Introduction Post Alice D. (aka Madridmom)

Photo:  Alice D (Madridmom) on the left and Cindy B. on the right.  Taken on our first day of our recent tour of Israel together by the Mediterranean Sea in Caesarea.  This was one of the few days warm enough to not be all bundled up in our jackets.

Well, it seems I have a hard time saying no when Dani Joy starts a fitness challenge.  It's a good thing because it seems I have much too easy a time saying no to eating well and exercising without the competition/point recording aspect of these challenges.  I am going ahead and posting the intro on the blog but I'm not sure whether I will post mainly here or on the facebook page.  The fb page is definitely quicker and easier for me so maybe I will do the journal posts there but any tips or humor posts here on the blog.

My husband and I are missionaries in the Madrid area (hence my screen name -- Madridmom) and, once again, when we came back from our furlough last January I had gotten right back up to my all time high weight of 153.  Ugh!  In 6 months I had put on 20 lbs!  I got busy and joined in on fitness challenges last spring, summer and fall and by Christmas had finally lost those 20.  Sure was fast and easy to put them on but not to get them off.  My big motivation was an outfit that my Mom purchased for me at the beginning of my furlough which was a beautiful chocolate brown pantsuit.  It was more of a fall/spring weight and by the time fall 2011 rolled around I couldn't even zip up the slacks.  I almost left it in the States when I was so heavy at the time of packing to return to Spain but I am glad I went ahead and packed it.  I would try those pants on periodically as I worked on losing the furlough pounds and this past December 2012 when my husband and I were able to get away for a week alone to celebrate our 25th anniversary I packed those pants and wore the outfit!  Yippee!

Between birthdays and Christmas and winter comfort foods I am slowly seeing some pounds creep back on and in the last couple days saw that number go over 140 again.  Where 150 used to be the number I would have to hit before I had a fire lit under me to make a change, I have changed my thinking and now 140 is that magic "Don't go there" number for me.  So, the scale is motivating me to sign up for the challenge.  I like going back to this point system.  The one back in the fall which limited exercise points was a little counterproductive and I totally lost steam once I got so far behind the rest.  I like the straight 20 minutes for 1 point plan.

My goal is to get back into the 130's and stay there.  I would prefer to be between 130 and 135 over the 135-139 range.  I think a realistic goal for the first 30 days is 137 and then see if I can get below 135 by the end of the 2nd half of the challenge.  During my first year of challenges on this blog I actually got down to 129 which was exciting but I was unable to maintain it for longer than a month or two in the summer.

My HEP plan is greatly affected by our financial situation and that is greatly affected by the dollar to euro exchange rate.  I can't promise that I will always have whole grain products to choose from but whenever there is a WW bread or pasta option in the house I will choose that over the white flour option.  I am going to strive to get my water points each day and will cut out the junk food/empty calorie foods. I will choose "real" foods over things full of chemical additives whenever possible.  I don't know yet if I will count calories or just try to eat healthy and add fresh fruits and veggies back into the diet while cutting back or eliminating those sugary treats.  I do eat real butter over margarine and prefer sweetening baked goods or tea with real honey or molasses over artificial sweeteners even though it means more calories.