5 More.

...Wow! I can actually say I'm starting to feel good about myself! I'm not fat, I know that....so don't get me wrong and think that is what I'm saying, cuz that would be false. But I just haven't been feeling that great about how my body is starting to feel with not running as much/hard as I used to when I was on my high school cross country and track teams. College does that to ya...it was hard to want to find the time to go out for a run sometimes.

Another thing is I am a junk-aholic, or a "junk freak" as my mother likes to call it :) I tend to have little candies (i.e. starbursts, jolly ranchers, etc) in my purse most of the time or I just snack at home whenever, even when I am not necessarily hungry. At the beginning of the summer I made a goal for myself: I was going to lose 10 pounds. This meant I needed to run more and eat better. I made a list of things I needed to do in order to reach this goal:

1. Drink more water

2. Don't take 2nds at mealtime (and not HUGE first portions)

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables/less carbs and fats

4. Run! Run! Run!

5. Be happy :)

Well, let me just say...I only have about 2 weeks left of summer before I go back to school and I still hadn't made much progress. I have been drinking more water, running with my aunt and training for my first half marathon (which is next Friday, bytheway!) and I eat lots of fruit and veggies as well and whatnot, but I think I still have a big appetite!

So, a little over a week ago, I made a decision with my mom: we were going to cut back on candy and sugary foods like brownies, cookies and ice cream. We made a challenge together. For a week straight we weren't going to eat ANY candy, or sugary foods. If we did eat something small (like a piece of candy, or cinnamon bear) we owed each other $1. If we had something bigger (like a shake from our favorite ice cream place, or a piece of cake, or cookies) we had to pay the other person the price it cost us for the shake or an approximate for something without a price. Let me tell you: this past week was HARD! But we both did it, and my mom only had to pay me $1 ;) So last night to celebrate this one week, we treated ourselves to Artic Circle, strawberry-banana shakes. Mmm... we did feel kinda sick afterwards, but that just made us laugh! It was a good time.

Can I just tell you that this little change in my diet has made so much difference!? And I feel great! I have lost 4-5 pounds in the process....so only 5 more to go before I go back to college! For a while I really didn't think I would be able to get back down to where I used to be, and where I could be comfortable in my own skin....but now I've seen the light! :) And it was fun to do with my mama; so bring on week TWO!