I've Lost My Son - Two of Him Actually!

Soooooo......... I have lost quite a bit of weight. (I'd say 62 lbs. is quite a bit.) While it was a gradual weight loss, and a healthy weight loss, it happened in a relatively short period of time - less than a year. I know that I am smaller than I have ever been in my entire life, but I still have a hard time seeing what I've lost.

To put things in perspective, I've put together a list of what I lost from month to month, and what that equates to in real, tangible objects.

























When I see numbers on the scale, I'm not always that impressed, especially when I think of how much more I need to lose. But when I think that I used to carry as much weight as TWO of my son, I am astounded! Perspective is a great thing.

What have you lost? Even if it's only 2 lbs., aren't you glad you're no longer carrying around two Chihuahua puppies on your body any more?

The Cookie Made Me Do It

Have you had a tough day? Did you give in to temptation? Did you skip your workout? You're not alone, and if you're like me on my weak days, it's completely not your fault. These are some of my favorite diet excuses. Some I've used, some I've heard, some came to me through email. Feel free to share your excuses. And remember: A good, hard laugh burns calories.

• I have to eat something sweet to get the taste of (fill in the blank) out of my mouth.
• We're so close, we might as well stop in for a nummy!
• I had a dream where I turned down chocolate cake and something bad happened. Better safe than sorry.
• The cookie made me do it.
• It's not just my birthday. It's my whole birth-month!
• But I'm still hungry.
• You can't go out for dinner and NOT have a dessert!
  
• Well, I'll just cheat tonight, and I'll start my diet again tomorrow.
• This cookie is broken, so the calories fell out of it.
• But I'm sharing this cake, so that means all the calories are cut down by 75%.
• This is a 100 calorie chocolate bar, so it's ok if I eat five of them.
• Popcorn doesn't weigh much, so it can't make me gain much.
• I couldn't say no to birthday cake. That would be rude!
• But it's just not a bagel without cream cheese!
• The donuts were lonely.
• Drinking a diet soda cancels out the calories in dessert.
• I was just showing the baby how to eat an ice cream sandwich.
• The brownies were calling my name.
• I'll only eat the pie and the ice cream, I'll leave off the whipped cream.
• I needed something to go with my coffee.
• Life is short. Eat dessert first.
• The baby didn't finish the cookies, and I don't want to waste them.
  
• You're supposed to eat foods of different colors. Carrots, spinach, jelly beans, Skittles, M&Ms.....
• I'm working out more, so it's ok if I eat more.
• I'm getting in shape. Round is a shape.
• I'm just tasting it. .....All of it.
• Chocolate comes from beans (cacao beans), and sugar comes from plants (sugar cane or sugar beets). So Chocolate is a vegetable.

I know I'm not the only one using these excuses. And I know my excuses are lame and cheesy, but I use them anyway. At least when I see them in print, it's harder to justify my bad eating habits. *sigh* It's so hard to be healthy when being unhealthy tastes so much better!

My Friends are Supposed to Protect Me from Myself!!

Ok, I thought I had great friends. I thought we had a very real "friendship bond" kind of thing with each other. They're my friends. They're supposed to protect me from my own innate stupidity!! Why weren't they there???

Problem #1 - They deluded me.
So, I thought, "Hmmm... There is this 8K race coming up. It's for a good cause, and maybe this will be the kick I need to lose the last 10 lbs. Sure, I can do an 8K. How hard can it be?" And my friends were supportive of me, and they said, "Absolutely, you can do it! I believe in you! You signed up, hooray for you!" Maybe it's my mistake. I didn't pick up on any sarcasm, and I didn't hear them laughing their heads off.

Problem #2 - They encouraged me in my madness.
I started training for the 8K, and I thought, "Yes, I will train and prepare. I am reasonably fit, and training will be good for me. How hard can it be?" And my friends were supportive of me, and they said, "You will feel so much better for doing this. You are healthy, and you will feel empowered. This is such a great thing that you are doing for yourself. You can train, no problem! I believe in you!" Again, I didn't hear sarcasm, but perhaps it's because my muscles were screaming too loudly.

