Healthy Weight!!

See that ticker?

The one at the top of the page?

It says that my BMI is now 24.9.

Do you know what that means??

It means that I am officially within the HEALTHY WEIGHT RANGE for my height and frame!!

HOORAY!!!

Down to 127.4 today. 1.4 lbs to go to reach 10 lbs, but this was my first goal and I've met it!!

Game On!

Okay, SBB... The GAME IS ON! =D Here's my goal...

LOSE: 30 lbs.
BY: November 1, 2009

That gives me just over 3 months. That's 10 lbs a month (approximately). For 2 of those weeks, I'll be in Texas.

I just ate a boatload of kettle corn from the Farmer's Market, and I'm sitting here drinking a Pepsi. That's got to change. I haven't exercised in... how long? That's got to change.

LOTS of things have to change.

So... math again... (I know you probably think I'm crazy with all the math, but it really does help me think through whether my goal is feasible and what I need to do to get there.)

30 lbs = 105,000 calories (sheesh!)
16 weeks to lose 105,000 calories = 6,570 calories per week (approximately)
6,570 weekly calories = 940 daily calories

So... I could keep eating the way that I do and dance for 3 hours a day (Hey! That sounds like fun!) or run at 6.5 mph for 2 hours a day (That sounds HARD...) or walk at 5 mph for 4 hours (That sounds like a couple of movies a day worth of walking) or I could strap Ellie to my back and hike to Lava Lake every day.

OR

I suppose I could reign in what I'm eating and make some better choices there. Quit with the Pepsi (or two) a day habit that's formed since I asked Leif to get me a soda at Costco and he came out with a case of sodas. I meant the $0.55 soda from the food court... I could stop eating the cupcakes I make for Eliana's birthday parties, or at least leave it at one cupcake. I could go back to drinking black coffee and quit with the yummy sugar coffee drink that I love so much, or at least save it for a special occasion.

Okay... back to the math.

My BMT is 1375.
If we assume that I'm eating 2,000 calories a day (well, just for math's sake, let's change that to 1,800), then I can easily drop that to, say 1500, just by keeping track. That saves me 300 calories in eating. At that rate I only need to drop 640 calories a day. Dropping to 1200 calories (my bare minimum amount, but what I always seem to go back to and can easily do) takes me to 440 calories a day.

I can burn 440 calories on the Wii with not too much trouble. That's doable.

So... can I do it every day? That's the question. How do I keep from getting burned out?

30 min. step aerobics would get me almost halfway there.
Hiking with a 10 lb load for an hour would get me there.
2 hours of housework would get me there.
Jogging for 30 minutes would almost get me there.
Jumping rope for 30 minutes would get me close.
Walking 3.5 mph for 45 minutes would get me about halfway there.

SO... I need to make a game plan, I guess. Plan to do something each day, but not necessarily the same thing. =D

Whew! 30 lbs is going to be a stretch.

If I take up running again, and run MWF, that basically takes care of 3 days. If we make a point to hike one day each weekend and I take a pack full of water and other things, that would take care of a day. If I Wii a couple days, and then do aerobics plus walking one day, that could get me through a week.

I just need to do it.

So... here we go, SBB. I'm game.

BRING IT ON.

Doing the Math...

I can't set a goal without informing myself, so here I am, AGAIN, doing math.

(For someone who really doesn't like math, I sure seem to do a lot of it!)

IF I were to set a weight loss goal, I would want to lose the weight by our family reunion in July. And if I'm going to lose the weight by the end of July, I really ought to just plan to lose the weight by Seminar. =D So... my weight loss deadline would be July 15.

July 15... that gives me... about 15 weeks to lose some weight.

At 1 lb a week, that would be 15 lbs, and that would put me at approximately 115 lbs.

