Update: Week 1 - If that's what it takes, then that's what I'd do

Here’s an update from the first week of my 7 Week Plan.

Every week:
1.	Stick to my Isagenix program	Getting back into the habit of having two diet shakes per day (breakfast and lunch) after being on holiday with amazing food and buffet breakfasts sucks balls. I did pretty well though, considering, but have been putting a frozen banana in with at least one of the shakes because it tastes significantly better that way. I have been having a boiled egg as a mid morning snack most days, and have some cucumbers and carrots in the fridge for afternoon snack bug haven’t yet touched them because I’ve been busy at work and apparently not hungry enough to feel the need. I drank the right amount of water 5 out of the 7 days, but man it’s tough sometimes! I sit in an office with 4 other colleagues and they’ve been really supportive and now know what’s going on when I blurt out that “I’m killing my water today!” because I keep track on a little note by my desk and sometimes a little outburst is enough to keep me motivated. Dinners weren’t all as healthy as they could have been on account of the Indian restaurant being the best food in town and everyone’s favourite restaurant these days, not to mention that the roti with ‘generous use of fat’ is obviously amazing. Am going to have to see what I can do to eat better things in Week 2. My week starts on a Thursday and ends on a Wednesday, and I weigh myself first thing in the morning. I weighed myself on Thursday as my starting weight for the week and then again on Wednesday morning for my ending weight, for a total loss of 3.8 lbs. YIPPEE! Then I realized the error of my ways (it really should be Thursday to Thursday, with the end weight for one week also being the starting weight for the next, silly me). I realized this because on Thursday morning (start of Week 2) I was significantly “less light”. Still, lesson learned, but I’m keeping the 3.8 lb loss because even though false it feels good, and will deal with the repercussions next Update.
2.	Exercise 2 hours per week	I feel like despite some solid, well intentioned efforts, I was destined to fail at this task this week. What I did manage to achieve was one evening swimming, with a total of 10 laps. The first 6 were serious aerobic efforts, but then Annalisa arrived and my arms were tired, so the last 4 were much more recreational. Still, better than sitting on my butt at home. Elio and Annalisa have promised to be my swim buddies and help keep me motivated, though we won’t hold our breaths in the hopes that the Honiara hotel sorts out their water quality so that we can actually see the lines at the bottom of the pool and swim straight. Combat class was cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday Zumba lunch was also cancelled, so my plans went out the window, but I did find an additional friend to be an exercise buddy so that should help significantly next week.
3.	Connect with at least one friend that I haven’t been in contact with in awhile	Hadn’t had a proper catch up with Laura in a long time so I stayed up late on Saturday night and she got up early on Saturday morning and we fit in a solid hour long Skype chat. I continue to be excited and inspired by her entrepreneurial endeavour and can’t wait to hear more about it!
4.	Extend an invitation to do something with someone	Penny and I have been friends for awhile, but I don’t think we’ve ever actually hung out just the two of us. We made a plan to go out for dinner and then watch a movie but one mutual friend was in town temporarily and was having dinner with a bunch of people, including another friend who was about to leave the Solomons, so we went to that instead and it was great (and still totally counts!)
5.	Do at least one fun thing on the weekend	I’m double counting this because the dinner I just mentioned was on Saturday night and it was really great to sit around and chat with a bunch of people, especially Elizabeth who was in town just for a few days before heading back to her job in Papua New Guinea.
6.	Update this blog	Ta-da!   A little belated but I’ll get better.
By the end of the 7 Weeks
7.	Host one dinner party	No progress yet
8.	Find a hobby or start a project	I have some ideas, and had one conversation with someone integral to the realization of a possible project. I hope to chat more about it this week.
9.	Learn Twitter	No progress yet
10.	Learn how to do something new	No progress yet
11.	Make a new friend	No progress yet
12.	Figure out what the heck I’m going to do for Christmas	It basically feels like the two reasonable options are to either visit a couple of friends in Australia (I’m lucky enough that some have already offered), or to go to New Zealand. I’m not the best solo, independent traveller (and am not into the backpacking scene) so I started looking in to tour companies and am considering a 9 day tour of the South Island as a possibility. If I choose this option though, not only will I spend Christmas with a bunch of people I don’t know, but would have no idea until I get there the type of people they are. It seems highly likely, knowing my luck, that I’d end up on a coach full of senior citizens.

One week down, 6 to go.