Week 6 Update

Wow, hard to believe it's already been 6 weeks since I started this!  I feel like it's all still so new and I'm still learning so much.  I think under normal circumstances, most people get bored and give up on their resolutions after about a month, so I'm proud that I've stuck with it this far and will keep pushing myself until I reach my goal.  This blog really helps me stay on track, so thank you for reading!

Physical Activity:
-3/9/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-3/10/13: ran outside for 30 minutes (I went 2.5 miles total and ran for about 1.75 miles of that)
-3/11/13: used the elliptical for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/13/13: 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/14/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes
-3/15/13: 30 Day Shred level 2

I'm now doing the 30 Day Shred workout 3 times a week, which is so much easier to handle!  This week I moved up to level 2, which is SO MUCH HARDER than level 1!  I was expecting it to be a little more challenging, but wow.  Jillian Michaels really knows what she's doing.  I can only imagine what level 3 will bring, but thankfully I don't have to worry about that for another week.  Also this week I finally got a chance to run outside!  Spring weather is really making an effort to break through this long winter we're having in DC so last Sunday I took the opportunity to change things up and take my workout outside.  Running outside is completely different than running on the treadmill, and more challenging in many ways, including trying to keep a steady pace, but it's much more enjoyable and the change of scenery made me not hate my run so much that day.  Also I'm still working on being able to run for longer distances at a time, and worked my way up to 1.75 miles without stopping.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but considering that a) I hate running, and b) I'm still a beginner, I think 1.75 is pretty darn good.

One day on the treadmill I tried out a pyramid-style interval workout that I had found online (this is the one I did).  Interval training is great because by constantly changing your intensity you prevent your body from getting used to any one speed, which increases fat burning and prevents plateaus.  The workout I tried was only 30 minutes, but it seriously kicked my butt.  The sprints really take the wind out of you!  I'm definitely going to incorporate more interval training into my workout, especially since I'm 6 weeks into my challenge now and I don't want to get into a slump with my workout routine.

Food:
I did very well with food during week 6, but what I really wanted to focus on was my alcohol intake since I had been struggling with that in prior weeks.  I decided to challenge myself to something new that week: to not drink a single alcoholic beverage all weekend.  I stopped consuming alcohol during the week when I started this challenge, so bye-bye went the occasional glass of wine after work or with dinner.  On the weekends though, I found I was having trouble sticking to my 3 drink maximum so I wanted to take a break.  I also think alcohol was a contributing factor to why I gained a pound after week 5, which is why I decided to do a detox for week 6 and see what would happen.  I must admit my social life seriously declined last weekend, since in order to avoid drinking I ended up staying in Friday and Saturday night, but in the end I completed my challenge and I managed to not drink all weekend.  For anyone who knows me or my friends, you understand what a feat that is! 

Cooking:
Thanks to the nice weather in DC last weekend my friends and I were able to have a cookout for family dinner on Sunday.  My contribution was a Chicken Orzo Salad that I had been wanting to try.  It's a fresh, light salad that turned out to the perfect addition to a grill session.  Recipe coming soon.

Weigh-In:
I had really been stressing out about my weight last week since I gained a pound in week 5.  I know that I'm trying very hard and I'm making a lot of positive changes in my life, and I understand that weight loss is a process and my weight will fluctuate a lot and I won't always lose pounds, but it's still hard to not feel discouraged when you don't see the results you want on the scale.  I managed to use that as motivation in week 6 and it paid off.  Last week I lost:

1 POUND!!!

I'm finally back on track after wavering a little last week and I'm very excited, I just need to stay focused.  All together I'm 7 pounds down and I still have 9 weeks to go.  I can do this!