DIET (and 104th post!)

So, I am writing to this blog as a reminder and committment to myself that I am going to start my weight loss/fitness plan on July 16th, 2007. I need to do this as a committment to myself and a reminder that I need to stay on track.

Just a brief history of where I've been:

2003 - Comfortable with my weight, never worked out, wore a size 4 regularly, used to be called "skinny" sometimes wore a size "2"!

2004 - After meeting John and getting comfortable I went up to a size 6, which still looked good on my body!




2005 - Started getting worried about my weight going up, so Erin & I decided to join the gym down the street from our work. I faithfully went everyday and started getting comments from people like, "wow look at how defined your arms & stomach are!"

2006 - After getting engaged and going through a rough time with my dad being ill, working out and eating healthy were not on my priority list. I was slowly trading in my size 4/6 for a 6/8 - yikes! Later this year, I reached a plateau and my weight stabilized (even though I was a size and a half bigger than I wanted to be) thank god, though because our wedding was in September

2007 - Oh, my god! Boy did the weight come. There were a few reasons after thinking about them, the loss of a job, dealing with the death of my father, the other loss John and I had a few months ago that some of you know about, just too much to deal with that ultimately leads to feeling depressed and wanting to fix it with food.

Also, I was thinking about some other factors that I think may have had an influence: After being a vegetarian for 7 years, I started eating poultry because John and I were trying to get pregnant so I thought it would be better for the baby. Also, I quit smoking in mid 2005, so that may also have contributed, and the lack of exercise - who wants to work out when you are this stressed?!?




So, now I feel like my life is on a stable road - I got a good job, John's doing good, our house is almost complete, we are starting a family - all these good things and I am having a hard time enjoying them because I hate the way I look and I feel unhealthy.

This is my pledge to myself and to the world that starting today I am doing the following to feel better about myself:

1. Keep a diary of everything that goes into my mouth (believe me once you start tracking it you eat much less!)

2. Start working out 3 times a week to start (no excuses, there is a full service gym 50 feet from my desk - and there is a personal trainer here at my disposal as well, all for FREE)

3. Eat fruits, vegetables, high protein drinks and Cheerios with skim milk only for the first two weeks, then go on a low fat sensible meal plan

4. Do all of this not to look like Nicole Richie, but to feel good about my body and to fit into the entire size 6 wardrobe that is in my closet!