Day 169 Hot 100 Wrap Up, A Big Accomplishment, My Final Weigh In, and A Fond Farewell

Happy New Year's Eve! I have to tell everyone, I am more excited this New Year's Eve than I can ever remember being on any previous NYE! I am heading into 2011 riding the biggest wave of success I have ever seen in one year and it looks as though God is going to keep on blessing me more than I deserve in 2011. I love that Guy!

Today is the wrap up of the Hot 100 which I managed to miss updating last week. It is not a good excuse, but I just got busy and didn't do it. I am out of the running for the prizes, but honestly, I am ok with that to be honest. I really am just glad to have been motivated by this challenge. It set me on the path to some really great accomplishments for the holiday season. My goals were to:

1. be down to 240 by December 31st, 2010 (later amended to 210)

2. eat more fruits and vegetables for the last 100 days

3. get my 5k time below 40 minutes (later amended to walk an average of 4 miles a day)

4. not eat white bread or white bread dyed to look like wheat bread.

I think I rocked each and every one of those goals excepting the white bread one because I kept finding out things were white bread besides sandwich bread, and I kept forgetting those things that were not really white bread were essentially white bread. I didn't pig out on any of those things, but still. In terms of the vegetables and fruits, rocked it. On the 240 pounds, killed it. The amendment was for 210. I weighed this morning and unfortunately, I was not able to meet the amended goal. I did however get to 212 pounds! At first, I will admit I was a little disappointed, but then this fact dawned on me. I lost 14 frikkin' pounds throughout the 6 week holiday season!! I mean really? Not making 210 is that bad? No, it is not. I would wager 500 dollars that last year during this period, I put on 10 pounds!! So yeah, I am going to call that a success.

But that is not even the 2010 success I am hanging my hat on. I am so excited just typing this! So, I amended the 5k goal to walk 4 miles a day average right? Well I am known for being hard headed, and I just couldn't let that go. So over the last three weeks or so, I have been "kinda" training on my jogging on the treadmill. On Monday this week, I decided that I was going to see what I was made of today, the last day I had given myself to get that done. I did it! I ran 3.1 miles in 39 minutes, 18 seconds!!! I almost quit twice but I just kept it up, kept pushing for 2.5 miles. I knew if I could get there, I would make it the whole way. I got there, but man I was getting worn out. I was jogging at 4.8 miles an hour, .6 miles an hour faster than I ever had before. I kept an eye on my time to see if maybe I could slow down a little to finish out, but it didn't look good for my goal. Finally at 2.9 miles, I knew I would make it if I stayed at that pace, so I set my mind and kept on pushing. And voila!! I was so happy to hit that stop button, but I was ecstatic to see that number! I was bushed, I was wiped out, I was sweaty, my heart was racing, but I did it! In a related note, I was also shocked at how quickly my heart rate leveled out after I was finished. I have to admit, I am apparently in much better shape that I was when I started walking at Wal Mart for a mile and a half in 33 minutes. Score!!

So with all the preceding in mind, and all the blessings I have blogged about over the past few months, it is with an attitude of gratitude I bid 2010 Farewell. In 20 years, I will always remember this year as the one I made the decision to change my life and lifestyle. This year will always hold a fondness in my heart, regardless of whatever else I may accomplish from this point forward. Thank you 2010 for all the memories you will hold for me.