New Phase

A new phase means we ended the old phase with photos. I still don't love taking those photos, but this time, I did see some differences. Last month I wasn't at home when I took the photos (different background, different outfit, etc.) so it was harder to compare, but this month, the photo set up was the same, and my body is looking different.

I don't know if I will ever be able to rescue my poor tummy from the effects of 5 C-sections, so I may never lose my poochy belly, and I don't think I'd ever spring the 5 grand to get a tummy tuck, but hopefully losing the fat will make a difference. Of course I've lost the most inches from my poor, already-flat chest, but hey, whatcha gonna do...

Today's new habit is to Make Smart Carb Choices. I like that phrasing. Smart. I am a smart person, so that is in my possible trajectory.

There were two options in the lesson assignments: eat no refined sugar foods at all today, or replace all starches with greens or beans. I chose option 2. I feel that is within my reach and even to do it at a higher nutritional age, in other words, to strive for mastery.

So, instead of oatmeal this morning, I opted for this: 

Mixed baby greens and mushrooms were
sauteed in about a tsp of vegetable oil till soft. I turned down the heat,
added 1 egg  and scrambled it with the lot. Add a perfectly ripe pear
from this week's produce co-op and a cup of peppermint tea in a
Star Wars cup. 

I am still happiest with the small and subtle changes in my mind and heart that I'm seeing as a result of this program. I've moved forward in important ways that go beyond how I eat. Since the mind and body are connected, this makes perfect sense, of course. I am grateful for the lessons and nudging to change thought processes. 

And so, it's a new week. I've been losing about a half pound a week on average, and I feel like that is a great start. I have more than 26 lbs to lose though, so I would like to accelerate things a little so that by the end of the year I will have lost more like 35-40 lbs. It will help my knee so much to not have that weight on me. 

As for the new workout, it all looks good. I so appreciate the modifications page. Since I let my gym membership go to save some money, I am doing everything at home. I think I can manage everything this go-round except the deadlift, but there are several alternatives I can try. I am also committed to getting steps each day. No number in mind, just staying active. I feel so much better. 

It's been a rough allergy month. Shortness of breath, a sore throat and even swollen lymph nodes on my collarbone have made some workouts challenging lately, but I can do it. If I can't muster the complexity of the PN workout, I feel really good about doing 4 or 5 circuits of a 7 workout. It really challenges me. 

Today, I have a fair amount of work to get done. I will do my workout now, get showered and dressed and get about 2 hours of work done before I go help a friend. Then I will help another friend and be able to do several hours of work this evening. That schedule works for me. Even though I get up early, I move very slowly through the morning hours. I don't want to give in entirely to that tendency, but I also don't have to completely ignore it. I feel achy and stiff in the mornings and sometimes I have to be up for 3 or 4 hours before I can muster a workout. So, I don't feel guilty about that. 

Off I go!