EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeanette Balmut has been selected to participate in the Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin, CalFit Manteca and CORE Athletic Performance. Balmut is keeping a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey.

Day 316
Happy Monday!  Here we go….week 46.  I’m feeling ok about last week.  Yes a little over a pound but Mike pointed out that it should come right back off as long as I get right back on track.  I do and it will! 
I meet Javi for training day and he tells me its core day.  We do six different things and then Javi says “let’s see if you can do this?”  Oh no…that doesn’t sound good.  Pretty intimidating when the trainer says “let’s see”.    He has me walk it through nice and slow and I manage to do it and then we have to kick it in gear and do it full speed.  I am holding on to a weighted medicine ball, sitting back onto the half-ball, leaning back over the ball and lifting the medicine ball over my head and then sitting back up and do it over and over again.  Ok, I know I can’t give you the full description of this exercise, let’s just say IT WAS HARD!  Even a few people at the gym came up to me afterwards and said “damn, that looked hard”.  Yep, it was.  Loved it though!
I finish with a mile and half on the treadmill and my final daily challenge. 
I get home and race out the door to go grocery shopping.  I have to restock my good stuff for the week.  Salads, veggies, fruits and a few meats for dinner.  I race home and whip up a quick dinner and call it a night.
Day 317
While at work today I get a burst of energy and decide that when I get home I am going to go running tonight on the streets of Manteca.  I have a package that I have to drop off at the UPS store so I will start by running with the package down to the store and then just keep on going after that.
After dropping off the package in the SaveMart shopping center, I decide to head up Louise Avenue and see how far I can make it.  While running on Louise three of my “followers” see me and honk, wave and shout out encouragement.  It’s seriously the best feeling ever.  I almost feel like Forrest Gump….everyone cheering for me and supporting me in this journey.  I easily make it to Union and just keep on going from there.  I ran to Yosemite and then run down Yosemite.  STILL running, not stopping and just keeping a nice pace. 
I finish with over four miles and honestly, I was barely out of breath.  Barely broke a sweat.  It totally amazes me that this is me, my body, my ability to do this.  Never in a million years would I have thought that I could go out for a four mile plus run and make it, let alone kill it!  I have to admit, I am so damn proud of myself. 
Day 318
I arrive at the gym for my workout with Javi and he tells me its arms day.  We do six different exercises and I finish strong.  Of course Javi is encouraging me the entire time.  I always feel so inspired when I’m done.  It’s really the best feeling you can have.
I finish with a mile and a half incline walk/jog and call it a night.
I get home to a house full of boys that are starving and needing food.  They shout out “pizza” and if you don’t already know….I have been holding out for pizza for months and months.  I can’t tell you how bad I want to eat pizza.  I think I have actually dreamt about it. 
I order the boys two large pizzas and they are delivered quickly.  The boys devour it.  Thank God.  I want the smell to be gone, fast!
Mike and I cook a small steak (one, we split it) and fresh green beans and a salad.  Honestly, I think it was better than the pizza…and no guilt! 
Day 319
Today I have an appointment after work so that means I will have a late work out.  It’s just cardio day so I don’t mind getting to the gym, jumping on one of the machines and going to work for an hour of straight cardio.
Day 320
Friday, training day….here we go.  It’s LEG day.  The dreaded LEG day.   My largest part of me and the biggest muscle I have.  It’s always a killer work out, and today was no exception.  First thing Javi has me do is get up on a platform, balancing on a small pillar and then lower a 30-pound dumbbell between my legs into a squat….30 reps, 3 times.   Then lunges there and back over and over again.  We then move over to the machines where I end up doing three different machines with three sets with 20 reps each.  YEP, it hurt!
I finish with a half hour of running and get in two miles.
I leave dripping with sweat and my face bright red!  You could tell it was a tough workout. 
I race home and shower and head out to meet my sister, brother in-law and our friends at Pete’s.  I splurge with a drink and chicken salad.  YUM!
Day 321
I know today is going to be filled with LOTS of fattening foods.  We are going to the Pac-12 Championships at Levi Stadium.  Starting with a tailgate party…..
I hit the gym, I am the first person there and my goal is to get in four hard and fast miles.  I want to be able to not feel too guilty about what I will be eating today.
I come home and make up breakfast burritos for the road trip and then pack a bunch of good food for the tailgate party.  For me I have turkey wraps, and fresh fruit and nuts and actually not too bad of choices.  Not the best, but better than what I pack for everyone else!
We have a blast at the game and enjoy the night and in the back of my head all I keep thinking about is what we are going to do after the game……WE ARE GOING TO GET PIZZA.  I’m not too familiar with the area so I YELP local pizza parlors and it tells me to go to one in Milpitas that is a five star rating.  Since I have literally been waiting for this moment for 10 months, I want to make sure it’s the best pizza I could possibly have.  YEP, it was.  Everything I had hoped it to be!  It was so worth the wait.
Day 322
I am doing something I rarely if ever do…..I am not going to work out today.  I am still dying from the workout on Friday night.  My butt and legs are killing me.  I hobbled around the stadium yesterday and moaned and groaned getting into the truck, into my seat, sleeping last night and even this morning trying to get in and out of the shower.  Mike has convinced me it’s my body’s way of telling me that I need a day of rest to recover from such a hard workout.  OK, I will give it a rest!
I meet my girlfriends for lunch in Livermore.  I have a breakfast scramble and enjoy it.  Not the best for my diet, but not the worst.  No cheese!  One good thing, right!
I park as far away as I can and walk up and down First Street three times.  A little bit of exercise.
I come home, do some grocery shopping and then come home to a pork loin that I put in the crockpot this morning. 
I am nervous to step on the scale after a weekend like this weekend.  I think I will wait till tomorrow morning so I don’t freak myself out to where I can’t sleep.  I will let you know the outcome!
The countdown is on….we have six weeks left.  It seems crazy to me to think that this year is almost over.  I’m sad to be honest.  I absolutely love everything about this challenge.  I look back at how terrified I was to start, how nervous and embarrassed for you all to see my weight, my measurements, and my story.  And just like my hubby said, once it’s out and everyone knows, you will never have to say that weight again…its only “down” from there.  Sure enough he was right.  I can’t believe how much I have changed in one year.  Yes, it’s me who has done the work but without the support I have received, I seriously could not have done it.  THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!!