I'm turning into my mother!

Starting last week I implemented some big changes. It all started with my cousin Emilie, who kept posting on Facebook the wonderful results she was getting with a new diet and going to this gym she had joined. I was excited for her, but it also left me feeling pretty down as it seemed to highlight an area of my life that felt so out of control. After three weeks she posted another good result and then an invitation if anyone was interested in joining her, and we'd both get the next month 1/2 off. I replied that I would do it before I really thought about it. Which is a good thing because if I had thought about it too much, I would have probably talked myself out of it.

So the changes:  I cut out all soda and juice, I am doing the same diet, which is a six week plan to help reset and boost your metabolism, and I get up at 6 am every morning and meet up with Em at the gym for a workout.  She also introduced me to a great website called myfitnesspal which has some great tools like an online food diary that does all the math for you so you can see how many calories you are eating and all that. And my personal favorite, a recipe tool where you can enter in your personal recipes and it will calculate out the nutrition information per serving. (I'm not trying to tell anyone else join it, but if you do send me a friend request!) 

Today was my 2nd weigh in, and I couldn't sleep last night! It was almost as bad as Christmas Eve when I was a little girl. I had worked so hard, stuck to the diet and I couldn't wait to see the result. I lost 3.4 pounds! And every measurement was smaller, in fact I lost almost 2 inches off my thighs! 

The even bigger surprise. I love it! I don't even think about rolling over and hitting the snooze. I like getting up and moving my body, even if it is sore afterwards. I feel stronger and better then I have in a long time. And even though 3.4 pounds is a drop in the bucket compared to where I need to be, I feel like it is a great start.  I don't know why this time is different for me, when I was exposed to all the exercise and good nutrition information anyone should ever need growing up, but it is. I have been inspired by so many people in my life getting into shape and losing weight this past year. I guess I finally decided that I wasn't going to miss another chance to jump on that band wagon!

So I want to tell Emilie a great big, public "Thank You!" and "I love you!" It means so much to have you cheering me on and helping me feel better about myself.  And I want to thank my mom too, I am pretty sure she is sitting on my shoulder through every workout. I know I heard her counting out the beats the other day...