I have just recently turned 39 years old. I am a Mom to beautiful twin girls who really are the absolute love of my life. I have a full-time job outside of the home and I also have a part-time home based job that I work on whenever I want (usually an evening in the week when the kiddies are in bed).
Life is busy but life is good!
Why a Blog?
So, are you asking yourself "why would she write a blog on losing 40 pounds by the time she is 40 years old"? Who cares, right? Well, hopefully the people that are reading this blog (more than likely just family and friends) will care. I wanted a place where I can write down my thoughts, challenges, ideas, recipes and journey. I can look back on it and either a) be proud or b) laugh! Hopefully I'll look back on it and be proud of what I have accomplished and how far I have come.
My current weight
Now about my weight - ugh! My least favourite topic in the world but the topic of this blog so let me get started.
I am overweight. No, wait, I am more than likely considered obsese now (yuck, I despise that word). I am 5'3" and I weigh WAY too much. If you read my first post on the blog, you will know that I don't feel comfortable telling you the number on the scale just yet. It really is just a number and for those of you who know me and have seen me recently, you will know how big I am. It is not good. Not good at all.
My History of Dieting
I have a long history of yo-yo dieting. This began in my teen years. The problem is, I would lose some weight then not watch what I eat and then gain it all back again (plus a few extra pounds).
I haven't tried tonnes of diets as I don't believe in a lot of them. I don't believe a lot of them are realistic or they aren't for me (i.e. no carbs for the rest of your life etc). What I have done and what has helped me lose weight in the past is Weight Watchers. It has helped me realize that I need to track what I eat in a day and keep track every single day.
Now the problem with the old Weight Watchers program was that it seemed to reward people who ate non-nutritional food. For example, it was less points to eat a bowl of crappy fat-free jello or a fat-free yogurt then it was to eat a banana. Or, it was less points to eat 10 mini rice cakes (loaded with sodium and with no nutritional value) then it was to eat a bowl of fruit. It didn't make any sense to me at all.
Fast forward to 2010 when Weight Watchers completely changed their program and I love it. They are encouraging people to eat foods that are high in protein and fibre and less in carbohydrates. They aren't telling people not to eat bread, they are just saying to eat it in moderation.
They really are promoting well balanced meals that are high in nutritional value! Just the way I prefer to eat!
My Eating Habits:
Now this is where I get extremely frustrated. Ask anyone around me (friends, colleagues, family etc) who see me eat on a regular basis and they will tell you that I do not eat poorly. I do treat myself once in awhile, as everyone should, but what I do eat on a regular basis (daily & weekly) is quite healthy. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I love vegetables, fruit, tofu, lentils, beans etc. I don't sit at home in the evenings with pop or candy or chips or chocolate. I don't buy junk during the day when I am at work and I make my lunch most days. On the days I don't, I usually buy a salad. I rarely eat dessert unless it is a special occasion.
Even with the kids, I don't make french fries or frozen, packaged foods for them/us. I try to make homemade meals (well, as much as time allows) and I encourage healthy eating as much as possible with well balanced meals. I don't just do it for me, I do it for them. I want them to be able to appreciate foods with a lot of nutritional value.
So, I just don't get it. I get frustrated because my body looks like someone who overindulges OFTEN. But I don't. Dammit, I wish I could treat myself on a regular basis but I can't. If I did, I could only imagine how much I would weigh then.
Why are you so big?
Sorry but I don't like the word "fat" so I used the word "big"!! There are a few reasons that I can come up with. If food my food intake isn't awful then I can only come up with a few reasons:
- I don't eat enough protein throughout the day which results in being hungry later in the evening and then snacking;
- I like carbs. I admit it. I am Lordy, Lordy and I like carbs. They are quick and easy to grab and if I am having a salt craving, I grab some crackers;
- I live a sedentary lifestyle. I don't get enough exercise AT ALL. I will post about this another time but this is a huge isssue.
