Fitness Friday: An Update of My Awesomeness

This week, Brenda at The Family Revised had a pretty busy week mopping up--not one but two--water disasters, so she suggested, as this week's challenge, we post about our own awesomeness in our quest for fitness.

I don't know how awesome I'm doing, exactly, but I do know that I've come a long way over the past several weeks.  I've given myself very little slack, knowing that my body is so very used to poor methods of weight loss, not to mention a history of eating and exercise disorders, that I'm sure it doesn't take me seriously unless I apply a lot of stress, and consistently.  

For the last several weeks, I've been exercising six to seven days each week, both rotating and combining circuit training, step aerobics, free weights, and running.  Last night, I encountered such a milestone that brought so much encouragement to my heart and limbs that I must share it!!  

I have a favorite VHS tape from my younger days of do-it-yourself buffness: 

Gilad's Step and Tone Workout incorporates step aerobics and hand weights, creating a lot of stress on major muscles and burning massive numbers of calories.  It's a pretty tough tape, which never fails to wipe me out, even during those days of long-ago physical glory, so when my husb'd saw me pull this tape out of my not-as-dusty exercise tape collection last night, he looked uber-concerned and said, "Aw, Honey, you're gonna kill yourself."  

Three weeks ago, I couldn't even finish the tape without hand-weights, and last week I nearly cried while wearing 1.5-lb. hand-weights, stopping every few minutes for water and oxygen; but yesterday, I not only finished the tape and well, but I was able to carry 3-lb. hand-weights the entire time!!  Okay, I still cried, but I totally made it across the finish line still standing---Awesome!!

Last week, I told you how I recently joined Weight Watchers Online, which I believe is going to be the best part of my awesomeness!!  Although it was hard to keep within my allowed points range while the in-laws were here, with all the eating in and out that occurred, this second week has been....you know....awesome!!  Not only have I stayed easily within my points range, but I have yet to use any of those "extra" points given or "cash in" a single point from those I earn every time I cry sweat.  

Before Weight Watchers Online helped me to rethink portion sizes ((truly small and frequent meals)), I had yet to lose one pound, although I was exercising with a vengeance and often.  But during my very first week, the week in which I struggled with making smart choices while entertaining well the in-laws, I lost 1.5-lbs!!  And, this week, the week in which I got a fat chalk mark on my weight bench with Gilad, I lost an additional 2-lbs!!  I cannot tell you how thrilled I am, since I am NOT one of those gals who fluctuates from day to day.  No, when my body lets go of even an ounce, it's for real.

Say it with me:  A W E S O M E!!

So, although I don't really think anyone or anything is AWESOME other than the Holy One, dontcha think Brenda is a whole lotta fun?  How do you celebrate when you reach a milestone you never yet imagined? What non-calorie rewards have you used for pampering yourself when you really need or ((dare I say?!)) deserve it?

Be inspired: read more fitness tales of wonder at The Family Revised.