Monday, Monday, Monday

252.8 this morning, -1 lb from yesterday.  Surprising, since I didn't exercise and had more cals than planned (still less than my BMR though). I guess I'm going through the honeymoon phase right now.  Weight loss seems easy and everything is great.  The true test will come soon enough when the loss slows down and stuff seems harder.

Trying to get into the exercise from home DVD habit, I started a Gin Miller Classic Step Moves Cardio Endurance DVD this morning.  About 15 minutes into it, I looked at the back of the package and found out that the DVD is an hour and 10 minutes or so!  Holy heck, I didn't have time for that!  So I stopped it and did most of a pilates video for a total of about 40 minutes of exercise.  I need to find some DVDs that I know are about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes for morning workouts.  I SO want to shop for more videos, but will likely force myself to work through the ones I already have, like Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and Power 90.

Working out in the am at home takes care of having to make sure I have workout clothes with me, etc, etc.  It's SO freakin simple!  I should make it a habit!

Huge NSV:  my plantar fasciitis is going away!! For the last year it's been painful every day to walk and I've felt about 80 years old.  Yesterday I could walk first thing in the morning without having to stretch my feet and calves.

I joined another challenge.  I've been reading mary g's blog, a small loss, and enjoyed the thoughtful aspects of answering questions every week.  I like the idea of being forced to understand/address my feelings.  It's something I'm terrible at.  So I joined the Fire Up for Fall challenge, and Monday's posts will be my responses to the challenge questions, starting with an inspirational picture. 

I don't really have any inspirational pictures, so I looked through some of my old photos for one that makes me feel good.  It's my cat, doing what we all sometimes want to do.

1. What are your goals for the Fall Challenge? (List your 5 or more goals) Why have you chosen those goals?
- Lose 20-25 pounds, to 235-230 by the end of the year

- Look FABulous in my Christmas jacket by the end of the year.  Successfully complete the Christms Dress Challenge.  It'll be evidence that I'm finally willing to put myself and my needs first, instead of being so goal oriented that I ignore myself, all the while kicking myself for not being perfect.

- Work through my Christmas Dress Challenge book and do all the exercises.  Find a second book and do that one too.  Focus on self acceptance and self esteem and feeling my feelings.  I've started this work a few times, and tend to drop it after a week or two.  Working through 2 books will take long enough, hopefully, to force me to spend time working on my interior.

- Complete Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and Power 90 DVDs.  30 days for the shred and 90 days for Power 90 will take longer than 10 weeks, but I should be able to get them in by the end of the CDCC.  Exercise hasn't been a regular part of my life for over 10 years.  It should be.  I can exercise at the firehouse or at the gym at work, but I want to get used to exercising at home, so I can't use the excuse of no clothes with me, or bad weather to skip it.

- Continue to invest time in my volunteer fire department.  It's been a hard 9 months with this group (being the only girl and all), but I'm finally beginning to find a place that's semi-comfortable.

- Look at where I spend my time and energy and look for places and people that make me feel good and will lead to friendships.  My ultimate goal is to make some close friends and/or enter into a relationship with a significant other.  Right now I feel like I'm busy, but not on things that "feed my soul" or will ever turn into friendships. I've moved around and started over so many times; the last time I had a close friend was before 2007 when I moved overseas.  It hasn't happened here yet even though I've been here for 3 years, work people don't go out (well, they do, but even though I've dropped obvious hints, they don't invite me), I've tried a few meetup groups, none have been a good fit...yet.  It's not something my goal-oriented self can just be a project manager and accomplish.  The best thing I can think of is to work on being happy and being places and with people that make me happy.  The rest will take care of itself - gawd, I hope.

3. What have you done this week that's made you feel fabulous?
I worked out 5 out of 7 days.  On the days that I didn't work out, I did do exercises in front of the TV.  I ate well, resulting in over 3 pounds lost this week.

4. What do you think will be your biggest challenge in reaching your goals?
I don't really have a strategy for dealing with normal life situations like eating out or going to the movies other than avoidance.  When the self acceptance work starts working, I hope to have more of a social life or even a boyfriend, which will mean more time in these situations.

5. Fun Question! Where in  the World do you live? What's amazing about it?
I live in Upstate NY, 3 hours north of New York City.  This is a beautiful time of year here.  When the leaves turn, tourists come from all over the country to see our colorful countryside.  It's also apple season.