I did it! I went to my water aerobics class last night and do you know what? It was awesome...tough as hell, but awesome! I really didn't know what to expect because when I checked the class schedule the morning before I went, it was listed as Boot Camp. I called the center and asked, "So, is Boot Camp a water aerobics class?" Lauren (the kind lady on the other end), described it as a sort of circuit training but in a fast pace style like military boot camp. I was intrigued. I did a quick search on the Internet. Check out the video I found!

Evening arrived and I was dressed and ready to go. Out comes a woman who was large and in charge, but in excellent physical condition. She worked us over! Froggy jumps, cross-country, washing machines, push-ups, pull-ups, biceps, triceps, inner thighs, outer thighs. You name it, we worked on it...for one solid hour. Man, I felt like somebody had been sitting on me, by the time I came out of the water. I was even sweating (I really wasn't expecting that).

I came home and hubby had grilled chicken and tofu! A lovely wheat pasta salad, tossed with chicken and a healthy side of broccoli. It was delicious and I had to thank him again for coming up with the idea. It was the first time away from the kids in a while and time devoted completely to me. I know I said I wouldn't, but I did get on the scale this morning to see if things had improved. I'd say two pounds away (fat or water loss) is an improvement. I'm ready for next Friday. Bring it on!!

I decided to go to the water aerobics class tomorrow. I haven't worked out in almost two weeks and, breathing or not, I gotta at least try. I figure it's not going to have me panting like I would if I were doing kickboxing or something, but the toning that will begin is worth the little bit of hacking I may have to endure. I hope my bathing suit doesn't run and hide when it sees me coming.

Actually, I haven't purchased a new swimsuit in a couple of years. Maybe, if we're fortunate enough to go somewhere warm and inviting this year on our vacation (preferably with a beach), I can justify laying down a few clams for a new, sexy swimsuit. Gosh, how would it be to get into a bikini again? Even when I was looking good, I didn't dare. I've never had washboard abs or even a small belly. I've always had a ponch. I hope I can make the ponch go away for good, this time.

I was disappointed to see a one pound increase today. I know. I really shouldn't be weighing every day or even every other day. I've decided to go back to my once a week weigh in. I think that would be best, in terms of my sanity and my reward program. Wednesday it is! Oh, and the numbers are now accurate on the left.

The inversion has made it nearly impossible to get my workouts in and not in the way that one would normally think. Granted, the air quality is sucky, but that has nothing to do with the temperature controlled climate in my home. I also have a humidifier that helps things out. The problem is my incessant coughing, which requires NyQuil at night, which means I'm sleeping like a damn brick on Valium. I just lay there and the alarm sounds with no movement to snooze or anything for, what seems like, an eternity. I could workout in the evening, but that's usually when I feel the worse.

Excuses? Perhaps, but I'm not hacking to death for my health. That's just insane! I skated on Monday night and that was pretty good, but the coughing spell still came. I wonder if I'll have the same thing happen on Friday at the water aerobics class? Gosh, now that I think about it, I hope I don't look too terrible in my bathing suit. You know, it's one thing to workout with others in a regular aerobics class. You can wear sweatpants until your comfortable enough to wear shorts in public...but swimming suits? They don't make ankle length swimming suits...at least, not that I'm aware of.

The eating is still going quite well, however, and I've almost reached my first goal (5 pounds). I went back up slightly today when I stepped on the scale this morning. I know why: I didn't get in my total, 64 ounces of water yesterday. Man, the water thing is huge! If I'm not getting it in like I should, nothing happens. This was the first time since the weekend that I missed and I honestly would have gotten more in, had I not tried to hold off from drinking the last 32 till I got home. I'll seriously try not to do that again.

So, here are the goals and rewards. I hope I reach them quickly, but reaching them at all would be sweet bliss!

• 5lbs - A DVD from my wish list (UPDATE: Goal achieved 1/31/07 6lbs off [188]!)
• 10lbs- Manicure/pedicure (UPDATE: Goal achieved 2/21/07 10.5lbs off [183.5]!)
• 15lbs- Personal Massage (UPDATE: Goal achieved 3/14/07 16.5lbs off [177.5]!)
  
