Weight Loss Challenge...Goals

Today is the day! The weight loss challenge begins today, and I am READY! (For more information or to join the challenge, click the button above.)

I am really aggravated with myself. I was doing quite well and had lost about 25 pounds before I got pregnant with Ruthi. I did great during my pregnancy, only gaining 36 pounds (though I looked huge!) and she was just under 10 pounds, so I thought I had done great. When she was 2 months old, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, all my clothes fit, and I felt great. Don't ask me what happened next, because I'm not sure. But I am now just a few pounds lighter than I was the day before she was born - very frustrating! And NOTHING fits anymore! I still wear my nice pair of maternity pants to church, because they are one of the few things that actually fit me. How sad is that?

My motivation? I don't want to buy new clothes when I have a closet full of perfectly good ones! I want to fit into them.
And, I want to be HEALTHY!

Of course, I want to lose weight, but more importantly, I want to FEEL GOOD! I want to take better care of this body! I want to be able to run and play with my kids and not get worn out after 5 minutes! I also want to increase my strength and endurance, and just feel better about myself and be happy in my skin. It's really not so much about the number on the scale. That is just a small part of it. I do not, however, want to set myself up for failure with a weight goal that may not be realistic. So, I'm setting my current goal to lose 20 pounds. And if I exceed that, then that's a bonus!

I've already changed a few things in the past few months - cut out soda's and sugar drinks except for an occasional one. I'm drinking mostly water these days, but I need to be drinking more. And I've cut my portion sizes at meals, but I could probably stand to cut back a little more. I'm really bad about snacking, and have already curbed that a bit, but need some more work there too. And, I have started using sugar free creamer in my coffee. So, here are my goals:

1) Eat Breakfast. (I'm BAD about skipping breakfast, and I know that's not a good thing!

2) Drink a MINIMUM of 64 oz. of water a day. (1/2 gallon)

3) EXERCISE! Since I really want to work on strength and endurance, I'll be using a couple of videos for core workouts. My goal is at LEAST 4 times a week. On alternate days, I want to do some aerobic activity, even if it is just dancing!

4) Cut my portion sizes down - a little bit more.

5) Snacking - snack less, and if I need a snack, make better choices. (Less chocolate! - this will be hard!)

6) Get more sleep! This one will probably be my most difficult challenge, but I really want to work on it. I know my body will function better if I'm not so tired!

I think that's it. For now at least. By the end of this challenge, I'd love to see a smaller number on the scale, but I really want to FEEL BETTER!!!