Ok, it’s been four weeks since I began my new weight loss get fit challenge. I began this journey publicly stating I wanted to lose 12 pounds by eating better and getting some form of exercise. I am giving myself until next June prior to my family trip to the beach in Florida [I sure hope it doesn’t take that long].  I will not do this by crash dieting or using some diet product, but by eating better and getting the proper nutrition.   I will use food as “fuel” not as entertainment.  However, if I choose to have a piece of key lime pie or a couple of margaritas, I will.  I will continue to have my Herbalife shake each day for my guaranteed nutritious breakfast, lunch or dinner and have my energizing tea with mango aloe throughout the day.    Lean meats, fish, fruits, veggies and whole grains are my friend.  I will do my best to put on my walking shoes and hit the pavement or treadmill each day, or some other form of exercise to help me reach a calorie deficit.

So here I am four weeks later and guess how it went?  Well in four weeks I have lost only one pound!  So this is where I would normally say “forget it” and give up.  Not this time.  When I reflect back on my month, I can see what I did right and certainly what I could have done better.    Life is about choices and making the healthier choice is not always the easiest. 

I love my Fitbit.  It logs my steps every day.  My goal is to get in 7500 steps a day, roughly 3 miles.  On weekdays when I’m working, I struggle to get there and MOST days I don’t make it.  Some days I don’t even come close.  For instance, this past Thursday, I took 2,695 steps for the entire day.  Yikes.  I didn’t get up from my desk hardly at all except to go to the restroom and go home.  When I got home I was mentally drained and although I knew if I would get out in the fresh air and walk I would feel better, I did not.  See, choices.  Sadly, this past month I have had more days like last Thursday.

Now there have been some days when I have done really well.  On Saturdays and Sundays I always reach my 7,500 because I usually  go for a walk and I’m all over this house doing laundry, cleaning or “piddling”.  Mostly piddling.  But hey, I’m up and moving.  On weekend days I usually even hit 10,000 or 12,000 steps.  It’s awesome and I am very proud of myself and feel better on those days.  My best day was on July 30 with 28,351 steps.  That’s just short of 12 miles!  The following day, 17,082.  Those two days we were in Washington DC touring the National Mall, the monuments, the museums and the White House.  For future reference, I do not recommend walking 28,351 steps in “flip flops.”  I am a girl from Oklahoma who doesn’t like to wear shoes in the summer.  I would wear flip flops every day if I could.  However, I realized that I probably should have brought my walking shoes.  By the time we called it quits that day, my feet hurt so bad I thought I might shed a tear.

So obviously I realize that I need to work on the getting up and moving part.  I need to not let my hectic days at work sabotage me.  I am looking forward to a little cooler weather where when I do walk, the heat doesn’t zap me. If I was superman like my husband, I would get up and walk in the mornings when it’s cool.  He runs about 5 times a week about 8 miles at a time and he leaves the house in the dark at 5:30 a.m.  See superman.  I should be using him as my inspiration.  Here’s a man who is a 5 year cancer survivor who is an active runner, losing weight without trying, eats what he wants because he gets PLENTY of exercise.  He’s a hard act to follow, but I am very proud of him.

Now my other issue is food.  Not as big an issue I don’t think as the sedentary side of my life.  I do try to make good food choices even when we travel.  Now there are days that I just blow it and I know it.  Right after I started this little adventure was when we traveled to DC.  While eating out I tried to find the healthier options on the menus.  One evening for dinner our hotel restaurant had an amazing grilled salmon.  I love a good salmon.  Then the day I walked the 28,ooo steps, we had lunch at a place across from the White House called Old Ebbett’s Grill.  They had a kale/quinoa salad with grilled chicken that was to die for.  I need that recipe. 

So here I start another month.  I’m taking a deep breath, keeping positive thoughts and am confident that my next report will be better.