• 20lbs - a new outfit or a fetching piece of jewelry (UPDATE: Goal achieved while worrying about reaching shoe goal, around 11/03 20lbs off [174]!)
  
• 25lbs - a new pair of daring shoes from cutsieshoes (UPDATE: Goal achieved 11/13/07 25.5lbs off [168.5]!)
• 30lbs - an Alexis Vogel makeover and a night out-on-the-town with hubby

Yesterday, I took off from work. Indy had the sniffles and gave me whatever it was she was carrying. On top of that, we've got this nasty inversion hanging over our heads making everyone feel like crud. I was feeling like crap warmed over. Therefore, no working out for me. I'm feeling a bit guilty because I've only worked out once this week. I can say, however, that I've been staying true to the good eats and Sunday, I was down to 191. Thirty more pounds to go (ugh!). Feels like I'll never get there, but I've got to stay true...focused to the goal.

As a treat (that hasn't seemed to deter my progress), I've allowed myself dark chocolate pieces at night. Oh, ecstasy! There's nothing like the feeling you get when it melts in your mouth. Hubby and I are total addicts. I was blessing the Spaniards of old for their discovery of this delectable treat.

I hope to at least get my "one mile" video in today. We'll see what happens. That would alleviate some of this guilt. I guess the other thing I could do (since it's dance night) is find a nice enclosed area to take a walk in. I've got to take it easy, though because of my weakly lungs. I am so prone to bronchial trouble it's pitiful.

Glad the weekend is nearly here. My hubby is off from tomorrow till Monday...on day shift. Woohoo! Maybe he'll find time to sneak away into to town and come and see me. Wishful thinking yes but hey, it could happen.

I didn't work out this morning...not because I didn't get up in time. On the contrary! I stirred slightly before my alarm went off. I got up and starred at the clock. I felt a heaviness on my chest and an ache in my heart. Our neighbor, I found out last night, passed away. I wanted to cry yesterday, but couldn't muster the tears. Instead, I was moody and indifferent to my hubby and I separated myself from the family. We watched a movie together, but I just couldn't enjoy it fully. This morning, I fussed at my daughter about leaving home without her gloves. I was so irritated, I barely allowed the kiss goodbye (I know, so wrong).

After I pulled away from the school, I asked God to change my mood and lighten my heart. I couldn't' figure out why I was so aggravated. Then, I cried. I cried for his family. I cried for his daughter and the twin boys he's leaving behind. I cried for his girlfriend who may have become his wife in the future. I cried for all those people who loved him. Then, I cried because he was young and it could have been my hubby or me. He was 33 years old.

Tonight was to be the night I start my water aerobics. Hubby told me that they wouldn't be having the class because of something they were doing to the pool. If my mood wasn't in the state that it's in, I might actually be a bit disappointed but I honestly don't care. What I'm thinking about is his daughter who, when she's sixteen, will regale the story of her father to friends...her story will be riddled with memories her brothers will never know. When she eventually marries, he won't be there in his dress blues to walk her down the aisle. By the time she's thirty, will she have forgotten things? Probably. It makes me so sad.

So, perhaps I'll get a workout in this evening, after the viewing. I may need some sort of strenuous activity to get my mind off things. The eating is still going well and I still haven't weighed since Sunday (TOM is still around). My hope is to be at a round 190 by Sunday. We'll see.

As I posted the other day, I went through a Hooked routine and got an intense workout. Yesterday, it was the walk video and today, another Hooked routine. My calves were already sore, yesterday from the first Hooked workout (it's 80's, so it's they're workouts have more impact than the workouts of today). As long as you're not doing outrageous stretching or damaging your knees, these older workouts still have a lot to contribute. I mean, seriously. People were really fit in the 80's but I digress.

We were in training and the conference room we were in is two floors down from where my office is located. I ran up and down those steps about 6 times for various reasons. Now, my thighs are sore. This is me trying to work in extra activity where I can. It's easy to do, working in the activity, but it definitely shows you the truth of the shape your in.

I'm wearing a maternity top today, not because it fits me so perfectly, but because it's really quite nice looking. It's a bright pink with a long neckline and sharp, tapered cuffs. Hubby asked me this morning, as he was wishing me a happy anniversary, "What happened to your breasts?" I was like, "Huh?". The shirt, as I said, is maternity and emphasis is put around the mid section. My mid section, sans baby, is still a little round. Therefore, the horizontal pattern of the material makes the boobs look almost non existent. I think it threw him for a loop because I am quite chesty. I lifted my shirt to prove to him that I still had the goods and he seemed satisfied. Writing this now, I can't believe we even had this conversation.

