off the blog, but not off the wagon

I haven't posted in almost a month...and with good reason! Actually, I have no valid excuse at all, so let me jump right in and i promise I'll try to keep up with my 5 fans :):

Right after my last post, I gained 2 lbs. Yes, this is a rollercoaster so I expect not to be perfect every week, but when you think about how weight loss works (3500 calories = 1 lb), its actually pretty ridiculous that I gained 2 lbs in one week. that means I consumed 7000 more calories than I should have. YIKES! actually its more than that...because i could've maintained without those 7000 calories, but not lost. I sort of know where I fell off (damn work birthday party + calzone + slippery slope).

Then - amazingly, I lost those 2 lbs the next week and then lost ANOTHER 2 lbs the week after that!! I am amazingly impressed because 1.) I went out of town (rest stop food = NOT healthy; mom's house = NOT healthier!) and 2.) I didn't exercise much (I did dance with my Wii!).

This week though, I maintained. I guess its not bad....and I certainly know WHY it happened (6 cans of POP - I KNOW! in 2 days...plus another day that my memory has apparently blocked out - I just remember it was bad). Nonetheless, I'm committed to this process so I'll continue to be mindful of what I am putting in and doing to my body.

My goal is to lose 10 lbs in the next 5 weeks. Totally doable, I think. Why 5 weeks? I'm trying to be 174 by the 4th of July. I'm going home to Detroit, and would LOVE to show my parents and weight loss challenge partner my amazing transformation.

YAY to progress, even with its setbacks...

What new goal have you set? I encourage you to push yourself!! Test those limits!

move your body!

Inspired by my step 2, and my love for beyonce...i wanted to share her latest video, move your body. its a remixed version of one of my favorite B songs, get me bodied.

the video and the song are a GREAT message on so many levels:

- its patriotic (wave the american flag!)

- it encourages kids to get up and MOVE - as an obese society, we need to get our kids up and active

- dancing is fun and a great way to stay active

- i love teach me how to dougie and beyonce dougie's in the video

- healthy eating - she's in a school cafeteria eating an APPLE!

- michelle obama has seen it (there's a video somewhere out there showing FLOTUS doing the moves!)

ENJOY! http://youtu.be/mYP4MgxDV2U

get up (and running)

Step 2 in my journey toward fitness is exercise - specifically running. I ran track in high school, but wasn't very good. I am determined to become a runner, or at the very least, a person who can jog as a workout. I'd like to start running for two main reasons:

1. I think it'd be cool to run a race for a cause (or even just the accomplishment!).
2. All the people I know who started running were able to lose weight quickly.

That being said, I'm sure you've heard of the Couch Potato to 5K running plan. If you haven't, it's fairly simple. Slowly increase your jogging/running ability through interval training for 8 weeks. I tried it about a year or two ago, but was clearly unsuccessful. Based on my current strategy for fitness combined with the fact that I ran a bit today(!), I think I can be successful.

Here's the link to the Couch Potato to 5K running plan. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

They have a download that you can use to track your progress online, but I don't want to pay for it. So I'll try to do it on my own...I'm looking for 5K's online that are around the 4th of July. Here's a cool website to help find races all around the country: http://www.runningintheusa.com/Default.aspx