That would be good. I would be happy with that. I would be even happier with 110 lbs, though, so let's just aim for 110, since this is all hypothetical. Shall we? =D

So... to lose 20 lbs in 15 weeks, I will need to dispose of 70,000 calories. Wow. That's a lot of calories! Okay... so, 70,000 calories over 15 weeks is... 4666 calories a week. Let's just round that to 4700 calories per week. That means I need to somehow get rid of 671 (rounded down to 670) calories per day. On average, I burn approximately 1350 calories, just by being alive every day. The actual number is 1366.something, but I rounded down for simplicity sake. So... I burn approximately 1600 calories daily, between being alive and living a fairly sedentary life. I could easily up that number to 1800 calories a day, just by being a little more active around the house and sitting less. But for now we'll stick with 1600 calories. So.... I need to somehow rid myself of 670 (or 700, for numbers' sake) calories a day. If I eat 1200 calories a day, that takes that number down to 300. That means I need to burn 300 calories a day through exercise.

Goal: lose 20 lbs
Deadline: July 15
Calories/Week: 4700
Calories/Day: 700
BMR: 1350
Daily Calorie Expenditure: 1600
Calorie Intake/Day: 1200
Calories Burned through Exercise/Day: 300

I seem to always come up with the same answer, every time I want to lose weight. 1200 calories, burn 300 every day. I guess it's good the formula works each time, but somehow I always think it will come out differently. =D Silly me.

So... if I eat 1200 calories a day and burn 300 through exercise, it IS possible for me to lose 20 lbs by the middle of July. That's good to know.

Now, the question is... do I want to?

Push ups

I was flipping through reading some Spark People articles when I came across this trainer's blog post about doing push ups. Curious, I gave it a try... could I do 10 "real" push ups? I know I can do 50+ girl push ups in 1 minute. But could I do 10 consecutive boy push ups?

The answer is... YES.

I just did them. Good form, even execution. I can do at least 10. I stopped there because, well, I got out of bed to do them and I really wanted to get back in bed where it was warmer and I could continue doing stuff on my computer. But I can do at least 10.

So really, I'd like to be able to do at least 2 sets of 10. Each day. It's easy enough to do, doesn't require any equipment, and doesn't take much time. I used to do them at The Ridge when I went there, so I don't see why I can't incorporate them into my routine again. I could probably get Eliana to do them with me, or at least help me count. And if I'm lucky she'll be nice enough to keep from sitting on my back!

So there's a goal. Incorporate push ups into my daily exercise routine. Work up to 2 sets of 10 push ups daily. I can do that.

Standing in my way

Who is standing in your way?

Imagine someone regularly tying small weights around your ankles as you try to climb a mountain. Doesn't sound fair, does it? But that's exactly what you can do to yourself, a little bit at a time, if you don't watch out. When you think of who and what is standing in the way of your dreams, it's easy to forget your own responsibility. Even the best of us can be guilty of unknowingly hurting our own progress. Procrastination, lateness, being disorganized, pessimism, not being honest with yourself, severe self-criticism, downplaying achievements, focusing only on weaknesses while ignoring strengths, keeping goals a secret, demanding perfection, giving up after a small setback--these are all ways you can make it tough to be (and do) your best. Smart systems, the right attitude, and a promise to keep going no matter what will make a world of difference.

This quote was in my email today, from Spark People. When it comes to weight loss, I am almost always the one standing in my own way! So this year I am going to work to do my best. I'm going to try to keep smart systems in place, have the right attitude, and keep going no matter what!

Something we were withholding made us weak, until we found it was ourselves.

- Robert Frost

Rethinking the numbers....

Given the new goal of 7 lbs in 6 weeks, it occurs to me that I might need to rethink my numbers. So here it goes...

7 lbs = 24500 calories
24500/6 = 4083 calories per week
4083/7 = 583 calories per day
I will burn 350 calories through exercise each day.
583-350 = 233 calories less to eat
I burn 1600 calories a day just by living my sedentary lifestyle.
1600 - 233 = 1367 calories I need to consume per day.

Interestingly, 1350 calories is my basal metabolic rate, which sort of makes sense. So.... I think I will aim to keep doing the exercise and just eat a little more to keep my body going and still lose at the rate that I want to. According to the numbers, it should still work. =D

So... does the reverse math work?
1600+350 = 1950 calories burned in a day
1950-1350 = 600 calories lost each day
I need to lose 583 calories per day to lose the weight by my goal, so yes, it works! Hooray! I love it when math works.

