Fit by 50 -- The Journey Begins!

Today my blog changed. This is going to document my journey to be in the best shape of my life by the time I turn 50 (which is 52 weeks away). My plan is to lose 50 pounds in 50 weeks before 50. I am also changing my lifestyle to be healthy and fit. I started about one month ago at my highest ever documented weight of 182 pounds. I am now at 172 pounds. Hooray!!! I am eating "clean" -- no more sugar or refined white flour. Or "poison" as I like to call them. I am following Tosca Reno's Eat Clean plan and quite honestly it has not been hard. I'm eating a lot of good food. Protein and complex carbs at every meal. And I'm feeling great!! My goals now is to start weekly meal plans so that I'm never caught off guard and to incorporate exercise, weight training -- and journaling into my daily life. I want to be healthy for my kids -- ages 11 and 14, and for my grandkids. So I'd better start now!!!

Today I had a great breakfast of steel cut oatmeal with fresh berries, ground flaxseed, wheat germ, bee pollen and 1 egg/3 egg whites. Yummy and filling. I also started the day with a cup of hot water/lemon to wake up my system. Then I went for a 2 mile walk with my 3 dogs. All before my 11 year old even woke up. :-)

In the past month, my digestion and "elimination" have been wonderful. I have diverticulitis but have had no problems in quite a while. I also am experimenting with going off of my heartburn medicine since I'm not eating any of the foods that are the culprit. It seems that any/all of my health problems have always been food related. I would really have to be not very intelligent not to change my lifestyle, huh? Yet it has taken me this long!

So what motivates me? I'm not sure. Sometimes I don't feel that anything motivates me anymore. Maybe it's just the lack of caffeine speaking? I really try to be healthy. But then I eat. Today -- so far so good. I did workout. But I have acid reflux and it's gross. I just really want it to stop. I took prilosec this a.m. for the first time. Wha't with the "natural" remedies that tell you to drink apple cider vinegar. Hello! It's caused by too much acid, not too little. Gross!! Sometimes I feel 100 years old. I want to be motivated. Okay, perhaps stick to the list. Let's just give that a try. One day at a time. I did work out today. That was good. Is there any reason not to be healthy? Is there any reason to choose the cookie instead of the apple? No. Absolutely not. A minute on the lips, forever on the hips. Or in my case, stomach. I have to be brutally honest with myself. I have to be organized. Together. Today. I have to get better sleep so that I can do all of those things. So -- I have to get this acid reflux stuff under control. And btw -- my house is a mess!! Why can't I be a stepford wife and just get it all done. It bugs me, but I still don't get it done. Get it done!!

Day One

Non oggi -- not today. The story of my life. Maybe tomorrow. That diet -- tomorrow, because I'm stressed, that food looks too good, I'm really hungry, I can't think about it right now. Blah, blah, blah. Get organized -- tomorrow. Journal -- tomorrow. Manage my finances -- tomorrow. NO MORE! I'm 47 years old. Tomorrow is today!! I will take control. TODAY. I will change the way I eat. TODAY. I will meditate. TODAY. I will journal. TODAY. I will love life. TODAY. I will learn Italian. Well...maybe tomorrow! Non oggi? Nient'altro. I can be the change. TODAY. OGGI.