it does.  Life is good.  Time is short. My friend is gone. Thankful for his friendship and what he's left behind.

Miss you P.

Final score? 10.216 miles to 9.56 miles

HE WON!

arghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

VIDEO: Week 2 Weigh in

****Before i begin - you can either watch the video log or read the blog... it's basically the same info.  except on the video you can see me huffing and puffing as i walk in the fog!  LOL***

Hey everyone!  So... here it is!

a week of eating foods that i enjoyed (in moderation!!! i was not pigging out all week haha)

and a week of exercising (without taking a trip to Crazy Town! LOL)

so did my eating catch up with me, or did I still lose weight???










Heck yeah I lost weight :)

2 pounds!   wooo hooooo!

And here's why i'm super psyched about this.  Because there was never a time this week when I thought - ohhhhhhhhhh this sucks!  I can't wait til I can gorge myself on  "fill in the blank"  when this is all over!!!!

I just ate healthy most of the week, but when i had a craving - i enjoyed it!.  but i didn't STUFF myself.  i just had tastes, and kept up my daily exercise!

and i was rewarded with a happy number on the scale :)

so.... i could have busted my butt and guilted myself into not eating and maybe lost another pound?

but would it have been worth it?  the misery?  for one pound???

Nope.

so - i'm HAPPY ;)

plus... my "virtual" partner Anthony challenged me to a little friendly competition today.
I woke up in a sluggish mood today - usually what happens the day after a weigh-in! LOL  you kinda feel like - sweet! i can blow off today because i have 6 more days to work hard!!! hahaha

so we have a competition to see who can walk the most miles today.

i'm gonna win ;)

Are workouts that are actually FUN few and far between??? i hope not!

I don't love walking on my treadmill.

i know i need to workout, and it's not always convenient for me to go for a walk outside.  so the treadmill works.  but most times... it can be.... eh.

Good music can make it fun, or watching one of my favorite tv shows can make the time go fast, but it's not something that I normally look forward to.  (like when I took a Zumba class -  OH MY GOSH, best teacher, best class!!!!  I'd burn 750 calories in an hour and it was the most fun!!!)

but last night?  I don't know what happened.  I had a blast on my treadmill! I was working up a sweat and instead of feeling winded and tired and counting down every second until it was over.... I was almost tempted to put another mile in!

i said... "almost tempted"   LOL

I didn't - because I wanna keep checking that I don't purchase a one-way ticket to crazy town. 

Yes. I look exactly like David Luiz scoring a goal... when I workout in Crazy Town.  Doesn't everyone?  lol

but back to my workout last night...  it was pretty cool that I actually enjoyed it!!!    

I'm dying for some really FUN workouts.  I've done hula (that's fun and really works your muscles - but doesn't make me sweat)  I've done belly-dancing (I end up feeling so stretched out and it's sooooo fun! but again - doesn't really get me sweating)  The most fun workout I've ever done at home???  The dance games on the Xbox 360 with kinect.  We did that at a party once.... not only is it a FUN workout.... but it will actually work your muscles AND get you sweating!!!

downside?  you have to buy that whole system... with the kinect.. and the games.  

which is expensive.. but do-able.  It just always seems that the time comes to actually buy it and there's always something more important to spend the money on. 

Recently my kids have been watching ebay and there seem to be some great deals there.... I'll let you know if I eventually get it ;)  but there will NOT be any videos of me dancing hahahahaha  

I'll keep that sweet piece of embarrassment to myself, thank you very much.

SO... here's my request.  LOL Like I said, this blog was kinda just for myself in the beginning so I didn't tell anyone about it, but I have 200 views of it now!!! in just a week!!!!  So - SOMEONE is reading it hahahahaha  If any of you brave souls want to suggest some fun workouts for me - would you leave a comment?  :)   Don't be shy.  I don't bite.  :)  Also, I wanted to start doing some yoga - but there are A BAZILLION yoga dvds!!!!  Any suggestions as to one that you really really like???

That would be awesome.  :)

oh yeah... 

One of my goals? One day, to be able to do this.

 BarStarzz Strict Zombie Press    

yep.  she just did that.

And there is NO time limit on this cuz right now I can't even imagine myself being strong enough to do this! hahahahaha

but is this chick unreal or what?!?!?!  she's my hero ;)   (i hope you can see this video... it's from facebook. i couldn't find it online anywhere else.) it's from the BarStarzz facebook page.

