Week 8

Yes, I am right in the middle of my 12 week program. I am counting down to the last week which will be week 1.

In the last few weeks things have been working well. I have been losing an average of two pounds per week. Never being one to whine endlessly, I started this before I told anyone about it.

Being strict with what I eat has not been easy. Some days and this week, I have had to indulge in a few carbs. If I don’t it will bother me too much and I will over indulge later. I made sure to keep the portions low, and not keep eating. Also making sure to keep up with supplements and drinking plenty of water.

The exercise has been coming along well. Already I am used to practicing for upcoming dances. I still have a performance to get ready for, and last week I was able to substitute for my belly dancing teacher when she needed the night off. That was change and gave me a new reason to keep going.

This week the reason to keep going is the countdown to my dance. It will again be at the Coffee Haven in Long Beach on the 27th of this month. For that evening I will be in a different costume that usual. At Cairo Caravan I picked up some new outfits, none of which I have used in an act yet, though I have used some of them in everyday life. It helps to have something different to wear that no one else has. Another challenge for this act will be dancing in heels something I have never done.

With all this it may seem easy to get going and some days it is. Others I really have to push myself to practice before work. In that I am really lucky, I have a job that starts late and I have time to dance and exercise before going into my office.

Keeping up with my routine is not just important for me, but others around me. If I am off my game the office, and the house all suffer. While that is a good thing, it can also seem like I can’t ever just be lazy and just say, “never mind”. It does make it demanding for me. I can honestly say, sometimes I feel like I am drowning in my own schedule, it passes. Once I get through the day and look back at all I was able to get done I feel so much better.

Karl Lagerfeild works so hard “To show the others how worthless they are.”

Working hard has its own rewards; I do not want to show others they are worthless, I just feel it’s better to lead by example. When I’m on my game others around me may be encouraged to do the same.