I noticed something today...

I noticed the way I carry myself is a little tiny bit different than it was a few months ago.  I walk with purpose, my shoulders are back and my head is up more often instead of down.  Pretty cool huh?  I don't know if it's because I'm more conscious of my posture or maybe the weight lifting or possibly the weigh loss, but I want more.  More confidence.  I'm going to change right before people's very eyes.  Then one day it'll be like BAM!  Who is this person?  Oh, it's just the new me.

Sure, it's only 15 pounds down out of 75 pounds - I have a ways to go before I meet my goals.  But I grabbed 15 pounds worth of dumbbells the other day and wow that's heavy!!   I'm glad I'm not carrying that around anymore.  Even 5 pounds feels pretty hefty.  If you're on this journey, you've gotta try it!!   Find stuff that weighs as much as you've lost and pick it and walk around with it for a few minutes.  When you put it down, it feels great!!!

I know our body distributes weight differently, but the analogy is sound - it feels good to drop unnecessary weight.

Ok, I just had a thought - tell me if I'm crazy, but why not take this thing on in smaller chunks rather than the whole thing all at once.  For me "all at once" would be a total loss of 75 pounds!!  I can't imagine it right now.  I know it is certainly doable, but very difficult to picture.  However, I CAN imagine 5 or 10 pounds because I'VE ALREADY DONE IT!!!!  Wooooooo-HOOOOO!!

Interesting...  I'm just now playing this out in my mind, but it makes sense to me (of course, maybe it's just late and purple unicorns make sense too, but still).

It did take me 12 weeks to lose 15 pounds - that's sounds TERRIBLE, I know!  Ten years ago, I lost 30 pounds in 12 weeks, ughhhh!!  Anyway!!!!  In the last 12 weeks, I've lost 15 pounds.  During those 12 weeks, I exercised VERY moderately, ate FAIRLY healthy, and had one day a week where I TOTALLY pigged out on whatever.  I guess I can't complain too much.  Therefore, if I enjoy the food I'm eating (and I do), and if I enjoy my workouts gradually becoming more intense and challenging (and I am), then there's no reason (barring serious disaster) that I can't continue to do as well.

15 pounds every 3 months OR 5 pounds in a month - that sounds totally doable, right?

I would certainly like to do more, but I'm in my 40s - I'm not sure what I can expect out of my body.  It isn't always cooperative with my efforts, especially in the realm of pain - knee pain, joint pain, muscle pain - know what I mean?  Well, if you're over 40, you probably do, but if you aren't, I recommend reaching your goal BEFORE 40!

So, it will take a while longer than expected at 5 pounds a month.  One year for 60 pounds.  Of course, if I'd been doing this for the last TWO years, I'd be down 120 pounds wouldn't I?  I don't need to lose 120 pounds, I'm just sayin'.  There's no need to be upset if it takes me exactly one year from today to get to my goal.  In fact, I'll be a lot happier than I was a year ago, right?

Now I have a mini-goal:  Lose 5 pounds by Sep 1, 2013.  I lost a pound last week, so 4 more to go for the month.  Oh yeah.