Sorry this will be long-

Since Andrea wants progress here you go.

I started the challenge because a year ago I was put on a diet by my doctor. In 5 months time I lost 40 lbs. and 39 1/2 inches.

By July I had gained 12 lbs. and 6 inches.

The Wellness Challenge came right at the time I was beating myself up for the weight gain and the inches.

Women need to get over loss of weight. It's the inches that count. I just weighed myself and what my weight is now by tonight I will have gained 3 lbs. That's the way our bodies work.

So, that was the number 1 thing I learned on my diet was don't look at the weight, look at the inches.

This is what you tape measure. Neck, upper arms, bust, rib cage (just below the bust), waist (about 6 inches below the rib cage), abdomen (12 inches below the rib cage, I measure around my belly button), buttock, thighs, calf's, and the upper knee (It's amazing how big the upper knee is).

You set up a 30 day calendar. You only measure and weigh yourself on Day 1, 8, 18 and 30. The next month day one is the day 30 of the previous month.

You total the inches, then add or subtract the loss of inches to date, then the weight, and the lost to date weight.

Since I started the challenge I have loss 9 lbs. and 7 1/2 inches. I am 1 lb. away from the lowest weight that I loss on the diet and 2 inches away.

Now, here is the irony. Last February when I was at my lowest weight and inches on THE DIET I maybe received a handful of comments through out the whole diet. I'm telling you it was a good thing I was going to the Doctor to receive my praises because if I was relying on others I would have quit a long time ago. Of course my opinion of myself is the only thing that matters but at that time in my life my self esteem was ZERO.

Now I'm on this challenge. You should here the compliments, which self esteem wise I'm doing pretty good but here come the compliments and I'm thinking where were you 6 months ago?

The difference between The Diet and this Wellness Challenge is the Wellness part. It's physical and spiritual balance that this challenge is all about and I do feel a great balance in my life. 6 months ago I wasn't very balanced mentally (you looked at me wrong and I would feel like crying).

I think we have to listen to our bodies. Monday and Tuesday I was starving. I have a set plan each day of what and when I eat but not those 2 days. The difference was what I ate to fulfill the hunger. In the past it would have been junk food. I must say the seconds on the meals on those 2 days tasted good but my body for some reason needed it. So, 2 days of eating more than I usually do is okay, because like I said I was starving.

What I need control over is my Sugar Saturdays. I take my freebie on Saturday for sugar. By Saturday night I'm on sugar overload and am sick. I have a goal for tomorrow. Moderation in all things. Crossing my fingers and toes that it works.

There's my novel. I don't know if this helps any one but I feel pretty good.

Hang in there you Challenge Ladies and Man. We are down to what 10?

I think we should all pat ourselves on our backs or come over and I'll do it for you.

Marianne