Let Me Hear Your Body Talk

I've been remiss in posting here -- time got away from me with a busy schedule the last couple weeks. But, things are still moving ahead. I'm very happy that I've not yet gained or even stalled in my weight loss since January 3rd. It's been an average of 2.2 lbs a week, my least lost being .2 lbs a few weeks ago. Otherwise, it's slow, but moving consistently in the right direction.  So thus far, I've lost 13.2 lbs. Only a small child to go!

I did start incorporating more exercise, though I still have a hard time thinking of exercise as being valid outside the gym or like, running or something. I realize that's ridiculous -- any movement is good. But that diet mentality just tells you, "You're not doing it right. You're not trying hard enough. You're not really working out unless you're in a gym making an ass of yourself."  But I loathe the gym right now, so I've been getting exercise by playing Just Dance 2 and Gold's Gym Dance Workout on Wii and with an overall reduction of laziness.  Forget my phone upstairs? Get off my ass and go get it -- right now. Not later when I happen to be going upstairs anyway.  Now. Forget something else? Go again.  That sort of thing.

Now that I've lived here for a few months, I'm feeling more comfortable in the neighborhood and am ready to start walking.  So that will be good -- I really need to get outside. And I'll want to take advantage of walking outside as long as I can before it turns into the surface of the sun here in Las Vegas. After that, I'll be forced to retreat to the gym for the treadmill or  to living room so Leslie Sansone and Jesus can help me walk away the pounds. (Her DVDs are effective, though. I lost most of my weight the first time on WW using her DVDs and never set foot in a gym until I'd lost 60 lbs. I just don't want to discuss Jesus while I'm sweating to a bad soundtrack.)

I'm not entirely wild about the discussion my body has been having with me lately.  It's giving me a lot of lip.  Stand up from the couch and my back creaks like I've been working the line for 35 years.  Get up off the floor and my knees snap, crackle and pop.  I'm only 37, so I realize that losing more weight and getting more active will reduce all that. There's no reason for me to be crunching like a geriatric just yet.  But I'm definitely not the 29 year old I was when I did this the first time. To that end, I'm trying to be easier on myself emotionally -- not beat myself up when I find something more difficult than I used to. But I'm also using it as a tool to push myself harder.  I am only 37!  I'm still a young woman. I'm no kid, but it's hardly time for Murder She Wrote and 4pm dinners.  I am stronger than I think.

I hope to lose a few pounds this week. I think it'll be a long shot -- and as long as I keep losing, I refuse to complain about it. I do have a goal date in my head to have a certain amount lost (my 20 year reunion is in August), but if it goes slower than that, it does. If I put too much pressure on myself, I'll take the "what's the use?" route and derail all the progress thus far.  But I would like to lose 2+ this week.  We'll see!