I think the biggest question most people ask, is how do you get started on a weight loss journey? How do you get motivated? We all go through a range of emotions, pumping ourselves up, telling ourselves we are going to do it this time, we are going to workout everyday, eat right.....yet we lose our motivation a long the way---that's because this pesky thing called, LIFE, gets in the way. It takes a lot of focus to lose weight and sometimes we just don't have that extra energy to keep our focus. My focus, is my health--it hasn't been good and my body has been telling me, you better do something now before it's too late.

 I spent the week working out with Billy Blanks, the fitness center, and the park--- and boy did my muscles remind me of not only how out of shape I am, but of my age. It's hard to believe I will be hitting 40 this year. It's not something I even want to think about. Although age is just a number after all and means nothing if you are healthy and happy. 

The problem with this whole getting healthy concept, is that I am an emotional eater and food is my comfort. When that food is no longer there, I tend get really grumpy and agitated--becoming a savage grizzly bear in the winter!  I now know what addicts go through, on a small scale. When you realize that you can no longer overindulge in something that gives you comfort in this very stressful, mean, and selfish world--you become even more emotional! It's like living with a two-edged sword encased in your brain, and no matter which way you turn, you are doomed to suffer. 

Thursday was my weigh in day. I lost 2.8 pounds. I did a lot better than I thought I would. My problem is not so much that I eat bad, but too much. (a 5 pound bag of M&M isn't bad, right?...haha) Portion control is the key in losing weight and I think many of us don't realize how much we eat on a daily basis. Let me give you an example. The other day I had 3 scrambled eggs with a sprinkle of bacon bits, 1 piece of wheat toast with butter and honey, 1 yogurt, and a glass of 1% milk. Now visualizing that, it doesn't seem like a lot of food, but when the calories were added up ( I used MyFitnessPal) I was astonished how much I had actually eaten. 
Total calories were 698! What? That's over half my calorie intake for the day. It really makes you realize how much you really consume in a day. I am now heading into week two weigh in on Thursday the 24th. Fingers crossed-- although I have been battling the flu the past 3 days--that might actually give me a boost in weight loss! There are a lot of changes coming my way and how I handle them is going to determine my success in this adventure. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared and I feel like crawling in a hole with a endless supply of M&M's and never coming out...I have a mountain of battles for 2013; all of it will be recorded in the Transformation Series...I am determined that my weight and health will become one less mountain!! Thank you for all those who are following my journey and please feel free to ask questions, or comment....

"Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."  ~Jim Davis