Discouraged...

Ok, so even I get discouraged sometimes. It's hard to get discouraged when I still feel good - you know what I mean? I mean, my moods are up because of exercise because it makes me feel good AFTER, not during. Audrey will attest, I'm QUITE cranky when I'm exercising, but after, it's like I can take on the world. Days I don't work out, I'm not so happy - happy to not be working out, but that's about it. BUT today, I am discouraged, despite the fact that I worked out. I did my step aerobics at the church down the road - love those ladies!! I also did my Nike Training Club program I set up on the Internet just to give it a try. Today is an off day for the bikini countdown and man I'm bored with those and looking forward to the next month's workout set - anyone with me? I also did the killer ab thing that I did yesterday. Love to hate that one.

So why am I discouraged? Well, I went to get my body fat tested professionally - it only cost $5. This guy in my area where I get my vitamins is super informative. Doesn't know when to stop talking, but seriously, who am I to judge? So my buddy, Joel pinched my fat at my bicep, triceps, bra bulge area (what is that the scapula?) and my tummy. BUT when I got on the scale, granted, I had my boots, wool pants and a short-sleeved sweater on, but nonetheless, I weighed more than I have in a long time! I also had to have stored up about 2lbs of pee because I had to go so badly. Anyway, needless to say I was bummed out. I don't have a scale at home, so I don't weigh myself often. I have the Wii, so I use that periodically.

Well, my body fat percentage was 24.5% which is on the high end of healthy. He told me that to be healthy for my age, height and overall make up, my weight needed to be 110, which is nice because the last time I had this done at the spa for beautiful people in Miami, they told me I needed to be 98. Seriously? That's just ugly. So my goal was 105. It's nice to know my goal can be upped by 5 pounds. I like that! That makes me happy.

In three weeks I go back. I am to change nothing about what I'm doing for the next three weeks so we can see where things change. We want to make sure I'm burning fat and not muscle and that I'm losing weight at a reasonable rate. Joel says 2-5 lbs a month is what people should strive for if they are making lifestyle changes and not just dieting because once the diet stops, so does the dipping of the scale. That was also nice to hear. In the 5 months that we're doing this Bikini Body Challenge, I'll have plenty of time to lose the amount of weight necessary to get me at - oh let's cut it in half: 107lbs. That way, I have a few I can play with here and there :)

The hard thing for me now is to keep doing what I'm doing for the next three weeks until my next composition. I can't change because then Joel won't know if my regiment and what I'm eating is working. BUT I looked at that scale and was like, "Dude, I've so got to cut out something!" Like right now I want an apple and peanut butter - healthy snack, yes, but I don't want it because of the doggone scale. But, on a normal day, I would totally have it because it's healthy and I like it and it's 2:30 and I'm hungry and I'm not all about starving myself. However, I'm not so happily sipping my decaf iced coffee cream and sugar thinking of where it's going. Usually it brings me so much pleasure, but today, not so much. I'll let you know what is up in three weeks, and I will still post pictures in two weeks when Todd and I go out for my birthday.