Well, It has been my quest now for the last 13 months to get healthier, to change my life, and to lose 100 pounds. As everyone knows I finally reached that goal last Wednesday, so what happens now? I have spent so much of my focus for the last year on losing weight and trying to be healthy that this is simply the most natural question to ask not just for anyone following along but also for me. I stand at a point now that I have had a few days to relish my accomplishment and now it is time to file that accomplishment away and figure out where to go from here. Not just where do i go physically but what area of my life do I need to exert the same level of focus and determination as I have to this quest?
But before i file it away please allow me one more additional moment of gloating. I am so excited to see the 1 as the first number in my weight it has been so very long since I have seen that. If you didn't know me before my freshman year in college you have NEVER seen me this small. I love the energy level I have now, I love how much better I feel. Ok, ok enough of that, back to focusing on the future.
As far as physically, I want everyone to know that i don't feel like I have just achieved a 100 lb milestone but that I have accomplished my goal of changing my life. I am dedicating to living more active. I have already laid out my fitness goals for the year and I am updating them each week. I have learned how to use food to fuel my body not just as something to shove into my mouth until my stomach aches. I have learned a lot about calories, nutrients, proteins, vitamins etc and I plan to apply the things I have learned to my life in the future to make sure I never stare at 300 again.
I don't really want to get much smaller, I am thrilled to be in size 32 pants and I think that is about where I should be. There is still a little mush around my midsection I want to firm up and there are some areas I want to tone up that seem a little loose, probably due to the weight loss. I don't know that firming and toning will lead to anymore weight loss if they do I wouldn't think it would be significant. I have set a floor for myself I really don't want to dip below 180 lbs.
One key think I will change is I will now change my calorie intake from a weight loss number to a maintenance number. This doesn't mean I get to go to the buffet and pig out, it does mean I can increase my calorie intake by as much as 500 per day. I will probably not increase that much too quickly; but with the exercise regimen I am keeping the change does allow me a little more freedom. This is where I will have to continue to use discipline and continue to make smart choices. But being able to add some calories to my diet is a happy thing.
I am happy to point out of the 5 goals I set for 2011 (finish the 100 pounds, run 5k, complete Insanity, run 10k, and have some abs) I have a very realistic chance to have the first 3 accomplished by the first week in March. That is exciting. There is nothing quite as exciting as accomplishing goals.
I will continue to report my progress on these stated goals and on how I am doing on keeping the weight off... I don't plan on reporting a weekly weigh-in but I will keep everyone updated.
Now, the big question... what is the next quest? To be completely honest I don't know yet. I have some ideas but right now I am searching my heart and praying on where to focus my drive and my attention. I wasn't searching for a quest when I undertook this one and I may not know where my next one will lie, but I am committed to facing the next quest with just as much zeal and just as much passion as I did this one.
Thank you again to everyone for your support and for keeping me accountable.
I will post later today my week in review and of course tomorrow I will give my weekly guide as to what to expect next week. On Tuesday I plan to give an updated response to the question i get asked the most "how did you do it?"
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