... And One!

Tomorrow is the big day! Clothes are scattered all over my bed awaiting the final packing decisions. I'm one of those people who always seems to bring too much or not enough. I have also tended to bring the wrong stuff - too dressy, too sloppy, too warm, not warm enough. Not this time. I am determined to bring exactly the right clothes, for both weather and occasions. (It helps that most of our time will be spent in the water!) And while neither of us has achieved the fitness goals we'd envisioned when this whole idea got started, we are feeling good about our progress and the commitment we have made to changing our habits.

C-Man and I have done our GMF workout several times this week, noting how we've improved in strength and endurance. Mind you, we are both still dripping like Robert Hayes in Airplane! by the end, and some of the exercises are really HARD!, but there's no doubt that we're getting better at it. Yesterday he told me that I'm looking smaller, specifically referring to my butt. (Really? Cool!) I don't see it yet, but I'll trust him. However, I can see that his arms are looking downright cut. I suppose our main areas of concern, our mid-sections, will be the last to show real results.

I do regret not taking this effort more seriously before last month. As C-Man said, it seemed so far away. Also, I had convinced myself that the small steps I'd been taking were sufficient to make the weight come off. It's so easy to delude oneself about the actual efforts being made. It's so easy to get distracted, to get stressed, to get discouraged, to get angry, resentful, or even bored. What this current process has reminded me is that changing one's body and living habits is a major undertaking. It requires more than just patience, as I've already discussed. Instead of being a straight clear path, this life course is fraught with pitfalls of many kinds. Success can only be achieved with a commitment to keep going, and not look back. Just get back up and keep on going.

I must constantly tell myself that I can and will do it this time. I can change my body and my attitude. I figure that it will take the better part of a year to reach my goal weight, and perhaps another year after that to stablize my emotional responses to weight loss and body image. That's a long time, and a lot of blogging to come! But that's ok. To be successful, people must be willing to do what is necessary, right? I am willing. I wish it could be easier, but I am willing.

For now, I have a trip to prepare for. I doubt there will be any new posts until after we return on Sept. 19th. Our plan is to eat lots of fish, fresh fruit, and be active every day. Beyond that, we'll be taking a break - a vacation! I leave town grateful to C-Man for providing this trip and being my fitness partner, and for all the encouragement I've been receiving from everyone. I'm also grateful that we are going to Hawaii after the peak tourist season, and for

secluded places like Secret Beach. Until later, Aloha!