Dear Body, You are awesome. Thanks for the great workout! Love, Mary

This is what I tweeted 1/3 of the way into my workout this morning:

MaryKC Mary Casey 

Just did 30 min. on the ArcTrainer. Moving on to the StairMaster & will finish up on the elliptical-all machines I was scared of 6 mos. ago!

And that is a true story.  Six months ago, I was going to the gym and using the treadmill and only the treadmill.  I was planning to turn myself into a runner via the C25K program.  And I was steering clear of all the cardio machines there, except for an occasional turn on the recumbent bikes.  My, how things have changed.

Back in June, I decided to climb on the elliptical to see how that would go.  And it went well, which was amazing to me because the last time I had been on an elliptical, during my gym orientation, which was at least three years ago, I thought I would die on the elliptical after less than five minutes.  Since that day in June, I have continued to progress on the elliptical, using the different programs to change up my workout.  I have added the ArcTrainer in pretty regularly, and this week, I got on the StairMaster for the first time since my early- to mid-20s.  And I am loving challenging myself and enjoying some variety in my cardio workouts.

This morning, I did 30 minutes on the ArcTrainer, 30 minutes on the StairMaster, and 30 minutes on the elliptical, and it was AWESOME!  I burned over 1000 calories, I sweat BUCKETS, and I felt amazing at the end!  I tried a similar workout earlier this week and actually overdid it, in that I got lightheaded and queasy on the elliptical, I think from hypoglycemia.  I had eaten about 900 calories at that point in the day, and once I burned 900 calories through exercise, my body revolted.  I took care of that today by taking a cue from distance runners who use gels in their runs and eating a Larabar after I was 2/3 of the way done with my workout.  It was PERFECTION.  I felt strong to the finish.

When I was done, I was so proud of my body.  I have been working hard, and it shows when I can get through a rather intense workout like that.  I am certain not up there with elite runners or anything like that, but this is such progress for my former couch potato self, and it was so amazing to feel so strong at the end of my gym session.  And even when my eating is not going as well as it could be, this was a great reminder that the gym is still there for me, and exercise can still feel great!

Make it a great day, everyone!

Long time, no...well, hear from, I guess.

Hello!  I am still here!  I have been struggling a bit YET AGAIN on a plateau, but I am feeling good!  I refuse to believe that my current weight (anywhere from 231 to 234 pounds is my body's "happy weight," but I have not really been seeing the scale making drastic progress in the downward direction.  Of course, I also have not been quite as "on" with the healthy eating (and that has manifested itself in me not being particularly "on" with my blogging), but I have made some progress in the past few weeks.  And the healthy eating will come back...I just have to recommit to it.

I do have to share that I do think that my whole "Mary as a Math Problem" idea has shown some real merit.  In the first two weeks after I put that plan into action, I did lose weight.  I had been hovering at a higher-than-recently 234.5 pounds, and after one week, I was down to 232.5, and the next week, I went down to 230.5, which was the lowest weight I have seen in a while.  Now, after a weekend of excess (beer at some friends', cake at a birthday party, night at the bar, tailgate before a football game), I am no longer at that lowest weight, but it's okay because I know getting back there will be no problem.  I didn't eat/drink 14,000 extra calories, so some of the four pounds hanging on right now are not true pounds.  Getting back on track should get rid of those quickly enough.

And now I have something else to share.  I have decided to apply to be the next priorfatgirl!  This is a contest put on by a blogger I really enjoy who is a prior fat girl (her words, not mine).  Jen lost 100 pounds through improvement in her eating habits and dedication to exercise.  She is offering other bloggers who are working their way toward health the opportunity to join the list of priorfatgirls out there whose only connection to their fat jeans is as a memento that shows them how far they have come.  I have decided to put my application out there because I want to put myself out there.  I don't know that I will be chosen to be the next priorfatgirl, but just sending in my self-nomination is enough for me.  It will be a confirmation to myself that I am DOING THIS (even if the scale this week doesn't really agree)!

Make it a great day, everyone!