Where I check in after the weight loss challenge

90 days. They say 21 days is how long it takes to turn something into a habit . . . so, at 90 days, I’m looking at a habit that is more than 4-times ingrained in me.

I did not follow a specific diet. I did not follow a specific workout regimen. Simply, I logged every bite of food I ate – even if I knew I was going to obliterate my calorie allowance for the day, I continued logging (this was a huge downfall for me, previously — I’d basically “give up on the day” with the slightest moment of weakness). I worked out as much as I could — some days, this meant next to nothing. Most days, it meant 45-90 minutes of cardio in the morning (at the expense of sleep) and 45 minutes of weight-lifting and/or cardio over lunch. Some days, it meant an extra hour (sometimes two) before dinner before symphony.

I’ve given up artificial sweeteners, and I’ve made a concerted effort to eat breakfast regularly.

When I eat, which is often, I try to eat healthily. I try to maximize protein while minimizing simple carbohydrates. But, I don’t eat anything that I don’t enjoy eating (with the lone exception of the celery/kale/carrot/broccoli/spinach juice that I gulped down one morning – that was a mistake). I don’t make a concerted effort to eat less, more often – or to eat more, less often. I do try to only eat when I’m hungry (but old habits die hard, and dammit, I’m not about to skip dinner when I’m trying to make my own kids eat their dinner).

I try to limit alcohol, but I don’t deprive myself of anything.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t “stick with things” in the beginning, so I didn’t take measurements of my body. And for that, I’m disappointed in myself.

In the end, pants that were tight on me before I started the challenge now fall off of me. I need a new belt. I’ve gone from barely being able to do a single push-up to being able to eek out 47 in a single sitting. I’m 34.6 pounds lighter than I was when I started.

I have more work to do, but I’m well on my way.

I did not win the challenge (though there is no prize), though I lost more weight than anyone else. But, I wasn’t in it to win it . . . I was in it to make changes for myself. And I did just that.

Before	After