No, I didn't forget you, just haven't had the time to sort out my thoughts...

Wow, it's been several weeks since I've written, but the "Team Challenge" kept me crazed, I barely had enough time to shower and get to bed. Then it was off to NY for work, and then a long weekend with my best friend and her family. Let's take a look back...

The Beginning
Okay, so it was a 6 week program, but because I needed to be in NY the 6th week, I made special arrangements to have my final weigh-in on the Sunday before I left. Those of you who know me, know how competitive I am and although I certainly participated in it to jump start my weight-loss and get healthy, it was inevitable that my competitive nature would rear it's ugly head.

The Middle
For 5 weeks, I worked out 6 days a week, including the 2 hours a week the team worked out together, and I really watched what I ate, and made healthier choices. I dedicated myself to the challenge and was rewarded each week with the scale inching downward. Hours of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, stair stepper, bike), weight training, swimming laps, Zumba, Kickboxing, RepReebok, and even a 5 mile walk with the dog (thanks Patricia). Each week I'd look at the teams board and was annoyed that although our team was in the hunt, we never placed 1st for an individual week. It spurred me to push myself and my body, so that at the end of week 5, I had lost a total of 13.5 lbs. I left for my business trip feeling good about my efforts, and hoped that my teammates would bust it out the last week without me.

The End
In NY I made an effort to watch my portions as this is a life style change, NOT just a contest... but it's incredibly difficult. Thank goodness we walked to and from the hotel to the office, and to lunch and dinners out. When I returned home, I was back at the gym on Monday.... I didn't get any additional results from the challenge, so I went right to the board when I came in, and imagine my surprise when I saw our team results... -22.2 pounds, I'll let you figure out why I was a little incensed and disappointed. I felt like I was the only one who took the challenge seriously, and all week I've had to keep reminding myself the reasons why I participated are far more important than my competitiveness.

The Moral
Not that this is a fable, but I have come to some conclusions over the last 7 weeks. Number 1 (and most important) I used the "Team Challenge" as a jump start to becoming healthy. Eating less as well as exercise is now a part of my everyday life, not only to win a contest. Number 2: I possess a tremendous amount of willpower and mental "muscle" which I'm not sure I ever realized I had. Finally, number 3: I love having clothes that are loose and the prospect of buying new ones in a smaller size will keep me going!

TTFN

It looks so much easier on TV...

I am a constant work in progress. Mind, body and soul.

Let's focus on the body, since it's my obsession currently.  I've been participating in my YMCA's "Biggest Loser", aka "Team Challenge" which is a 6 week competition where each team works with a trainer twice a week, and then the rest is on your own. I'm keeping a food and exercise diary, and weigh ins are each Monday. The challenge runs through May 21st, which is, by no coincidence one week before I go on vacation to Aruba to celebrate my friend Wendy's 40th birthday.

I'm a goal oriented person to begin with, so I was excited to start the program. The initial meeting with everyone included individuals who had participated before, as well as newcomers of various shapes and sizes. Like the show on NBC, the team that has lost the largest percentage of body weight in the six week wins.

My team is cool, a single Mom, a married Mom, and me. Our trainer, Fred, is awesome, I knew him from when I worked there, and he is the perfect drill Sergeant, I mean trainer, a perfect blend of mad scientist, bully and athlete. Fred told us the first night, that since he only has 2 days with us, it's all about the cardio, so, taking that to heart, I've been logging hours on the treadmill, the bike, elliptical trainer, in Zumba classes, and in the pool 6 days a week. I've been posting my activities on my Facebook status, and I love the comments from my friends, so varied, from "That's awesome, you go girl." to "Just reading this makes me want to take a nap." It gets results... in the first 10 days I lost 4.2 lbs, which is amazing, but as I think back to those times I've tuned into watch "The Biggest Loser", I am blown away at the thought of posting a double-digit week loss. Then again, I don't have the freedom to work out for 6 hours a day, or have a staff of massage and physical therapists at my disposal. I have a full time job, a dog and 2 cats who need my attention as well. When I get home each night, I'm exhausted, mentally and physically and can't imagine if I had kids or a husband to deal with as well.

I have quite a few friends and family currently who are either triathletes, marathoners, or half marathoners, or crazy about fitness in general (Sarah and Mike M). Each of them inspires me in one way or another, and this week, my super athlete friend Kellie took the time out of her crazy work/life/sport balance to drop me a note about how I'm inspiring her. I was touched BEYOND belief that a tremendously fit woman, training for Ultraman Canada found my toe dip back into fitness as inspiring. It makes me feel proud of my accomplishment so far, and gives me the mental, and hopefully my 42 year old body has the physical strength to take me to the end of the competition and beyond.

Let me leave you with this... what inspires you?