Sickness Strikes, New Challenge

Over the weekend I was perfect, staying on track and I didn't splurge at all.  I kept everything in moderation and I was ready to rock this week as well.  Monday was going just swimmingly until the afternoon, and then I had an incredibly stressful event that happened in the family which I'm not going to get into here, but it was too much for me and I went into my downward spiral of emotional eating.  By Monday evening I had ruined everything I had worked so hard to accomplish that day.  Tuesday was even worse, I stress ate everything in site.  I went through all the cookies in the freezer, and all the brownies I made the other day.  It was bad, really bad.  Although we got the issues worked out near the middle of the day I was still feeling a bit depressed and I didn't eat well or exercise at all yesterday.  Today, everyone in the family is sick.  Lily has diarrhea, Chloe isn't eating and is being very clingy, and Matt's stomach hurts.  I'm tired, and feel like I'm in a fog.  So today and tomorrow will also be down days.

But I am looking forward to the the future.  I have made a plan that will hopefully take me to my goal weight in the next 3 months.  Or at least hopefully into the 120s.  I have created a three month challenge for myself starting August 1st.  The plan basically is to do Turbo Fire for exercise, and to continue eating at 1750 calories a day.  But there are lots of aspects to the challenge I am making for myself.  If I complete each month successfully then I get a prize at the end.  For Month 1 it is the Turbo Fire advanced pack, For month 2 it is the Chalean Extreme advanced pack, and for month 3 it is a new complete outfit (complete with jewelry and shoes and jackets if needed).  I'm also giving myself small prizes for each successful week completed like buying a song on itunes.  That is just to help me keep up my motivation.  It will be 13 weeks long and here are the rules

• Drink 8 oz water every day
• Don't go over 1750 calories a day (tracking calories)
• Follow the Workout schedule- exercise 5 to 6 days a week
• NO SCALE ALLOWED
• Allowed to take pictures and measurements only at the end of each month
• All baking done with healthier ingredients such as applesauce, coconut oil, whole wheat, and coconut or date sugar
• Do a physical activity with the kids 5-6 days a week

Those are the basic rules an then I have a focus challenge each week to spice things up.  Notice how I have left it pretty open as far as food goes.  There is no food that is off limits, just if I bake, it has to be healthier baking.  The no scale allowed is in there because I am so ruled by the scale and if my weight is up I get depressed and over eat and if my weight is down I think I am doing well and I can eat whatever I want and I get upset.  So the scale is out for three whole months and then I will see where I am after that!  If I can follow through for all three months I should be in a very good place.
This will help me break out of my overeating cycle as well since I am not allowed to go over 1750 calories a day.  I have posted motivational quotes all over my house to help keep me motivated.  My favorite is "Suck it up and one day you won't have to Suck it in".  It makes me laugh every time I see it.

source

 So that starts on Thursday and I am also hoping to write every day during the challenge to document how the challenge is going.  I am hoping that the weekly prizes, monthly prizes, and weekly challenges will create enough "new" aspects and change it up enough to keep me motivated throughout the whole challenge.  I tend to peter off at the end of challenges because I get tired of doing them, but if I have something different to focus on each week that helps to keep it fresh and exciting.  It's like a mini challenge within the challenge.  One more day to kick this sickness, and hopefully we will all be feeling better by Friday morning.  It doesn't seem too serious right now but you never know what is going to happen.