[Gemme]

Yesterday was a big step day for me....over 12,000! My average work day is around 7000-7500 and my average off day at home is usually about 2000-2500 steps. It's not that I'm not doing anything; it's just that I'm usually organizing or sorting stuff and my pedometer doesn't register side to side or rounded movements.

I have the weekend off so I expect my numbers to be low at least one of the days but I have plans for the kitchen so intentional movement will commence.

Previously, I mentioned I was working on my sugar intake. I've always been concerned about it since diabetes runs in my family but not enough to do anything about it, because I'm a self-diagnosed sugar-holic and I wanted sweet stuff so I ate and drank sweet stuff. The sweeter the better. I suppose we all are, at least initially, as mother's milk has sugars in it and that helps to set our palates.

I read a book last month that I've had on my shelf for years. Years! And I never opened it. You can lead a horse to water....right? Anywho, I read this book called The Sugar Smart Diet and it's really changed the way I look at what I put into my body. I read labels more carefully and am starting to turn into that crazy lady in the grocery store that talks to the products. I'm pretty sure I asked a prepared bag of salad if it was kidding me and told another one to take a hike. To be fair, it's not the book since I talk to my car all the time. I keep waiting for that Disney moment when something comes alive and sings a song.

So, I'm starting to avoid added sugars like the plague and really pick and choose what other sugars I put into my body since women should only have about 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar per day. I was very surprised how fast that adds up. I knew sugar was in pasta sauce and salad dressing and bbq sauce and ketchup and many, many other savory flavored foods and condiments but I didn't realize just how much it was.

I'm not doing the diet itself because it requires you cut sugar cold turkey for about a week but I am becoming more vigilant about the sugars I choose to take in and it's paying off. It's been almost 6 weeks and I've dropped 10lbs with no additional effort other than having arguments with myself as to what I want and what I should have to eat, especially at night. That's my weak time.

Next month, I want to add in a couple days at the gym. Nothing crazy; just my old friend the elliptical. I won't have much time since I'll be doing 50+ hour work weeks soon but my gym is 24 hours so with some adjustments to my schedule, I really think I can knock another 10lbs off the scale. That's my plan, anyway.