In Like a Lion...

I love February. I love February because it is the shortest month, and when it is over, it is MARCH. March means the end is near, the days are longer, and sunshine is just around the corner. Unless of course, you live in Seattle, but whatever is happening outside does not stop my brain from getting excited for March. I was extra excited to wake up this morning to a 3 pound weight loss for this week! I really thought my weeks of 3 pound weight losses were over, so maybe I lost some muscle from being sick? I don't know, but I'll take it.

I wanted to write on Saturday, after I went for an awesome run, but we re-arranged the furniture, and didn't have a long enough cable to reach the laptop (I know laptops are mobile, but its hard to explain). Anyway, I decided that I had fully kicked my cold, and it was time to get back out there and run. I wasn't sure how long I would be able to go for, but I was going to try and aim for 30 minutes non-stop. I was running 30 minutes non-stop before my cold, then did no running for a week, so in the back of my head, I was skeptical. I DID IT! I went for a nice, relaxed 30 minute run without stopping.

Today, March 1, I take it up another notch. In addition to my morning workouts, I will be doing my Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred video after work, M-F. This is going to be quite a challenge, so that's why I'm writing it out, to help keep me accountable. I really have been needing to add resistance training to my routine, but just haven't fit it in yet. By doing the 20 minute circuit as soon as I get home from work, I will be complementing my cardio workouts, and hopefully making myself stronger in the process.

Let's get back to this 18 pound weight loss...I am ecstatic to say the least. For the past 4 years, I feel like I've just been going through the motions. Trying (and failing) to do something better for myself, but just never following through. I'd have mini-wake up calls that would motivated me for a month or so, only to fall back plus more. Its hard to believe that I've gained 55 pounds since 4 years ago. Sometimes I want to grab my boyfriend and shake him, and say "how could you let me do this?" But there is nothing he could have done. I wonder what was going through my friends heads as they saw me balloon up to my highest weight? Perhaps they didn't notice because it happened so slowly. Yeah right!

The best (and maybe worse) thing about time is that it passes no matter what you are doing. We spend so much energy trying to figure out whether or not to do things, and the time passes. We eat and are lazy, and think about how next week will be different, and the time passes. Well, when you DO something (grad school, weight loss, etc.) the time still passes. So, why not just do it? Figure out what it takes to make it work, and do it. Now, in one year, I can potentially erase what I did in four years just by DOING instead of THINKING. The time still passes.

I created a routine for myself. I made a list of all the foods that "work" for me, as far as leave me satisfied, and not craving sugar or carbs (my downfalls). I work each week (shopping, cooking) to ensure I have my meals for the next day so I'm not left with the opportunity to falter. I keep changing up my workouts periodically to keep the boredom at bay. I consciously eat less. I make every effort to cook meals at home. If there is something that I can absolutely not get out of my head after a week, I have it.

For the first time in four years I can actually see myself making progress. I see a smaller me in the mirror. My workouts are harder and last longer. My clothes are looser, the scale numbers are falling, and it feels great. Why I didn't spend my time on this earlier escapes me. However, I'm here now and will not be going back.