Yes, friends... last year I had monumental success. I dropped over 60lbs in six months.... and now I've gained about half of it back.

Part of it, I realize, is having been unemployed for a year now. I don't have the ingrained structure in my days that I used to. It had been easy - take a walk at lunch, bring the foods you're scheduled to eat with you so you can't snack, and a cheap gym membership.

Now? None of those things. I have to force myself to do everything because I don't have any structure forced upon me by jobs and such things (though I still really hope to have that back soon. I keep applying, we'll see....)

Thus the regaining of weight.

I've gotten better about things. I'm up early most days (early being 8-8:30. Hey! That IS early for me... when I was first laid-off I would sleep until 11-12) With the arrival of spring and the associated yard work, I automatically am getting in hours of activity and, as I learned the first time around, activity breeds more activity for me. If I'm out in the garden all morning, it's easier to talk myself into a walk in the afternoon or belly dancing at some point.

That's another thing, I've been so negligent with the belly dancing. I had forgotten a lot. Down in KC it was nice, there were several people among my SCA friends who would gladly teach a class or two so I remembered the moves. Much more difficult up here. I've been taking classes when I can.. one of my goals is to spend a lot of time in the Middle Eastern dance tent this Lilies, but two hours of belly dance/Persian dance this last Saturday totally kicked my butt. It's a sign that I haven't been giving nearly enough attention to it.

The biggest thing, though, has been being honest with myself. Gaining weight and not updating my tracker with the mentality of "oh, I'll lose it next week and then no one will know."

But, by not fessing up to it, I don't fix the issues. Especially since I no longer have to use the living room as my office.. I've had my own for six months now. This summer it was an issue of something I felt very private of doing in a public setting. Now that I don't have that excuse....

So, to keep myself honest, I'm adding another tracker. I have to update this blog at least three times a week. It will keep me coming back here and, maybe, talking out the issues I'm having.

Until Next time -
K