Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

What kind of stupid ass cliche is that!!!! Seriously, that is almost as bad as "Stop dieting, start living".

First of all this ridiculous "support mantra" tries to compare the value of two completely different things!! The taste of food and feeling skinny has NOTHING to do with one another.

Second, I don't want to be 'thin'. Thin is for 8 year olds and runway models.

This 'mantra', if you will, completely discounts the value food plays in our life, socially, physically and physiologically. These are very important factors in achieving a healthy weight.

What this 'mantra' says to me is that if I want to be thin then I can no longer enjoy my food. And if I do enjoy my food then I must not want to be thin that badly. And people wonder why there are so many eating disorders out there.

For my loyal readers you will know what my mantra is....

Consistent Practice equals Consistent Progress

Practice implies that not everyday will be perfect but that we strive to improve ourselves every time we practice. Some days our practice will be great. Some days not so much. Each day we practice a healthy life. Each day we make progress.

Practice also implies that this is an ongoing process. We don't get to a goal and then stop practicing. Because, like any other skill, if we don't continue to practice we will undo all the progress we have achieved. Practicing a healthy life is a life long endeavor.

Women's Challenge Final Stats

July 29 - Starting measurements
Bust - 44.25
Chest - 36.25
Waist - 41.5
Hips - 48.5
Thighs - 26.5
Calves - 14.75
Upperarm - 16
Forearm - 12
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 218
BF% - 38.5%(??)

Nov 24 (measurement) (Lost this month) (Lost during challenge)
Bust - 42.5 (no change) (-1.75)
Chest - 34.25 (-.75) (-2)
Waist - 36 (-2.5!!!) (-5.5)
Hips - 44.5 (-.5) (-4)
Thighs - 22.25 (-2 each side!!) (-4.25 each side)
Calves - 13.75 (-.25 each side) (-1 each side)
Upperarm - 14.5/14.5 (-.25/-.5) (-1.5 each side)
Forearm - 11.5 (no change) (-.5 each side)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 189.4 (-2.4) (-29)
BF% - 32.3 (-2.2%!!!!)n (-6.2%)
Total inches lost this month - 9!!!!
Total inches lost during challenge - 27.75

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - I have broken my sticking point of 195 and am currently at 189. I won't achieve 175 by the end of the year but I have still made great progress!!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - Done! I am going to try to get into a 12 now.

Goal 3: Compliance - 50% this month. I don't have time for this stuff. Honestly, I probably did more than I think but it wasn't 'formal'.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Still at 6 but since I hurt my shoulder I don't hink I will get much further than that but I still have another month to try.

My husband thinks I've lost it....

I signed up for a 5K on Thanksgiving Day.

Running

Since I haven't been able to workout all week because everything I do hurts my shoulder, I decided to pull out Couch to 5K and give it another try. I am running a 5K in a few weeks anyways. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no problems doing Week 1 Day 1. Last time I tried it I had to work my way up to W1D1.

My knee protested a bit in the beginning but that disappeared after the first interval. This weeks interval is 60 sec running and 90 seconds walking. I felt like I could go longer but I didn't want to push it. Depending on how my knee reacts, I think I am going to move up to Week 2 Day 1 the next workout which should be Tuesday.

Now I am off to finish my stretching....

Qi Gong

I really want to learn Qi Gong and an opportunity may have presented itself. I am very excited. I think I am going to begin familiarizing myself with the basics so I am not a bumbling idiot when I start classes.

Falun Dafa

I did the craziest thing today...

I was buying myself a pair of jeans and then I decided to put them back because I have been spending way too much on clothes lately. As I was walking away from the table I decided to buy the jeans anyways but buy them in the next size down. I bought size 12 jeans today!!!!!

I came home and tried them on and I think if my life depended on it I could get them on as long as I didn't breathe much!! LOL My goal is to be in those jeans by the end of the month.

I haven't been a size 12 since I was SEVENTEEN years old. I can't wait to go formal shopping in 3 weeks. (And I have NEVER looked forward to that!!)

No workout today!

Today was supposed to be Yoga but I opted out since my shoulder still hurts whenever I do anything weight bearing. I think Sun Salutations count!!!

However, the scale rang in at 191.8 today. That is just about what I weighed when I got pregnant with my first son (188 according to my medical records). That is also about the weight I got to the last time around when I did Weight Watchers (I don't think I ever broke 190. If I did it was only for a minute or two!). Both times before I was sorta comfortably in a size 16 jean and 1X top. Today I am comfortably in a size 14 jean and in an XL top (yes there is a difference between a 1X and an XL, in case you are curious). Weight training kicks A$$!!!

Back in August I set a goal to be able to buy my Holiday formal in a size 14. Since I have another month (almost) before I need to buy it (actually I may not need it until my birthday) I am shooting for a 12. The last time I was a size 12 I was 17 years old. Now won't that be a killer Yule present!!!

Today's Workout!

Tabata snatch with #20KB

Tabata C&P with #15KB (need to go up to #20)

Windmill - 2X5 each side with #15KB

200 swings 1-10-1 ladder with #25KB

Reverse Crunch with hands overhead - 2X10

Stretches (the usual)

Hula Hooping - 10 minutes CCW, 10 minutes CW

Can I take a nap now??? :)

My Diet SUCKS.....

....lately!! Seriously, it has totally sucked lately. How I have managed to not gain and even lose a couple of pounds in October is beyond me. November didn't start out well either. I rang in the new month with 3 glasses of wine, a tall Malibu and Cran, cream cheese and crackers (with the best candied jalapenos ever!) and white rice and soy sauce (WHITE RICE!!!). So I am getting back on track with a vengeance.

I did the Warrior Diet style IFing in September with fantastic results, great energy, fab workouts so I am revisiting Ori this month with a primal twist. No grains at all, no rice, no potato, no bread...

I will be rotating between 3 workouts with one rest day in between.

Upper body - push-ups, renegade rows and leg assisted ring pull-ups

Kettlebell - Tabata sets of snatch and C&P, windmills and swings

Yoga - 25 Sun Salutations

Everyday in November I will do the 200 swing challenge even on rest days.