A Little Background

Wow...a week has gone by already?! I "officially" started eating-clean Monday, but really started tightening things up and adding lots of fruits & veggies to my diet last weekend. I've stayed on track and am definately feeling the benefits of my efforts. My energy is up, my mind is clearer and even my skin is looking better. The one area I am going to have to work on, however, is exercise. I only ran 1 day this week. So, while the 6 clean meals a day are no problem, I have to get a workout plan in place. That is the goal for the upcoming week! Today is my "planned treat" day and I have to be honest...I don't feel like going off-program. I feel so good, I'm not ready to spoil that and there's nothing in particular I'm craving. I will probably have some of my treasured dark chocolate later today for a fix. I did cave and have some one night, but I kept it at 2 squares and hey, chocolate is good for you! :)

I thought I'd give a little background to explain where I've been and how I've come this point. Like I mention in my welcome, I'm not really doing this to lose weight. I'm actually happy with my size & weight for the first time in a loooong time! In the Spring of 2004 I was 142 lbs and decided I needed to lose 10 lbs. I started eating right & exercising and soon found out I was pregnant with our 1st child. I gained 50 lbs during my pregnancy, lost 26 right away, but the rest hung around, leaving me at 166 (I'm 5'4"). I remained at this weight for 1 year. My favorite phrase at that time was, "Well, at least I'm not gaining." However, I was miserable, depressed, lethargic, my joints ached and my marriage suffered...I weighed 124 when I met my husband. No matter how many times he assured me he didn't care and loved me no matter what, I avoided being naked in front of him at all costs. Then, there was the guilt. Ugggghhh the guilt. Guilt over neglecting my hubby. Guilt that I had this amazing, perfect baby boy, so WHY wasn't I over-the-moon with joy 100% of the time. Guilt that I KNOW better, so how could I let myself end up like this? You get the picture and maybe you've been there.

When my son turned one, I made a decision that I was done being this tired, no-fun Mom. I ordered a Baby Jogger and forced myself out the door and through the neighborhood at least 3 days a week (often more). I started out walking and worked myself up to running. I cut out the junk and started eating right. I had done Body-for-Life years before, so I knew how to eat, I just hadn't been doing it. The weight started coming off, my energy improved and I was beginning to feel like me again. I lost about 18 lbs and hit a plateau. Right about that time, my company launched a new, clinically proven inch-loss plan. I jumped on it and it worked amazingly well for me. The rest of my baby weight melted off + plus another 10 lbs! I found myself smaller than before I became pregnant. I have easily maintained that weight for 1 year now. Yay me! So, why am I concerned and putting all this work into Eating-Clean now? Well, I realized that even though I'm at my goal weight/size, I was not eating nearly enough fruits & vegetables or getting enough exercise. Other than splitting an apple most mornings with my son, I was eating hardly any at all. A salad with dinner and some occasional frozen peas or green beans was about it. My inch-loss plan promotes lots of fruits & veggies...I just wasn't doing it. So, I needed a kick in the pants. Something that will take what I've accomplished over the last 2 years to the next level. It's time to see what this 35 yr old Momma's made of. I don't want to be a fitness model, but I know there's a hardbody in here somewhere and I'm ready to find it! I know the combo of eating-clean and the best nutritional products available will make it happen.

In my next post, I'll explain a little about what Eating-Clean is and how I'm incorporating my inch-loss plan into it. See you then!