Day 1. Again.

I think it's time that I admit that I can't lose weight without counting calories. And I can't count calories in my head. And so I am back to Spark People. Again.

I hate that I start and stop, start and stop... I'd just like to stick with it and get rid of the weight. I've been fighting with the same 5 lbs since January. Up and down, up and down. Just like a yo-yo. It's frustrating.

Today the sun is shining and I'd love to go for a walk. But it's supposed to be in the 30's all day and I've been sick. I've had a fever since Saturday. It was 103 Sunday. Yesterday it wavered between 100 and 102. Today it is 100 again so far. So I don't think it's a good idea to go for a walk in the cold. Probably not a good idea to go for a walk at all. I should take it easy. But I will record my calories starting today. Because today is Day 1. Again.

Aspartame...

Right now I am drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper. Mmmm. The taste of Dr. Pepper without the calories. It's glorious. And it's all because of aspartame. Actually, most of my "diet" foods contain aspartame. That South Beach drink mix with fiber I bought? Sweetened with aspartame. My sugar free jello? Aspartame. Fat free / sugar free pudding? Yup, aspartame. It's what keeps me eating the "cheater" foods I like without cheating on my calories. It's what gets me through my diet.

And then I read this.

WOW. That might just convince me to quit consuming aspartame. Maybe it's worth the extra calories to eat the sugared pudding and jello. Maybe it's worth adding my own fiber powder to our standard drink mix instead of using the South Beach stuff. Maybe it's worth changing my tastes to drink a diet drink sweetened with Splenda instead of aspartame.

And maybe it's worth being a little more careful about what I put on my daughter's plate, my husband's plate, and my own.

Feeling hungry...

So I'm going to drink the rest of my liter of water before I eat lunch. It gets my water in and keeps me from eating just because I'm thirsty.

A new day.

Today is a new day.

Today I am going to take control.
Today I am going to eat well. (and I'm not going to eat that last cookie)
Today I am going to record what I eat.
Today I am going to run. (for the first time in February)
Today I am going to work on picking up the house.
Today I am going to do my Bible Study.
Today I am going to smile.
Today I am going to live.

Because today is a new day and I am free.

Another run!

I've been eating HORRIBLY lately, but I did another 20 minute run again today! I even upped the treadmill to speed 6 for one minute toward the end! I tacked on a 5 minute warm up and cool down for a total workout of 30 minutes. Woohoo!

And I just have to say that running makes me high or something. It makes me feel great (except for the sore legs, LOL!) and I feel like I can conquer the world! It's pretty cool!

I RAN!

I just went down to the basement to do the w4d1 workout. It's supposed to be done like this:

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)

But I knew the other gals were having trouble on that last 5 minute stretch, so I thought that I could maybe do it 5-3-5-3 instead of 3-5-3-5. So I walked my 5 minutes, then ran for 3 and felt really good, so I kept running to get to 5. At 5 minutes running I still felt pretty good, so I just kept on running. I ran a total of 20 (yes, TWENTY) minutes straight! 25 minute workout, 300 calories burned. 20 minutes running! I am in shock.

I looked it up, and instead of doing the w4d1 workout, I did the w5d3 workout!

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

Wow!

Weighing In....

.... at 118. I haven't gained at all this week, which is good considering I also haven't tracked my calories or exercised a lick. But Ellie's down for her nap, so I'm about to do my C25K week 4 workout. We'll see how I do! Eeeek!