11/20/12: Holiday Season!

Morning Weight:  159.4 - exactly - again!
Morning Exercise: Day off
Yesterday Evening's Exercise:  None - no excuse, just came home from work and put on my PJs.  Probably should have gone for a walk, I had plenty of time and it was nice outside.  I think it's because it is so dark when I get home, I feel like the day is over even though it is still early.  I will do something after work, today.
Yesterday's Calories: 1445
Vitamins:  1-A-Day, D, B-Complex, Calcium, Glucosamine

Oh, goodness gracious!  Who tries to lose weight during the holiday season?  We're coming into that month between Thanksgiving and Christmas when most people gain a few pounds and what do I want to do?  I want to lose 9.4 pounds over the next six weeks.  Well, 41 days, to be exact.

That is not an unreasonable goal nor an unprecedented weight loss rate.  It is just going to take a whole lot of discipline and hard work.  It's going to take not indulging in holiday treats or drinking at holiday events.  It's just 41 days, after all.  It doesn't really matter which 41 days it is.

I don't see any reason why I cannot be at my goal weight of 150 pounds on December 31, 2012.  Doing all of the things I have been consistently doing over the last eight and a half months should get me there.  Exercising every day, eating less than 1600 calories a day, and drinking plenty of water.  The 15 - 30 minutes of exercise in the evening helps, too, and I have not been doing enough of that.  Over the next 41 days I will do some sort of exercise, even if it is just a brief walk, for at least 15 minutes after work every day.  On Wednesdays, bowling will count for that exercise.

There is no reason that "Thanksgiving and Christmas" should mean "weight gain."  I can count calories right through the next 41 days and still enjoy the spirit and festivities of the season.  My biggest gift to myself will be waking up on January 1st, 2013, stepping on the scale, and weighing 150.0 pounds!  That is when stage two of my "Get Fit Initiative" will officially begin.  Stage one - lose 74 pounds (I am 87.3% of the way there!), Stage two - improve fitness level, train for, and complete an Olympic length triathlon during the summer of 2013.  I can already swim, run, and bike the distance - now I just need to put the three of them together.  I am planning on doing my first "brick" over the long weekend, with a vigorous bike ride followed by a run.  I'll probably do it at Kill Creek Park.  I'll let you know how it goes!!

I have decided to take tomorrow off, as a comp-day to compensate for the two weekends I lost on my last trip to China.  I am looking forward to having five days off in a row.  Yeah!!  Tomorrow, I work out with Jeremy Wallen in the morning and then, after breakfast, Jack and I are heading over to Aspen Fitness to check it out and talk to Jeremy Walters.  There is a good chance that we will take advantage of their Black Friday specials (albeit a couple of days early) and join the gym and sign me up for training with Jeremy Walters.  My strength training workouts have not been the same since he left.  I am also looking forward to having a place to play racquetball with Jack.  We've been bowling for about 6 months now, which is a lot of fun.  It will be great to add another sport to our play time!! 

Speaking of bowling, I really am determined to get good at it.  I don't need to be awesome, but I can't see any reason why I should not be able to consistently bowl around a 150.  Right now my average is 120, which is low.  Before I've had an average around 135.  I bowl inconsistently and I find that incredibly frustrating.  Jack and I practiced on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend and I felt like I may have figured a few things out.  We'll see what happens tomorrow night. 

It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day and gorgeous long weekend.  It'll be nice to spend some time outdoors before winter sets in.  I need to take advantage of the weather and get on my bike a couple of times over the next five days.  Also, it's been a while since I swam, so I need to get in the pool.  It looks like I have plenty to keep me busy over my mini-vacation!