So the new goal is to lose 7 lbs in 6 weeks by exercising to burn 350 calories a day and consuming 1350 calories. That sound MUCH better!

A goal!

Okay... here it goes.... I'm going to set a new goal for myself. I know we're getting into the holidays and that's typically a hard time to lose weight, but if I'm going to lose this weight that I've gained I can't wait until after the holidays! I can't keep making excuses, and I can't postpone making changes just because I'm afraid it will be difficult. The truth is... it WILL be difficult! If it were easy to lose the weight, it wouldn't be here!

So I'd really like to see myself back down to 115 by the end of the year. That gives me 6 weeks to lose 9 lbs! It'll be a challenge, but I think I can do it... So, in my typical fashion, here are some numbers to help me think through this goal of mine....

To lose 9 lbs, I need to rid myself of 31,500 calories.
To do it in 6 weeks I need to rid myself of 5,250 calories per week.
That translates to 750 calories per day.
According to this calculator, my basal metabolic rate is 1342 (1350 for easy calculations)
If I eat 1100-1200 calories a day, that means I automatically lose 150-250 calories per day.
So... I need to burn 500-600 calories a day through activity or exercise.
According to the Harris Benedict Equation, calculating for a sedentary lifestyle, I should burn about 1610 (1600 for easy calculations) per day. Through my daily activity, then, I automatically lose 400-500 calories.
So... calculating conservatively (assuming I eat closer to 1200 calories than 1100) I need to burn 350 calories through exercise every day.

I should be able to do that.

Whew! This is going to take some diligence and effort. I am going to have to exercise EVERY DAY. Even weekends. And I am going to have to burn at least 350 calories every time I exercise.

This is going to be a challenge for me.

Contentment?

I have a number in my head, a goal that I have been working toward. That number is 110, about 5 lbs from where I am now. And yet I can't seem to get past 115, nor can I seem to find the motivation to get past 115. And so it makes my wonder why.

Is it because I am content at 115?

I admit that I am happy with how I look at this weight. It is within the healthy range for my height and frame, and I feel attractive. So why isn't this my goal weight?

I think a large part of it is because I want to "one-up" a friend from college who is at 115 and happy there. I want to beat her weight, just to prove that I can. I was always just a tad smaller than her in college and I want to be there again. Somehow I feel that that will "redeem" me for being overweight the last 7 years. She made a comment once that hurt and stuck with me, and I just want to prove that I'm not the "big" one of the group any longer. But I don't think that's a healthy reason for wanting to get down to 110. Something I need to deal with? Yes. Something I need to use as motivation for weight loss? No.

Part of my reason for wanting to be 110 is because it is one step closer to the weight I was when I got married. If I can get down to 110 I can get down to 105, and that's what I weighed when I wore my beautiful wedding dress. I would love to get down to that size again!

Part of my reason, too, is that I feel like I ought to be the "ideal" weight for my height and frame, according to the doctor's charts. And for 5 feet tall, small frame, that is 100 lbs. So I just keep setting my goal 5 lbs lower each time I reach it in hopes that someday I will be down to 100 lbs again. Then I would be not just average, but small. And oh, I do miss being small!

So I guess what I need to figure out is if I really need to strive to be smaller, or if I should simply strive for daily moderation and healthy living and be content with my weight and size. I guess I need to rethink my reasons behind wanting to lose weight and make sure that they are honorable and right. At what point do I start trying to maintain my weight instead of lose it?

New Plan...

... perhaps....

I have a fear that if I start a new plan and get my hopes up for losing weight by my birthday that I will have a huge gain tomorrow and my hopes will be dashed, just like they were last time. It always seems to work out that way at least...

But here's what I'm thinking. Tomorrow is September 1, which leaves me 21 days until my birthday. 3 weeks. I need to lose 5 lbs in those 3 weeks to make it to 110. I should be able to do it, technically, if I make a plan and stick to it.

So what's the plan? Well, I don't know. But it should involve some exercise, some water, some culinary moderation, and some housework. So I should probably put it into action right now and get on with the housework. And drink some water. That would be a good place to start.

Weight Loss Schedule...

