Going Down?

It's been a little more than five weeks since I mentioned some healthy changes I was making in my life. I've had some great improvements in habits that I'd let slide and even had some progress in a few areas that I never really cared about before. Here's a little wrap up of how I'm doing.

I've greatly increased my water consumption. Thanks to a couple flavored, sugar-free water additives, I've got some variety. It sure makes it go down quicker!

• A great side-effect of this is that I've also reined in my caffeine intake. Without creating too much drama in the mornings, happily.
  
• Therefore, my beloved sugar-free hazelnut creamer is lasting longer around here.
• Which in turn now helps my grocery budget. Whew - broad sweeping results from one little change! :)

I take Li'l Empress for walks around our neighborhood as often as I can manage. The added benefits here are many:

• If I'm patient enough to let her walk, she burns off some great energy (especially helpful while she's been teething!).
• LadyBug and BBE often come with me, using up their apparently BOUNDLESS stores of energy also.
• Many times, I can even get The Boss to come along and its nice to hold hands with him while the little ones push the stroller.
• I've already met three neighbors who are regular walkers also.
• I'm getting some really great landscaping ideas and finding all kinds of pretty plants to add to my "wish list."

I've decreased my portions and increased my veggies and fruits. This is not usually a problem for me, as I love most fruits and vegetables anyway. But I have been inspired to try some different ones and make them more of a centerpiece in our meal planning. I will admit, not all of the Gang members are on board with this particular change. Yet.

Finally, the best part. When I weighed in at my weekly WW meeting this morning, the scale registered a glorious total of 5.8 lbs lost. Finally. I've had some really "blah" weeks of scale numbers: some ups , some downs and some break-evens. My body is weird that way, and I just have to be settled in my heart that the weekly weigh-in is not always going to consistently go down. Over the years, I've had to REHEARSE in my mind that a several week average is far more accurate. So, 5.8 lbs in 5 weeks is GREAT with me.

I'm particularly excited about some potential changes that are coming down the pike for The Gang in the next few weeks (beside the pool FINALLY getting warm enough to swim in for more than 30 seconds!). These changes, I hope, will bring some added accountability and incentive to keep moving and stay focused. But that news will have to wait for another post.

And just because I'm counting, today's little icing on the cake (fat free of course!) is that I'm well on my way to my 10% goal.