In the beginning...

Since January 3, 2010, I have lost 81.8 lbs. Some people blog about this process and I have debated it from time to time, but never became one of them. I am nervous about putting myself out there for others and sharing my inner thoughts on the work it takes both with diet and exercise as well as the mental and emotional aspects.

So why start now?
My friend K has blogged about her exercise and weight loss progress and has truly inspired me. It helps to know that we're not alone and that the thoughts and feelings we have are not as strange as they seem. But I'm also making a big change in one of the things that worked for me.

Boot Camp
Since mid-May 2010, I have attended JCF Boot Camp 5 days/week at 6:45 am. I have loved boot camp, it has given me some amazing friends and gotten me to probably the best shape of my life. I went from struggling to run a lap around the track to running races and from struggling to do a pushup to doing 24 in a minute. However, one of the mantras I've heard from fitness is if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got. So I've reached the time to stretch out and do something new. I assume that even Michael Phelps gets out of the pool on ocassion. :) I am signed up for boot camp through March 5th, but have already started going 2-3 days a week instead of 5 so I could spread my wings and try new things.

Accountability
The best thing for me about boot camp was the accountability both internally and externally that it gave me. Since I'd paid for the session, I was going to go to every class. I also knew that if I missed a class I would be called on it by either the instructor or my friends in class. So, I'm embarking on half-marathon training now. I wanted to do it with a training group/class but unfortuantly there is not one convenient for my location or the times I can run with working full time. So I'm using this blog for the cammerederie and external accountability that I need. I'm counting on somebody reading it to call me on not posting about my runs or workouts at least once a week. In the last week I only went to 2 days of boot camp, but have taken 2 spin classes and 2 yoga classes and am probably going for a run after I post this. I have the internal drive I need right now, I just want to keep it going!

My Goals
So I'm working on a series of goals right now and this blog is really dedicated to a specific one, but I'm laying out all 3 right here. 1.) I have approximately 20 more pounds to lose, my goal weight will have me losing 101 pounds. 2.) The Brooklyn Half Marathon is 13.1 miles that I'm going to run on May 21, 2011 - this is the primary goal of this blog to track my training for this race 3.) The 2012 NYC Marathon - I cannot believe that I'm planning for a race that won't be until the first weekend of November 2012, but its hard to get in! I'm blessed to live so close to NYC and have the opportunity to use the NYRR 9+1 option to get guaranteed entry. So far I have completed 2 races and volunteered at 1 more. When I cross the finish line in Brooklyn, I will have finished 7 of the 9 races needed.

The current thought in my head is that this blog will be maintained until the day after I drag myself back from Coney Island... but I could also forsee it being a training tool I keep using until the NYC Marathon too. It'll be a test on how vulnerable I'm willing to make myself online and how much y'all read and respond.

Thanks for reading the first post! Go out and have a wonderful weekend! :)