8 weeks and some perspective!

I have been on this journey (AGAIN!) since the premiere of Season 6 of TBL, which was in Sept 2008. It started out rough. I didn't count my calories. I was too arrogant to think I needed to. I thought I could just estimate and I would be fine. My gym schedule was, well it wasn't a schedule at all. I went if I felt like it, but that wasn't very often. Prior to September, I spent a lot of time at the gym swimming, but I had a race coming up, so I HAD to be there. Once the race ended, so did the frequency of my gym attendance. I probably started September going once a week and twice if it was a really good week.

Over time though I began to see the need for more exercise and I began to go 3 times a week. But my losses seemed to be down one week, up or holding steady the next. It was never consistent. At some point, I was encouraged to write down what I eat. I resisted this again for a time and finally did it...for one week. I think I lost 6 lbs that week! Huh!

I began to see the value in logging what I ate and by December I had begun to do this consistently. Amazingly, when I am aware of what I am eating, it somehow provides motivation for the gym too, because my gym attendance increased dramatically. I was now there 6 days a week, 2 hours a day, and was giving up time with friends to be there! It helped that I had some friends willing to go with me when I didn't want to go and even willing to kick my butt all the way there! However, throughout all of December, I lost NOTHING!!

I made some changes, one being increasing my calories.

OK, so that was just a little history for those of you new to my blog. You can get more details if you read back but that is a brief snapshot.

It has been 8 weeks since I have increased my calorie intake from 1200 to 1800 a day. During those 8 weeks I have:

1. Lost weight EVERY SINGLE WEEK! for a total of 19 lbs. That is an average of 2.375/week which is right in line with the recommended, healthy weight loss goals. For a woman it is 2-3 Lbs a week. HA! I am normal after all! (No comments from the peanut gallery, aka people who know me in real life and not just blogland)

2. In January I began running sprints on the treadmill. 30 seconds.

3. By the end of January, I was running 1 minute sprints on the treadmill.

4. I was now spinning twice a week and on a couple occasions was able to do 2 back to back spin classes. I even once did 4 spin classes in 1 week!

5. By the time I left GR and moved to Detroit, I had ventured on to the track, with Coach and Adam and could run 1/7 of a mile without stopping (1 lap). Of course it was much harder if one of those guys was with me, cuz dang they run just a hair faster than I want to and DAG NABBIT if I am NOT gonna keep up.

6. In addition to all this, I was still doing my 2x a week Pilate's classes and 2x a week aerobics/strength classes.

7. Last night, I ran the farthest I have run yet in one stretch. I ran .35 of a mile and for 5 minutes straight! So what if it was only at 4 mph...I did it!!

If I hold true to this pattern, within 3 weeks I will have hit the 50 lb loss mark and am only 13 lbs away from being out of the 300's. These ideas make me want to work harder and faster! 50 LBS!!! that is 1/4 of the way to my ultimate goal!!!

All this to say...alot can happen in 8 weeks, especially if we are diligent in challenging ourselves to greater heights and greater distances. 19 lbs. Yes, alot can happen in 8 weeks.

What will the next 8 bring?

Just one last side note. Since September, I have lost 43 lbs, in 5 months. That is an average of 8 lbs a month and 2.15 lbs/wk. Once again proving I am NORMAL! From week to week, it is easy to get discouraged, when you see a gain or a 0 on the scale.....but taking a step back and looking at this big picture....wow, it sure puts it in perspective!

ok, one more side note: I can no longer wear the bathing suits I wore last year. They are so stinking loose on me that it has become more indecent than not, particularly in the area of "the girls". So, I have dug out a swimsuit from the "last time" I lost weight and put it on last night! It fit! Definitely made me feel better about my disappearing girls because in this thing, well HOT diggity dog! I hope to be out of this one by the time I swim my 1000 meters which might be in July!

OK I am done now for real!