Problem #3 - They didn't stop me when my stupidity gained ambition and momentum.
So, I'm out walking and jogging my little heart out (no, literally, I think my heart is coming out of my chest), and I stop at the Convention Center steps. Grandiose visions of a super fit and athletic me, running to the top of the steps, and just like Rocky, doing a very triumphant jogging dance filled my head. However, I can't leave Mr. Baby in the stroller because I am afraid of being arrested by some police officer, so what did I do? I put him on my shoulders and I ran up and down the first two flights of steps at the Convention Center - all seven sections. That's four times going up, and four times going down. I felt like my legs and butt were about to implode. And the first flight of stairs was fine, but with each flight after that, I became less and less like Rocky, and more and more like a beached whale trying to heft itself up the stairs. It was so sad.

I think I may need leg and butt transplants. Something has definitely gone terribly wrong with mine. Where were my friends???? Why didn't they stop me and say, "You know, this is not such a great idea." (And yes, I would like some cheese with my whine. As long as my cheese is cheesecake and my whine is a huge glass of Merlot with morphine!)

So I complained to my friends, and I told them that they let me down. These are a few of their responses:

"Are you trying to be Rocky?"
"Are you training for the Marines?"
"Well, quite frankly, you're crazy!"
"I would've chanced being arrested for child abandonment."

I was so upset! And then they got all supportive on me, and I lost my righteous indignation.

"I am so impressed!"
"You rock! I wish I was there to cheer you on!"
"You go, girl!"
"I still believe in you! And you will be so ready for the race."
"I know you can do it."
"I'll bring you some aspirin."

~And the one that broke me:
"Let's go walking, and I'll do the steps with you!"

Not only did my friends rally around me, comfort and sympathize with me, one of my friends actually came out and ran steps with me! How can you argue with friends who support you in your decisions, cheer you on through the pain and discouraging moments, and even volunteer to torture themselves right alongside with you?


............I have such awesome friends!

5 Sandwiches Under 300 Calories

I am a busy mom. I am also a woman with a weight loss goal. My lifestyle requires me to eat healthy, low calorie meals that are quick to prepare, quick to eat, and quick to clean up. All parents know that their children are capable of getting into five different escapades in the fifteen minutes it takes to grab a quick lunch.

So here are my Five Current Favorite Quick-n-Easy, Low Cal Sandwiches. The best part? They are all under 300 calories!! Yummy and healthy, and an easy part of a low calorie lifestyle. I wish you Happy and Healthy Eating!!

Turkey & Cranberry Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 238
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
70 cal - 2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese
28 cal - 1 tbsp. Trader Joe's Orange Cranberry Sauce
50 cal - 6 slices Hillshire Farms Deli Select Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Spread 1 wedge of cheese on each slice of bread. On one side, place turkey slices. If desired, toast both slices until turkey and cheese are warmed through. Spread cranberry sauce on turkey, top with second slice and enjoy. *Note: Sprinkling a little cayenne pepper on this sandwich gives it a pleasant kick which goes very well with the sweetness of the cranberry sauce!

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese ~ Total Calories = 266
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
70 cal - 2 tbsp. light cream cheese or 2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese
80 cal - 2 oz. smoked salmon
10 cal - 1 slice red onion, diced
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, sliced
5 cal - 2 tbsp. capers
- Lightly toast bread if desired. Spread 1 tbsp. or 1 wedge of cheese on each slice of bread. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. capers over cheese on each slice of bread. (It helps to push them into the cheese slightly, so that they don't roll out of your sandwich.) Top one slice with onion, tomato slices, and smoked salmon. Top with second slice of bread and enjoy.

Boca Burger Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 250
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
100 cal - 1 Boca Burger Patty
30 cal - 1 slice Kraft Singles Fat Free American Cheese
4 cal - 4 leaves lettuce (0.8 oz)
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, sliced
15 cal - 3 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Prepare burger patty according to package directions. Lightly toast bread. Spread mustard on one or both slices of bread. Place burger patty and cheese on one side. Top with tomato and lettuce. Top with second slice of bread. Eat up.

Tuna Salad Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 243
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
99 cal - 3 oz. tuna (packed in water and drained or dry - NOT packed in oil)
12 cal - 3 slices onion, diced
7 cal - 2 waterchestnuts, diced
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, diced
24 cal - 1 oz. fat free mayonnaise
- Lightly toast bread if desired. Mix tuna, onion, waterchestnuts, tomato and mayonnaise. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Spread on bread, top with second slice. Enjoy.

