Changes are coming..

Hello, my name is Rachel and I am overweight.

I used to always be the skinny girl. If I needed to lose a few pounds I would just walk every where instead of taking the bus and voula - the pounds came off. It helped that I didn't learn to drive until I was 22 and then moved to Korea where I didn't have a car. 

Even when I was pregnant with Mikey I didn't gain an ounce until my last month (and I am being literal there) and they were so worried about me not gaining weight that they sent me to a nutritionist who told me to eat cake and brownies, drench everything with butter and fatty yogurt, eat potato chips etc.  Yeah, they really did.  And I gained weight too - 40lbs in a month!!  And while I lost about 15lbs of that, it never did permanently come off.  I think at most I lost about 25lbs and then gained again until I got pregnant with Mia.  I only gained about 35 with her, and it put me at 212lbs the day before she was born.  That weight has all come off without much effort because I did it the right way, but I'm still overweight.

Right now I'm about 173 lbs, and for my height I should be between 125 and 168lbs.  It doesn't seem like I'm much overweight, but the fact is that I am, and I shouldn't be, and I don't want to be.

I tried Weight Watchers (I used the points system but didn't see the point in paying out the ass for something that might not work).  I tried exercise (and gained weight). I tried counting calories.  But I'm stuck where I am.  Its not acceptable.

I just want to feel good about myself.  I don't want Mia especially to grow up seeing me being upset about the way I look.  I want her to have a healthy, vibrant mother who makes wise choices, allows for crappy eating days every now and then.  I want to her have a Mom that is happy, and can give her good advice because its what I do and it works.

So, today I picked up a diet book.  How many times have you picked up at diet book and its full of 'can'ts' and ingredients that you've never heard of?  The same goes for the recipe books - the pictures look delicious and full of promise, but requires driving to 5 different stores to find the ingredients, ass-loads of money and your first born child.  Yeah, I have those books, and I'm keeping Mikey!!

Anyway, this one looks realistic.  it's called "The Small Change Diet", but Keri Gans. It gives good suggestions.  I can choose what I eat, and it allows me to avoid things that trigger my IBS, heartburn and lactose intolerance. I don't have to buy expensive ingredients.  It's basically modifications on what I already do.

There are 10 key steps that you do over time as you adapt to them being "normal".

1. Create a healthy eating schedule.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Cut empty beverage calories.
4. Increase fiber intake.
5. Reduce the undercover calories of dressings and sauces.
6. Eat leaner meats.
7. Find the right fats and lose the bad fats.
8. Curb sugar and salt cravings.
9. Stay healthy in social situations.
10. Exercise.

Withing each of these steps are mini- steps.  At the end of every chapter there are test questions, and if you have mastered the majority of these steps, you can move on to adding the next step.

I think I can do this.  Follow along and kick my ass if I slip up!!