I can and I will

Today I saw some mild excitement in my preparation for my first footrace on Monday. I completed the distance on a treadmill!

Ok, so not that big of a deal, but it was to me. I did a full warm up, then reset the machine for 3.2 miles (about 5K) and ran the whole thing. I slowed to a light trot once to get a drink of water. It was HARD, but I did it, so now I know I can complete the 5K on site, even if I have to walk a bit. My time on the treadmill was 36:59...so, realistically, 37 minutes. If I finish in 45 I'll be happy.

I'm sure some readers are wondering if I'm packing on the pounds (as is so common in people who lose a great deal) since I haven't been posting on my progress lately. Well, fear not. Progress has stalled for a while (ok, several months!) but it is ongoing. I've held steady in a 5 pound range since the beginning of the year, and am slowly working my back down to my all-time low. When I get there, I will strongly focus on maintenance for a while. Who knows, maybe that'll be when my metabolism kicks back in.

I heard this story on NPR last night and started to wonder if my "genetic disposition" wasn't what had me stalled. But I haven't even reached a "healthy" BMI yet. I'm not going for Hollywood thin, just medically healthy thin. I can't imagine that a human being would be genetically disposed to never weigh a healthy weight. A BMI of under 25 will be 158...about 12 lbs to go. I'm still shooting for 155. Not terrifically thin for a woman of 5'8", but not what anyone outside of California would call fat either.

Some friends are concerned, saying I've reached thin and don't need to continue to lose, but I still see plenty of junk on my thighs and upper arms, and even a bit on the belly. I'd love it if my calves slimmed down, but even I can see that they are muscular, not fat. I do love the tight cords of muscle I feel where my love handles used to be. I adore the fact that when I have girl cramps my first instinct is not to eat away the pain, but to grab a Pilates DVD and let my muscles massage my belly. Training for this race has helped tighten things up, and I hope to continue to do so.