Jamaica Here I Come - Newbie from KC, MO!

Hey All: My name is Amanda Starr and I'm somewhat of a "newbie" on MFP. I've been using it off and on for a few months but have become more active in the last month or so. I am heading to Jamaica on May 21st and trying to get fit and firm for the trip! I'm not looking to lose a "ton" of weight but do want to drop somewhere between 7-10 more pounds before I go. That should put my at a "healthy" weight for my height, a whopping 5' 3"! :laugh:

I know that might not be possible with only 4 weeks to go but I've been at this for slightly over a month now and I am still determined to try! I've seen the scale go down in numbers which is promising but I don't feel like I am seeing a lot of physical results, especially in my stomach area so I still have a bit more work to do and the clock is ticking!!

I've never been a fan of exercise nor a fan of dieting. In regards to dieting, I guess I have never been able to wrap my head around depriving yourself of things and making yourself miserable to lose a few pounds. I mean, logically, why would you keep doing something to yourself if it continually made you miserable? I truly believe that you can eat things that you enjoy ... the key is "moderation". My two vices are 1.) chips + salsa and 2.) wine. If I am craving one of those things, I don't tell myself I can't have them - I just try and make certain changes in my eating habits throughout the day to make room for them (i.e. no creamer in my coffee, a lower calorie afternoon snack, etc.). Or , I tell myself I have to walk an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill or with the hula hoop to burn the 120 calories in that one glass of wine! I will admit, however, that reasoning doesn't always work ... but hey, we all have our occasional slip-ups, right?

With regards to exercise, after about 4-6 weeks of it -- I'm finally getting to the point where I don't dread it as much and where I can convince myself to hit the treadmill even if I don't want to so I think that's a good sign!! I hope that when I hit my goal weight, I can maintain that weight and keep on exercising and keeping track of what I am eating so that I can maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. That is my main goal - to get fit and to stay fit! I know there will be bumps along the way but I'm buckled it and ready for them!

Well thanks for listening and best of luck to all of us in reaching our goals and never losing site of them!

~ AmandaStarr