Kicking off the Power of One Challenge

Well as you know this year I stumbled across a website which has been very helpful to my weight loss the Sisterhood. At the Sisterhood I have, learned so much this year. I joined the first challenge during Shrinkvivor and worked hard and earned one of top spots. I loved doing that challenge and learned to love my body more and drink water and lots of it! Then they had the Holiday Hoedown challenge and I learned that the holidays were no excuse to throw away all of my hard work and dedication throughout the year. I lost 9.2 pounds from Thanksgiving to New years and this for me was such an achievment because i have never come through a holiday season weighing less! The holidays are typically a time people gain an average of 5-7 pounds. But thanks to their website and my inner determination to not give in to temptations I did not fall into that statistic.



Now they have introduced a new challenge. The Power of One. This challenge will span over 8 weeks and push us to learn more about our mind and body and I am excited for yet another challenge. So this week kicks off the challenge and I weigh 168 pounds. I first of all have never weighed this little, in probably 12 years. I am fitting into sizes I never imagined possible. I remember prom dress shopping my junior year of high school and having a hard time finding a size 12. I plan to go through and find some old pictures to share with you, I too am curious to find the last time I was "small" and not over weight. Now I am a size 6 and wearing small and medium shirts! I went shopping and did not try anything on and have to return my size 6 dress pants I bought for work and medium shirt because they are too big! Thats an experience I have never witnessed before.

My goals for this challenge are:

• To train train train for my first ever half marathon. It is fitting that the challenge ends Feb. 23rd and My race is Feb. 27th! I need to run at least 5 days a week come hell or high snow I will be running be it outside or sucking it up and hitting the treadmill. 
• To lose 18 pounds. Wow this is a lot of weight in 8 weeks. Yup it is. But you know what is I can lose 18 pounds it will put me at a 150, this is the magic number that brings my BMI to an official "healthy weight". This will mean in just 1 year I lost 102 pounds and went from morbidly obese to healthy. I joined Weight Watchers on February 24th 2010 so On my anniversary I want to reach that healthy BMI mark and 100 pounds lost. 
• To weight train more. As I have been training for my marathon I have only been doing my kettle bell video and Jackie Warner's video 1-2 times a week. I would like to do some weight training at least 4 days a week like I was a few months ago. I feel it will help my body tone more and shed those last few stubborn pounds. 

So now you know my current weight but what about my measurements? Taking measurements has never been something I focused on, I do not really have a reason why I mean I take progress pictures and weigh in every week but I guess I never took the time to physically measure my body. So I thought what a great way to keep track of my progress since I am aiming to keep toning and as my focus will be changing more inches is a good way to track progress. So my measurements to begin today in inches are:
Bust: 37.5   Chest 35   Waist 31.5  Hips 35  Thighs 22  Knees 16  Calves 16  Upper arm 11.5 Forearm 10.5

I hope to lose some more inches in my hips and bust mainly, and my thighs. I will stick to my plan and see how it goes :)