I know it's seems extraordinarily difficult, and I almost want to tell myself to forget about it!  But... she wasn't able to do it the first time she tried.  Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

I encourage you all to give yourself that one seemingly unachievable goal.  (and then send me a picture of you achieving it someday! )

later... the treadmill is calling ;)

Chocolate covered strawberries ;)

So my  kids were up to something Saturday night.... traces of chocolate dripped onto the counter, and trying to keep me out of the kitchen.

I woke up to this :)

Then..... we ALL enjoyed one... or two...  :)


and my husband rearranged the leftover letters to say....

HOT MOTHER!!!! lolololol

My husband is 6'8" and has a metabolism that would allow him to drink Hershey's syrup all day long and lose weight.

My 12 and 14 year old both take after him!  LOL  Long and lean with metabolisms that burn like rocket fuel!

So... it is very nice (albeit slightly biased hehe)  when they tell me i don't need to lose weight and then try to fill me with chocolate ;)

and when my hubby says i'm a hot momma ;)

For someone that tends to be very hard on myself, it's nice to hear those things!

So yep.... I did eat some of those strawberries - though I did have help!  :)  But again... isn't it nice to enjoy things like that???  Can you imagine if I had been so caught up in my weight loss mindset that I couldn't stop to enjoy the hard work of my sweet kids??

Stop and eat a little chocolate. It won't kill you.  Just balance it out by keeping up your workouts :)

Today - we went down to the bay and walked for 3 miles in the gorgeous weather!

i know, i know. i'm getting bolder with my pictures... lol  full body picture today!

then we went to one of my favorite casual restaurants and got farm-to-table meals  (I got a nicoise salad and it was the best they've ever made!!!! soooooooo yum!)

then my daughter and I even split a gluten free chocolate flourless cupcake.

sounds gross, right?  it was so yum!

so!  i guess i'm a crash test dummy for you all.  I keep telling you all about balance and keeping the joy in eating and in exercise....

Let's see if it pays off this week at my weigh-in.  I'm kinda curious to see myself! LOLOL

but here's the cool thing.  I'm still working out everyday - it's not like i'm eating what i want and then sitting on the couch. LOLOL   If I get on the scale this week, and it's going in the opposite direction... then I'll know I need to adjust and be more serious with what i'm eating.

NOT A BIG DEAL. 

I only have to lose one pound per week.  That's the beauty of taking your time.  You can always adjust and there is no reason to freak out and start doing stupid things.

(I'm telling myself this....)

but guess what?  I enjoyed every bit of those chocolate-covered strawberries and licked every ounce of melty chocolate off my fingers :)

Life is good.  Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas!

VIDEO: Week 1 Weigh in :)

one week down!  10 months and 3 weeks to go ;)

Here's the link for the video log for week 1.  Is it a good thing that I'm already looking forward to seeing the differences 6 months from now?? LOL  patience, patience, patience ;)

I'm giving a virtual "high five" to everyone who is in the same boat as me! hehe  Keep it up and don't give up!!! :)

Week 1 weigh in!

Let me preface this by saying...

If i tried really hard - I could lose 8 pounds in the first week. Easily.  (I've done it multiple times before)

but that's stupid.

because 1.  the slower, the better

and 2.  so much of that crazy weight loss isn't really weight loss - it's just dehydration! (and foolishness)

so I was determined to not go crazy this week - or any time over the next 11 months of this challenge. Slow and steady wins the race, says the tortoise! ;)

So i made sure to not change my diet in any crazy way.  I still ate lots of things I enjoy - just moderately - and I tried to work out every day this week.  and.... actually i think i DID work out at least for a half hour each day.

When I got on the scale for my weigh-in yesterday, i saw a 3.5 pound loss!

Here's the coolest thing about that.  In the past, when I have had a nutty and excessive weight loss in the first week, guaranteed - the next day after my weigh-in, at least 2 of those pounds are back!  Maybe I ate some salty food, or ate something off my crazy-restrictive diet - and my body just absorbed and held those two pounds like a sponge!

When you lose fast, you can gain back fast too!  But when you lose steadily - the scale seems to be much kinder over a longer period of time :)

When I got on the scale again tonight - i saw i had already dropped just a few more ounces (nothing major - but nice to see it continuing to go in the right direction)

It's really encouraging.  Especially for someone like me who has the tendency to get psycho when trying to lose weight.

and i mean .... psycho.

