Time to Reboot, Restart, and Power Back Up!

Dear Diary...

I almost forgot what it felt like to wake up at 4am.  Almost.  Call me crazy, (to yourselves please) but there's nothing like this time of the morning to sit in front of my computer to write my blog.  I kinda missed it in a way.  Kinda.

Spring break is officially over.  It's time to get back to the grind.  Time to reboot my system.  No more sleeping in and spending the day reading until maybe this weekend.  I have to restart.  No more accidentally skipping meals, forgetting to eat, or grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant.  And I have to power back up.  Time to rejoin the world of planned eating, logging, and going to the gym.  It was a nice short break - but vacation time is over.  And in a way, I'm extremely happy about it.

I feel like I'm starting all over...again.  My body isn't going to be used to going back to the gym today.  I regret the fact that I sat on my lazy behind most of the week.  I really wish the weather had been nicer, because when I was out in the sun yesterday - my body was craving it.  I felt like a battery that was being recharged.  All the rain we got made me very lazy - but having that small amount of sun fueled my system - and I literally had more energy than I'd had all week long.

I could have or should have gone to the gym at least once or twice over the break, but I didn't.  It's too late to do anything about it now.  I just chalk it up to my body desperately needing a break - not that it'd been receiving any amount of grueling exercise before the break... but now the break is over?  I feel like I can go back to some form of normality.

There's exactly seven weeks and four days until the last day of school - for the year.  This year will be the earliest that I think school has let out in...well...as long as I can remember.  The lack of any amount of snow this year means no snow days to make up at the end of the year.  Unless some freak storm happens in the next couple of weeks - we're out of school on May 17th.

Seven weeks sounds like a long time - but it's not.  What I want to accomplish in those seven weeks will be hard - almost impossible.  I've decided that I want to lose 20lbs in seven weeks.  I want to be back down around the 220lbs mark.  That's the weight I was when I could first fit in to a size 16.  I want that back again.  All of my cute summer clothes are size 16 - and I don't want to have to buy any more clothes.  Unless they are smaller than a size 16.

If I have any chance in doing that, I'm going to have be diligent.  Longer, harder work-outs....more often.  Stricter eating.  Like sticking to my "clean" eating plan for the next seven weeks.  No room for error or setbacks.  Trying to lose 20lbs in 7 weeks put me at losing about 2.8lbs a week.  That is very doable - but also extremely tough.  My body might cooperate at first.. but the longer I go, the harder it'll be.  Which means staying strong, upping the level of intensity each week.

The last time I stood on the scale was March 7th.  Wait, scratch that.  The last time I stood on the scale for an "official" weigh in was March 7th.  I weighed 244.6lbs.  I'll admit that I've stood on it a couple of times since then.  I had originally planned on staying off of it for a month... but I think I may have changed my mind on that...again.  I still don't feel like I'm ready to face the scale - and I just don't think I'll be ready on April 4th (the day I planned on doing my next weigh in).  I'm going to wait longer before doing another official weigh in.  I don't know how much longer, yet.  I may not weigh in again until the last day of school - my goal date.  I may opt for a midway point - like April 18th.  That would give me another couple of weeks to really get my head in the game (again). 

So, if I have such a big goal to reach - I better have an array of mini goals to help me get there, right?  Right!  For the next seven weeks, if I have any chance of reaching my goal, I'm going to have to do the following:

• Four 30 minute visits to the gym each week:  Two cardio/ Two strength
• Strict intake of 1400 calories per day plus exercise calories
• No white flour or refined sugar
• Getting the majority of my calories from veg, fruit, and lean protein - strict limit on the amount of complex carbs
• One jog each Saturday - starting with 2 miles and increasing each week
• One long walk each Sunday - starting with 4 miles and increasing each week
• Drinking at least 70ozs of water each day
• NO EXCUSES!

The last goal will be the most important.  It's a strict plan, and it will take implementing that last goal at every waking second.  There are going to be days where I just feel like I can't do it - or don't want to.  I have to keep reminding myself of what I want to accomplish.

I've designated Friday as my rest day.  There may be weeks where I have something come up during the week that prevents me from working out one day after school.  My Friday will then become my alternate work-out day.  It's tough to work out on Fridays - so I just have to make sure that if I miss a work-out day during the week... I better have a damn good reason.

If I get up early on Saturday mornings and get my jog over and done with - I still have the entire day to do whatever it is my busy family has scheduled.  Same with my long walks on Sunday.  I can go while the kids are at church.  I can get it out of the way in the morning - and leave the rest of the day to rest and relax.

The next seven weeks are going to go by fast - I know it.  There's just not going to be any room for minor slips or setbacks.  I'm going to have to produce the most amount of strength and determination I've had in a very long time.

In the midst of those seven weeks, I'm going to be looking for a new job.  Can you say STRESS!??? But, I can't let that get in the way.  I can use my exercise as an advantage...use it as my release.  When I'm stressed out, I can hit the gym or the road and pound out my frustrations and anxiety.

Yes, it's a very big goal.  I know that.  If I get to the end of the seven weeks and know that I've done everything I said I would - and fall a little shy from my goal...I'll be OK with it.  If, however, those seven weeks go by and I don't give it my all?  Well, then I'll only have myself to blame - and blame I will!  This goal is mine for the taking.  It's time to start taking!

Till next time. ;)