New and ready to do this...

Hey all!

I was given the suggestion of MFP by some friends on another message board when I mentioned I needed to change my diet and lifestyle for the better. So, I headed on over here, set up my profile, and started yesterday to keep track of my eating and exercise. I am so far loving the ability to track all of this and can see it seriously helping by making it harder to "lie" to myself about what a food contains.

So who am I? I am a 29 year old female, 5'7", and I currently weight 230. The other day I came to a realization that I couldn't keep living the way I am. I am always tired, worn out, sick, and just never feel "right". I knew i needed to change something, so here I am. The hardest changes for me will be cutting back on eating out (or at least learning where to go and what to order) and portion control. I also have to be careful with my protein levels due to other medical concerns so I need a overall eating plan and can't just depend on a high protein diet.

My plan so far is:
- Eat 5 "meals" a day (B, L, D, and 2 snacks)
- Cut out soda
- Cut out fast food
- Learn portion control
- Lots of whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins (chicken, pork, seafood, beans), low fat dairy, and whole fruit
- Limit red meat to 2-3 times a month
- Start making time to exercise and some "me" time (mental well being is just as important as physical)

So, I am really excited to start this new journey!