2 Months In! - A Summary of Results Thus Far

I have not recently read my previous month-end report, so I really have no idea what format I should write in, to maintain consistency. I suppose I'll just tell it as it is.

This has been a frustrating month, but yet, a good month. I have enjoyed becoming leaner. I have enjoyed tremendous increase in strength, stamina, confidence, and ability! I can now run almost an entire 25 minutes without walk breaks, I can do more pushups than I have done in years, and my skin is happier. Ah...clear skin... I forget how exercise helps skin!

I had the pleasant surprise of putting on my pre-pregnancy capris and finding they fit BETTER than they did two years ago. You see, last summer I was entirely postpartum, so I hadn't even tried to put them on. I confess I was nervous! Every time I was postpartum, before, and tried donning the summer clothes, they did not fit. I'm pretty pleased! Plus, it's reassuring to know I won't have to wear my jeans all summer...

So why was it frustrating? I decided I would only weigh myself once per month, but a healthy part of the way through, I decided I would weigh myself, so that I might have more incentive to continue this madness. My discovery was that after about three weeks of much more intense exercise and mindful eating, I had lost 3/10 of a pound. I was so defeated and frustrated, but, I remembered what The Captain had said which was that I'm going the right direction, and eventually it would start working for me.

I decided to weigh myself "officially" today, for my month end report. I was delightfully surprised to see a five pound weight loss! In fact, I got off of the scale, reset it, and got on again, a few times! I don't honestly know how it happened, or where it went. I anticipate those missing five pounds could be found again the next time I'm on the scale, but I surely hope not.

As far as measurements, my waist and thigh(s) are only 1/2 an inch smaller, and the rest is the same. C'est la vie. I'm feeling better about me, and that's a gift. Truly.

I have decided I'm going to monitor my diet more closely this month, to see what it will bring. Now that exercise isn't nearly as mentally hard for me, watching what I eat will not feel like I'm totally killing myself. If I'd started both at the same time, I'm certain my body would go into shock, and freak out, and I'd quit.

So, yay for 11 1/2 total pounds lost. :) Let's see what July will bring!

Turning Up the Heat or Workout #10, 12, and 14

As you may have gathered from my blogs, I have transitioned my workout. I have become bored with the 100 Workout, so decided it was time for a change. A few years ago, my BFF LC gave me Slim in 6, a six-week workout program for my birthday. It is a phenomenal gift. Especially if you use it! I have started it and stopped it several times in a few years, but this time I thought I would go ahead and just go for it. After all, if I can run for nine weeks, I can do aerobics for six weeks...

I have been craving a greater workout on my upper body. This has it. I have been wanting something tough. This is it. I wanted something that increased with my strengthening, like running. Found it here.

I did this video, the Start It Up! portion, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My body aches. In a good kicking booty way! My arms were sore, my torso was sore, but after a day of healing I felt stronger! This is going to be an awesome change to my efforts to own my body again!

Thursday I came downstairs early in the morning, started working up a sweat soon into the program. Peach wanted me to hold her the entire time, so I did all of the leg movements while holding a baby. Pretty tricky! Pretty heavy! I couldn't believe how hot it was! I was seriously a sweaty mess. Then it dawned on me...

I checked the thermostat.

Apparently Bear felt it was too cold that morning, so he put the thermostat at 80.

80.

You know. Like working out, outside in the middle of Summer in the Northwest.

Needless to say, Bear was surprised when I turned the thermostat back down to 65, and opened all of the windows and patio door... And completed my exercise without a hitch, since Peach discovered toys were more fun than a non-stop mama.