It has been two weeks since my 40 til 40 post when I committed stupidly publicly to getting myself in shape. I have 26 days left. I think I have lost about 3 pounds but more importantly, I feel much better physically. Here is what I look like now:

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Admittedly, I have a ways to go which is why I am giving my best bad-ass look in this picture. Dave was kind enough to serve as photog here — and he took a bunch of other “before” pictures that I may share at some later date (when I have the “after shots” to go with.) But suffice it to say that there is a reeeeeealllly good chance one of the brothers is going to go to school today and report to his teacher that Daddy was taking pictures of Mommy’s butt last night because she asked him to.

But seriously, here is what I have done:

Fitness boot camp. I signed up with personal trainer Kevin Pasquay who puts about 6-8 of us through a one hour circuit three time a week. This workout is no frills and seems to be effective if only for the fact that I can’t walk the next day without some sort of muscle pain. Lots of squats and core strength exercise… of and there is also lots of running tied to elastic bands…. carrying sandbags.

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Running. On the days that I am not in Kevin’s torture chamber and I can walk without whimpering, I am running – a two mile course which yesterday I did at an 11:07/mile pace. I hate running. I’m waiting to fall in love with it but it hasn’t taken hold yet.

Healthy eating. – I am not following a particular diet but am using the Weight Watchers principles of high fiber, low fat foods. I have not deviated from this for about 10 days. A friend of mine casually mentioned that he “felt better” when he was a little hungry. I thought about this a lot and realized that I feel the same way. I do not like feeling ravenous but a little edge feels healthy and light. This philosophy helps because I really am a person who loves to eat. Which brings me to my “find” of the month….

Stay with me here because I realize there is a chance I will lose 90 percent of the MoB readers at the next sentence. I am smitten with black bean brownies. Yes, you read correctly and “black beans” is not a euphemism for chocolate chips.

Dave brought this recipe home from a teacher at his school (thanks Tara). Basically, you take a full can of black beans and puree them, being careful to include the syrup in which they are packed. Add this mixture to any brownie mix (we prefer the Ghirardelli brownies, but any will do) and bake as directed. Do not add eggs, oil or water. Just the black beans. I SWEAR YOU WILL NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. And each brownie is so much healthier for you. I have been treating myself to one of these puppies a few times a week.

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I know you think this is totally disgusting. But do me a favor – just try it and write into MoB about your experience. Why should you trust me? Because I would not poison our readers – we need more of you, not less.

Any other wild and healthy eating, exercising, weight loss tips? Send em’ along! Ill try it. I’m on a roll!!

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