24 Day Challenge...Day 19

I am down to only 4 days left of my challenge (not counting today...it is over).  I feel like I have done well and have really stuck to the plan.  Not sure how much weight I have lost (not weighing until Day 25), but I do know the inches are changing, which is really the most important thing if I want to fit back in those skinny jeans ; ).  I have been taking a supplement called Catalyst which is something you can take during the 24 day challenge which gives your body the amino acids it needs to help maintain lean muscle so that you will lose fat instead of muscle.  I received this picture of 5 lbs of fat compared to 5 lbs of muscle (see below) a couple of days ago, and I would much rather lose the fat....that is where you lose the inches...and get back into those skinny jeans!!  Now it makes sense to me how I have lost 10-15 lbs in the past and not even changed pant sizes...I must have been losing muscle rather than fat, how sad.

Thursdays are my Bible study days, so we always have a big potluck style meal.  I know that I will usually wind up eating more calories than on other days, so I have decided that I am really going to make an effort to get some extra exercise in on Thursdays.  Today I took Miss Thang on 2 walks which wound up totaling to just over about 4 miles according to my pedometer.  I still have my goal of 10,000 steps a day and today by the end of the day I hit 14,762 steps, or 6.26 miles, which is an all time record for me.  I always feel so much better when I actually get my exercise in (although Fat Becki would beg to differ, especially when she is feeling lazy ; ).  I also decided to bring my own dessert this week, since I struggled with the allure of hot brownies and no-bake cookies last week.  I made a Coke Cake, which is a recipe that I had originally learned about at my weight watchers meetings a couple of years ago, but have seen a resurgence of on Pinterest over the last couple of weeks.  It is super easy, yummy, and low calorie...plus I get my chocolate fix in ; ).

Coke Cake

1 12 oz can Diet Coke
1 box chocolate cake mix

Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix.  Combine Diet Coke and cake mix.  Cook about 5 minutes less than directed on cake mix.

***This recipe works for any diet drink or cake mix flavor.  If making a white or yellow cake I would use Diet 7-up***