Originally written 11/20/09, originally posted 6/14/13.
I decided to start this blog because I want to share my journey towards a healthier and fit lifestyle with others on the same journey. About 4 years ago, I hit an all time high at almost 200 pounds and decided it was time for a change. This was not the first time I embarked on a weight loss journey. I had previously lost and gained weight, falling into that yo-yo dieting club that so many are a part of.
Before photo - eating cake, of course!
I decided that a low-carb diet was the way to go. I mean, come on! I could eat bacon, cheese, meat (tons of meat!!) and still lose weight? SIGN ME UP! So, I started to lose weight and loved it! I got a taste of success and it felt great. I was on my way! And then I found a different job and things changed. There was a fantastic cafeteria at the new job and all of my support system was gone. Temptation and a lack of support put me right back in the "gaining" realm again.
Never once did I see my efforts as anything other than temporary. A diet. A goal. Something to be accomplished, checked off so that life could resume in a "normal" fashion. Normal - Eating whatever I want, whenever I want, as much as I want.
All of those ideals lead to a less than successful long term journey. Don't get me wrong, I lost weight. I just wasn't able to keep it off. Once I resumed "regular" eating habits again, the weight would creep back on.
I figured dieting needed to be all of nothing. Either I was eating healthy (low carb, low fat, reduced calorie, etc.) and exercising (A LOT!) or I wasn't doing anything. There was no middle ground. Never once did the idea of a "lifestyle" enter my mind. EVER!
Then I had an aha moment. My mom, daughter, mom's friend and I were eating at a restaurant in Anthem, AZ and my mom's friend asked my mom how many ounces her fish was. I thought this was a crazy question, like, who cares? My mom proceded to tell her it was probably about 4 ounces and the friend continued to say that she wanted to make sure she logged it into her online food diary. HUH? Online food diary? What is that? So, she explained the website and how you can eat whatever you want but you just have to aim to eat a certain number of calories each day. If you blow your calories on cookies, so be it. You can still have success. This intrigued me. Also, she said that if you exercise, you get to eat more. Hmmm, I like incentives. So, the seed was planted. Now, I didn't immediately jump on the dieting/food tracking bandwagon. It took time. This is a journey afterall!
Over the following months, I signed up for the website and so the journey began.....
