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Let the celebration begin! I can’t believe it! I stayed in calorie count though I went to a party and ate high calorie food. (I found I didn’t want very many sweets. I hear that as BeNew reshapes your nutrition this is part of the positive change, less sugar cravings! Yay!)

So much of being able to eat reasonable calorie counts and still lose weigh is about MOVEMENT. Exercise, baby! And it doesn’t have to be sweaty, pounding exercise. Just a walk. Or a swim. Or SOMETHING.

MANY people at the party commented on how much I’d lost. It’s fun to see the sparkle in Jerry’s eyes. He’s so proud of me. I felt better than I had in a long time and had a blast at the party.

This whole exercise/calories burn thing is confusing. At first I thought I burned more calories simply if I walked further, but that wasn’t always coming up true on my exercise app (I use Map My Run, but I’ve heard there’s also a Map My Walk).

Then I thought maybe it had to do with not only how far I walked, but how fast. But that wasn’t panning out either. I finally figured out that terrain also comes into play, for example, I burn more calories when I walk the route that takes me up and down smaller hills than I do when I climb up the very long hill (which is over a mile, I think) and then walk back down it. But I do burn more if I walk faster, too.            ~ December 10, 2012

Real Time Update:

http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Sculpt-Pilates/dp/B002UQ1HPO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1361227322&sr=8-6&keywords=ten+minute+solutions+pilates

I’ve done Pilates twice this week! It’s the first time in over a year. I couldn’t handle such exercise after my car accidents. I feel it in my neck and a little in my upper back, but I’m trying to give it a chance by modifying how I hold my head so as to put less strain on my neck. Just pulling out that DVD felt like a HUGE step forward in fully regaining my life.

Another huge step forward is that I actually wrote fiction this week–three whole chapters! Another first since that second accident last June.

The third huge step is returning to full responsibilities with my job as coordinator for ACFW Colorado, another ball I had to lay down after that last accident.

Now comes a new struggle with weight loss. Continuing BALANCE now that I am able to return to a full schedule with all the responsibilities I had set aside as I fought for healing and health after the car wrecks.

My head still acts up with extended time at the computer, so that helps me take breaks, but last week I still pushed too hard and didn’t keep to the goal of my (almost) daily walk. I’m determined to do better this week. I need the sunshine, the movement, the alone time with God and nature.

What About You?

Do you have a favorite exercise DVD or app? How do you find balance?

Tagged: benew, calories, celebrate, DVD, exercise, exercise apps, movement, parties, pilates, weight loss