I am on a team called Sunny Gals and we are just finishing a challenge for the spring. As part of this we are supposed to write a blog about how our challenge went and what our plans are for the next challenge.

During the challenge just ending I did not do well with my food and didn’t really lose much weight. I ate way too much white flour and fats for one thing. I’ve been under a lot of stress for months because of family issues and in the evening I would eat due to the stress. I did good during the day but evenings were my downfall. But in the exercise department I did meet almost all of the goals in the weekly challenges. So that I’m happy with. But not happy with the food and weight results of the challenge.

I’m in the middle of a fibromyalgia flare that causes extreme fatigue, especially the last week. It has totally drained me. I’m hoping it will pass soon and I can get back to my “normal” level of energy. The summertime heat also effects me, which is another part of the fibro. But as a result, the past 5 days I have been greatly increasing my vegetable intake. In fact I’m craving vegetables, especially cucumbers with the skin on. I’m hoping this will increase my energy. I’ve not been eating white bread, tortillas, or butter the past several days. The result is that I’m hoping to be able to carry this better way of eating over into the next challenge and do better with my food and get back to losing some weight I’ve put on since September when oldest daughter and her family moved in with me. Also hoping they will be out soon. But I’ve made the decision that I am going to make sure I get my healthy foods in regardless, and even if I have to restrict access to some of my foods. I hate to do that, but I have to take care of myself.

As I try to get my energy level back up I’m continuing with some light exercising and getting walking in at least a little every day and longer walks on some days. This morning I was exhausted when I got up but yesterday I managed to get a good 45 minute walk in. Not like my usual hiking but hopefully will be back up to that soon. I’ve been through these episodes in the past before and feel confident that I will get past this soon if I make it a point to take better care of myself and put myself instead of everyone else first. It’s not always easy to do, but I have to do it for my health in general and not just to lose weight.

So as we start a new challenge on July 1st my goals are to
Get in daily exercise
Do strength training at least 2 times a week
Get in lots of fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein and carbs
Stay within my calorie range (which is so much easier to do when I eliminate the “bad” foods like butter, white flour, high fat foods, etc)
Make myself proud!