Where I come from

Now that I'm finally done having children it is my goal to get in the best shape of my life. The right shape for me. A healthy shape. And I'm not sure that's a place I've ever been. I am currently about 130 lbs. I'd love to get down to 110 lbs. But I want to do it the healthy way.

In the past I've gone to extremes with my attitude toward food. For most of my life I didn't care what I ate as long as it tasted good. I was never fat, but certainly wasn't thin. I didn't cook, didn't care to cook, and didn't much care about nutritional value. Once I hit college and really began to learn what stress was, I took a new approach to food. I still didn't care what I ate, but I sure paid attention to how much I ate. I rarely ate more than 900 calories a day and often strived for a meager 500 calories. I was sick, I was bone thin (literally, I used to count my ribs to check progress) and I didn't feel good. Of course, it wasn't really about weight, it was about control.

My new goal is to turn that mildly obsessive tendency of mine toward my greater good. It will now no longer be about how much I eat, and all about what I eat. If I'm tempted by a candy bar at the store, I can use that good ol' willpower to hold out for frozen-fruit-through-the-juice ice cream after dinner. I can be vigilant in making sure that every bite that goes into my mouth not only tastes good but will also fuel my body. And I've got tools in my corner now. I both know how and love to cook. And Dearest Husband has logged his hours researching the nutritional content in all our favorite foods (and I swear is headed down the path of veganism himself) and is behind my healthy choices all the way.

The only missing ingredient to this new healthy lifestyle plan is a fitness routine. Beyond signing up for a yoga class at the Y I am at a total loss as to how to squeeze exercize into my crazy busy (with 3 tiny kids) life at home. So that will be a huge goal for me this year.

That's where I've been and hopefully where I'm headed. Wish me luck!