May Day Challenge begins

Last night I went to the gym and got my new measurements and body fat percentage. I thought I wasn't going to be able to get those until tomorrow and therefore not be ready for the challenge starting today, but here I am.

As of yesterday I'm still 15 lbs over my ideal pre-pregnancy weight, but my body fat percentage has gone down by 2.2% since the beginning of March. I think this bodes well for success in this challenge.

Here are my goals: I want my body fat % to be down around 19%. It is currently 22.5%. I want to lose 3-5 inches off my hips so I can fit into all of my old pants and skirts. I'd also like to lose a few inches off of my waist and thighs. I plan to do all of this through healthy eating and exercise. I am a diet failure and won't subject myself to that sort of torture. The 15 remaining pregnancy pounds can go or stay as long as my muscle mass increases and I get more toned.

My biggest weaknesses are savory foods like french fries and pretzels. My goal is to cut them out of my diet. Dr. Pepper is also my archenemy when it comes to empty calories, but I know better than to think I can give him up. I have stopped buying all kinds of desserts and have stocked my fridge with fresh organic veggies. the freezer is also stocked full so that I have no excuse for coming home from the gym and saying, "There's nothing for dinner in the house. Let's just order a pizza."

My workout plan is the same as I have been doing for the past few weeks. I go to the gym to lift weights on Monday and Wednesday nights with my personal trainer. On Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings I go to the kickboxing studio to work out. Working out five days a week may sound excessive, but I always feel better when I'm done and nothing promotes a good self image as much as self confidence.