Post 44 - One Week Down... However Many It Takes To Go!

Wow, it's been one, full week since I've really committed myself to a change in lifestyle that includes consciously making healthy food choices and working out regularly, including two power-Zumba classes at Dance Spa with owner/instructor/official butt kicking power dancer and motivator, Christa South! Joe and I are so proud of ourselves - we're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it!!!! Once again, I owe big, big thank yous to Joe for motivating me - I'm honestly not quite sure where my motivation would be this early in the game if it weren't for his text messages pushing me along! I literally ran out the door from work at 5:40pm, caught the bus, got home at 6:25, hustled the dog out for a 30 second potty break (poor thing), ran her back inside, told her I'd be home after class and then ran back out the door. I got on the bus at 6:40 and had 20 minutes to get to class (impossible). I did make it there by 7:10 and I think that's okay because I actually had to speed-walk almost a mile to get to class so no worries! Can't you just imagine me hustling on down the sidewalk thinking with each step, "crap, crap, crap, I'm late!" as I go? I wish I could get there earlier but there's just no way without paying $15 for a cab and... I just can't justify that. I *will* however, be right on time for Saturday's class!

Anyway, Zumba! Tonight marked a special milestone for me - this is the first class I've attended in which I actually made it through the whole class without any breaks (minus a very quick power pee break - but the bathroom's *makes hand gesture to the left of her body* right over there, just off the dance floor, so it's no biggie). Also, I'm starting to get to know some of the moves so I don't feel quite as ridiculous as I did at first. That's a VERY good thing. And at the end (this is my favourite part) - we do this cool down routine that involves punching into the air over and over again. This probably isn't the most lady-like confession I'll ever make but here's what I do: Every time I punch, I think of someone who told me I'm a bad person, a failure, or that I wouldn't ever be anything on my own. Take THAT, exhusband! Take THAT, jerk-ex who stole $20,000 from me and left the country! Take THAT, person who told me that fat people look like beached crustacians! Take THAT everyone who I've ever let make me feel bad about myself! Pow! Pow! Pow! I love that part!! It makes me feel incredibly empowered - is that bad? I hope not... because it really gives me motivation to excel! At the end of class, we're all little more than walking balls of noodly legs and sweat (gross, I know. Sorry about that but it's true) but we all feel GREAT and we know we just had an amazing work out!

What about food choices? This week has presented an interesting challenge for me. I eat my meals at my clients' houses. That's just the arrangement - how it's always been. Until this week, that's been totally fine. My clients choose really healthy, organic foods - heavy on the fruits and veggies so I thought "no problem!" about the diet. Well. Wouldn't you know it? This week, they didn't buy any fresh vegetables at all and only a couple of fruits. Instead, they bought all kinds of bread. And we're not talking 12-grain stuff. They bought raisin bread, blueberry bread, wheat bread (not the good kind) and tortillas. Oh, and hot dog buns. And cheeses (three kinds). And crackers. Again, three kinds. And they bought something they have never, ever, EVER had in their house (except at Christmas) since I've been working with them: cookies. WHAT??? I could hear them calling me so we had to have a little chat, cookies and I. It went like this:

Cookies: Keellleeyyy.....
Me: *ignoring the cookies*
Cookies: Keeeeellllleeeeyyyyy.....!
Me: *ignoring the cookies*
Cookies: KEEEELLLLEEEEYYYYYY!!!
Me: "Cookies! LOOK. I am TRYING to lose weight. You are NOT part of the process, now please! Leave me alone!"
Cookies: Oh, come on, Kelley! We're old friends! We mean no harm - just one bite for old time's sake!
Me: No!
Cookies: Come on.... you know you wanna!
Me: NO!
Cookies: But we're so creamy... and you haven't had one of us in a while. Come on...!
Me: *sigh* Fine. FINE! But only one!

...and I ate one - I don't think I even tasted it; just threw it down the hatch because it was an old habit. Then I reached for another one. But before I ate it, I twisted it in half (it was a vanilla sandwich cookie) and gave the non-creamy half to Stella. This time, I stopped and tasted the cookie. And I thought, "meh. really wasn't that great. and sure not worth blowing my progress over!" and I put the rest away. Ta-da!! YAY, ME!

I have so much more that I want to say but, to be honest, I am thoroughly exhausted - I'll add more about food choices on Thursday's blog!

This has been a week of much progress - I've made some amazing new friends *waves at Michael, Kiki and Corey* and I know with their encouragement, with Joe's faithful friendship, with the support of my wonderful boyfriend, Marc, and my own determination, I AM GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. END. OF. STORY!

Now get up and dance with me - if I can do this, you can too!!!

Love and booty-shaking Zumba moves,

Kelley
xoxo