Trying to Lose It: A New Day

This is me on April 7 during my daughter's horseback riding lesson. I was slouching a little, but that belly has to go!

Something about that title is supposed to be a Star Wars reference, but I don’t think I quite hit it. Oh, well.

So … it’s been a while. I’ve regained some weight. I’ve lost it. I’ve regained it.

I’ve been trying to just listen to my body, but my body keeps breaking down and throwing me off track: a pulled shoulder, allergies, shin splints … They all threw me off my exercise wagon for weeks at a time, during which I overate. And even when I exercised every day, I don’t think I was cutting back enough to lose.

And at times, I didn’t really care. I’m not sure I care now, except a few recent photographs have made me kind of care enough that I think it’s time to get back to Weight Watchers.

However, there won’t be any weight reports. My scale broke. The battery died, I replaced it, then the scale died (slowly but surely). So, I need to get a grip but I don’t want to know what I weigh. I’ll buy a new scale eventually, but I’m going to go a while without one.

The same day with my friend's baby feeding Cowboy. I look a little better. I definitely need to work the arms!

One thing that clicked in my head is that I think I’ll do much better if I keep less food in the house. I’m not a binge or emotional eater, but often when there’s something in the house that I know I really enjoy, I will feel hungry just because I know it’s there. I’m far less likely to overeat if the option isn’t available. So, I’m going to keep salad stuff, my dark chocolate and almonds in the house and a few other things that I’ll eat when hungry enough, but won’t eat mindlessly.

Then, if I’m really, truly hungry, I’ll need to go out and get what I want and I generally won’t do that.

That’s my plan.

Now, what have I been up to since I left you all so many months ago?

Well, I started running. Not just the general, run a little bit during my walks kind of running, but a regular “date” with friends every week plus some on my own. I ran my first official race. It was supposed to be a 5K, but the actual route was only 3.01 miles (about 4.84K). I walked a little

March 19 DC Doggie Dash. Seeing my thighs in this photo made me want to throw up.

bit of it after losing some training time to injury and illness, but ran about 90 percent and finished in 32 minutes and 14 seconds. My goal was an 11-minute mile average, so I exceeded it.

Last Sunday, I ran a full three miles, so I know I can do it. My next race is on April 30. Hopefully I’ll run the entire way this time. I have a few weeks of training in front of me.

I also tried my first Zumba class and will go to my second tomorrow. I haven’t been able to get back to it because I’ve had plans on Saturdays the last few weeks.

The weather is warm enough again for swimming, too. I’m excited about that. I’ve been twice and I have a new bathing suit and a half. The half is because the top of my old one is still good, but the bottoms were in bad shape. So I bought new bottoms that match the top and voila!

So, look for new menus posted daily, with exercise included, but no weight updates for a while. I hate to get caught up in dieting again, but I really am miserable being heavier than I’m comfortable with.