Just a Few More, Just a Few More . . .

I have to admit. I didn't really have a New Year's Resolution. It was more like a post-Thanksgiving resolution that bled over into a fudge-filled Christmas resolution until at last I was pushing 150 and reached my breaking point. I was walking through our new local grocery store when I glanced across the store and saw Jillian Michaels staring me down. I think there was a halo around her picture saying, "I will kick your butt into shape!" I mindlessly obeyed the call to fitness, and purchased the book. At the time, the thought crossed my mind, "Get another." Now, had I obeyed that thought, I could have saved the next two weeks, hunting for this best-selling, sold-out book for a friend, but instead, I doubted, I relied on my own logic. I said to me, Well, make sure it actually works, first.

The first day was painful, but good. "Give me 100%!" Jillian shouted from the pages of her book, and I obeyed. The second day I exercised early because I knew it was only a matter of time before my aching muscles would kick in. I was ruthlessly faithful to the outlined health plan (although for the first two meals I failed to notice that the amount of cooked food was FOUR servings and not one).

The food was nothing like the diets I'd tried before. This was actually good food, and I found that I enjoyed trying out the recipes and new foods. I mean, how often do you eat fennel? Which by the way, also appears under the name Anise. I went to at least six stores before I found it.

After one week I felt good, and my clothes fit better, but I thought, naw, it's in my mind! I didn't really see the pounds peeling off, but then, we didn't have a scale, either. At 1.4 weeks I weighed myself at 5-6 lbs lighter. At two weeks, 7-8 lbs lighter! And who REALLY cares about the weight because my arms are looking good and I noticed that my legs are losing some of those knee bags. The dimples are melting away, and I feel, well, ready to rest during those rest days, and ready to kick into gear on the exercise days!

The pounds are coming off as promised, and I have supplemented Jillian's happy thoughts with a great little book called the Portable Do It! I did waste one night sad and upset, and then thought, no, that creates belly fat and that is what I am getting rid of. As an added bonus, C has been eating the same food but with less stringency than I (and of course works out regularly) and has lost 6-7 lbs as well! Thanks, Jillian for the agony of true weight loss, and thanks Heavenly Father for giving me the stick-to-it to get it done!