Melty Pastrami Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 282
120 cal - 2 slices Sargento Deli Style Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
60 cal - 7 slices Hillshire Farms Deli Select Pastrami
12 cal - 4 tsp. mustard
- Spread 2 tsp. mustard on each slice of bread. Cut each cheese slice in half. Layer cheese and pastrami on one slice of bread (a little cheese, a little pastrami, a little cheese, a little pastrami). Put both sandwich halves into a toaster, and heat until pastrami is warmed through and the cheese is melting. Top with second slice of bread and enjoy while it's warm!

A Low-Cal Day Can be a Filling Day!

I've mentioned it before, but it's worth mentioning again. Sometimes, when people lose weight, and you ask them how they did it, they answer very vaguely. You've heard these lines, right?

"Oh, you know. I just worked out and stuff." ~ "Well, I just eat healthier. That's all." ~ Or my favorite, "I don't know. I'm just losing. Isn't it great?"

I am all about sharing. Sharing info, sharing successes, even sharing failures! You can learn from all of it. That said, I want to get into details. I've said that I limit my food intake to 1200 - 1500 calories per day. If you've never counted calories, this can be difficult. I had never counted calories before I started my Healthy Lifestyle journey. And while you're definitely eating less food, it doesn't mean you have to starve. Here is a detailed food log of what I ate the other day. I want to point out that I do eat meat, and it's absolutely possible to have your steak and eat it too, however this particular day, I was very veggie heavy.

Breakfast ~ A Veggie Breakfast Burrito ~ Total - 246 calories
1 La Tortilla Factory Low Carb/Low Fat tortilla - 50 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
2 Boca Burger Original patties - 140 calories
1 plum tomato - 11 calories
2 tbsp salsa - 10 calories
Cook burger patties in the oven. Spread cheese wedge onto tortilla. Lightly warm or toast tortilla. Chop burger patties into strips or chunks and place onto tortilla. Add sliced plum tomato, and spread salsa on top. Wrap up the tortilla and chow down.

Snack ~ 2 Mandarin Oranges (the Cuties) ~ Total - 80 calories

Lunch ~ Mushroom Risotto with Veggies and Tempeh ~ Total - 405 calories
1 cup Mushroom Risotto (from Trader Joe's) - 150 calories
2 oz tempeh - 110 calories
1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk - 20 calories
2/3 cup frozen mixed veggies - 90 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
Chop or grate tempeh and combine with all other ingredients in a skillet. Simmer, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and risotto is thick and creamy. Serve it up warm and enjoy.

Snack ~ Chips Ahoy 100 Calorie Pack, 1 bottle Vitamin Water ~ Total - 225 calories

Dinner ~ Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta ~ Total - 295 calories
1 pkg Lean Cuisine Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta in creamy seafood sauce - 220 calories
1 pkg House Foods Tofu Shirataki Angel Hair noodles - 40 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
Drain and rinse noodles very well in hot water, or boil noodles and drain well. Prepare Lean Cuisine entree according to package directions. Place Lean Cuisine contents and tofu noodles into a microwave safe bowl. Add cheese wedge, toss, and microwave for 30 - 60 seconds. Toss again to mix thoroughly and enjoy.

Dessert ~ 1 Vitabrownie, 1 bottle Guinness draught ~ Total - 230 calories


TOTAL FOR THE DAY - 1,481 calories
Pretty cool, huh?

The New Miracle Toddler Diet

Hahaha!! I love this!! I got this in my email, and it is one of the most truthful diets around. I couldn't find any author information online, but it's a great read. I hope you enjoy it, and start your week off with a smile!




Each new year brings an onslaught of new diets. The trouble is, most people don't get enough to eat when dieting (the starvation diet), or not enough variety (the liquid diet), or they go for broke (the all meat diet). As a result, people either "cheat" or quit dieting after a few days. Is there nothing one can do but blame their body size on a gland problem? Well, now there is the "New Miracle Toddler Diet.

