I’m writing this on Day 9 (356 to go) –

As promised, here are the numbers from the scale yesterday (day 8):

Weight           247.8
Body Fat        104.9
BMI                  41.2

The big loss is body fat – three pounds.  Yay!

The weight loss is 4.9 pounds, but really, it’s body fat that counts and the loss I’m looking towards.  I know the first few weeks of changing patterns tends towards a loss of excess water.  My going forward concern is, of course, not losing too much lean muscle tissue because at 56 (well at any age), lean muscle tissue is what keeps up the metabolism and health overall.

So it’s amazing that in a week that included a holiday and some holiday indulgence, I still lost the body fat.  That’s probably more to do with exercise than what I was eating, although I admit that writing down what I’m eating is consciousness raising in and of itself.  I know . . . everybody says it and everybody’s right.

As to other goals –

Physical goals – I did pretty well with sleeping – in fact, I slept at least six hours every night and a few times was right at eight hours.  My exercise was a bit lower than my goal, but still, I did get out almost every day even if it wasn’t quite 30 minutes.  I did do a few garage walks – meaning I added extra steps on a dog walk to increase my time and mileage walking up and down the driveway between our townhouses’ garages.  Pretty silly, but I guess only the cat was there to mock me.

Mental Goals – I did some Spanish, but am not in the habit yet – ways to go on that one.  Hola!

As to reading, I put a few longer novels on my kindle to be read in the future, and I finished one book – “Orange is the New Black” by Piper Kerman.  If you’re watching the show in Netflix (it’s not for kids, but if you’re an adult . . . it’s highly recommended for the ensemble work of the rather quirky cast – and who cannot love Kate Mulgrew!  Wowza.)  The book is quite different just so you know, but it’s also worth the read – she’s pretty darn honest about what got her in prison.  And Larry is not such a schmuck.  So there.

Inside/Outside Goals – Did nothing on the outside goals.  On the inside goals, we’re in the process of decluttering a room that’s been my husband’s office for quite some time and returning it to a bedroom for an adult child who will be returning and going back to school.  We’re not packrats, well, not exactly, but some spaces have not been touched in like almost nine years, since we moved in.  So I did put in some time on the decluttering block.

Spiritual Goals – I meditated about half the days and as to the thank you note project – I didn’t even get started on it.  I thought a lot about it.  I really did – and what I thought was – It’s too darn hard and I won’t succeed.  I think it may need some modification to make it just a bit more do-able.  Still thinking on it and will report more next week.  I’m not surprised, though, that this is the sticky wicket for me.  I’ve been struggling for awhile now with spiritual matters (long story there.)

So I think it was a good entry week.  Now comes the building weeks – building on successes, making tweaks, and continuing on.