Reasons not to Give Up

This photo has nothing to do with the exercise article that follows this graph. Well, I guess i could say it was a treat after walking 22 miles last week. I don't treat myself with food but we were in a cupcake store and I decided to try their black forest flavor. Good stuff!

I gained 1 pound since last week and I can say I didn't follow my menus to heart (didn't measure what I had for dinner, splurged last weekend - here's a photo to prove it - you name it. I hate the fluctuations in weight but I can't give up. I was frustrated yesterday so I didn't come up with a menu. Reaching my goal of 26 miles this week has kept me going. Writing down food, the whole prep, is a little too much now. Let's face it, I'm still getting used to being a new mom to a new baby. By the way, he's 9 pounds and 4 ounces! He measures 22 inches and did awesome on his 2 month well baby appointment.

Going back to me, I'm not giving up on weight loss process. This morning (the third time I woke up) I had a dream that I was back at my normal weight. That gave me a lot of hope that with patience and perseverance it can be achieved, I just have to stick with something and be flexible.

Here's an article from the Mayo Clinic:
10 Reasons to exercise article.

Aerobic activity can help you:

Keep excess pounds at bay. Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight — and keep it off.

Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.

Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system. This leaves you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.

Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure and control blood sugar. If you've had a heart attack, aerobic exercise helps prevent subsequent attacks.

Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.

Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. The potential result? Less buildup of plaques in your arteries.

Boost your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.

Stay active and independent as you get older. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week seems to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

Live longer. People who participate in regular aerobic exercise appear to live longer than those who don't exercise regularly.

My Goals for this Week:
{1} Walk 26 miles; 19 to go!
{2} Get the correct amounts of protein, dairy, veggies, fruits, grains and water daily;
{3} Focus on behavior change, not on the numbers on the scale. Weigh in once a week on Tuesdays (06/30/09 - 178.2 lbs)