It's all in the Jeans

Friday's Goals

Exercise: Strength

Calories: 1400

Friday's Accomplishments

Exercise: Strength

Calories: 1400

I felt a little run down this morning, so I did one of my easier workouts...WHFN Pump. I wouldn't say it's EASY EASY, but it's not like some of my more exhausting/advanced workouts. I like Pump a lot. The WHFN series in general is an excellent workout series - challenging and thorough workouts (but as I said, not the type of workouts that wipe me out and leave me feeling wrung out) with wonderful production values and fabulous music. They are fusion workouts - combining cardio, strength and yoga. I think these workouts are the most enjoyable and beautifully produced of my entire collection (and I own over 50 workouts!)

My calories were right on target again today (I am happy to say - it's all thanks to having this blog to keep me honest). I had my usual shake for breakfast (300). For lunch I had the rest of that yummy corn soup I made over the weekend with a small cheese sandwich (600). I had an oatmeal cookie for a snack (100). That left me with only 400 calories for dinner, so I decided to have breakfast for dinner - one slice of high-fiber bread, toasted and topped with 2 scrambled eggs, 3/4 oz of reduced-fat cheese and 1 slice of Morningstar vegetarian "bacon" (400). I figured this was about the most filling thing I could make with a limit of 400 calories.

I have a couple more happy things to report today. I wore jeans to work today (our office has "casual Fridays") and I realized this morning after putting my jeans on that I no longer hate wearing jeans - in fact I like them. I used to rarely wear jeans because I found them so uncomfortable - even if they were the correct size. For casual dress, I'd be more inclined to wear "lounge pants" (you know, those unstructured, stretchy t-shirt material type things). I realize now that my hatred of wearing jeans had to do with my size. First, I could never seem to find a pair of jeans that fit me right and looked flattering on me. Second, I hated how confining they felt and how they would squeeze my stomach, creating rolls of fat around the waistband. Wearing jeans made me feel fat, uncomfortable and constricted and I didn't like how I looked or felt in them. Well, the rolls are totally gone now when standing and mostly gone when sitting and when I wear my jeans they fit nicely and feel comfortable on me.

It feels like the positive rewards of all this work are coming fast and furious now. I know I still have a way to go, but it seems like every day I have these moments of delight and excitement because I am constantly noticing positive things. For example, I will catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror and be surprised by my face, forgetting that I no longer have a double chin. Or I glimpse in the mirror and am shocked because I see a younger looking person looking back at me. In my brain, I keep expecting to see my old (heavier and older looking) self so there is always this shock and I catch myself off-guard. It's a great kind of shock, though.

Today, a co-worker walked in my office and she looked at me ponderously and said, "you look REALLY pretty today. I'm not sure what it is." I was so touched. I felt like saying, "It's all in the jeans." :)