Wednesday Weight Weport #2

I'll probably start blogging my progress in the health arena of self-control each Wednesday since that's the day I go to Weight Watchers with Karen . First the stats, or should I say "stat" since I'm not measuring inches lost or having medical tests of any kind to assess.

So, this week I lost 1.6 pounds. Yay, right? Yes and no was my reaction. What I know about myself is that I set high goals, sometimes too high. I started out with a goal of losing 9 pounds in the first 2 weeks. Last week I dropped 5.8, so this week was shooting for 3.2 . To only get halfway to my weekly goal was a disappointment to me, but at least I didn't gain back and at least it was closer to 2 than 1. I'm headed in the right direction, but to counter my disappointment, I will recount the victories the Lord gave me this week. It's been mostly about exercise.

1. I set a goal to move 5x/week. Accomplished.
2. It used to be that my warm-up walk on the treadmill started at 1.0 mile/hr for 2 minutes and I needed to "run" (I use the term flabbily) at 2.8. Now my "warm up" pace is 1.8 for 1 minute and I don't need to "run" till 4.0.
3. Several times I've exceeded my 20 minutes or 100 calories/session goal.
4. Monday night came and I had not exercised all day. I prayed to God for strength and felt He said, "Put your tennis shoes on." Well, He's smart, God is, because now that the weather's warm and my feet are 90% pain-free, I don't need tenners in the house anymore except on the treadmill. Where does that leave me to go? Outside. So I headed up the hill and around the loop of our n'hood which is exactly one mile, and I did that in 29 minutes.
5. Tuesday morning came and I was stiff and saw no time in my day I would want to exercise. I was telling myself I wouldn't feel like it after school or in the evening. Negative talk is a health menace. Again I asked God for motivation to just move. Again I felt a little heavenly push to do just ten minutes of higher intensity to loosen up. Did that and felt much better.
6. Today I needed Karen's "atta girl" to reassure me, to help me see the big picture. By April 29 of next year , I want to lose 100 pounds total --a daunting figure (pun intended)--and when I called her, she said "If you only lost one pound a week, in a year that's 52 pounds. If you lose 2 a week, you'll definitely have your 100 off." Thanks, Karen.
7. I didn't feed my sadness yesterday. In fact, after two sad bits in my school day , plus literally falling down on the job, I normally would have comforted myself with ice cream or a pastry. However, within minutes of getting news that made me want to cry, I started sensing God's comfort and peace. I controlled my emotions rather than let them control me. And I used fat-free prayer instead of highly calorie food.
8. This morning I ate a 4 point breakfast and then walked it all off in 20 intense minutes even with cheesy music on.

Okay, now I feel better. God has given me 8 graces to share in my Wednesday Weport. There are more, but they're in my paper journal.