56 days

With the exception of a few work issues, it was a Great week! I started off positive knowing I'd hit my weekly mileage goal the previous week and then deciding to play hokey mid-week helped some more.

11/03 - 4.5 miles
11/04 - 3.5 miles -- gym time cut short, wanted to vote before work - only took 13 minutes
11/05 - 7.0 miles -- split this up, 5 miles then an additional 2 miles just for fun!
Took the day off work (mental health day, sorely needed!); beautiful day out got all of my yard work done!
11/06 - 0.0 miles -- session with trainer-Steve, took day off from running having issues with sore feet, painful left heel and tender right shin.
11/07- 4.0 miles
11/08 -5.0 miles on elliptical
11/09 - off

Totals for week - 24 miles

Got weighed and measured on Saturday the 8th, it's been just over 5 months since I started working out with trainer-Steve. This is a couple weeks past due on my targeted goal date, but I was in no hurry to remind trainer-Steve, since I absolutely dread getting on the scale and being measured. BUT, I tried to approach it this time with a more positive attitude (key word there being "tried"). First thing was the scale...ok, now I KNOW I'm down almost 3 sizes from where I was when I started so I don't really know why I don't look forward to this part but I don't...I missed my target weight by 2 pounds! (dang it), total lost 33 lbs (yes, I need to focus on the 33 lost not the pesky 2 that I missed). Next came the body fat count and the measuring...total body fat is down 10% - AWESOME! (this is down a whole 5% from just 8 weeks ago), and total inches I don't remember because I was really happy with that body fat percentage, I forgot to grab my print out with all the numbers on it so I will have to get that from him.

Finally, since my target date has come and gone it means that it is time to set a new goal. My intention was another 5 lbs; trainer-Steve's intention was another 10 lbs. -- which would take me to a weight that I probably haven't been at for at least 13 years and even then I don't think I was there for very long, and I explained this to trainer-Steve and how I felt that number might not be realistic. However, as per usual, trainer-Steve stuck with his intentions and then informed me that the target date for this goal is January 3rd! What?!?! Is he nuts?

I was really fretting about this new targeted goal and date. 12 lbs in 8 weeks. I just was not confident that I would ever be able to drop a pound and a half a week. Then, I did some math. My last time I was weighed was 59 days earlier and in that time I lost 10 lbs... hmmm, my new target date is 56 days away and it's only an additional 2 lbs that I need to drop. It's been 24 weeks since I started up with trainer-Steve -- 24 weeks and 33 lbs, that's 1.38 lbs/week on average. Crap. This is do-able, isn't it? I mean since my last weigh in I'd dropped my calories and really focused on eating better than I had during the summer months, but although I've been doing much better I still miss the mark about 40-50% of the time. If I start hitting that mark consistently, I can do this!

So here it begins...my 56 day challenge is on! And a challenge it may be with New Orleans in less than 2 weeks, then Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. But I've come such a long way in these 24 weeks, there's no turning back now!

Upcoming races: November 22nd - Ole Man River 5k in New Orleans; November 27th - Turkey Dash 5k in Avon; December 6th - Reindeer Run 5k in Lakewood.