Back to Basics

Phew! After several long months, I have finally stopped the creep up in my weight, dropping 5.2 pounds since July (when I had to pay Weight Watchers a fee, since I was slightly more than 2 pounds above my goal weight). The loss comes despite having a scandalously bad eating weekend in Minneapolis, where I indulged in dark chocolate zinfandel ice cream, beer-battered green beans, ridiculously rich chocolate cake and more. The key: exercise. I've been making regular trips to the gym, walking 6 miles this morning; I also walked 2.5 miles home from work.

I have a bunch of walks coming up this fall, including:

-- National Press Club 5K on Sept. 8 (Washington)

-- Four Seasons Sprint for the Cure 5K on Sept. 15 (Washington)

-- Marymount University 5K on Sept. 29 (Arlington)

-- Baltimore Running Festival (Half-Marathon) on Oct. 13

-- Freedom Walk (27 miles the first day, 13 the second) on Oct. 20 and 21 (Arlington)

-- Help the Homeless Walkathon on Nov. 17 (Washington)

Here is a list of the top 25 songs on my iPod that are helping to get me back to the gym (and yes, I know, there's no accounting for taste with some of these choices):

1) Into the Groove by Madonna
2) Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C&C Music Factory
3) City of Blinding Lights by U2
4) A Little Respect by Erasure
5) I Wanna Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston
6) Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves
7) Break It Down Again by Tears for Fears
8) Remember the Name by Fort Minor
9) I Will Love Again by Lara Fabian
10) Crazy in Love by Beyonce
11) MMMBop by Hanson
12) Yeah! by Usher
13) Wherever You Will Go by The Calling
14) Sweet Child o'Mine by Guns N' Roses
15) Don't Let Me Get Me by Pink
16) Just Like a Pill by Pink
17) Take the Lead (Wanna Ride) by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
18) Coming Around Again by Carly Simon
19) Gloria by Laura Branigan
20) Get the Party Started by Pink
21) Respect by Aretha Franklin
22) Break It On Down by Flii Stylz & Tenashus
23) Come Clean by Hilary Duff
24) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson
25) Where'd You Go by Fort Minor

Any suggestions for other catchy/motivating tunes are welcome!

And, once I figure out how to make the technology work, I'll post "before" and "after" weight loss pictures I'm using to stay motivated. For now, though, losing the 5.2 pounds is definitely a boost.