Whether it's weighing myself every hour (yep... it was like an addiction!)  or over-exercising (remember Forrest Gump running across country... i was like his Energizer bunny cheerleading friend) - or counting every single calorie and tryng to figure out how to burn it immediately (hmmm lets see one grape, could i burn that by doing 10 jumping jacks or 20 sit ups???)  - or going super-restrictive on foods (an all-grapefruit diet?  uhhh -sure why not!!!!)  - or other dumb things (yeahhhh i'm not even gonna talk about those things. lol)  ..  I've done a lot of things that made me drop weight initially.... but only set me back physically and mentally over time.

I'm super impatient - so taking my time is a real effort for me and a difficult challenge!!! I'm the kind of person who wants to drop 20 pounds a month - EVERY month!!!  LOL  and I want to calculate EXACTLY how to do it!!!

But I didn't do crazy this past week :)   and  I'm happy to see that it paid off and keeps paying off.

so - 3.5 out of 35 pounds for the Healthy Wage challenge are gone.  Wow - that's already 10% of my wager!!!!

I still get a little excited and emotional when I think this is REALLY gonna be the year I do it :)

I'm so glad I'm keeping a journal of this. It will be fun to look back and see where I've come from!

It's funny - i never told anyone about this blog.  I figured I would tell my friends and fam about it when I got maybe halfway to my goal - but everyday more and more people read this!!! lol

I don't know why people are reading it (lol)- but I hope it encourages someone!!!
If you're in the same place as I am.... you can do it :)  Just don't give up!  :)

Good night to all my anonymous friends out there!  hehehe

Day 5 - Is Healthy Wage a scam?

Um - i already placed my bet, so I sure hope not!  LOL

But I really did a lot of research going into it - so I really didn't think they were.

And!  I just got word back from the guy on the forum that I mentioned yesterday?  the one that I pestered with all my annoying questions?  LOL

Well he responded to them all kindly!  He assured everyone in the forums that he wasn't a paid participant... hehehe which - isn't that just what a paid participant would say?  (just kidding G!)

He seems TOTALLY legit!!! He told me really awesome specific details about how fast his prize winnings were deposited and fees that paypal took out and just seems like an all-around nice guy!

So i'm thinking - that doesn't really answer any skeptic's questions??  Cuz a skeptic is going to be skeptical of everything I wrote so far anyway. The only thing I can do is come back in April of next year and tell you that I got MY prize and it's all legitimate!

so - i'll do that for you WHEN i win.  cuz i'm totally winning! :)

Ok - so for anyone who is reading this wanting to know about Healthy Wage - seems for real - haven't seen anything to the contrary - and I'm a test subject in the making!  You can come back in April to get the end of my story! ;)

(MY PARTNER STARTED TODAY!  HOORAY!!! NOW WE'RE BOTH IN IT TO WIN IT! )  :)

I'm about to jump on the treadmill and do a little treadmill dancing.  hehehe have you ever seen that?  SOOO fun!  people do little routines on the treadmill and make walking on it more interesting.  I don't follow a routine... i just play around on it and get my heart rate moving!  you can youtube some treadmill dances to check it out!  If you try it - PLEASE make sure that you don't do it on a really fast moving treadmill!  LOL it's gotta be on a slower treadmill so you don't go flying off the end! hahaha

here's a really technical one... i couldn't do it but fun to watch!
Josh David - treadmill dance to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off

here's a cute one - swing dancers!!! totally easy for you to try but still fun!!! LOL
Two guys swing dancing on a treadmill

Anyway - the point is..... have fun with whatever you're doing!!!  If your exercise gets boring - switch it up!  Walking on the treadmill for miles and miles can drag on for an eternity -  but dancing on the treadmill can breathe new life into your exercise.

Just try to have fun!

Later taters!  ;)
gotta go dance!

Day 4 - going out to eat - yay or no way? lol

I say YAY!

Because I don't want this to be a punishment!  Or a miserable challenge!  and more importantly - i don't want this to be something that I can't keep up AFTER the challenge is over.

you've heard it a million times - it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.  and i can vouch for that.

if it's just a diet - or just a challenge - it's gonna eventually fade and you'll not just be back to where you were before.... you'll be HEAVIER than before.

been there - done that.  don't wanna go back.

so my sister invited me to dinner tonight, and i'm going! and i'm looking forward to it!  in the past, i've dreaded situations like this because you think - i'm gonna want to eat every item on the menu!!!!!!! and i won't be able to!!!!

but come on.  who should do that anyway??? LOL  maybe doing that in the first place is what added on the pounds ;)

Yesterday I didn't blog but i DID exercise! - (I probably won't blog everyday - just when I have something to share... or feel like rambling lol)  I even got a little video clip of me on the treadmill.  I was challenged to "prove" that I was really walking on the treadmill instead of using my treadmill as a place to hang clothes. hahahaha  so i have a little video evidence that i was indeed using my exercise equipment properly!!!! LOLOL  maybe i'll post it later in the week.  I may or may not have been a little cocky on the clip. hahaha

But pride comes before a fall! Because I started my day off today not feeling so well - and took some headache medicine - soaked in the bath and put off my date with Mr. Tread Mill.

