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 295 
Good Monday morning!  Week 43.  This week I will hit 300 days on this journey.  It  doesn’t seem possible.  Not much has changed; I am still dedicated and determined.  I am still going to the gym DAILY and eating right as well as preparing my meals, doing my weight training and my cardio.  Unfortunately the weight is stagnant and I am not losing weight, but I do feel like my body is changing drastically.  I am smaller all over; my shirts and my pants are smaller.  I even bought a size MEDIUM long sleeve shirt.  Can you believe that? A MEDIUM!  I honestly can’t remember the last time I wore a medium in anything!  That is the best feeling ever.
I head to the gym after work and instead of working with Javi first, I do 40 minutes of cardio on my own.  I have a meeting at 5pm so I have to get my complete workout before then.  So I do my cardio and then my daily challenge.  Now it’s time to meet with Javi.  Javi informs me its STRENGTH TRAINING DAY.  That means HEAVY WEIGHT and lots of reps.  Oh my goodness.  It was so hard.  I did deadlifts and squats with weights, pulls ups and clean and jerks.  I was dripping with sweat. 

Day 296 
Another evening appointment calls for an early morning workout.  Cardio and challenge for me and race home to shower and get to work.
I get home to barbecued chicken and roasted Brussel sprouts with garlic.  PERFECT!

Day 297 
Today is Veteran’s Day.  A holiday for many, a day for us to thank those who have served and fought for our freedom.  Javi, is one of those.  Thank you Javi for the sacrifices you have made for America.
I am on my own today so I do my best with arranging a hard weight training workout and finishing with half hour of cardio and my daily challenge. 
I arrive home to steak and a big salad for dinner.  Thank you Mike for always taking care of me….and for your service in the United States Navy.

Day 298 
I WILL NOT STEP ON THE SCALE FOR ONE WEEK.  I am making a promise to myself.  I literally get on the scale four or five times a day.  This can’t be healthy.  Does it move?  Oh yes it does.  It goes up a pound, down two, up three, down one, over and over again.  It’s driving me insane.  I know I am not supposed to focus on the scale, and I am trying my hardest not to.  The thing I am most concerned with is the first number.  I have said this before…I NEVER want to see my weight start with the number 2 again.  NEVER.  At this point I am good, I have not seen it go above 200 pounds since I made that promise to myself.  I just have to maintain that the rest of my life.
Today is cardio; I have to go in at 4:45 am because I am getting my hair done tonight.  I do my hour long cardio and then my daily challenge, race home, shower and out the door.  I get my hair done and then my niece and I go to El Jardin for dinner.  I want one of everything.  I make the choice to order the chicken burrito and ask for a box the second it’s delivered.  I scrape all the “good stuff” off the top and then cut it in half and box it up.  As I am doing this and actually feeling proud of myself I get a “follower” of my blog come over and tell me that she reads my blog faithfully and is following my journey.  It was the perfect timing and just gave me the extra push to keep the box closed and bring home for Mike.  I was perfectly satisfied with half the burrito!   It makes it so easy to be good knowing you are all out there to keep me focused!  THANK YOU!!!!

Day 299 
Its Friday, start of the weekend and I am ready to finish the week on a good note.  Javi has me working my shoulders and my biceps.  I tackle it head on and push myself on each apparatus.  I jump on the treadmill and do two miles and my daily challenge to finish the night.
I meet my parents for dinner and I order the taco truck tacos and dump it on lettuce and remove the tortillas.  This has to be ok, right??

Day 300 
Today I am up early, paper read, coffee drank and dreading going to the gym.  I post a cryptic message on my Facebook saying I just want to veg-out and do nothing.  Once I posted that, there is no turning back.  I must go now!  I get to the gym and push it for 5.5 miles.  A good cardio day. 
Today is Fall Formal for MHS and Mitch and his girlfriend Kate meet for pictures and then dinner.  I am out and about doing errands and I pass the CUPCAKE LADY.  You know the big pink truck that literally screams EAT ME when you drive by….yeah, that one.  I decide to pick up cupcakes for Mitch and Kate.  I order two and race home to meet them.  Of course, they were not the flavors they would have picked so they go and pick their own.  Uh oh…..now I have cupcakes in my house.  What am I going to do?  CHEAT….yep, you heard me.  I CHEATED.  I cut the banana cupcake in half and ate it.  Yes, it was amazing….but then the guilt took over and I was so depressed.  I cannot tell you the last time I “cheated”.  In fact, I don’t cheat.  I “prepare” for my splurges.  I ration and control.  This was not the case.  This was flat out lack of willpower and loss of control. 

Day 301 
Sunday morning and I am so mad at myself for last night that I actually work out TWICE today.  I am not saying a half of a cupcake is going to change my weight or my mind or my determination but the fact that I allowed myself is what I am most disappointed about.  You see I am already “planning” for my one scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy at thanksgiving…..my slice of pumpkin pie.  But I will be in control and this was just a bad choice.  I have to remind myself not to allow those lacks in judgment calls.  It’s for life, not just a year!
I started with a workout today and I ended with a workout.  Back on track tomorrow!
I am still avoiding the scale, I will wait for weigh ins next Thursday.  Hopefully by then it will have dropped a pound or two. 

Day 302 
WOW, what has gotten into me….I forgot to turn in my blog.  I’m sure tomorrow morning I will have heard from many of you via Facebook, texts, e mails etc.  I apologize; I don’t know what I was thinking. 
Monday morning, I am still avoiding the scale.  I have forgiven myself for cheating on Saturday night and I am back to being good.  I have said it before; I am SO good Monday through Friday.  I get up, pack my breakfast and lunch for the day.  I drink my waters, I eat all the right stuff and it’s just so much easier when you have a regular routine you follow. 
I meet Javi at the gym and he destroys me.  We do circuit training and hands down the most I have ever sweated.  He encourages me the entire 38 minutes of pure work.  I run, I do box jumps, I do pushups, I do burpees, I do weight carries, I do pull ups.  Over and over again.  Yep….it was hard.  One of the regular kids at the gym sees me and says “wow, you look tired, and hot…you are really red”.  Well….you try this!  I love it though, I feel so empowered when I am done.  Like I could take on the world!  Never in a million years thought that I could do the things I am doing now.  I have to admit, I am pretty damn proud of my old self!