Week 22

Isn't it funny how our minds work? Mine for example seems to never be satisfied. My mind is constantly craving more and no matter how hard I work I tell myself I should have worked harder. Let me explain...

Over the past 2 weeks I have lost 6.6 pounds a.k.a. over 3 pounds per week. HOWEVER when I saw the number on my Dr's scale this morning I was disappointed. Why you ask? Because I was hoping to have lost 60 pounds and I have only (insert: groan) lost 59 pounds. What is wrong with me? What is wrong with my brain? Don't get me wrong having lost almost 7 pounds in the past two weeks is an amazing accomplishment and since I seem to have small weeks and big weeks this was DEFINITELY a big week. But now my progress as of today is "I've lost 59 pounds", when it seems like saying "I've lost 60 pounds" would be so much more satisfying. I expressed this thought to my doctor and she pointed out the fact that at least I'm pushing myself and making my own mini goals that I am working toward. So after my next visit I will definitely have lost over 60 pounds and I just have to start looking towards the next goal of reaching -70 pounds. WOW, that sounds weird to say... 70 pounds!

In other news, my family and I leave tomorrow for a 12 day vacation to Missouri and I am terrified. I have been working out in the gym 5 - 6 days a week for 5 months now. I have never missed more than 3 days in a row at the gym even when we went to Lake Tahoe for our anniversary (if you remember I tracked down a Curves and I used the gym in the hotel). My plan of action is to walk/run every single day and I'm talking like 2 - 4 miles daily. I also will be bringing protein bars and protein water packets. You may or may not have ever been to Missouri or met my family but I can tell you this now... people in the mid-west EAT. Biscuits and gravy for breakfast, burgers for lunch, steaks, green beans and new potatoes, and fried green tomatoes for dinner. I WILL NOT BE EATING THIS STUFF... but you know what? If I do I will watch what I eat the rest of the day and track my calories to stay between 1,000 - 1,200 a day.

I think that is part of the reason I've been so successful; I don't deprive myself and I always hold myself accountable. My husbands family all went to Black Angus this past weekend to celebrate his parents 38th anniversary. I had a water to drink, a small dinner salad with the dressing on the side, steamed broccoli and a small cut of filet mignon, I even had 1 bite of whatever chocolatey deliciousness was being passed around for dessert. However, I had been planning all day to go to dinner so I watched what I ate the rest of the day AND I went for a 3 mile walk with my husband and mother-in-law that morning. It's all about making sacrifices at times and letting yourself indulge (in moderation) at others.

So, I will do my absolute best to stay on track during this vacation and "JUST SAY NO!" will become my motto.

Now, for one of my most exciting updates yet... I ran 1 mile on Tuesday! I had been building myself up over the last few months. I started out using C25K a while back and ending up not getting very far in the program and starting my own program. A little less regimented but I got to where I could barely run 1 lap, to running 1 lap with no problem, to running a lap then walking a lap then running a lap, to running 2 laps, etc. On Tuesday I decided to run 1 lap but when the lap was finished I still felt amazing so I decided to try for 2 laps. At the end of 2 laps I still felt good and told myself "now I'm over halfway there if I run a mile!" So I tried for 3 laps and at that point I was so close to the end that I couldn't help but finish my last lap. I ran a 15 minute mile which equals running 4 mph which is much slower than I usually run (usually run about 6 mph) BUT I don't think I could have ran a mile running at that fast pace. So I guess slowing down gave me the stamina I needed to finish the mile! Now I just have to decide if I should start trying to run 2 miles at 4mph or try running 1 mile faster than 4 mph. Decisions, decisions.