Challenge - Week 1

And what a week it was! I didn't do nearly as much walking as I'd hoped as the weather was pretty crappy and I don't like making the hour long trek home in the rain.. but, I did follow the challenge rules and I feel great! I'm waking up in the morning with more energy and feeling great. To my great surprise I'm also down 8 pounds from where I was on Monday morning (I had gained 5 somewhere around my week off, which is why my ticker will show a loss of 3). I could hardly believe it when I stepped on the scale this morning. Just... wow.

All in all, let's just say that I am very impressed thus far with how I feel, and with the results. Though, again, I'm thinking that any weight I've lost has once again come from my boobs.. If this keeps up, I won't have any left! Oy vey.. I'll just keep telling myself that it will all even out... eventually.

Let's Clear the Air...

So, in the past couple of days I've come across a number of people who think that I am denying myself good food while doing this challenge. I am not. 

Essentially, the way I see things is that this challenge is about making healthier choices for my body and living better. For the most part, my eating habits haven't changed. Sure, I've replaced some things in my diet with healthier options (and I'm paying an arm and a leg for a loaf of challenge-friendly bread), but so far the biggest drawback I've had is not having a cup of regular, orange pekoe tea with milk and sugar. This is no big deal, and I will get used to it. 

Again, this challenge is about making healthier choices for my body, and not consuming a lot of sugary, processed, or chemically enhanced foods. I still get all of the lovely fresh food that I was eating prior to this, with a few limitations on how much of how often I can have them. Sure, looking at the "diet" it's pretty restrictive, but when you think about it we should be doing most of these things anyway. This is simply kicking it up a notch.

Challenge - Day 1

Today was the fit test and it's Day 1 of the 8 Week Challenge. I've been told by my work seatmates that if I'm too grumpy while doing this.. they'll give me 3 days and then they're kicking me off. Or at least I'll let them think that I have. 

Anyhow, the fit test went pretty much as I'd expected, so I guess it's good that I'm completely aware of how utterly unfit I am, and even better that I'm taking strides to change that. I think the hardest part will be to stay on track with the food, as it's so utterly strict. I imagine I'll be spending a good deal of time in these next 8 weeks scouring the internet to find "challenge friendly" recipes. I'll also be spending an unhealthy amount of time stalking K's Pinterest page as she's already post a bunch.

I also decided to take last week off from all of this, in light of the very strict diet I am about to embark on. Sadly, this also included the blog, but I think I truly needed the break for the sake of my mental health. I'm now starting this challenge with a fresh and optimistic attitude.  I expect it's going to be a tough ride, but it should all be worth it in the end. 

Wish me luck!

The Countdown Continues...

To make sure that things aren't so hard for me when I start the challenge in... about 13 days time, I've actually started following some of the "rules" so to speak. I've cut back on the dairy, I'm limiting myself to the 2 fruits a day... but....

.... How on earth am I ever going to effectively give up chocolate!?

Count Down - 15 days until the 8 Week Challenge

I met up with K yesterday and got some much needed info for the 8 Week Challenge that I'll be starting in about 15 days. I'm planning on following this Challenge along side my normal diet - so basically making sure that the food I eat is all Challenge-friendly while counting my calories. I'll still log everything on MyFitnessPal, and keep the food logs that have been given to me.

Now, the Challenge will be a challenge, that's for sure. No caffeine (goodbye morning cuppa tea), no more peanut butter (insert sad face here), and only two servings of fruit a day (I love fruit!). All I have to say is that I hope this is worth it!

Even still, I'm quite excited. I've spent a good deal of time last night and today looking through my recipes, and looking up others that I can have while on this challenge. I think I'll have the most trouble with breakfast and dinner, as traditionally I either have toast and peanut butter or a crap load of fruit for breakfast... and the BF makes dinner for me. Still, he knows how important this is to me, so I know he's going to try his darnedest to ensure that I follow through.

Wish me luck! And who knows, maybe I'll stick with it even after I've gotten through the 56 days...

 

So... I'm a Slacker

... or perhaps I'm just not as dedicated as the hardcore runners out there. Either way, I've decided that I HATE HATE HATE running in the cold. And right now, it's freaking freezing when I leave the house as the sun rises. 

Here comes the part where I'm a slacker; I'm taking the week off and restarting the C25K program next week - when hopefully I don't wonder if I'll lose any of my extremities due to exposure (have I mentioned that I'm a bit of a wimp?). Instead, I'll be sticking to my good old walk away the pounds videos for the remainder of the week, all of which can be done from the comfort of my (heated) living room.

Don't get me wrong here, I do love running. Not so much at the start of the run, when I stagger out of my apartment, barely awake. No, that part I'm not such a big fan of, but I know myself, and I know that if I don't get my butt out there with the early bird, I won't get out there at all. What I do love is the feeling I get afterwards, the fact that I feel a little more relaxed for the whole day. I love that it does wonders for my mood, and for my anxiety (which, by all rights should be at a record high right now).

And so, with my newly found love of this running thing, I need to get some new running shoes. The cheap pair that I have now will do me fine for walking, but I'm not so sure that they give me the support that I need to run. If anyone has any advice on the procurement of said shoes, please comment. I need all the help and advise I can get in this department. 

In the actual weight loss department, I had mentioned earlier that I'm not going to obsess about my weight here, and that I'm going to take a break from checking it. That said, I am solidly refusing to step on the scale until at least April 15th. Hopefully at that point I'll see the needle on the scale start of move counter clockwise again. I'm also trying this thing where I eat a little more, as I've just been plain famished lately, especially on the days that I run. Hopefully I'm right in thinking that this means I'm not getting enough to eat on these days and that I need to feed my hungry body a little more. 

And now.. I'm off to bed! I have an hour long walk (on the spot, in my living room) to do in the morning!