I can’t believe how quickly the 40 days has gone, and how much this has become part of my routine. Thanks to everyone who has followed me, commented and emailed me privately. It’s been a huge help!

I dragged my injured foot and head cold out into the 44-degree air this morning. I’d been desperate to do something, and knowing that November will be all about sitting in front of the computer made me increasingly desperate to get out and do what I could.

Today’s Workout

Cardio: 20 minutes at 12:53/mile.

Stretch/Strength: 5 minutes of light stretching.

Nutrition

Hydration: 60 ounces.

Fruits & Veggies: 1 fruit, 2 veggie.

Net Calories: 1465.

The 40 Day Results:

On the whole, I was much more conscious of my fluid intake, as well as my consumption of fruits and vegetables as opposed to solely snacking on carbs (although I have to admit to many days where I walked right past that apple, ignored it completely and picked up a granola bar). I now know for a fact that some of my best workouts have come the day after I’ve loaded up on protein; the two are obviously connected, but it takes a significant effort for me to consume protein at the necessary levels. I need to work on that.

I’ve done a good job of learning to listen to my body, rather than just plowing through and doing something because it’s on my calendar. Respecting my limitations is a bit new for me, especially when I’ve publicly committed to doing something.

The 40 Day Stats:

• Body fat percentage: 26%? Looking back to day one, there really hasn’t been much change. At the time, I had readings ranging from 26% to 37.2%. I had chosen 27% as my estimated percentage just because the bulk of answers fell into the 26% to 28% range. This time around, my numbers fall into the 25% to 32% range with a much more scattered distribution. It’s a tighter range that’s slightly lower on both ends, so it appears that there’s been some improvement, but the actual readings are hard to gauge.
• BMI: 20.4 via NHLBI, down from 21.1. “Normal” BMI is anywhere between 18-24, so I’m still doing fine there.
• Weight: -5. I wasn’t looking to lose weight. In fact, I would have actually preferred to see the number stay the same or increase as a result of increased muscle mass. This is a good reminder that I need to do more weight-bearing exercise to help improve my strength, posture and form.

The next challenge kicks off on Sunday, November 1: 30 days of National Novel Writing Month. I probably won’t have the time or inclination to blog about writing on a daily basis, but I will post occasional updates to let you know if I’m keeping up with my goal of 1,667 words of fiction each day, in addition to the writing that I’m already doing for my work commitments. Wish me luck!