Wednesday, September 30, 2009

October Manifesto...

In keeping with my desire to make October the month that I will lose the greatest amount of weight to date, I've decided to write a brief manifesto. My goal for October is to lose 8-9 lbs, to greatly surpass my 6.8 lb August lost and my 5.2 lb September lost. I know that I can do it, but I also know that I have to make some serious changes to my diet and workout to get to the next level.

So, on this, the last day of September, I declare that during the month of October I will:

1. refrain from drinking any type of alcoholic beverage.

2. cut back on my processed sugars. (i.e. no cupcakes, cookies, brownies, chocolate, fruit juices, sodas or any other products with added sugar or sugar substitutes)

3. run at intervals twice a week, no skipping.

4. cut back eating out 6 meals a month to 4 meals for the month.

5. not weigh myself more than once a week on Tuesdays, as required by my tri-team weight loss challenge.

There you have it. It's going to be a tough month, but I am ready for the challenge.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009

One-third down...

It's official, I've passed the one-third mark (21.9 lbs) on my 65.8 lb weight loss journey. To date, I've lost 25.6 lbs. I'm floored by my own steady progress, but know that I've done the work. I've remained focused and determined to have success this time around and it's paying off.

As September comes to a close, my mind is already thinking about October's course of action. I'm going hard in October. My goal is to make October my biggest weight loss month. In August, I lost 6.8 lbs. So far this month, I'm down 4.6 lbs with 5 days left until month's end. My goal for October is to say goodbye to another 8-9 lbs. I've put it out there and plan to work my butt off to make it happen.

As for my mini goals. I've crossed another one off my list.

I'm only 6 lbs away from being the weight I was when I started college.
I now weigh .8 lbs less than I did the day I started college.

I'm only 9 lbs away from being the weight I was when I graduated from high school.
I am now 2.2 lbs away from being the weight I was the day I graduated from high school.

I'm on my way to uncharted territory, a place that I never thought I'd come close to ever again in life. In fact, I never wanted to come near this place again because of the deep embarrassment that was an open wound for a very long time. It seems so strange to type this, as I've never told anyone, and now, I'm putting it out into cyberspace.

Here goes...

When I started high school in 1994, I was 14, awkward and obviously overweight. On the very first day of my JROTC class (yes, I wanted to enlist in the army after high school) my class sergeant weighed each student in the class and announced our weight to the entire class. As the only overweight student in the class, I was mortified. I wanted to crawl under a bus and hide forever. I don't remember how I got past it, but I did. Somehow, I persevered.

Today at 29, I'm now 13.2 lbs away from being that weight again. However, the big difference this time is that I know it's only a temporary stop on much greater destination. It doesn't hold the same power over me as it once did. I'm ready to tackle it and move on.

Look out remaining 40.2 lbs. I'm in attack mode. I'm cleaning house and you don't stand a chance.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Not a good look, Serena...

Though I understand Serena's frustration and I agree that the line judge's call was erroneous, she behaved badly. I was embarrassed for her. Sometimes, you just have to accept defeat graciously. Every wrong won't be made right, but throwing a tantrum, only makes it worst. Unfortunately, she was outplayed.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Oh yeah...



At the rate of this turning into a blog documenting my weight loss (not that I really care), I just have to share some more good news.

You might remember (or just click here) for the blog I wrote on August 13; I was so excited about how close I was to reaching a set of mini goals. Well, I can proudly say, I've surpassed the first two goals on that list.

I'm only 1.2 lbs away celebrating losing 20 lbs.
To date, I've lost 23.6 lbs.

I'm only 2.8 lbs away from being the weight I was the day I graduated from college.
I'm now exactly 2.8 lbs lighter than I was when I graduated from college.

As for my other two goals:

I'm only 6 lbs away from being the weight I was when I started college.

I'm just 1.2 lbs away from meeting this goal.

I'm only 9 lbs away from being the weight I was when I graduated from high school.

I'm just 4.2 lbs away.

As excited as I am for my steady progress, I am even more excited that I can do things that I wasn't able to do before (or maybe was just too fearful to try). When I first embarked on this healthy lifestyle over a year ago, I joined a women's gym and became a "gym rat". I went frequently. I did simple cardio. I participated in a bunch of fitness classes. I even met with the fitness coaches for monthly assessments. Yet, I wasn't making much progress. I had no clue what I was really doing, how or why.

Back then, I was so uncomfortable in my body. You couldn't have paid me to get on a treadmill and do anything more than a brisk walk. I got frustrated easily at my lack of progress and fed up with being stalled. Eventually, I moved and just stopped going. Looking back, those two things were probably the best thing to have happened to me.

Today, I'm at a co-ed gym chock-full of athletic types, competitors, beauty queens and muscle men, yet I feel right at home getting my workout in. I joke about skinny girls getting onto treadmills next to me running for 60 minutes at a 10.0, but I'm no longer intimidated by it. I'm no longer embarrassed about what I can or can't do. I'm not worried about them. I'm focused on me and the fact that my endurance is building. I'm able to push myself to run longer and faster every week or so.

I'm running!!!!!

I feel so much better about myself and my future. Some of the muscle guys even give me head nods when they see me. I'm there...a lot :-)

I've dropped 23.6 lbs of my 65.8 lb goal. Having only 42.2 lbs to go is so surreal and motivating. Dropping the weight feels like I'm digging my way out of a tunnel. I still have quite a bit of digging to do, but I'm one-third of the way there. I can see the light at the end. Though I know the rest of the way won't be easy, I am more confident than ever before.

If there is one thing I've learned over the past 18 months it's this: sometimes the journey is just as important, if not moreso than the destination. I can't wait to reach the finish line, but I'm grateful for the changes I feel and see in myself.

Friday, September 4, 2009

It's official...

my jeans are too big, every single pair. My waist doesn't look like the woman's in the picture above [yet], but my jeans have some serious saggage going on between the legs, in the rear and yes...around the waist. I worked hard for it in August, like you wouldn't believe. I clocked almost 300 cardio minutes and 90+ strength training minutes each week. I was a beast about my workouts and it paid off. I dropped 6.8 lbs and 1% body fat in August alone. And since I'm in such a braggadocios mood, trainer at the gym said to me this morning [rather emphatically, I might add] as I was busting my butt doing abdominal leg crossovers on a bosu ball [yes, they are as difficult to do as they sound] you are losing inches. Me: really? Her: Yes, around your waist [complete with wide eyes and affirmative head nod]. I grinned from ear to ear as I resolved to slay September. It's on!

Watch out bitches...I'm coming!!!!