I told my dear Tready Mill: "It's not you!!! It's me!!!" but he just glared at me with his red blinking lights. What a drama queen.

If I get home early enough tonight, I might take a nice after dinner walk with him. lolol

Crazy that I'm kinda looking forward to working out.  just... a little bit.  i like it ;)

oh! P.S.  how COOL is this?  Healthy Wage has a forum for encouragement and success stories and "help me!" moments... and this guy just posted today that he got his winnings deposited to Paypal from Healthy Wage!  He said he was super skeptical too in the beginning too! (i think MOST people are.  it just seems too good to be true!) but he just wanted to encourage all of us that it's real and that he won.   i thought it was cool of him to do that.  I'll have to do that when i win too!  hehehe

anyway -so he left his email address and i contacted him with a bunch of pestering questions LOL
i'll be sure to fill you in when he gets back to me :)

my Healthy Wage partner Anthony joins me in this challenge tomorrow.  I'm excited ;) i know i can do this on my own - but it's always better with a partner!  the hard times don't seem so hard and the fun times seem way more fun!

I'm really doing this!!!!

Day 2 - woo hooo!

Day 2 - woke up and got on the treadmill today :)


and it felt really really really good. While my Healthy Wage partner (shame on you Anthony LOL) lazed in bed - I was up and energized - getting my workout in!!!


Ok ok - so he doesn't officially start his challenge until Monday, and he works third shift and just got home to go to sleep..... LOLOL CAN I STILL GET SOME PROPS FOR ME??? (just kidding Anthony!! you're gonna be awesome when you start - i know it!!!)


I'm still so excited for this challenge- but I'm also preparing myself for when the excitement wears off, and I just have a long, hard road ahead of me.


But to be fair, I chose a really reasonable amount of weight to lose in 11 months. So, I don't feel like it's going to be an excruciatingly long and hard road..... but there will definitely be ups and downs headed my way.

I don't want to lose the weight fast, or recklessly. I want my body to be able to adjust slowly to the changes so that it doesn't want to regain anything later. and.... you know how some body parts tend to give in to gravity a little more when you start losing weight??? Yeah - I want to take it nice and slow - so I can trick them into defying gravity for a little while longer! ;)

I think drinking lots of water and keeping my skin soft and moisturized will help!
(i think??? i hope!!!)


I like that this HW challenge tries to implement as many safeguards as possible. One of the helpful (and nerve-racking) things they do is they reserve the right to check on your weight loss up to a month after you win the contest - which is great... but also a little scary! LOL I understand that they don't want you to win by the last day, and then start binge-eating immediately afterwards! (which i may or may not have been known to do. I'm pleading the fifth.)


But at the same time - I'm going on vacation the very next month after I win. (yes, I have already declared - I'm winning this!!!) but it's on a cruise... zoinks! Hey - I'm not planning on scarfing down everything in sight! But - I'm also planning on enjoying myself!


Looks like I'll have to really take it all to heart and focus on my shiny, new lifestyle. ;) Exercise, moderation, and wisdom! It will be difficult - but necessary! This is a lesson that my Russian language tutor (and very good friend, Vadim) recently reminded me. It's the difficult lessons in life that are often important and necessary. Very true!


So.... Here's to day 2, to difficult but necessary lessons, to partners that begin on Monday, and to winning this contest and earning my healthier body back!


p.s. I DO have a "before" picture....but if it's ok with you... I'm gonna hold onto it for a little while! I know I need to embrace where I'm at now so that I can fully commit to where I'm going....


but ....do it publicly??? nahhhhh. i'll do that later. LOL Right now I just want to stop being that person. I think when I get a little distance and a little weight loss between me and her.... i'll feel a little less vulnerable!


It's good that I can see what I'm leaving behind. When I've left it behind a little more - I'll share it with you all ;)


so.... i'm still excited!


Tomorrow I have an early morning date with Mr. Tread Mill. I need to get to sleep now so I wake up refreshed for him!!!! lol