SELF challenge

Today begins my participation in the SELF challenge. This plan is based on 3 months of healthy eating, cardio workouts, and strength/ab toning. The funny thing is, I'm already doing all those things! But I've really lost my motivation lately. For the first time in a year, I took a whole week off from exercise (I regularly work out 5-6 days/week). I also stopped weighing myself every day. So imagine my surprise when I stepped on the scale for my weekly Saturday weigh-in to discover that I actually lost 1 lb. (and I even have PMS!). Very weird. Research shows that stress leads to cortisol build-up and the storage of extra fat in the belly, and now I believe it. I swear to you that my tummy feels flatter in my jeans since I quit worrying so much about that number on the scale.

I guess I needed a break to regroup and relax; I was putting entirely too much pressure on myself. When I saw that I wasn't losing any more weight, I worked out more (in a panicked frenzy) and ate less (which made me grumpier), and I ended up feeling worse than ever! My goal now is to de-stress and stick with my healthy habits. Hopefully, the SELF challenge will be a fun way to get back on track.