Progress!

So, it's now week four of the Y Fitness Challenge and it's doing just what I had hoped -- motivating me. I've been in the gym or out on the trail four or five days a week and pretty much staying in my calorie range (give or take a little). So weight loss has returned! Yay!!

I'm now comfortably in the 180's and that magic number 185 will happen soon. What's magic about 185? Well, at 5'6", that is a BMI of under 30, which is the line between overweight and obese. I know BMI is not really so important, but no longer being obese has been my next goal for a long, long time. My first goal was losing 10%. Then it was no more plus size clothing. Then it was getting under 200 pounds. Now it's under 30 BMI. I haven't decided what my next goal will be. I guess I'll have to start thinking about it.

The Y Fitness Challenge is interesting. I'm on a team of seven and everyone is very nice. We've had one member not show up for two weeks now, so we may actually be just a team of six. The workouts are a bit disorganized and might even be a little too easy for me. On Tuesday, we warmed up on the bikes for about 10 minutes, then we ran laps around the gym for five minutes, then we did six stations of circuits for two minutes each. Yes, I still hate sit-ups and push-ups and they continue to be very challenging for me.

Maybe I should focus on those push-ups and sit-ups instead of the running for a while, but it's so hard to put aside what's working or to find even more time to exercise. I'm feeling stretched enough for time as it is. Every few months, I get an email from a Y trainer congratulating me on all my cardio work, but encouraging me to do more (well, actually, any!) weights. I still haven't taken the training for the new machines.

Each week of class, we have a 'challenge'. So far, they've been simple -- eat a fruit and vegetable every day, exercise some more type of stuff. This week is to complete sets of sit-ups and push-ups, 2 sets of 20 each on 3 separate occasions. Ugh.