Starting Over...

I am a 47 year old woman (that is hard to see in print). I have yo-yoed for years..decades. In my twenties I could run 5-7 miles per day and be ready to take on the world. I was slender and in great shape. Even in my thirties I could hold my own but noticed losing weight and keeping it off was becoming quite a battle. Now in my forties I had all but given up. I looked in the mirror one day and, with tears in my eyes, asked myself who that person was looking back at me. I found myself hating to go shopping because I had grown from a slender size 10 to an uncomfortable size 18! I was depressed at how my once slim and athletic body had become shapeless and flabby. Where did 'I' go? To make matters worse, my 17 year old daughter had asked me to participate as a subject in a science project for her Senior Science Fair. The question: What effect would a fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, lean meat diet have on overall health?. We both got baseline labs obtained by our family md and my results were very scary. I am a registered nurse and knew better than to let things get so out of control. My cholesterol was over 390! A week and a half ago, my daughter and I began to put the new lifestyle into play. We have both been very strict about the rules. No dairy, no fried anything, no sugar, only lean meats which includes chicken breast, turkey breast, venison, or fish, no added fats other than olive oil, and absolutely no artificial sweeteners. Stevia is acceptable. I have been amazed that we have so far been able to adhere to the rules. I even went to my sisters today and helped her bake Christmas cookies and make candies and didn't eat a single bite of any of it!

It is time for a change and I can't wait to see the old me reemerge!! I will continue to post my ups and downs and my struggles that I am sure I will have to deal with. Tip number one I have learned: Keep fresh fruit and vegetables on hand at all times to satisfy any sudden urges to eat unhealthy foods.

Wish me luck!!