Success!

As of yesterday, I've officially completed my first month of Achieve. Yesterday was my first day of Lifestyle classes, in which we talk about different topics each week, rather than just learning the basics of the Achieve lifestyle. The good news is...I LOST FOUR POUNDS LAST WEEK! The bad news is...I think at least one of those pounds is a false loss, because now, my meetings are earlier (5:45pm instead of 7:30pm), and I don't eat dinner beforehand. I'll take it, though! ;) That means I lost 8.4 pounds in 4 weeks! It was a little surprising, because on Saturday, I had a total hog trough day. In other words, I ate a TON. I went to 100 Men Who Cook, which is a charity where, well, 100 men cook. They all bring a special dish, and you can try as many as you'd like. I probably barely even tried 20, but they were all delicious.

Since I've completed my first month, I want to go back and review! This past week, I didn't quite meet all the goals that I set in my last blog. I did have 6 healthy days, and I did start trying to drink apple cider vinegar! My favorite recipe from my 6 healthy days was a lasagna that I modified from a couple different recipes to make it work for Achieve. I did not work out 3 times. I had a great run/jog/walk one day (2.9 miles in 34 minutes), and I did a Pound workout another day. I got lazy over the weekend and I didn't get to number three. I've decided to keep my goal of working out 3 times weekly until I can do it for 3 weeks in a row. Then, I want to move up to four!

Can you believe this is HEALTHY lasagna?!

Now, here's a little review of a few things from all of the past 4 weeks.

My Successes:
-Gaining energy
-Losing 8.4 lbs in 4 weeks
-Making food prep a habit
-Drinking around 20 glasses of water per day

My Failures: 
-Gaining weight on week 3
-Typically indulging a little too much on junk days
-Not working out enough

Favorite Recipes and/or Products:
-Pasta with fiber gourmet pastas and carba-nada pastas
-Turkey Chili Dog Casserole
-Beef Burritos (made with lean beef and low carb tortillas)
-Wraps with chicken breast strips, veggies, fat-free cheese, and Olive Garden Light Dressing
-Healthy Chicken Mozzarella with home made bread crumbs
-Modified Lasagna (Get the RECIPE!)

One of the best things that I've learned about myself through this process is that I actually DO have self-control. I've been spending all this time making excuses and saying that I'm giving in because I just don't have enough self-control. NOT TRUE. Not once in the whole month have I given into temptations at work or otherwise on a healthy day. Not even ONE leftover Reese cup from Easter...and those are my absolute favorite. ;) Another thing I've learned is that I kinda sorta actually LIKE salads. I don't usually crave salads, but I've learned that they're really satisfying. This is new. In the past, I've always felt unsatisfied after eating a salad. Maybe it was a mental thing, but I never used to feel full. Now that I've been eating so many vegetables on a regular basis, my tastes have begun to change!

Seriously, if I can lose over 8 lbs in 4 weeks, I think anyone can. Anyone out there that's struggling, just know that you're not alone. I gained weight in week 3 of my first month, and I'm sure I'll gain weight again a few times in the coming weeks and months. I am even giving in and having 2 junk days (instead of my usual 1) this week, because, well, I have a life. :P The best thing I've learned is that it IS possible to have fun, have a life, indulge in your cravings, AND STILL lose weight.

Here's to a healthy week!