We had the little one's birthday party last night and I indulged in one small piece of cake and one scoop of low-fat, Dreyers strawberry cheesecake ice cream. They were both delicious and just enough sweets to make me happy. The dinner consisted of sweet and sour chicken (which I had a bit of), chicken lo mein and Moo Goo Gai Pan. Yum! I actually loaded up on the veggies and felt really good. Lunch was brought in for our training and I had one serving of the pasta and filled the rest of my plate with salad. I'm doing well, folks. I'm doing well.

I won't weigh again until the weekend, though because TOM appeared on Tuesday (1/9/07). I'm bloated and, regardless of all the water I'm drinking, I know I'm holding on to a lot. I'd like to wait to weigh.

Yesterday morning, I tried Hooked on Aerobics for the first time in a long, long time. It was rough! I found myself transitioning down to the low effort, often. I was just huffing and puffing, but thankfully, staying within my target heart rate. With as difficult as it was, I felt really energized afterwards. It hit me while I was showering that it was the most energized I'd felt since beginning my program last week. It occurred to me that I probably haven't been reaching my target heart rate with the walking workouts...you know, not putting out enough effort to reach it regardless of the sweat I was seeing.

Today, I couldn't do Hooked because hubby was home and the only VCR that currently works resides in our bedroom (I fixed that this morning on my way to work by stopping at Wally World and picking up a new VCR to put in the living room). We needed one anyway. My mother gave us a DVD burner for Christmas and I want to convert home videos and such to DVD...but I digress. I took my walking DVD up front and went through the two-mile, thirty minute workout. This time, I put forth the effort and felt like I was really doing well. I also noticed how much better I did since last week. I guess I'm getting stronger. It's still a bit uncomfortable, but I did it. I can't way to say that about Hooked and The Firm. Then, I know I would be making huge leaps.

Here are my stats from yesterday: 72 ounces of water, 1380 calories, 41.5 fat grams and 35 grams of fiber. I'm not counting carbs or protein this time because I'm eating low glycemic items. Doing so, my carbs are under control and I'm getting a lot of protein. I really like this because I don't feel like I'm going to starve to death. That was always my issue before. I would just get so hungry and want to eat everything in site. I'd crave those high glycemic carbs which would only satisfy me temporarily. Then, I'd be hungry again. I've also noticed how even I am. No more highs and lows with erratic behavior towards my hubby (or at least, not as erratic). With all that, I'm putting out an APB on my extra weight. It's armed and extremely dangerous. It has a warrant for attempted murder, physical and mental abuse. I'm hoping it gets the death penalty...preferably by electrocution by body heat.

Things are still going great and on Saturday, I was down two pounds. Woohoo! I found them again today, unfortunately (I hate those day-to-day fluctuations). I'm pretty sure it's water retention from my impending TOM, which is supposed to appear today. We'll see. It's been pretty finicky these last couple of times.

The Walk-at-Home video is going well. I completed up through the fourth on Saturday, took Sunday off and went through the fifth today. I do prefer her workouts where she's working out with "everyday Joes" rather than her instructors. She talks to her folks and they are all shaped differently, which is motivating to me. Her workout instructors don't say anything and look like robots. I suppose the Firm has it's robotic feel too, but this seems different somehow. Oh, well. I did decide today that I won't be able to use her workouts all the time because they aren't challenging enough. Most times, I break a bit of a sweat, but today...I only glistened. I need something to rev things up so, I may have to break out my "Hooked on Aerobics" tape again.

I can't wait to get going with the Firm as well, but I'm doing things the right way. Weight training will be added into the walking DVD this week, then next week, I'll begin the Firm. I'll have to figure out how to work those in because those workouts are much longer. It may be that I do aerobics in the morning, then the Firm in the evening before dinner.

Hubby grabbed the schedule from the Aquatic Center and found out that they have a water aerobics class in the evening on Fridays. I may try to do that as well. I love what swimming does to my body (tone, shape). Even before I've lost a pound, that look is fabulous! I remember we swam every Thursday in college and my calves and thighs were beautiful!

