Well 1.5 lbs wasn't lost this week...but .4 was! I would have liked to have lost another pound and a half, but I gotta be thankful for a loss at all! So even though it was a small loss, it still put me at my lowest weight so far. So that makes me happy.

So this week was also the 30 day mark from when I started the program. I have done the FIRM an average of 3 times a week and have seen 8.1 lbs lost so far. I took measurements and compared them to where I started a month ago....and I found out I have lost 8 inches! This change has brought my BMI down 1 1/3 pt!

:o) YIPPEE :o)

This week could be a milestone...these are the final few days before my first mini-goal deadline! GASP! Aand I have to lose 1.9 lbs in order to meet that goal. I have switched up my workouts and am now walking 1 mile a day and am going to try to do that 4-5 days a week. So far I have done it 2 days and it's only Tuesday so that makes me feel like I am on the right track. I gave myself until Labor Day, which is Monday but with the first Ohio State Game being on Saturday and a family cookout on Sunday...it looks like I will be tested to stay on track and see where I end up.

So you know how I saw a slight gain last week for the first time? Well I lost that weight, plus a little more this week, so I am proud to say I am successfully back on track! Yippee. I lost 1.1 lbs this week! So as of right now I am 2.3 lbs away from meeting my 1st goal! So exciting.

Feeling pretty good, been keeping with 3 workouts a week. Thursday and yesterday I did Express Cardio. Basically it's 35 minutes of high intensity step and impact aerobics. Chest burns from being out of breath about 10 minutes into it, but I guess that makes it obvious why I need to do it! Wanting to stick with this DVD all week and see if the focus on cardio helps kick up the weight loss. I love the strength training ones, but think maybe I'm working my muscles more and not targeting the fat enough. So we'll try it and keep consistent with my meals and see how the week progresses.

Yesterday as I was walking past the mirror, I could tell my stomach was a little less bulging than before and when I got out the shower today, my back fat pockets are starting to empty out which is a great thing. No woman feels comfortable with back fat! The other day, my husband said he can tell that I am working out so that gave me more motivation than he'll ever know. I wish you could bottle that feeling so I could take a swig whenever I am feeling stuck. You are always your own worst critic, so even though I couldn't tell any big difference in the size of my body, it made me feel good that he could see a positive change.

Observation of the week:We went out to the Lake on Saturday night to watch a band and I had a few light beers. We got a pizza to take home. This pizza is amazing, and so we had been looking forward to it for a while. Note: this is the first pizza I have had in over a month. My stomach was soo upset and I felt like crud later that night. My stomach is handling foods much differently now that I'm not coating it in grease every other day. I guess the changes that I have been making over the past few weeks are affecting more than just the scale. They are changing my body internally and the way it reacts to what I feed it, even if I can't see it in the mirror quite yet.

Mini-goals for the week: Keep calories around 1300 per day and lose 1.5 lbs by Saturday!

Well....it was bound to happen...my first week with a gain!!! Given it was only .4 higher than last week, but I still don't like that it doesn't have a "-" in front of it. The good thing is that I can pinpoint why I didn't lose this week.

Ironically, I was good during month-end and avoided the sweets and caffeine filled beverages during the longer hours. With my work schedule bring crazy and far from the norm during this week, I actually ended up eating too few calories this week... thru Friday at least. Only got 2 workouts in last week too, so I feel that didn't help me get the results I am used to either.

Friday was my first "Free Day" that I have had since being back on track. I had a normal breakfast and lunch, but let myself drink several beers and partake in cheese dips and bbq meatballs and yummy cookies for desert. I didn't overdo it at all, but I immediately felt guilty when I woke up in the morning with that bloated feeling. Ugh...why did I eat that other cookie or why did I have any cheese & crackers at all!!! BECAUSE I DESERVE IT!!!

I don't want to go about this lifestyle change and deprive myself of enjoying the times I get together with friends. So I lifted my head back up and said that I am not going to let this little hiccup let me spiral down. I am back on track today and have a workout planned for later tonight and will make sure my meals are spread out with calories so I don't have too many at night that I need to shove in to get to my daily goal.

Onward and upward!!!

Whew....it's been the roughest week since I have been back on track yet! Thank goodness it's over. Weigh in on Saturday was delightful however...down another 2.6 lbs! Whoot-whoot! Only got 2 workouts in on Monday and Wednesday, but I think I got some cardio in by walking thru the plant all day and sweating my ass off inventorying hub and drum assemblies.

I have 2 successes I want to share this week. The first was my first meal out at a restaurant, Tumbleweed. I was able to resist the chips & dip, margaritas and deluxe burrito with cheese sauce. I enjoyed chicken with vegetables and a sweet potato...and I discovered that I loved the sweet potato and will be getting that again!!! The next challenge was inventory on Friday. While I did partake in a doughnut at breakfast, which later had me running to the bathroom with an upset stomach, I avoided ordering out and sugary treats. Pretty good for a 12 hr day that is normally filled with pizza, chips, sodas and chocolate!

Had a cookout last night and it was the first drop of alcohol that i had since i started eating healthy. Took a suggestion from a friend who told me to match each drink with a bottle of water. (thanks doll!) So I had 4 Bud Light's with water staggered in between. I normally would have probably had at least 6 or 7, so feel good about my self control there. I did however have 2 hot dogs. I hesitated on the second one but felt hungry so I ate another. I just hope it doesn't mess up my weight loss this week. Worked out today, hit it hard since I want to continue on this journey at the rate I am now!!!

This week worries me because it is month-end which means I will be in the office later hours and may even have to eat dinner there one night. Going to bring plenty of healthy snacks to keep me on track. Stay tuned for next week to see how I handle this one!