Healthy Lifestyle Update- The great and the ok...

Let me start with the OK. Usually I update you with great news of my weightloss, but today, when I went to my clinic I only last .6 lbs. I was told that at one point this would happen, but still, I wasn't ready in my heart for this. I was disappointed and wasn't come home and share with you.... but I had time to calm my heart down, reframe, look at the big picture and now I am pleased to share with you my journey so far... I've come a long way baby!

Now the great! Since September 19, 2011 I have lost 66 lbs, my BMI has gone from 57 to 47, I have lost 6 inches around my waist, 1 inch around my neck and 10 inches around my hips- oh yeah folks, hips don't lie! Whenever people comment on my progress, it's always around my butt, my hips... and thanks to eating well and now working out... I mean really working out, my hips really do hurt- but a good hurt.

This is a lecture to myself.... the scale is just one way to measure my success on this journey. How about this awesome before picture - one summer ago, just before my friend Gaetane moved...

... and now, a few weeks ago with my friend Gaetane again.

I actually look forward to exercising... I would have never said this before in my entire life. I feel 'grumpy' if I don't go for my big walk. What started out as torture for 15 minutes 10 months ago is now a pleasure, an addiction. In fact, I have made a 'walking' play list that has super fast beats... how about some Def Leppard or some Michael Jackson and even Justin Bieber's 'All around the world' - it's just gotta have that fast, driving beat. I have increased my walking from 3 times a week for about 35 minutes to walking 5-6 times a week for 1 hour. Never thought that would have ever been possible back then. Here's something else that I thought would never have been impossible... running. Oh yeah baby... when I went to visit Gaetane for a long weekend, her husband, a triathlete, was talking to me about exercising and something he said just inspired me. So when I went for a walk early one morning up north, I jogged for 10 seconds- HUGE deal for me- and since then I have been increasing it a little bit everyday. I am probably up to 30 seconds now... realizing- I need to get some supportive undergarments pretty soon! I want to be a runner- Visualize- I see myself running with white runners, white tank and white yoga pants... I see it!

Oh, no- I'm not done.... last week for the first time in my life I did Zumba. It was incredible rush of music, power and energy. The instructor was awesome, the class was pumped and the best was that my friend Lily told me about this class, $5, pay as you go, and I brought Melanie and she had a great time too! We sweated like crazy, it was a full 60 minutes and we did the whole class. It was exhausting, but the kind you get from running a marathon I am sure... and I can't wait to go again this week-armed with a sweatband and towels!!! I would have never been able to do this last year, but now I have the stamina and energy to keep up with the class. AMAZING GRACE!

Ok, so bottom line, my folks at the Wharton Clinic and I came up with some new strategies. Since I have lost so much weight, I now need to eat less, so I now need to eat 1900 instead of 2100 calories a day. Make sure I log everything I eat, all the time. Spice up my workout my routine... your body gets used to the same exercise all the time, so I told them that I do laps in my pool and aquafit too and of course the new Zumba sweat lodge! Also, keep track of my BMI, my theory is that I am now building muscles and muscle weighs more than fat, so keeping track of my BMI will show me if I have gained more muscles.... Ok, now I feel better about it all, therapy session is OVER!