The April Challenge

Here we are again – how many years later?  And I’m still fighting the same fight.  The Battle of the Bulge (at my waistline).  I’ve never been very successful at this – but I think It’s just because I’m happy.  Sounds weird, right?  Let me explain.  I am NOT happy with my body, or my weight.  I hate my reflection in the mirror.  When I weighed in this morning, the number is the highest it’s been in almost 9 years.  I knew it was getting up there.  I quit smoking at the end of September - and I'm sure I put on a few pounds there - but I refused to weigh in.  My doctors changed my birth control and my seizure/migraine medication at the end of last year.  My weight began to climb.  I put on 15 pounds in a month.  That was in late November.  I swore I wouldn't start 2016 over 240 pounds... but It happened.  I’ve put on another 5 pounds since then.  But when you complain about feeling/looking fat, and your husband and kids tell you you’re beautiful, and perfect just the way you are… it makes it easy to justify just one more cookie.  Or a second or third soft drink.  Or eating out because it's too late to cook.  Or last night when I knew I was starting my diet today – and I binged on Reese’s Eggs and M&Ms. 

It’s easy to make excuses.  It’s easy to find a reason why you can cheat.  It’s a birthday.  It’s a Friday.  It’s Easter.  And I have found it’s much easier to avoid mirrors/reflections than I had originally thought. 

Its old. 

I am recommitting myself today, and the first step is admitting you have a problem, right?  Well… here it goes.  My name is Rebecca.  I am 33 years old, I weigh 251.2 pounds, and I am obese.  I have an unhealthy relationship with food.  And it’s time to make a change.

I think one of my issues has always been that I have set goals that are TOO high – TOO much.  I need to set smaller, more attainable goals, and go from there.  So that’s the way I am approaching it this time.  I am focusing on April – and nothing further than that.  I have certain goals, or changes that I want to make.  I want to commit fully to that for the entire month of April – and then see how I feel.  I will make changes after that – as I know all of these cannot/won’t be possible to hold to for the rest of my life. 

So here they are:  My April Goals

• Complete the 30 day Water Challenge – which is to drink half my weight in ounces of water each day.  That’s 126 ounces of water every day for the next 34 days. 

• Coffee and Water only for the month – No soft drinks, beer, wine etc.  A Gatorade is acceptable IF I have a migraine. 

• Complete the squat/push-up challenge (follow calendar)

• Exercise 3 days a week – either run or do a video (30 day shred, Zumba, Yoga, etc.)

• NO fast food.  Period. 

• Take before/after pics

• Lose 10 pounds

• Try to eat at 1600 calories (plus exercise cals) each day

There is ONE exception to this plan.  And THAT would be April 4^th.  April 4^th is opening day – and I’m allowing myself to have a few beers that day.  But that is IT.  One exception to the rule. 

I bought a food journal that I am going to use each day (page example below).  I am hoping that it will help me realize some things about my relationship with food – as well as help me keep track of my water and calories.  Other than that, I want to weigh in each Monday, and I will only take measurements on the first Monday of each month.  I don’t want to get too obsessive about the scale or the measuring tape like I have in the past. 

So here goes... well... everything.  Wish me luck!  I'm going to need it.