Wellness of Body and Soul Update

I am convinced that mind, body, and spirit are intertwined. So, it is two days in a row of "Wellness of Body" for me!

I said I would periodically update, and I am doing it again. The picture below is my goal.

This is January 2014 at the Benson Hotel before George's office Winter Celebration. I had lost 30 pounds by April 2013, and I had kept most of it off (with five pound fluctuation) for nine months at that point, and I did that for the better part of two years, with less than double digit fluctuations, until Spring of 2015.

I think deciding to get certified in Pilates in Summer of 2015 was the turning point. I had always been more of "Cardio Carol" exerciser with a little bit of Pilates and weight training about two times a week. I still had pain though. Now, I am super strong in my core from Pilates, much more flexible, and out of pain. YAY! But the pounds came on with the reduced cardio (also cardio tends to really curb my appetite). Once I started teaching classes, my burn exchange was 720 calories burned  versus 2400 calories burned per week.  If I kept eating the same to maintain on the old workout routine (and same number of hours truly available for working out), I was going to have a 1680 less calorie burn per week than when I was on maintenance. That was about 1/2 pound per week, and that is exactly what happened! My weight started slowly creeping up, and I DID NOT ADJUST MY EATING ACCORDINGLY!

So this is my inspiration picture, and I am 13 pounds above that today. I think the weight on Monday was a lot of water because six pounds has come off, and it is only Thursday. I have eaten a sensible diet that should only equal about 2 pounds a week weight loss so I know that I should have waited and not panicked after Cabo.

I think the water weight is off, and this is probably the weight I was before I went there. And this tends to be the weight that I continue to try to "set" at! It is not a bad weight because it is 23.8 BMI. The healthy range is 18.5 - 24.99. My personal training textbook says that 22-24.99 is where your disease risk is lowest. And I feel best at 22 too!

So this picture is my inspiration, and I am going for it! I am happy to be going for it!

December 31, 2016 Update: 23.4 BMI and 10.6 pounds to go now! "Slow and Stead Wins the Race" and "Little by Little Gets the Job Done."

February 14, 2017 Update: 22.4 BMI and only 2.4 pounds to go!

All that to say is that I love to combine my spiritual and physical life. I was grumpy when I woke up in Cabo on that first morning. I had not exercised all day the day before. Once I went and had some time on the elliptical overlooking the Sea of Cortez . . .

... and prayed and worked out. I was a new woman! :)

(I just want to say that we do not usually do this kind of "luxury." It was a forced vacation because all the wedding guests had to stay at this resort. We have access through my husband's mother to a house on a hill overlooking Cabo for FREE, but it would have required taxi rides back and forth to see my family. I loved seeing my niece get married, but I will say that highlights of our time were talking with the locals about their lives. We like to be in among the people more than at a resort that cuts you off from the culture, but it was nice.)

I better go. It is so beautiful outside right now!

I just listened to Messiah from "Behold the Lamb of God" to "All We Like Sheep" as I danced around the living room to the light of electric candles! So fun. :)