Round Two Update

Well, round two of the biggest loser has not gone as planned. And I don't like it when things do not go as planned, but I've had to let something go, and unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how I look at it) it has been this summer contest. I has an idea that the summer was going to be difficult to focus as intensely and I was right. I started off pretty well, then was plagued by some minor set-backs such as a slightly sprained ankle and a husband gone for three weeks...and then a few major ones. Without going into too much detail I've had some emotional issues spring up, seemingly out of the blue and then some intense extended family events which has led to some strain for my parents and the entire family. It's really hard to stay focused on myself when things are happening that seem out of my control. I've wanted instead to spend a lot of time with my family and go on fun outings or stay at home and hang out rather than go to the gym. Here we are at the botanical garden by the Ballard Locks and Wyatt and Paul on the Fremont Troll.

It's fun to explore your own city. For example, we'd never been to the Olympic Sculpture Park down by the waterfront near the Pacific Science Center. It's amazing and someplace we will come to again and again, I'm sure. 

To top everything off, I got a text from my trainer a few weeks ago that said he'd gotten a promotion and was going to be heading the training team at another gym. I am so happy for him, of course, but also pretty devastated to basically start over with someone new. It took me a few weeks to deal with that and finally show my face at the gym again. I told the training leader I was not going to finish the contest and he seemed genuinely hurt (honestly I wish I could have taken a picture of his facial expression), but I just feel it is the right thing to do at this point. He set me up with a new trainer, Carmen. She is a gorgeous woman of 45, and has just started a modeling career as well as a training career and calls herself a "late-bloomer". What an inspiration! And she honestly looks like this on a regular day with a little less make-up and hair product.

I think she will be a good trainer for me. She only trains women and we talked a lot about some of my emotional things and how those can effect me physically. I suppose the good news is that I hadn't gained much weight...a few pounds from my last weigh-in, so I was happy about that.

I don't want to let my summer choices seem like an excuse. I made the choice to go to the gym only a few times and to eat more sugar and less healthy. But, I'm feeling good about the next few months. I'd like to get back on a routine with my eating plan and exercise and work on losing about 20 pounds before my 41st birthday in October.