Category: challenge

Mind, Body, Soul

It is very important to me that my weight loss adventure (I hate the overused word “journey”) is built on more than my body, or a number on the scale, or a size on a tag. True change and growth must start inside, or it really doesn’t mean much to me.

My mother was deeply religious, and I was raised Catholic. I haven’t been to church in a long time, but it’s not because I don’t believe; it’s because the typical church just isn’t what I’m looking for. I believe in spirituality, in being good to each other, in love. I don’t believe in grandstanding, plastering pictures on Facebook to demand that others praise how godly you are, in using fake religion for image or self gain. And I see far too much of that in every church I have been inside to feel drawn to try to grow there.

One of the kids recently saw my Bible on the coffee table and apparently was a bit surprised that it was mine. I chuckled when my husband told me. Yeah, I am not a “turn the other cheek” person. I am a “come at me if you want to find out what happens” kind of person. But not being a stereotypical church lady does not mean that I don’t value spirituality or growing as a person.

When I was hunting for a fitness challenge, I came across the Forty Forty Challenge: walk or run one mile a day, for 40 days, with a Bible reading each day. The challenge focuses on “developing our bodies…both physically and mentally”, and I smiled when I read that and knew I had found my challenge.

I started on Sunday. Today is day #6. They shipped my medal to me already, but I don’t want to take it out of the box until day #40 is finished. I want to celebrate completing the challenge by finally hanging up my Forty Forty medal.

I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that this week, the week I started this challenge, is when I finally fell back into step, and things started to click again. Taking care of my mind, body, and soul, all at once–not singling out the body and ignoring the rest–is my goal and my focus from here on out. I really don’t believe lasting, substantive change can happen any other way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I knew the last two weeks of November were going to be hard.  This week, there is, of course, Thanksgiving.  I don’t like turkey or most of the traditional Thanksgiving feast food, so that isn’t the problem.  But the two days off work, no routine, surrounded by food all day, and the “hey, it’s a day off, so I should relax and eat like a hog!” mentality are going to be hard to fight off.  Oh, and did I mention pumpkin pie, which I can eat by the truckload, especially if whipped cream is involved?

I need to keep my mini-goal and Saturday’s weigh-in tucked in the back of my mind.  It’s so easy for me to slide right off the wagon, especially if the temptation is ongoing, like the cake my boyfriend felt the need to place on our kitchen table.  I don’t want to blow it for some sugar and icing, no matter how good it tastes.  I want to stand on the scale on Saturday morning, proud and victorious, knowing I overcame challenges to reach that mini-goal!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

No Turning Back

Monday night I went to my gym to meet with the manager and get my certificate for finishing the 60-day challenge.  I had the highest percentage of weight loss at that location, so the manager also set me up for my free year membership and told me I have five personal trainer sessions for free.  I haven’t scheduled one yet, but it’s on my to-do list to do soon!

I had my picture taken with the manager, holding my certificate, that will be on the gym’s website soon.  I am a bit stressed about my picture being on a public site, because I am still 30 pounds from my goal weight, but I need to just get over it and be happy that I did so well in the challenge.  I got a t-shirt that says “60 Day Challenge Finisher”, too.  I put it on as soon as I got home from the gym and strutted about like a celebrity.

Yesterday morning, during a staff meeting, my boss told me she can tell I am back to working out and that I look great.  It was out of the blue, and in front of all of my co-workers, so I was a little startled but happy to hear it.  It’s funny, I had just written about how no one was mentioning my weight loss this time around.

This morning a co-worker said, “You have lost a lot of weight!” then was afraid she had offended me. She apologized and said, “Not that you were really big before,” and I could tell she felt awkward and embarrassed, so I said, “Thank you” so she could stop apologizing.  I was quite big before.  That is just the truth.  I am barely 5’3″, so 211 pounds was a lot, and it showed.

There’s no turning back now!  I don’t want to disappoint anyone by gaining this weight back, especially myself.  I have been waiting a long time to be back at goal weight.  I will not sabotage myself and deny myself that joy again.

That’s It?

I knew my weigh-in on Friday morning would not be as much of a loss, since it was a day early. Still, I expected better than what I got: 1.2 pounds.  Really?  That’s it?  The week I had a 14-mile run?

My boyfriend and I went out of town for the weekend, and we had a great time.  Problem?  I didn’t even touch the hotel’s workout room the entire time we were there.  I packed workout clothes, and I even checked out the fitness room the night we arrived.  I just never used it.  Add onto that the fact that I ate a LOT, and I have my work cut out for me this week to have anything resembling a weight loss!

I have 3 pounds to lose over the next two weeks to reach my mini-goal of hitting 159 or lower before the end of November.  I can’t lose my focus now!

Oh, I have some good news!  I got a phone call as we were on our way out of town from my gym. Remember that weight loss challenge I kept talking about?  I am the top finalist from my gym!  I won a free year membership and a few personal trainer sessions.  I am going to the gym tonight to receive my certificates and to talk with the manager of the gym, who wants a picture with me.  I wish I didn’t feel so bloated and fat and stuffed, but I will work out after the picture since I will already be there, and I’ll get the week started off right.

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