Week 18 - 01/05/12
Survived the holidays and lost six pounds for the month!
I've had many temptations since my last entry at the end of week sixteen. Some of them, like my sister-in-laws home made chocolates, my mother-in-laws recipe for "city chicken' and homemade raviolis, and my sisters mashed potatoes with triple-thick roast beef gravy could have easily gotten the best of me. But they didn't!
Over the last two weeks I've celebrated Christmas and New Years, traveled to West Virginia for a holiday reunion with Cindy's family, hosted my son's family for an overnight visit that included a trip to our favorite Chinese restaurant, and navigated my way around way too many gift boxes filled with candy, nuts, chips, and assorted salty snacks. We aren't talking about small temptations here. I hit the mother-load of opportunity to call the whole thing off. But I didn't.
Instead, I feel like I am entering the new year with momentum and a sense of pride. I'm feeling pretty darn good about what I've accomplished. And I know the toughest part of the trip is still ahead of me.
During the same two week time period I recommitted myself to regular, if not daily, cardio workouts on our at home elliptical trainer or on equipment at the brand new fitness center in the PEMCO headquarters facility. Who knows in a few more months I might even lift a few weights.
So what got me through the holidays? Was it willpower? Commitment? Desire? Sure - it was all of those things. But more than anything else, it was the support that I've been getting at home, from my coworkers and friends, and by focusing on the five reasons why I started the journey in the first place - to be here for my grandchildren far into the future.
It's the people that matter. It's the people who give me an edge.
New weight as of January 5th - 284.6
Weight lost to date - 40.4 lbs
Week 18 - 01/05/12
