Well, I've reached my final weigh day before Jamaica. While I fell just short of my big 50lb goal, I was still pleased to see the scale read 233.4 this morning. So, that's a grand total of 47.6lbs since late June. 57.6 since last December.

It definitely hasn't been easy, but I'm so freaking glad I started when I did.

Vacation goal: Don't gain more than 10lbs. Our resort has an excellent fitness center with a lap pool, but I'm not making any promises. Pina Coladas come first.

TOMORROW!

Ups and a Down

Down: I pulled some sort of muscle behind my left knee. The pain wasn't ever severe, really, but it made running very uncomfortable. As such, my "let's run every single day until Jamaica!" plan didn't really work out.

Up: It's okay! I lost weight anyway! I'm down two more pounds since I last weighed in. At this point, I'm convinced that the lack of fruit (and other sugary things like honey) is actually speeding up weight loss. After Jamaica, though, I don't think I'll completely restrict myself like I am now. I miss pineapple. 

Also up: My mom took me shopping and I bought shorts. WHAT!?

I know. I'm all like, why should I be ashamed of my legs? They're just legs. I do have a sploosh knee, and I do need to do something about a couple creepy veins (ewww old fat lady symptoms ewww), but other than that...

And I also bought skinny jeans, which are cute. And a maxi dress that is really pretty. 

Long story short, I have purchased more than enough clothes for this trip. I think I'm finally done. Probably.

One week, yo. A week from right now we will be in Jamaica. 

I never weigh myself on Mondays. Usually the weekend is full of gluttony and sloth, and therefore does not lead to desired scale-related results.

But! This weekend I was really good. And this morning, in honor of a surprise snow (ice) day, I decided to step on the scale.

And it said 239.2! Which means I've now lost 41lbs, and it's time for new progress pictures! Huzzah!

I'm still only 2/5ths of the way towards my magical, probably never gonna happen goal of 180lbs. But whatevs. I'm feeling proud this morning. I'll ride this good feeling for as long as it lasts. 

12 more days until Jamaica. 

Losing more inches:

Chest: Original = 47" Newest = 42"

Waist: Original = 42" Newest = 38"

Hips: Original = 54.25" Newest = 50"

Right Thigh: Orignal = 34" Newest = 30.5"

Left Thigh: Original = 34" Newest = 30.5"

Right Bicep: Original = 17" Newest = 15"

Left Bicep: Original = 17" Newest = 15.5"

Total Inches Lost: 23.75

Hooray for taking up less space!

So, I may have been a bit ambitious in my last post. No alcohol until break has been translated to mean only alcohol on Fridays, because the work week is hard and because I'm only human.

And cutting out carbs completely just cannot happen. I'm still doing the no fruit thing, but I don't think I can go lower carb than that. Again, I'm only human. My diet is restrictive enough as is. 

I'm still going to try and exercise each and every day. I'm adding faster speeds at more frequent intervals during my runs, which makes everything feel difficult. Oh well. 

While I'm excited to go, I wish I had a bit more time. I'm worried that, when the trip is over, I'll be depressed without such an extravagant reward on the horizon. Blerf. 

Last Friday I was PMSy and ate some totally non-paleo desserts after school with my coworkers. Then, I came home and ran a 5k. And after running said 5k, I ate a bajillion calories of Indian food.

It all evens out, right?

This week included a fever on Monday, less of a fever on Tuesday, and a recuperation day on Wednesday. I googled it, and the internet told me to lay off of exercising whilst feverish. So, today was my first day back on the treadmill. I wanted to go for 40 minutes, but I crapped out after 30. Running is hard.

I'm trying to come up with ways to maximize my weight loss in these last two weeks before Jamaica. I really really really really want to see the 230s on the scale before I go, and I'm worried this particular menstrual cycle made me gain back a crap-ton of weight. Stupid body.

So far, my ideas are:
1. Work out every day for at least 30 minutes
2. Continue to avoid fruit (except when I can't handle it and I sneak grapes in the kitchen like some sort of addict)
3. Stop drinking entirely
4. Cut carbs entirely

As you can imagine, #3 is the absolute hardest of the bunch. I'm cool with the rest, but I don't know if I can handle a week without having a drink (or a dozen) on the weekends. Tequila is my very good friend.

We'll see. Two more weeks. I can go two weeks without booze, right?

Nevermind what I said about more accurate phone tracking. I've kept my phone on my hip for my last two runs, and it's right back to saying I'm plodding along at a ridiculously slow pace. I know I'm not, dammit. I can't wait to get back outside so the GPS can set this silly program straight.

I attempted interval training today. Regular pace for five minutes followed by one minute of going as fast as I possibly can. Repeat for 30 minutes total. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, and it honestly made the 30 minutes seem to pass faster.

I'm entering the time of month when I'm not supposed to weigh myself due to pre-period water retention. So, I'm not sure I'll be able to tell whether or not this no fruit thing is actually working. Blerf.

I'm in a bad mood today. I thought running would help. Now I'm just in a bad mood and my hair is wet because I had to shower. Damn you, fitness.

I've complained before that iSmoothRun doesn't accurately track my speed/distance while on the treadmill. As it turns out, I was probably just not putting my phone in the right place.

Pro tip: Don't put your phone in your sports bra if you want it to accurately track treadmill running.

When properly placed in a pocket and/or near the legs, my phone now tells me that I'm running my fastest mile yet (13:38). I KNEW I was going faster. I KNEW it!

My phone has also confirmed the fact that the speed calibration is waaaaaay off on my treadmill. My fastest setting that I can go for any length of time is 2.2 mph (according to the treadmill). According to my iSmoothRun, 2.2 mph is more like 4.35 in reality. I KNEW it.

Also, who runs at 2.2mph? You cannot run at that pace.

I weighed in yesterday, and saw an even 2lb loss. Since this is just slightly above average for the month, I'm going to keep the "no fruit" thing going for one more week. It's not so hard, honestly, now that the pineapple cravings have receded.

Starting weight: 281 and change.
Current weight: 242.6

A month from this very moment, I will be on a plane to Jamaica.