Weight loss schedule:
7/29 - 120.8
8/4 - 119.4 (made it to 117.4!!)
8/11 - 116.4
8/18 - 115.4
8/25 - 114.4
9/1 - 113.4
9/8 - 112.4
9/15 - 111.4
9/21 - 110.4

I need to lose a lb a week to make it to 110 by my birthday. This is the updated schedule...

And now for some math...

Today I am at 120 lbs. I want to be at 110 by my birthday, September 21. That means I have approximately 8 weeks to lose 10 lbs. Technically, that is a doable number. I need to lose a lb and a quarter each week to reach that goal, so I need to get cracking and work on it.

There it is. A new goal.

Weight loss schedule:
7/29 - 120.8
8/4 - 119.4
8/11 - 118.0
8/18 - 116.6
8/25 - 115.2
9/1 - 113.8
9/8 - 112.4
9/15 - 111.0
9/21 - 110.6

This is what I hope to stick with and use as a guide each week. I would like to be at or lower than these numbers at each weigh in to make my final goal. That's a loss of 1.4 lbs each week. Each lb is 3500 calories, so I need to rid myself of 4900 calories each week. That's 700 calories a day. According to a few basal metabolic rate calculators, I burn about 1320 calories a day, just by being alive. If I intake 1100 calories a day, that means I have a deficit of 220 calories. That takes me to 480 calories that I need to rid myself of. According to a couple other daily calorie expenditure calculators, I burn approximately 1600 calories with a sedentary lifestyle. That means I have about 200** calories each day that I need to burn with exercise if I'm going to lose weight according to the schedule above, and a little more if I eat more during the day.

The following exercises will burn about 200 calories, so I need to make time to fit at least one of them in a day:

• Wii, fitness mode, 200 calorie goal (**255 calorie goal)
  
• Housework, 1 hour (1:15)
  
• Backpacking, 30 minutes (10 lb load)
• Bicycling, 12 mph, 30 minutes
  
• Gardening, 1 hour (1:15)
  
• Hiking, 45 minutes (no load)
  
• Jogging, 5 mph, 30 minutes (adding a 5 minute warm up and cool down should do it.)
  
• Walking, 15 min/mile, 45 minutes (50 minutes)
  
• Weight training, 60 sec. between intervals, 30 minutes (35 minutes)
  

So there are some things I can work toward doing. And really, if I worked at housework for an hour straight each day, my house would look a whole lot better AND I would get exercise!! I guess that means I need to start setting my timer while I work, LOL! The Flylady principles come back again!

**after thinking about it I realized that I really have to burn 200 NET calories. If I burn 200 calories in an hour (such as doing housework) then I really need to burn 255, since I will burn 55 calories just by being alive, and they don't count toward my end goal. So it depends on how long it will take me to burn 200 calories.** (adjusted times are in italics)

I made it!!

115.4 today. That means I lost .8 yesterday. Another .6 and I'll be down to my lowest point yet and I can work on my next goal, which is....

110 by July 19.

That's what I am aiming for this summer! 5 lbs to go in 5 weeks. That should be totally doable. And I'll look great for Ellie's birthday party that day. =D

New Goal?

Well, since I reached my microgoal, I guess I need to set a new goal.

I know that I want to...

• Lose another 5 lbs (taking me to 110)
• Tone my arms, legs, and abs

But I'm not sure how to put those into a measurable goal. I don't have a specific deadline in mind, because I don't have any specific events coming up that I want to use as a timeframe. I do know that I want to do some hiking this summer (Mom and Me hikes should be starting in another couple weeks!) and that I'd like to do the Bikini Workout to get my arms and abs toned. I've been thinking, too, about the Couch to 5K program that I dropped a while back. So here's what I'm thinking...

MWF I'll do the C25K routine for the next 2 months. That will get me running either inside or outside and hopefully I'll be able to run 3 miles at the end of it. It will also change up my exercise routine since I need to do that about now anyway. TTH I'll do the Bikini Workout to get my arms and abs toned. And hopefully, by the end of the 2 months I will be more toned, be able to run 3 miles, and be 5 lbs smaller, too!

