Week Forty-Six of REAL...

Reminders: REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

This is an awesome post by Debra Parmley: http://www.debraparmley.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=42:cortisol-and-weight-gain-how-i-gained-weight-without-eating-when-my-husband-nearly-died&Itemid=1

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S: http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. This week, I try to increase my reps. I've worked up to 24.

The 4th: weigh in: 231.8 lb. SEAL puppy rep. Two-mile walk. SEAL puppy rep.

The 5th: weigh in: 232.4 lb. Only managed four hours of sleep last night. My fault. Couldn't put the book down! 2-1/2 mile walk. Physical therapy, with 2-lb weights. I remember when this weight was my all-time high, before I messed up my back. Now, it's 20 lb lighter than my all-time high. I never want to go there again. Going down.

The 6th: weigh in: 232.6 lb. Stressed a bit, yesterday, read overate. Today will be better. I'm trying something new: Positive self-talk. Yes, I know, it isn't new. It is to me. I've known about it, but haven't been able to bring myself to do it for myself. The negative talk always grew louder. I'm going to start out with the following: My body is amazing. My body does amazing things considering all the abuse it's endured. I love my body. Okay, the last one is going to be tough to say without laughing, but I'm using the laughter to drown out the negative talk. I'll let you know how it goes.

The 7th: weigh in: 232.8 lb. SEAL puppy rep. Two-mile walk. SEAL puppy rep. Remembered the positive self-talk, and only laughed a bit.

The 8th: weigh in: 231.6 lb. One-mile walk. Physical therapy with 2-lb weights. Well, shoot. All binging and moodiness is explained. Two days early. Hate when it starts early. Okay, I can be moody without the hormones, but they don't help. There are reasons I confine myself to my room. I know why I'm being unreasonable. I can't think straight to correct the problem.

The 9th: weigh in: 231.2 lb. SEAL puppy rep. One-mile walk, in deference to the occasion, though I may try to put in another mile, one way or another, later. SEAL puppy rep. Picked fresh blackberries for breakfast, along with crackers and peanut butter. Life is so yummy.

The 10th: weigh in: 232.8 lb. Waist circumference: 39". Physical therapy, with 2-lb weights. Nope, didn't walk this morning. It rained, last night, so the molds will be having a hayday. No need to aggravate my allergies on purpose. Unfortunately, I did a bit of stress eating due to the storm. The lightning and thunder were awesome, but I'm still a bit paranoid about it. Funny how that is. For those who don't know, we had a storm almost ten years ago, with a lightning strike close enough to blow up the processor in my computer, melting the motherboard. Impressive. Terrifying, because doing my work was severely hindered. I need to "get over it." :-D

Inspiration, at least to me: