Week 29: 16 miles

I walked the long way home from my ward's softball games on Tuesday (3 miles), my roommate and I walked to the grocery store for some bananas on Wednesday (2 miles), and I took the long way to the mall and then Whole Foods on Thursday (5.6 miles) for a grand total of more than 10 miles. And that was just during the week. I wrapped it all up with a 6 mile hike on Saturday. I was getting sick of the gym and loving the weather. I wanted to be outside but I still need to be careful with my knee so my activities are limited. I did a small amount of jogging during my walks, but I learned that running outside is much harder than running on a treadmill. I like walking. A lot. I wish I could like running as much as I like walking.

I also like sugar. A lot. Cookies especially. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, butterscotch, shortbread...yum. And I really like the holidays. Pumpkin EVERYTHING. Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin hot chocolate. Pumpkin crepes. Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin cookies. Cookies.. and TOFFEE, and caramel, and homemade candies, and peppermint, and those peppermint kisses.. Okay. You get the idea. I love sugar and I love all the sugary treats that come with the holidays. I also love that I am more active, that I can move easier, that I have lost 4 dress sizes, that I look and feel better. Oh the dilemmas. I have decided that I will enjoy the holidays next year MUCH more if I have met my goals. So this year, I am going to enjoy them a different way. I will not eat sugar (like cookies, muffins, cookies, pies, cookies...) until January. I feel like this is a BIG commitment. I am A-OKAY with sugar alternatives (like stevia and xylitol), and this will help me stay on my goal. My WONDERFUL friend and healthy side kick Emily turned me onto sugar free chocolate. It is perfect for my sweet tooth. I can do this. It's just three months. Heck, maybe it will turn into a lot longer then that. But for now, it is at LEAST three months.

Last week was my first week without sugar. I also drank a lot of water. And as you have read I did a lot of walking. I weighed in on Friday morning and I was 0.6 lbs away from hitting my halfway mark to my first big goal. I was PERFECT on Friday. I did NOT want to screw it up. I drank so much water. Ate perfectly. Worked hard. And was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day (it was an exhausting week). Drum roll please.....

I'VE LOST 50 LBS!!!!!!!!!! Wow. Typing that felt so much better than saying it did. It just feels so much more real. I have lost 50 lbs. 50 LBS!! My first big goal is 190 and I am MORE than HALFWAY there. Do you know how long I have dreamt about losing 50 lbs?! If I would have started then...maybe I'd be done now. But if I didn't start when I did, I probably wouldn't even be halfway. 50 lbs..

It took me 45 lbs for me to find a way to cook salmon that I actually like. I still don't have the chicken down (at least not without adding absurd amounts of cream). I want to cook my chicken fast and the good chicken recipes seem to take TIME to prepare. If you know of good recipes that are quick and EASY (I'm a horrible cook..) please let me know!

I am so excited for the next 50 lbs. I have huge plans for when I hit that goal. I will make it through this holiday season without getting off track. I hope to hit my goal by February. I'm a rockstar. I can do this.