It's a long, but joyful road

Hi, everyone.

I am LakerMrB (Christopher). I've been obese for over 20 years. My two daughters have become vegetarians and have encouraged me to follow suit. I am eating less meat now and only eating meat from local ranchers (so no chemicals).

I've lost 13 pounds so far without adding exercise. I know I will lose more by exercising and the plan is to begin soon.

My wife and I only shop at the Farmers Market and Trader Joe's Market (a natural foods market). As a result, I have noticed my mind is sharper and clearer without the chemicals in commercial food.

One of my goals is to post to this thread once a week as I journey forward toward a healthy lifestyle. Health and longevity are also goals I am pursuing.

Some of the foods I have added to my diet include yogurt, molasses, honey, and cinnamon (when I can get it). I am focusing on foods that promote weight loss and longevity. People who eat yogurt lose more weight than those who diet without it. I eat 6 oz at a time with some fruit or jam added.

My goal is to drink at least 6 glasses of water each day and keep my calories under the goal set according to the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. I love using my phone to enter my daily foods.

I eat molasses because I have a terrible time getting enough potassium, which regulates muscle contraction and water balance, among many other things. I am just not a fruit eater, though I love berries. But, as to other fruits, when I buy them, they just rot in my frig. So, I no longer buy them and look to baked potatoes (I'm Irish.) and molasses. I am still not getting enough so I am looking to add more potassium-rich foods to my diet.

When I was in college, I ate fruit and cottage cheese for two weeks and dropped 25 pounds. But, of course, it came back over time. Now I know I need to reshape my diet slowly so that it becomes a part of my lifestyle.

Whew. Enough for today. Thanks for all you do to grow in health. Best of Luck to all.

Chris