Well, I’m not making my goal of bed by 11pm tonight, but after I post this, I’m shutting down my computer.

I did some calisthenics and some bellydancing tonight. I can’t take classes right now, partly because they’re at the same time that my son’s Boy Scout troop will be meeting. I’ll miss it. I took classes for a year. But I only have a few more years with my darling son at home, so I’m going to enjoy them. There will be plenty of time for dance classes later.

I took the dogs for a walk. They enjoyed it. It was rather cold, though. About 18 degrees F. So, it wasn’t a very long walk.

I posted about this in another thread, but yesterday, we went to Pizza Hut. I ordered the pan vegetarian with no cheese. After I was done, I had the worst taste in my mouth! So greasy and rancid! My usual fat intake is far lower than 50 grams a day. If I ever go back to Pizza Hut, I’ll try the thin and crispy. I think that has less fat. But it was nice to see how much my tastes have changed. I really do prefer fruits and veggies and low fat foods.

Now, to become addicted to exercise again. I’m working on it!

My official weight for the week is 82.8. My body is doing what it wants, and I’m okay with that. My goal is living a healthy life and letting my body get to its natural healthy weight.

At the Y tonight, I started to obsess about how weird my thighs look in the mirror (which I think is designed to make the viewer look and feel fat.) Then on the way home, I started thinking about a girl I know who was paralyzed from the waist down a few years ago. I realized just how terrible it is that I don’t appreciate what my body can do.

I’m going to let my body do what it needs to do and not impose an artificial deadline on it.

I had a milestone run this week.  Thursday I timed myself doing a 3-mile run on the 1/3 mile track on campus.  I did it in 32:28. Not too bad, considering how overweight I am! I’m pretty happy with that time, though I hope to get it under 30 by the end of January.  So much of running is mental!  Of course, it will also help that I’ll be 10-20 pounds (4-9 kilos) lighter by the end of January.  I’d like to lose a kilo a week, and if I can understand the effects of my eating and workouts, I might be able to manage it, but if not, I’m just going to focus on being healthy.

Running is going great. I think I can consistently fit in a 40-50 minute run three days a week, then a Saturday run is optional. I’ve really been itching to get out there and run, even on non-running days, but I don’t want to hurt myself, so I’m not really running two days in a row yet. I’m so glad to be enjoying running again, and I’m glad to live in an area with decent enough sidewalks.
Did the upper body work from the new Cathe Body Max DVD yesterday. Can’t wait to try the rest, but with school and running, don’t know when I can fit that in. Over Thanksgiving break, I might do two-a-days, and combine a shorter run with a Cathe DVD each day.
I’m hoping to lose 9 kilos by Christmas. At least I know if I don’t focus on weight loss, I can maintain and not gain. In the past two months, I have not focused, but I have maintained, so that is great to know. Now, if I just focus, I can get to 75 by Christmas. If I do, I’ll take January off as a plateau month, to practice maintaining the weight.

My whole attitude toward food has changed. It’s just food. That’s the most amazing part. I’m eating just one serving of most foods (except fruits and veggies) and I’m satisfied with that. That really makes me happy. It’s like I’m getting my head on straight. But the real health breakthrough will be when my family is fit, healthy, and active too.

I’m going to change the order I do lunch.  If I plan to get a coffee drink, I’m going to make sure I eat my (healthy, pre-packed) lunch first and finish my water bottle.  If I still want the coffee, I will go get it, but I am much less likely to buy a cookie.