I've started doing Leslie again. I really like her and her upbeat attitude, but she can get a bit chatty (even for the obsessive-compulsive talker like me). I have her three-mile walk, but I'm not quite ready for that...geeze, I can't believe I'm saying it. Me, who used to do the three mile with only just a glisten on my forehead. Ah, those were the days.

Well, the DVD I bought the other day has five of her workouts. The first is 18 minutes, which includes her one-mile walk with warm-up and cool-down. On the DVD, it's labeled, "Get up and Get Started" and I got through it quite nicely, yesterday. The next one is a thirty minute workout (or two-mile walk) entitled, "With High Calorie Burn". I did that one this morning. My butt was killing me and my hamstrings were having issues. Hubby said that his first few days back in the gym were really hard and it all has to do with diet. Your body has to let go and recover from all the damage...boy, I must have done some serious damage.

The third workout is called "30-Minute walk" and is also a two mile walk (I plan to do this one tomorrow). The fourth is called, "Walk & Kick". It is also 30 minutes and features short bursts of kickboxing (I'm thinking this one should work me over quite nicely...thank you very much weak muscles). Finally, the fifth workout is called the "Power Mile" and is a brisk mile in 20 minutes.

This DVD was purchased to get me started and on my way with weight loss again. My hubby is currently working on our basement, tiling and so forth, so getting to the treadmill or elliptical is complicated (all of the crap that was in the basement is now sitting in this room surrounding said equipment and with every new section of tile laid down, no one is allowed to walk on it for 24 hours. Nice.) For those of you who read my blog, you know that I prefer the Firm series (Classic, not the new stuff) and would be happy doing these but they are time consuming. I plan on saving those for the weekend, when I can work them in. Those will be what turns me back into the tone, buff, hard-body I used to be. Oh, those were the days.

Sitting at 194 isn't pleasant, it isn't cute and it damn sure isn't getting me into my clothes. Even if the new year had never arrived, I would be well on my way to working this excess baggage off. It has got to go. Thankfully, I know how to do this and have the tools I need to get me there. Another incentive? Hubby took one of those god-awful before pictures and it made me want to hurl to look at it. Well, first ten pounds? You are on your way out and the first goal on the chart. I'm not sure of a goal item for the first ten pounds. Any ideas? I already know what I want for fifteen, twenty and twenty-five. I'm open to suggestions. What would you reward yourself with after a ten pound loss?

P.S. I'm also incorporating Low Glycemic choices in my diet, this time around. One thing that I don't want to have to rely on is appetite suppressants. If my body has the right foods it needs, I am less likely to have cravings. My family has diabetics and I figure, if I get off on the right foot with the appropriate foods, I won't have to endure this terrible disease.

Resolutions? I really don't believe in them, but for the sake of this post and this particular blog, I will say that I'm resolved to getting back into great shape for 2007. I got off to a great start in early December and then it all went to hell just before I took off for winter vacation. Hubby and I were eating everything we could get our hands on. Honestly, it was a good thing because I am so sick of fast food, junk and candy. Really and truly. I was so happy to have a bowl of soup and a sandwich that I made for lunch today. I think my body rejoiced at the purity of the vegetables.

I began a detox today to get the ball rolling (a full clean out of my system in order to prepare it for the rough road ahead). So far, the only side effect I've experienced is a mild headache which I hope will disappear in a day or so. I thought I'd be living in the bathroom with this stuff, but thankfully that hasn't happened. Hmm...I wonder if it will?

Next is the workout portion of my "get fit" plan. The best thing for me to do to get the ball rolling is to start jogging. It's not my favorite of exercises and I worry that I'm putting too much stress on my knees. Despite all that, I know it's the "magic pill" to getting things reved up again. I don't intend to keep it going through out the entire length of my program, but it will be essential to the start. I'll pace myself and treat my knees with kindness.

I'm planning on goals and rewards to keep me motivated. For every five pounds loss, I'll earn a reward the ultimate being the ability to get back into my jeans and eventually, my goal outfit (purchased from Newport News last year when I was initially motivated to get this baby weight off). Here's to resolutions and goals!