So that's it. That's my intermediate goal. To run 3 miles and lose 5 lbs in the next 2 months, so by... let's say by Ellie's birthday, July 19! Okay... it starts Monday!

Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition

I finished reading this book over the weekend and there are a few things I want to remember for future reference.

The PMS Diet (recommended for more than just PMS symptoms):

• Limit consumption of refined sugar (5 T/day), salt (3 g/day), red meat (3 oz/day), alcohol (1 oz/day), coffee, tea, and chocolate.
• Limit tobacco use.
• Limit intake of protein to 1g per kg of body weight per day.*
• Rely more on fish, poultry, whole grains, and legumes as sources of protein and less on red meat and dairy products.
• Limit intake of dairy products to 2 servings/day.
• Limit intake of fats, mainly saturated and cooked, to less than 20% of calories from fat.
• Increase intake of complex carbs to 60-70% of calories.
• Increase intake of leafy green veggies, legumes, whole grains and cereals.
• Increase intake of cis-linoleic-acid-containing foods (safflower oil is an excellent source). 1-2 T/day of unheated, unrefined oil on your salad, for example.

* I should be eating 54g protein based on this.

One thing I don't think I get enough of is vitamin B, specifically B6. I've added that to my nutrient tracker on SparkPeople, so we'll see how much I get from my diet and prenatal vitamins. But if I don't get enough, I may add that as a supplement, though I don't see a need to add the others she recommends, at least not while I'm on the prenatals and eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs. They seem to provide adequate amounts of the vitamins I currently need, except for B6 (and maybe B12).

So there are a couple things I need to change to conform to the diet above. I need to eat a little less fat (I'm currently limiting it to 30%), more fiber, more complex carbs. So I'm off to adjust my settings on SparkPeople to reflect that.

Micro-Goal

I need a micro-goal. Something small to work toward that I can achieve relatively quickly. Having a timeframe or deadline really helps me get where I want to be (like the class reunion in September - I lost 15 lbs for that!), so I'm going to give it a shot.

I found out today that my mom is coming to visit in 6 weeks. I also have a semi formal event to attend that same night, so that is motivation to look good!

So my goal is to lose 5 lbs in the next 6 weeks, by May 10. That will put me at 115 lbs, the weight I was at the class reunion in September. It's a little under a pound a week. I think I can do it. Here goes.

Now THAT'S the way I like it!

Today was a GREAT day in food land. I've been struggling with it, and today I hit my groove. We'll see if I'm still in my groove tomorrow, but one day at a time. Today I:

• Drank 2 liters of water - my daily goal!
• Ate 1298 calories - within my ideal daily goal of 1200-1300!
• Had 5 servings of fruits and vegetables!

And to top it off I even got to enjoy an ice cream cone after dinner. Now THAT'S a good day!

I didn't get any exercise in, which is fine. My goal right now is 20 minutes 3x a week, usually MWF. Unless we exercise as a family, I take the weekend off. Tomorrow I'll be at Taylor's all day helping her with the twins, so we'll see if I get the exercise in, but if I don't get it in tomorrow or Tuesday (I'll be there Tuesday, too) I will do it WThF instead. I WILL get at least 20 minutes in 3x this week.

Jillian Says...

According to Jillian Michaels, here's what will help me lose weight:

Based on your answers: I've calculated where you are today, and where you want to be. Next, I'm going to help you get there. We can do this together. Ready? Weight: 121 pounds Activity Level: Low	Your Reasonable Weight: 97-123 lbs Your Target Weight: 105 pounds Activity Level: Active Flexibility: Flexible

Your customized weight loss plan:

Based on your answers, here's my triple-threat plan for you. Losing weight is simple — 33% exercise, 33% diet, and 33% behavioral.

You're an Apple — but you can pare down!

Like all apples, you tend to store fat in your mid-section and upper body, so you're probably carrying extra weight around your belly and chest. Anyone can be an apple, but this shape is more common among men, and studies actually show that people who store fat in the upper body are more prone to cardiac disease. This should provide you with even more incentive to lose weight!

That's where I come in! I have exercises that will target your specific fat storage areas. My personalized program will help you alter your apple shape. But you got to get a grip — you can only win against genetics up to a certain point. Once you understand this, you can let go of unreachable goals and replace them with real ones.

