Still Day 1 (I won’t go this slow in the future):

Did I mention I don’t have a kitchen? Construction. Just sayin’.

I dreaded measurements and that “before” image. But mostly, I dreaded taking a photo of my dinner at night to post in my accountability group on Facebook. They may be on to something about accountability there.

I’ll wait until the end of this experiment to tell you actual numbers, but let me say that taking your own measurements is humbling, if not humiliating. Certainly, more honest than you may want. But I wasn’t shocked. Just mad at myself.

But fast-forward for just a second: this measurement part was the most helpful piece because at the end of the first three-week-period, my weight didn’t move all that much…but the measurements did (Allison had said so.). And had I not had that victory, I would have thrown myself into a Cheetos and moose-track-ice-cream defeat. Forever and ever, amen.

Foolishly, I thought the measurements and the “before” photo were going to be the worst part, but I was wrong.

The first workout—OMG. Thankfully, it was only 30 minutes; but I think Bella, my French Bulldog, thought I was killing myself. In truth, I not sure I wasn’t. She jumped off the couch during ab crunches and licked my face the whole time (added resistance?). And St. Bernards are considered the rescue dog!

Via Team Beachbody, I had chosen to do “21-Day Fix.” No, I didn’t have illusions of dropping three dress sizes in three weeks—nor is that their claim. Still, if I could just drop the Cheetos, I’d call that an excellent start.

During that 30 minutes, I drank a 32-oz. glass of water—and a half! (I recommend using a straw to avoid slosh). My right quad was already fatigued.

Afterward, though nauseous, I went on my typical, long dog walk. What’s been about two hours was about 15 minutes longer today: 4,620 steps (Bella, a brachycephalic, has rest breaks and I read). We rested a lot but I felt like I couldn’t pick up my feet. I was worried about Bella, too, because I wouldn’t be able to pick her up like usual, if I’d needed to. No lie: a woman actually came out of her house to ask if I were ok.

At this point, I confessed to my husband what I was up to. I didn’t want to, and here’s why: I live with an exercise freak.

  1. He goes to the gym five times a week without fail (even on vacation) for weightlifting.
  2. He rides long distances on a bicycle at least four days a week (read: he banks more mileage on his bicycle in a year than in his car—and he checks!).
  3. He rides a mountain bike on woodsy trails as often as he can. He is the epitome of muscle and health.
  4. And he can eat like a horse.

Of course, he was supportive. All the stress about it was my own doing.

In a deluge, Lee dropped me at Harris Teeter while he went to Lowe’s. Despite my snack of carrots, I wasn’t hungry, but I didn’t feel well. I kept drinking water. Sometimes medications can make you feel not hungry but your body really is, so I do know to eat anyway.

Struggling, I picked out foods. I’d put on a zip-up hoodie at lunch because I was cold. In the deluge I was soaked. At home, I took a bath and realized I’d sunburned my shoulders. Really bad. Still sacked.

My right quad felt worse as the day went on. Otherwise, I think most of my ickiness is because of the sunburn-drain. I know better.

Onward (as long as no one ever sees that “before” photo)–determined and nowhere to go but up.

What I ate (more about food in next post, so save your protests! 🙂 ):

Breakfast: coffee, 2 Equals, creamer, 2 hard-boiled eggs

Lunch: chicken wrap, with lettuce, walnut, grapes, with a little mayo and a handful of Cheetos.

Lee made my lunch when I was dog walking. He didn’t know about my

plan yet. I was starving. The end.

Afternoon Snack: 5 mini organic carrots

Dinner: salad: lettuce, spinach, yellow bell peppers, hard-boiled eggs, olives, tomatoes, some rotisserie chicken, some Caesar dressing (but not the usual amount); medium to small baked potato, margarine, some sour cream

Again, Lee made dinner. We have no kitchen. This was healthy,

earlier than usual, and a lot better for me than usual.

Night Snack: No night snack. Wahoo!