Those are words that used to make me cringe!  I’ve been high and low more times on the scale than Oprah… maybe.  I was always on the chubby side growing up and I could give a very detailed tale of each way I would lose weight and the reasons I would put it back on. 

Let me just put it like this:  I never lived a healthy lifestyle that included owning my body and being responsible for my choices. 

So that brings me to weighing 198 pounds on 1/2/2007.  My heaviest, to be sure.  This was 2 months after having my daughter.  I now at this moment weigh 158 pounds.  My weight loss journey is far from over but wow, the way I feel is amazing.  There are no gimmicks, no tricks, no fancy-pants diets or workouts.  There is simply healthy eating and active living.  Some people find it easier to eat healthy but have trouble with the exercising.  I am the opposite.  I freakin’ love the exercise and find the healthy eating part to be challenging.  I have learned sooooo much through this process though and I have gained so much as a person.  I have many tips and strategies that I use in my daily life to keep me motivated, positive, and healthy.  I will share them more in the days to come.  Now that I am blogging, I have to work even harder to avoid getting “blogger’s butt”!

For now I want to leave you with a website.  I saw this woman, Pamela, on the Rachael Ray show and I was so impressed with her story!  Weighing in at over 400 pounds, she enlisted the help and support of her family, friends, and co-workers by asking them to sponsor her weight loss.  Many people in her life chose a specific pound to sponsor such as her tenth pound lost, 50th pound lost, 100th pound, etc.  She is to the point now where every single pound she loses is sponsored!  So what do people sponsor her with?  One coworker is going to quit smoking when she reaches his sponsored pound.  Her boss offered to buy her a new outfit when she reaches his pound.  Another is offering a fruit basket.  Rachael Ray is sponsoring Pamela’s 180th pound lost with a $1000 gift card to the Mall of America!  Very nice.  This is a great way to keep motivated and to involve the people in your life.  Pamela’s website, VegetablesTasteLikeDirt.com, gives a great deal of information on getting started.