Editor’s Note: Susan McCreath has been selected to participate in the Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin and CORE Athletic Performance. McCreath is keeping a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey. These are her thoughts and feelings shared with you.



Day 202

My butt will never be the same after that butt lift/glute lift thing Jake had us do on the wall tonight. And I might add that the burning cramp in the hamstrings was the icing on top. I’m thinking that doing a few more hundred of those things will shrink me down a jean size. I can hardly wait to feel the results on the stairs tomorrow morning ... or the pain of sitting!



Day 203

Hmmm, not too sore! Just enough twingeness to know that I did work out, but not enough to make me moan every time I sit. Super busy at work, which makes me go too long between eating. I didn’t eat lunch until 2 today and after inhaling my food because I was so hungry, I did not have that satisfied feeling. That led me to eat my afternoon snack right after my lunch. Thankfully, that satisfied me and allowed me to hold on until dinner time.



Day 204

I’ve really been fretting over how the scale is not moving, but I know that I am shrinking because of my clothing size. Tonight after class I had a few people tell me that they can really tell that I have been losing weight and they wanted to know how much I had lost. I told them that the scale has been stuck, but that the inches have been coming off. They both shared how the same thing happened to them and that I should just throw the scale away. That’s easier said than done!



Day 205

Since I got my new office at work, I have debated whether I should have a candy dish in it. I decided to have one, but it sits on a side table well out of reach. It is definitely a hit with the staff and I am quite proud to say that I have been successful staying away from it. However today I started thinking about this: What if I put a fruit basket in my office? Would staff members be as inclined to grab an apple, banana, or orange just as they grab a Twix or Snickers bar?



Day 206

After a long week at work it was time to go out for dinner. The family decided on Mexican food. Recently, my husband and I have been splitting a meal when we go out to eat, but tonight we didn’t share. We did decide though that we would only eat half of what was on our plates and then take the rest home for lunch/dinner the following day. I am proud to say that I held up my end of the agreement!



Day 207

New workout — moving day! I’m sure I must have gone up and down my stairs at least 100 times carrying boxes and furniture. I was impressed by my stamina, though, something that I know is a result of my journey thus far this year.



Day 208

The moving workout continues! Up and down the stairs, lifting, squatting, bending and twisting. Luckily this workout is over and I can head back to boot camp tomorrow.