A Weighty Matter

I have struggled with weight on and off for my entire life.

As a child, the dilemma was much different than it is now. There are pictures of the box filled with toys my mom used to put on my highchair in an attempt to get to eat anything at all. I remember the day when I first ate a whole cheeseburger from McDonald's and the excitement that followed. It was so bad that my parents were often told "someday you'll wish she would stop eating."

Unfortunately, that turned out to be a very prophetic statement. I have never been necessarily heavy, but I've certainly been overweight and feeling the unhealthiness of that many times. It's a vicious cycle that, after 32 years, I'd really like to take control of.

So I was thrilled to find out that Joy also wanted to lose 20 pounds. I know that the motivation and support of a partner will be so helpful. We'll also be blogging about this together on Happy To Be At Home.

As I begin this process, I thought it would be smart to list all of the areas where I know my diet is lacking, and what I plan to do to overcome those things.

1. Skipping breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast. I do love it though. Usually I'm just doing to much to stop and eat. I know I really need to jump start my metabolism earlier in the day. I also know a big, healthy breakfast will help me eat less overall. So I need to find a quick but filling breakfast option for myself, preferably something protein-packed. Also preferably something I can freeze and reheat.
   
2. Late-night snacking. Because Eric works at night, and because I stay up until he gets home, I get hungry throughout the night, especially after midnight when it has been 5 1/2 hours since I ate dinner. I am not going to say I'll just stop snacking altogether. That wouldn't be realistic at all. Instead, I need to find healthier alternatives. I also need to be more mindful of these late night snacks so that I'm not just eating and blogging without paying attention to how much it is I'm eating.
   
3. Not drinking enough water. In the past, upping my water intake has really helped me eat less, feel healthier, and drop a few pounds. So you'd think I'd make sure to get at least 8 glasses a day, right? Wrong. But that's an easy fix, and one that I've already begun implementing.
4. Not exercising enough. I've also clung to the excuse that I'm moving all day between cooking, laundry, cleaning, playing with the kids, etc. That's just not cutting it though. My hips will be the first one to tell you that too. Within the next month or so, we're planning to get a family pass for the Y. I was a swimmer in high school and my plan is to get back to swimming at least 3 days a week. In the meantime, I am not going to use not having that pass yet as an excuse to not exercise. I'm not sure what I'll do just yet, but I'm working on some kind of plan. I am open to any suggestions that you might have!

There you have it. My 4 biggest health mistakes. I will be changing those things and making other small changes in my diet, such as portion sizes. However, I will continue to eat the same thing that I make for the family every night. I'll just eat less of it, and maybe add in a salad or fruit.

I'll update here frequently, and every week Joy and I will both track our progress on Happy To Be At Home through the "2 Moms, 20 Pounds" series. For anyone else doing the same thing, we'd love to have you join us.

And if you have any good tips, motivations, recipes, or other healthy eating/dieting ideas, I would really appreciate it.