It only took me two weeks, but I did it!

Yes. That is exactly how long it took me to finish Week 1of the 12 week shape up challenge. I started, very excitedly, and then daily living came into play and of course I got side-tracked. But I came back and was able finish it, so I am focusing on that, on the fact that I finished it, instead of focusing on the two weeks it took to finish week one.

Focusing on the good, on my accomplishments is something that does not come easy to me. I generally focus on what I have not done, what still needs to be done, and in the process I miss opportunities to celebrate great things. At work, for example, I am very efficient with my time. I am generally able to finish various tasks without much problem (well, aggravations and barriers, but all of them bearable!). Anybody else would be happy and satisfied with what I get to do in a day. But me? No, I don't do that. I always think that there was something else that I could have done. I tend to think of the 5 other things that are still pending. Remember, the Super-Woman Complex, which I spoke about in previous blogs? Well, as fabulous as this Super-Woman looks, take a close look at her face: she's pissed! And no wonder, if she keeps thinking that a day is never enough to do what needs to be done (or at least what she thinks needs to be done!). So knowing this, I have to make an extra effort to focus on the good, on the accomplishment, on progress.

I am fabulous, but I am pissed!

image via girlscantwhat.com

Let me talk about the good things that have happened. Let me put them in writing so that I can come back to them and remember. I got my blood work results and my A1C, which measures how well my diabetes is controlled, is at 6.1, which is pretty good, not optimal, but pretty good. Also, I have started measuring my blood sugar after meals to see how my carbohydrate intake is affecting it. And it has been phenomenal, with all readings well below the recommended reading of 150 two hours after meals! Of course, I have been measuring my carbs, making sure that I don't take more than the recommended amount per meal for diabetics. And the very best result is that I have already lost 5 lbs! A funny story about this. I knew I had lost weight because I keep track of it at home and I had also noticed the difference in the way my clothes fit. I was very excited to share this with my primary care physician, who has always been asking me "what are you going to do about that" - meaning my being overweight. So, on Monday, the day of my medical appointment, I was happy to hop on the scale...and I almost died when it went up to 194 lbs!

Yep. That was exactly my reaction when the scale hit 194 lbs!

I could not accept that. I told the nurse that it was not possible. That represented a weight gain of 15 lbs in a month! "Did you drink yesterday for Mother's Day?" asked the nurse. No! All I drank was water. "Well, you may need to start counting your calories," she went on. I told her there was something wrong with the scale; it was just impossible. A couple of pounds would have been disappointing, but I could have understood that, considering that I am taking Paxil for my depression, and Paxil is liked to weight gain. But 15 lbs? Impossible!  So she reset the scale and I hopped on it again. This time the scale showed what I knew was right: 175 lbs! Yes! I was so happy, but that was a scary moment.

I have stared on Week 2 of the challenge. It is harder than the first one, particularly because it requires you to do push ups and I'm not good at that, but, on the other hand, I know my body is stronger because I am moving up in weights for the weight training part, and I am also able to hold my planks with good form and without feeling like I'm going to die (OK, I admit it: by the 4th circuit, I do feel like I am dying and my whole body is shaking).  And the results of the combined effort, the working out and the nutrition part, have paid off. Here's how I am looking today, with only 5 lbs. off:

Feeling awesome and I'm not even half-way there!

So no matter if it takes me two weeks, the point is to get it done. And with these early results, I am super excited and motivated to keep going. Yay me!