I've noticed that most two-year-olds are trim. It came to me over a cup of black coffee and a carrot that perhaps it's what they eat. So after talking with pediatricians, x-ray technicians, and distraught moms, I was able to formulate this diet for adults. It's inexpensive and provides lots of variety.

Before embarking on this diet, however, please check with your doctor. Otherwise, you may have to see him/her afterwards.

Day One

Breakfast:
One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly. Eat 2 bites of egg and dump the rest on the floor. Take bite of toast and smear the jelly on face and clothes.

Lunch:
Peanut butter and banana sandwich, glass of milk. Spit out several bites of sandwich. Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.

Snack:
Two pennies and a nickel, 3 sips of stale soda found in family room.

Dinner:
Mashed potatoes, chicken fingers and carrot coins, glass of milk. Pour milk on mashed potatoes and finger paint table top. Eat half of chicken and toss rest at brother. Stick carrot coins wherever possible.

Day 2

Breakfast:
Pancakes with lots of syrup, glass of milk. Eat pancake with fingers, rub in hair. Stuff pancake in glass of milk.

Lunch:
Two crayons (non-toxic), any color, picked up from floor. Nibble on dog biscuit spilled from box in cupboard.

Snack:
Lick all-day sucker until sticky; take outside. Drop in dirt; retrieve and lick clean. Bring inside and drop on rug.

Dinner:
Macaroni and cheese. Eat half with hands; feed rest to dog. Pull off that stale gum stuck under the table and enjoy for dessert.

Day 3

Breakfast:
Quarter tube of toothpaste (fluoridated), bit of soap and bite of Kleenex. Pour glass of milk on cornflakes, add sugar and mix. When soggy, refuse to eat.

Lunch:
Two matches (unlit), half a tube of "pulsating pink" lipstick, half a cup of strawberry yogurt; leave lots on face.

Snack:
Find that sucker and lick off the fuzz. Stick to the cushion of your best chair.

Dinner:
Spaghetti and meatballs, eaten strand by strand. Roll meatball across plate many times; cut in quarters and leave on plate. Nibble on stick of mascara for dessert.

I Didn't Fall Off the Bandwagon - I Just Never Diet

So, the past few weeks, I've been on a total eating kick. I totally splurged on two Thai restaurants (read the tasty reviews here Part I and here Part II), as well as Thai take-out, IN-N-Out Burgers complete with fries and a chocolate/vanilla milkshake, Claim Jumper (although I managed to get out without a dessert, and if you've ever been there, you know how hard that is!), Rock Bottom Brewery (again, miraculously, without a dessert), and I hit L & L Hawaiian Barbecue. I had a seafood dinner at home, a seafood luncheon, hosted a tea party, visited Starbucks and Coffee Bean numerous times, and indulged at Extraordinary Desserts. If that isn't all about fattening comfort food, then I just don't know anything about food.

All this splurging has definitely taken it's toll. My once loose jeans are feeling a little snug today. The scale says I am 6 lbs. heavier than I was last week. And I am totally ok with all of it. I'm not thrilled with gaining weight, but I see how it happened. It has taken me a long time to get to this point, but I am fine with days of splurging. I didn't sabotage myself, and I am happy that I could indulge in some really good food. Really, really good food!

I'm not saying I don't suffer from some guilt. I hate seeing that number on the weighing scale go up, and I feel the pang of feaster's remorse (especially when my jeans feel tight). That's ok, because a week or two of food indulgence does not make me a failure, nor does it cancel out all the hard work I've done so far. I indulged because there were a few special occasions, and my life will continue to include parties, and holiday feasts, and backyard barbecues. I guarantee you that I will eat more than my share of calories on those days.

One of the things I hate most about "diets" is the notion that it's a temporary fix. If you eat nothing but grapefruit for a month, you will definitely lose weight - if for no other reason than you get sick of the taste, the sight, and the very smell of grapefruit, and you just quit eating. My issue with "dieting" is that you change your eating habits for a short time to achieve a goal. What happens after you reach that goal? You usually go right back to your old eating habits, because living off of only grapefruit is very restrictive and not a very sustainable eating plan. My weight fluctuated, by about 20 lbs. over the course of several years, because I would go on and off various diets.

