My Journey

On Monday, I joined Curves. I've debated about this for a long time, knowing I NEED to do something about my body, but always finding something else to spend our money on. I've been intrigued by the Curves workout for a long time, but felt it was selfish to join a place that was only for me. Well, I resolved that issue by realizing that this will be the one thing I not only do for me, but for my kids & Eric, by making myself healthier, and able to live a longer, more full life with them. I've struggled with my weight for my entire life, and will have it be part of my consciousness until the day I die. That's just the way it is. And I think that by telling you all about my journey, it will keep me more true to the program, and make me accountable to not just myself but everyone who knows me. That motivation is what will keep me doing my best.

My main goal, obviously, is to lose weight. I am in the "very obese" category, and that needs to change. I am embarrassed that I allowed myself to get this big and out of shape. So- my second goal is to be in better shape to have the energy to play longer with the kids and get involved in adult intramural sports. I loved playing sports when I was younger, and I think it would now be a great thing for Eric & I to do together. My third goal is to increase my self- confidence. When I meet new people, all I can think about is how I look. I know most people don't concentrate on my size like I think they do, but just the thought that they might be "grossed out" is enough to make me very shy and quiet until I get to know them better. And I want to not just be the person behind the camera in all my snapshots, but to be in some pictures with my friends and family! Now, I'm too self-conscious to do that.

I am going to make small changes to my eating habits, and to continually evolve until our entire family is eating better & smarter. My problem has never been the amount of food I eat, but the types of food I consume. Each time I go to the grocery store, I intend to make better choices in the meals I plan, and in the snacks I allow our kids to eat. It's never too early for us all to learn good eating habits. I also plan to increase our family's activity level, especially as the weather gets nicer. It wouldn't hurt for all 4 of us to get out and about as much as possible, instead of vegging in front of the TV like we do now. That way, my exercise is not limited to my 30-minute sessions at Curves.

I hope I can count on all of you for encouragement. Please ask me how it's going... and if you notice results, please tell me (but don't flatter me just to make me feel good). The Curves trainers will be charting my progress by weighing & measuring me every month... and I'm very excited at seeing some concrete progress. I know it won't be overnight, or even very quickly, but at this point, if I'm losing at all, it's better than where I am now and where I've been. I'll keep you informed on here monthly as well, as a part of me keeping myself accountable- whether I make progress each month or not.

Thanks for being there for me as I take this journey and make myself a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, cousin, friend, etc.