Motivation is coming back..........

thanks to my friends, one in particular.  My dear Stacey Lou Freebush helped my progress a lot this last week.  She helped me make healhier choices when we ate out.  We went to the gym together.  She encouraged me to work out at home when I didn't want to go to the gym.  She rocks!  It was also helpful that Kate's wedding was this weekend.  I wanted to make sure I looked a little more trimmed in the dress I bought for her wedding, so that helped a lot too.  Thanks for getting married Kate and Alex.  It was a beautiful wedding. 

So here's this weeks results:
Weight loss = 6 pounds
Total Weight Loss = 32 pounds
Total % Weight Loss = 11.43%

So through this whole competition, our overall goal is to go to Italy once we get to our final goal weight.  While this is great to think about, it's so far away.  In fact, it's 73 pounds away.  In the past, I've used some good short term goals to help motivate and push me along.  But right now I am kind of out of ideas.  So that's where you all come in!  What are some short term goals that I could work on and reward with?  Here's a list of what has been used in the past to give you some ideas to work with:

-  Once all three of us got to 15 pounds weight loss we went and saw Iron Man 2 (we all really wanted to
    see it).
-  Once Angie and I got to 20 pounds weight loss we went and got our hair cut.
-  I wanted to take new pictures at 30 pounds weight loss.

Some things I have been thinking about:
-  I love the store Anthropology.  I've always wanted to buy clothes there but it's a little bit expensive and I know the clothes would look better if I lost more weight.  So I've been thinking that I could buy a cute outfit there when I've lost another 20 pounds.

-  I could find a concert that is coming to SLC that I really want to go to, buy tickets, and then go if I lose to a certain amount of weight.  If I don't get to the weight goal, then I have to give the tickets to someone else. 

-  My friends and I want to go to Disneyland in February over President's day weekend.  So I could set a goal to be down 20 pounds or else I don't get to go.  This may help my friends push me a little bit more too. 

What do you think?  Any other ideas?!?  I appreciate your ideas and things that have worked for you in the past. 

Dear Blog Following Friends..........

I suck!  Sorry to be so blunt but it is true!  I have let myself and you all down lately.  In fact, it's kind of like I have dropped the ball and kicked it under the bed where no one can reach it.  Things are NOT going well right now with my whole healthy living plan. 

#1 reason - VACATION!!!!!!!!

I went on vacation.  It was fabulous and marvelous.  We ate at great places, and for the most part I tried to order healthier options.  I had a turkey burger instead of a regular hamburger, a side salad instead of double the mashed potatoes.  I tried not to over eat on Thanksgiving, and did rather well.  I only had two small pieces of pie, but I did have a slice of pie pretty much every day after.  I bought an exercise video to use on the vacation, a Jillian Michael's workout that is only 25 minutes - it stayed in my suit case.  For half of the trip we were really active walking all over Baltimore, New York, and Washington DC.  It was just the other half of the trip when we weren't out sight seeing that I should have been using the exercise video.  With that all said, I actually maintained my weight on the vacation, Thanksgiving and all.  Good job, right?

WRONG! 

Even though I am no longer on vacation, my mind seems to have stayed on vacation.  I am very much lacking the motivation right now.  Since being home, I haven't gone grocery shopping until tonight.  So I have been pretty much eating out at least 1-2 times/ day (calorie trap!).  I've only worked out once and broke a sweat (I know, I suck!).  I am still having one treat per day (unnecessary calories!).  Oh, and I've been pretty much having a diet coke every day too (yes, there are no calories in diet coke, but for some reason it seems to empare my weight loss efforts!  I know better.).  You can only imagine the results of my recent effort.  That's right, I have gained four pounds in one week!  Suck!  The motivation has just hit me like a rock!  I have got to get back on track!

Challenge: 
One week of awesome healthy McHealthyness
(I am aware that is not a real word, but I like it!)

Challenge criteria:
#1:  No more eating out until next Wednesday.  Sorry friends, we are going to have to do something more constructive with our time.  Gym, anyone?
#2:  No diet coke or carbonated beverages.  Who ordered a water?
#3:  Exercise!  1 hour or more each and every day for the next week.
#4:  No more treats!  (I am going to throw away the half eaten carton of ice cream, tonight!)
#5:  I must ride the stationary bike while watching TV.  Goodbye comfy brown couch! 

Challenge witnesses:  My friends, roommate, and coworkers

Goal:  Lose the 4 pounds I gained by next Wednesday. 

The challenge is set.  The motivation is here.  I must stop typing now and go to bed so I can do my 30 minute Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred in the morning.  So ta ta for now.  I won't let you or myself down anymore!  I promise!