Whoa

I knew it was coming... This 'whoosh' of weight loss that always comes after I've been stalled for a little while. Plus the whole PMS bloat that I could feel, and yet, I wasn't really mentally prepared to get on the scale this morning and have it say 181...

I've never ever ever lost weight this consistently before. Heck, doing BFL a few years back it took me over 18 weeks to get to this point... This time around? I've not even gotten used to one 'decade' and I'm having to adjust to a new one. What's really weird is that I've gotten to this weight before, but never with this much muscle. The size, shape, and 'feel' of my arms and shoulders where the fat is starting to get REALLY thin completely fascinates me. I keep having to stop myself from stroking my upper arms when I'm wearing a tank top and/or flexing everytime I come near any reflective surface.

And today I saw my face in the mirror and went... who IS that person?! In the past 18 years I've only gotten to this weight a few times and it's like I'm starting to become someone completely foreign. And I LIKE it! lol I can't wait to see what changes happen next. Especially the next 10 lbs when I REALLY get into new territory. You have to remember that I was 165 when I graduated High school and 9 months later I was 175 after having my first baby... I haven't seen that weight again for more then a day or so over the past 18 years.

And through it all... I'm still kicking butt on the weights, and swimming/running/biking further and faster every week! I just LOVE it!

I have to admit that it's the cardio that's making the biggest difference for me. I've found that the weeks I get my cardio in I drop, the weeks I don't, I stall. (unless there are other factors involved like PMS etc.) AND to that end being a 'tri' athlete has made getting the cardio in all the easier. Why? cause I can make up workouts.

Before when I was only running (or only walking) If I missed a 30 minute run it was REALLY hard to make that up and run for an hour the next day. I just didn't have it in me. Now? I miss a 40 minute bike ride, I have no problem making it up after a 30 minute swim.

Oh, and food... foods been great! Saturday I planned my 'splurge meal'. I was really craving pizza. And while at the store I noticed my FAVORITE pizza crust (bobli) came in whole wheat! I figured, why not try to make my splurge as healthy as I could. I happened to have developed my tastes as to where I like whole wheat as much as the white stuff... so I bought it. I then picked up 'part skim' motzerella, and while searching for pepperoni found 'turkey pepperoni' that was much lower fat the the 'normal' kind. And then, to top off the 'meal' I knew I wanted something chocolate! Now, a chocolate splurge has to be planned carefully because if I'm not careful a splurge could become a binge... I needed something GOOD that would leave me feel as if I had had the 'real deal' and not cheated myself, but that would be laying around the house for the rest of the week tempting me with 'just one more bite'. The answer? 3 musketeers bar. That thing was so sweet and chocolately that it even had chocoholic like me going 'I don't think I want this last bite'. AND in a stroke a genius.. I ate the chocolate FIRST. Why is that a good thing? Because the taste of the pizza (something I knew I wouldn't overeat) wiped the taste of the chocolate out of my mouth and kept me from thinking about it for the rest of the evening.

Sunday, I was right back on plan - no cravings AND a pound down. Have I mentioned that I love the leanness lifestyle?

Oh! I've a BIG party planned on Saturday the 12th with a bunch of my girlfriends... Coach said I could go out and eat and drink whatever I wanted PROVIDED I was 181 the day before... Guess what? I think I'm going to reach that goal!