I'll create your personalized exercise program based on the days you prefer to work out, the goals you set for yourself, and the exercises you enjoy. After all, if you enjoy your workout, it's easier to stick to.

I'll encourage you to:

Have fun aerobic dancing! Depending on intensity, you could burn 500 calories an hour.

Power walk. You can do it anywhere, and at 4 mph, you’ll be burning at least 250 calories an hour.

Run indoors or out. All you need are good running shoes. And at 5 mph, you’ll burn over 400 calories an hour.

You're a balanced oxidizer.

Because you crave fruit and bread as well as salty foods, cheeses, and meats, you may be a balanced oxidizer. This is the fancy term for your metabolic rate. It simply means that you need equal proportions of protein, carbs, and fat to process the nutrients in your food optimally, and to produce and use the resulting energy. Lucky you — your diet is the easiest to follow! You feel your best on a diet that incorporates a wide range of foods, and your ideal macronutrient ratio is 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. But the bottom line is, you have to burn more calories than you take in. That's it. And to really do this successfully, you have to eat the ideal diet for your body and metabolism. Believe me — I've struggled with this myself. And I've done a lot of research and work to figure out my ideal diet. And now I want to share my findings with you. I have recipes and snacks that will help you eat better for your body type. And I have secrets and tricks to make it easier. (I didn't say "easy.")

My 7 steps to behavioral modification

Lots of so-called "experts" talk about willpower. Well, I say screw willpower — there's no such thing! Sure, we all have fleeting moments of bravado. But that virtue comes and goes. I'm going to teach you some basic techniques to change your habits and program yourself against failure!

You are going to have to do the work, though. I don't want to hear that you don't have the time. If that's your excuse, then get back to me when you're ready. I'll be here.

Ready? Okay, good. Let's make some changes together:

1. Avoid dangerous situations. STOP driving by the doughnut shop on your way to work. When you go out to dinner, ask the waiter not to bring bread to your table.

2. Get a hobby. Start taking your dog on longer walks. Fix up your attic. By focusing on positive activities, you'll find yourself becoming more relaxed, happier, and thinner!

3. Curb mindless eating. Don't eat while standing up, and don't skip meals. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack. Food never seems as appealing when you have that toothpaste taste in your mouth.

Couch to 5K

Well, I just signed up to do the Couch to 5K running program with my Babyfit friends. It's a little scary for me, as I've had trouble running, but if there's any program that will get me running, this is it. I just have to make it a priority. We're planning on starting after the new year, and the plan goes for 2 months. So it fits perfectly with my plan to get back on the SparkWagon after the new year. Here's the plan:

Week 1

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. 2

Week 2

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. 3

Week 3

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Week 4

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week 5

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
• Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.

Week 6

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

• Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking.

Week 7

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Week 8

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Workout 3 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Week 9

Workout 1 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Workout 2 Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Workout 3 The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

I'll be doing it on the treadmill, while Ellie's taking her nap each afternoon. I wish I could say I'd get up in the morning and do it before she gets up, but I know I'm not disciplined enough to do that. Maybe I can work up to it, but for now I'll just plan to do it during naptime.

So there you have it. I am committed. Hold me accountable!

I'm back.

Yes, I am going to climb back on the weight loss band wagon and try to lose more weight. I made it down to 115 for my class reunion, but since then I haven't done anything. Anything, that is, but eat whatever I've felt like and not exercise. I'm feeling sluggish, and I'm pretty sure a couple pounds have crept back on. So, it's time for a fresh start.

I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning, weigh myself, and eat a healthy breakfast, drink some water, and take my vitamin. I resolve to drink 2 liters of water tomorrow. I resolve to count my calories and stay under 1400. And I resolve to get some exercise (45 min walking on the treadmill or at least 30 doing an exercise video).

I am back.

Goal #2 met!

Here I am at the class reunion at 115 lbs. I am so glad I got a new dress for the event, and I love it! Robert fixed it for me by adding a shirred insert to raise the neckline. I can't believe I feel comfortable wearing a halter in public, but I do! Confidence is a beautiful thing!