Birthday Challenge is ON!

I've definitely decided to do the birthday challenge.  Here it is folks, my 32nd birthday is in 14 days.  I want to be below 200 pounds {for the first time in 10 years} by my birthday.  And 199.8 counts. :)

I started February at 206.8.  So 199.8 shouldn't be that hard, right?  Or wait, that is 7 pounds.  I don't usually lose 7 pounds in a month.  Hmmm...

Well...after having somewhat of a plateau, up and down and up and down by a few pounds for a few months, I haven't been that sure of setting specific weight goals. I didn't want to jinx myself because, even though it is happening slowly, it is still happening.  Moving in the right direction I mean.  Why mess with a good thing?

And then this morning I weighed in at 201.4.  WOW!  I have lost 2.6 pounds since last Tuesday when I weighed 204.  The only thing I can think of is that I've been more spot on with my food and I have also stuck to my 3000+ calories burned/week (and have now upped it to 3200).

On food, my daily recommended range from Sparkpeople is 1,290 - 1,640.  I think I may have found my "sweet spot" with calories - 1400-1450.  I hit in that range for 5 of the last 8 days.  And I have steadily lost weight for the last two weeks.  I will still continue to eat when I'm hungry of course - but its all about eating food that will fill me up and that I'll also enjoy. 

And ya know what? I had brownies last week.  Several times.  I baked them according to the box with the exception of using applesauce instead of oil and I also topped it with chocolate chips at the end making it into a thin but satisfying frosting.  I'm out of honey or I would have made the awesome honey brownies that have no sugar besides the honey. 

So I'm pretty stoked about this challenge.  In fact, I will be even more jazzed to reach the goal BEFORE my birthday.  What did I just say?  Actually blow a challenge out of the water?  All it takes is a little momentum, folks, and the competitor comes out in me.  I feel like a little kid the night before vacation.  Excited, nervous, and anticipating something new, though something familiar.  Like returning to Disney World.

Onederland.

Sort of sounds like a theme park, but Onederland is any weight under 200.  Any weight that begins with a "1."  The last time I was in this place was over 10 years ago.  I had been married about a year and was a bundle of happiness.  We ate ice cream just about every night.  My Stephen wanted me to be happy and he saw how happy hot fudge sundaes made me.  And so it goes.

Now he is very proud of me - and even though he is still careful not to say he wants me to look like I did 12 years ago, I can't wait to better resemble the girl he married.  He loved me at 285.  I was so blessed and lucky.  Now he deserves a wife who takes good care of herself and will live longer.  Yep, that's the new me.  And he can buy me all the dark chocolate he wants to since I eat that every day {in moderation}.

So there it is - the Birthday Challenge is on - and now we'll see what happens!  My weigh in days are on Tuesdays, so I'll weigh in next week and we'll see how close I am to my goal!!!  Exciting!

~Clara