Good News and Bad News

Good news and bad news.

Which do you want first?

No weight gained, but none lost either.

This is the second week in a row that I've maintained my current weight.

While I'm grateful I haven't gained anything, I'm frustrated with this plateau. I have a goal of being under 200 pounds before January 20, 2012, Baby Cee's first birthday. I don't care if I'm at 199.9999 pounds. I just want to see a 100 on the scale versus a 200.

As of today that means I need to lose 30 more pounds in four months. That is totally doable. I just need to get strict with myself again. I have been anything but strict lately. Skipping workouts and eating chocolate covered pretzels isn't exactly "dedicated". It's time to change things up.

Blah. I hate change.

Joe and I decided to start P90X today. I read over the material last week and we even did the Fit Test to make sure we "qualified". I barely qualified, but qualify I did.

I'm afraid I don't have the most positive attitude in starting P90X. It just seems brutal and brutal isn't for me. But I need to do something different and the program is already sitting in my house. Might as well use it. Plus, Joe said he would do it with me and I will do just about anything to get him on board with this get-healthy journey.

Funny thing is, we were supposed to start today and he headed out of town on a business trip. Looks like it's just me and good ol' Tony Horton. Ugh.

Here I go. Hold me to it! Today is the day I finally start P90X.

(I have my "before" pictures but I'm only willing to show those side by side with the "after" pictures.)

I am Mom. Hear me run.

5:10 am.

The baby wakes

Ready to be fed.

Ever the good mother

I rescue her from her nocturnal cage.

As she eats

Toasty and nuzzled by my side

I ponder on Frost and his two roads.

Such deep thoughts for such a shallow hour.

I ask myself

Which road do I take?

The well traveled road,

The one that lets me lay here toasty and nuzzled between sleeping babe and sleeping “Babe”?

Or do I take "the road less traveled",

The literal road that asks for an RSVP of Tennis shoes and sweat?

I chose the latter.

“I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

As I emerge from the warmth of the house I strap on Orion’s Belt

And take a greedy swig from the Big Dipper.

The constellations are my running companions

As is the wind that grouchily shoves at me and grumbles,

“Go back to bed. Go back to bed.”

But there is Frost in the wind

And as I run I take the literal road less traveled by:

A new running path.

One that takes me away from my rut of a route routine.

I run in solitude as the stars slyly wink at me, silently cheering me on.

The twinkling headlights from early morning travelers

Connect in manmade constellations.

They travel a different path than I.

I run

Uphill

I run

Past a cluster of cranky teenagers biding at the bus stop.

I cast my eyes to the ground,

Embarrassed that I’m far from the teenage dream

But soundlessly giggling with wicked premonitions of paunchy bellies and receding hair lines.

I run

Determined to propel myself through the entire distance.

With a half and three miles behind me

I finish.

And just as I enter my house

The sun peeks over the mountains

And gives me a swat on the bum as if to say

“Job well done! I’ve got this.”

Another day has hardly begun

And I am yet again accomplished as a runner.

I traveled the road less traveled by.

I gave wear where wear was wanting.

And as my day is underway

I can see

That it has made “all the difference”.

The Funny Thing about Goals...

I made a rather tough choice today.

I decided to drop my goal to run a half marathon. At least a half marathon in October. At least one I have to pay for.

I received some rotten news earlier this week that has seriously impacted our family's finances. There just isn't going to be extra money to be used for stuff like racing fees.

This doesn't mean I'm giving up on running altogether.

But in a way...I'm kind of relieved that I don't have the money. I'm losing my oomph when it comes to running. It's getting really boring actually. I find myself beginning to dread the long runs. Just too long. Too much time away from my family and my mommy duties. It's getting too hard to fit in to a busy school day as the weather gets colder, the days get shorter, and the kids need more mommy help with homework, reading, etc.

My goals need a little freshening up. I'm not giving up on weight loss. I'm not giving up on running. I'm not even giving up on a half marathon. I just have to delay it for a bit. The goal is already set to complete one in September 2012.

I want to try something different. Maybe a little Zumba? A little spinning? Some P90X? These happen to be other goals of mine. And if I can convince Joe to join me...Even better.

The funny thing about goals is...they change. As I change they are changing with me. And that is a very good thing.

Quick and Dirty

Hey! Still here chugging away on this weight loss journey! Life has been crazy as it always is.

As of Tuesday, September 6, 2011 (Labor Day holiday kind of messed me up on weigh in days) I lost another 4.1 pounds, bringing me to a total of 52.4 pounds lost since May 9, 2011.

As of Monday, September 12, 2011 I lost 0 pounds. No surprise with the bigger loss the week before. Here's hoping for a better week this week.

My first 10K race was on Saturday, September 3rd. It was a fantastic experience and I plan to write about in detail when I have a bit more time and the pictures to add.

I've hit a motivational slump over the last couple of weeks, but I'm working my way out of it. Onward and upward!