Perspective

Perspective. I gotta remind myself to keep things in perspective.

So I started writing a post today with how frustrated I am that my progress seems so slow. I've lost 16.2 lbs in just over 2 months. I felt that the last time I joined Weight Watchers the weight was melting off, and that this time it feels like it's sneaking off...

And then I went back to my blog of June 2008. I had started WW on April 20, 2008, so June 25th was roughly the same time frame of my blog today.

And you know what...I had lost 16 lbs. And I was so thrilled by it!

I think the biggest difference between then and now, is I was already noticing changes in the way my clothes fit, in the way my body and face looks...I was starting at a much lower weight, so I think those pounds meant more...but still...it's the same 16 pounds.

This really does put a new perspective on where I am and how this process is going.

I do struggle with the fact that I'm not seeing more physical changes...my clothes are a little better fitting, but not everything. My face isn't quite as round, but not noticeably. Some days I feel strong and sexy, and other days I still feel flabby and disappointed. It's these things that get me hung up on my progress. But I also know I'm making major changes to my life that are meant to be permanent.

Perspective.

Here's some positives that I can celebrate.

• I started running again...well run/walking with the #c25k program. For the first time in more than 2 years I feel strong enough to throw in those intervals and keep going.
• I do have more energy overall--I'm not reliant on coffee in the mornings anymore, and I'm not as exhausted at the end of my long days on my feet.
• I have been tracking my food consistently!
• I have been getting a sh*t ton of activity points, often going out of my way to get to a goal
• I joined a gym to have someplace to workout when the weather sucks
• I'm cooking!! I don't cook. This is monumental.
• I'm craving the fresh healthy foods. I'm not even really tempted by the fatty junk food anymore...well at least not often. And when I do eat it, I'm eating less.
• I LOST 16 LBS!!! 
• And I'm still doing it! I haven't successfully stayed on plan since I first started so this is major. Two months later and I'm still going strong! Even if I'm in the turtle club :)

It goes to show what these small changes can really do. Consistency is key. For those of you out there who are struggling, let's do this. Keep it up. Keep going. Don't let little stumbling blocks stop you in your tracks. Just keep swimmin'. 

And keep perspective.

Actively pursuing a goal

Woo!!! Activity points!

I don't know what possessed me, but last night i decided to take a walk because it was so gorgeous out. A long walk. To the grocery store. Like 2 miles each way. And on the way back I had bags.

It was great. And that was on top of a lunchtime walk and various strength exercises I threw in.

Tonight I'm actually going running with my friend Robyn. Well, I haven't been running in a while so it might be run/walking or something, but I'm excited about it nonetheless. Working up to training for that 5k.

I have so much energy. I'm going to take advantage of it while it's here!!

In the meantime, some updated photos. Only because I am wearing some capri pants that I've worn for a few summers, but they look REALLY good on me this year.

Sorry about the horrible backdrop...only place I could get a clear shot and I wanted to post this :)

Until next time

Oh it's so the full moon...

Why else would I possibly be looking up 5k races to sign up for?

Within the span of about ten minutes I went from reading a blog about fitness goals to thinking about my own c25k progress and wondering if I could actually run a 5k to looking up races near me in the next few months.

Am I crazy? I don't run.

But I am running. And by running I mean struggling to jog, but still for me, that's running. Three times a week at that. But can I really do this? If I sign up for a race would I really continue to push myself to train for it or would I let it go by the wayside like most of my other fitness plans? I guess paying an entry fee would be some motivation.

Hmm...I guess something to think about.

Until next time

April fitness brings May thinness

It's day three of this month and I still haven't given myself a goal. I certainly marched through March and I'm very proud of myself for having gotten through two levels and almost a full month of the Couch to 5K program.

Now I want to give myself a goal for April.

Come April 21st, I will have been on WW for one whole year. And I'm about 40 lbs down right now, and that's amazing to have done in a year. Although I probably would have guessed I would be nearer to goal by this time, I am not complaining. It didn't just take me a year to get where I was, and the fact that I have come this far is something I am proud of.

This month, I'm not going to focus on any one particular scale number, but I do want to start picking up the fitness again.

The C25k program is great, but that's really all I've been doing. I do feel stronger when I run, but I feel like I'm getting flabby again because I'm not supporting it with any strength training. I keep looking at all my DVDs I got back in Dec/Jan that had me in a great workout zone.

Plus bathing suit season is right around the corner, and I want to ROCK a bikini by the end of summer. At least once. Not that I go to the beach all that much, but what better way to celebrate my new body than to show it off on the sandy shores of...New Jersey ;)

And one more personal reason I want to tone up...the boudoir. I don't talk about my personal life all that much, but it certainly is something that changed through this journey. My body image & self confidence has certainly improved over the past year, but when I get down & dirty, I still feel full & flabby. The jiggling areas are probably going to always jiggle, but I'd prefer them if they were a little less J-E-L-L-O.

So my plan this month is to try to fit in 1-2 days of strength training with my 3 days of runs. It's going to be tough because my schedule is so packed right now, but the great thing about the videos is that they're SHORT. 20 minutes and I get an intense workout. C'mon Julia, you can manage that. You spend 20 minutes avoiding cleaning--you might as well fit in some fitness while you're procrastinating!

So--C'mon April, let's bloom into something great for May :)

Until next time

No time, but I still gotta celebrate...

I never thought I'd see this number...certainly not on a scale...1-8-9.

189.

Okay, it's actually 189.6 which is almost 190...but 189!!!!! YAAAAAY!!!!

Honestly I didn't know what to expect at today's WI. I went way over my daily & weekly points last week with a lot of randomly high point foods, and today I ate quite a bit before the WI; but I was also running around a lot for work & probably burning extra calories. Plus the C25k I'm sure helped.

Whatever it was...WAHOO!!!

This week is going to be especially tough for me. With our dinner on Thursday, there's lots to do and little time. Most importantly I'm struggling trying to put together a video for work with my computer which is giving me a hard time saying it doesn't have enough memory to do things...I really just want to push it off a cliff. So until this week is done my routine is going to be anything but normal.

I should have gone out for my jog tonight, but it was so freaking cold & I just was not feeling it. I'm hoping to go out tomorrow morning, but...well, we all know how I do with morning workouts....I don't. On Saturday I graduated to Level 2 of the C25k which was really tough, but I felt very accomplished that I did it. Those 90 second sprints killed me, but damn I felt good. Stronger. Superwoman has got nothin on me. :)

Until next time

Strangely content

Usually when I'm writing for this blog, I'm either motivating myself to get a new perspective on this weight loss journey, trying something new, celebrating a success or lamenting a bad choice or a gain.

Strangely enough I feel very content lately with the way things are going. I am eating the right foods (for the most part), planning some of my meals, tracking well, diligently exercising at least 3x a week, and I am losing fairly consistently.

Last night I lost 1.2 lbs bringing me below where I was two weeks ago to 191.2. How cool is that. I not only lost that 1 lb from last week, but I succeeded it by the extra 2/10th of a lb. And now that I"m back to my Monday WI schedule, I can get back into my routine.

Last night I struggled to convince myself to go out for my C25k run, but I did and I felt so strong! I was still out of breath and I had a bit of a stitch in my side, but I wasn't completely dead by the last interval and pushed myself a little farther than I had. Running is actually getting easier! So I have one more level one run on Wednesday and then Saturday I go up to level 2.

So with all this, I continue to move forward. I think next week is going to be a little rough getting through leading up to our fundraiser, but as long as I don't slack in these good habits, I will be fine.

Until next time