Yeah, I'm a rock star

Last week I had a really good week. I lost four whole pounds in one short week. When I told my sister how much weight I had lost, she called me a rock star. A rock star! I had to laugh, but at the same time, I have to admit that it felt pretty good. By the way, I totally LOVE my sister. She is my inspiration because she has been there and done that and is one my staunchest supporters. She’s spectacularly beautiful and looks so much like our late mother that it’s spooky, and she knows most intimately what I am going through right now. Both my sister and my daughter make up my super-duper, awesome cheerleader squad and I couldn’t do this without them, so let me just get that out there.

I have found a new kick-butt workout video that combines cardio with compound weight lifting movements and 30 second high intensity cardio intervals. It is still a mere 30 minutes long, but at the end I am dripping sweat, shaking like a leaf and have arms that feel like a Jell-O mold left out on a picnic table at a picnic on a hot summer’s day. It takes a full 15 minutes for my breathing to return to normal and for me to stop sweating, sometimes even longer on the sweating. And Little Miss Perky Pink Lip Gloss Instructor even gets a bit short of breath a few times, so you KNOW this is a tough workout. Kicks my not-so-little patootie every time. I did this one four times last week with one straight up cardio workout without weights in the middle of the week. Feeling generous, I gave myself the weekend off and then hit the killer workout again today. My body is most definitely NOT adapting and getting used to this work out yet. It is NOT getting any easier with repetition. And to top it all off, I was 100% true to my Atkins diet the entire week and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results.

My goal this week is to eat and work out in the same fashion that I did last week. I hope I can lose another four pounds this week, but will take ANY weight loss and call it a victory. I know that every day that I work out I am getting more fit, gaining muscle and losing fat. The upper body toning is visible, the inches lost on my upper arms is measurable – two inches off each bicep so far. Color me ecstatic! When you live in Florida, the Land of the Perpetually Sleeveless, this is a GOOD thing.

So I am lovin’ me some Atkins Bars, salads, cottage cheese, steak and veggies because Thanksgiving is a mere 37 days away and I must gird my loins and get myself ready for a one day carb-laden splurge. If I have extra muscle to burn calories around the clock, I can withstand Thanksgiving and all of its temptations, as I will once again be the one doing 90% of the cooking and making ALL of my favorites, including my delicious brined turkey, mouth-watering mashed potatoes and gravy and amazing apple pie. Yes, that is a blatant self-promotion of my once a year cooking skills. So sue me. I am going to be ready and I am going to enjoy Every. Single. Bite. Because I will have earned it.