The Results are In!

After 8 weeks of challenging myself to be a little healthier and do things a little different, here are my results:

In 8 weeks I:

~Racked up 1861 points

~Went a total of 41 days without sugar

~Drank approximately 2944 oz of water

~Exercised for at least 1800 minutes

~Lost a total of 13 pounds

~Am 7 pounds from prepregnancy weight, 13 pounds from lowest weight post Autumn, and 18 pounds from my ultimate goal weight.

~I officially weigh less than Brian does!!!

~AND....guess what I've been wearing all week!?!?

Yup, those size 6 jeans are now at the front of my closet (they're a little snug, but they zip up and everything!)

Limping Painfully Toward the Finish Line

I've never been a runner.  Never.  I've tried to pretend, but generally I look good and feel good for all of 1 city block and then I'm a horrid mess for the rest of whatever distance I choose to torture myself with. 

I have once run an official organized 5K race...ok, well saying that I ran it is giving myself far more credit than I deserve.  I ran and jogged and walked and limped a bit through it.  I was the second to last person to cross the finish line....ah, the pride! 

Why am I telling you this? 

Here's why...

This challenge that I've been doing has felt a bit like a race, a good long marathon, you know what I mean?  And since I've never REALLY competed in a big race, I've never really had the chance to come face to face with the finish line after running miles and miles and miles.  I assume for those of you who have had this experience, seeing that finish line gives you a huge burst of energy, you feel like you're flying down the road for the last 1/4 mile or so.  There is usually excitement and a sense of accomplishment you feel as you realize that this whole race will be finished quite quickly.  You just have a little while left to push and you do it with pride... 

At least, this is how I ASSUME people feel when they're about to finish a race.

I, on the other hand, find myself at the end of my race, but instead of a sense of pride and desire to finish strong, I find myself crawling pathetically toward the finish line.  I'm still doing the things I should, but not with the same vigor that I have all along.  I actually almost even feel like I'm on the raceway, I can see the finish line and I choose to walk off the path and quit without crossing the finish line. 

PATHETIC!!!

It maybe isn't quite as bad as all that, but I've definitely become lax this week.  I just want to be done and go back to my self decided weight loss program.

But, here's to 1 more day of this challenge!  Hope I get back on the path and finish my day strong.

I love the Biggest Loser

I've found myself thoroughly enthralled in this season's Biggest Loser.  What appeals to me so much is that they are attacking all the excuses we come up for ourselves and showing you that really, when it comes to taking care of yourself and your life, there are no excuses.

They've taken on everything from, "I'll wait to start exercising and dieting until after the holidays" to "I can't excercise without a gym" and even "I can't do this alone."

I just really like this idea as I know that I can come up with no less than 20 excuses on the spot for why I don't want to exercise or why I really NEED another handful of M&Ms.

Let's face it, weight loss takes work.  It's not a quick thing that requires only minimal effort...at least not for me and it's a battle.

But it's worth fighting and so the fight goes on!

p.s. Only 3 days left of this challenge!!!