Done with excuses.

To be honest, I think "dieting" is a poor choice of words for me. I do not want to just diet, but partake in an overhaul of my lifestyle!

My name is Kappy, and I'm 28 years old. I am a stay at home mom to my two glorious little boys. My oldest is 4 and a half years old, and my youngest is 1 year a few months in change. To be honest, they have wrecked havoc on my body.

I started off at 125 pounds when I got pregnant with my first. I was enlisted in the US Army, and in wonderful shape! I got out of active duty a month before my son was born, and at his birth I weighed 162 pounds, which was the heaviest I've ever weighed (at that time).

My problems started there. I was out of the Army, and I didn't WANT to exercise. "I did my time" I thought to myself. If I only knew that would be the death of my "nice" body. I wore a size 4, and that quickly changed to size 8. I chalked it up to my post pregnancy body. I was lying to myself, I know now.

I stopped smoking (I was a pack a day smoker for a long time, cut down drastically when I was pregnant--I wish I just quit then...), and my weight ballooned. I kept wondering if quitting was really the right choice. It was! My weight got up to 165, and I managed to get it down to 155 lbs. I was okay with that. I was happy, and feeling healthy from the lack of cigarettes.

I got pregnant with our second in May 2010. I started off over weight, and ended up with gestational diabetes. I gained way too much weight at first. I think I gained 10 pounds in my first trimester alone. That's bad! My OBs and nurses told me I was putting myself at risk for developing the diabetes. I knew they were right, so I slowed down. I ended up gaining 5 pounds (give or take) until I was 28 weeks. Then I took "the test." Since I had failed the 1 hour glucose tolerance test at 11 weeks, I was automatically given the 3 hour GTT. I didn't just fail it, I BOMBED it. My nurse read off my first 3 results--fasting, 1 hour, and 2 hour. My fasting was slightly elevated. My 1 hour blood draw was 223 and my 2 hour draw was 186. Right there I knew I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, since I had elevated sugars on 2 of the 3 draws. I got my glucose meter 2 stinking days before Thanksgiving. Oh, cruel fate.

I will say that it was actually quite easy to follow my diabetic diet. Boring and monotonous at times, but easy to follow. I only gained 3 pounds for the rest of my pregnancy, and that was at the very end. The amazing side effect of being on that diet, is how I felt! I felt great!! I knew when my blood sugar spiked too high, because I felt horrible when it did (ask me how I did for Thanksgiving.. HAH).

My son was born just barely making it 37 weeks, and I weighed 183. My new highest. More than a year later, I am still in the 170s. I'm somewhat glad that I can still say that it's not my heaviest, but it's still not good. I'm 5 feet and 2 inches tall. My weight is unhealthy, and I know it. My health is now at risk. I'm at risk for having a heart attack all ready. That's scary. My cholesterol is getting dangerously high, and now my blood pressure is following suit. I am predisposed for heart complications from both paternal and maternal sides of my family.

I am done making these stupid excuses. It's time for a change, and that change starts today. I've watched my husband for the last few months use MFP, and he's lost like 30 pounds all ready. He is my motivation. If he can do it, then so can I!