Going back to my weight loss mantra, I am working on a healthy lifestyle. This means no dieting, but I do maintain a healthy diet. This is realistic and forgiving, because there will be times when I eat too much. There will be holidays and parties when I celebrate and stuff myself silly. This is fine, I haven't "failed" or "fallen off the dieting bandwagon." I'm not even on a bandwagon!

If you are trying to lose weight, and you ate too much because you went to a party, or your kids were driving you nuts, or your job made you want to go postal, or just because you had a massive munchie attack, you are still doing fine! Munchie days happen. I think some people who "diet" feel like if they lose control for a day, or a week, or a few weeks, then they've failed. And since they failed, then they are a failure and there's no way to go on. I am working towards an overall healthy life. This includes learning how to have a healthy relationship with food, and learning how to regroup and refocus after a food splurge.

I know I'm not the only one who's gotten discouraged after gaining some weight, especially after I worked so hard to get it off the first time. I know, though, that I am healthier than I have ever been before in my life, and I know that I want to keep building and developing healthy habits for the rest of my life. Today, I worked out first thing this morning. That made me feel good. I ate a filling, low calorie/high nutrition breakfast and lunch. My dinner will be healthy and veggie filled, no more than 400 calories, and will include a glass of wine. And I will still come in under 1400 calories for the day.

I have the tools and the determination to get back on my healthy track. If you need some encouragement, remember, I'm always willing to listen and be a weight loss cheerleader. And if you have any tips, please share! Lots of people everywhere would love the help and encouragement.

My Weight Loss Buddies

My aunt forwarded me an email that contained the line:

"Aspire to Inspire before you Expire!"

I really like that message! Since posting my Weight Loss Mantra, I've gotten some great comments, questions, and commiserations. It really helps me to know that I'm not alone in my weight loss journey. I hope I can help inspire some people to lose weight, or just help others realize that they're not alone. Other people are struggling with the same problems. This is a tough road for anyone, and if you need a weight loss buddy, I'm here for you!

A friend of mine commented that when you ask people how they lost weight, they give you a very vague answer. It seems that if you've lost weight, how you did it becomes a closely guarded secret. I don't like that. Share the love! Tell what worked and what didn't work for you. Even if it doesn't work for me, it might work for someone else, and it will at least give me some ideas.

This is why, if you're trying to lose weight, a Weight Loss Buddy can really help you achieve your goals. Pick people who are as motivated, or more motivated than you. Choose a person who will share their failures as well as their successes. If possible, find a person who can work out with you as well. If you are just starting out, find a buddy who is also ready to take the weight loss plunge with you. Recruiting close family members is always a plus. They will be around to help motivate you, they can exercise with you, and they can help shield you from temptation (like the dessert tray). If you don't have family or friends as an option, try joining an online weight loss forum.

That said, I want to thank my Weight Loss Buddies for joining me on the journey to a Healthy Lifestyle. You help me in so many ways!

* When I give in to cravings, you remind me that I have strength to stay in control of myself.
* When I have super food-guilt because I overate, you tell me that one moment of weakness does not make my entire life a failure.
* When I am stressed out and mindlessly munching, you help bring perspective to my situation.
* On days when I my self esteem is low and I feel fat and ugly, you show me what I am worth and remind me of all that I have accomplished.
* When I have no idea what to eat or cook, you come up with fabulous, tasty ideas for new foods to keep my mouth happy.
* You find some great resources, and share awesome information, recipes, and ideas on food, exercise, and life in general.
* You share your experiences with me, and help me realize that I am not alone in how I feel and what I am going through.
* You help keep me motivated and strong.

Just having another person to chat with, or bounce ideas off of, can help you stay focused on your weight loss goals. And remember, if you think you're alone, I am always ready to be a weight loss cheerleader! I aspire to inspire!

Hina's Weight Loss Mantra

"My weight loss is a happy byproduct of a healthy lifestyle. I am working towards a Healthy Life, not just a skinny life." ~ Me

I came up with my mantra while giving a weight loss pep talk to one of my friends. She has managed to lose a considerable amount of weight through dedication, personal strength, and hard work. She inspires me to stay true to my newly acquired healthy lifestyle, and I am extremely proud of her. (You know who you are, and I am SO proud of you! You are awesome!)

I know how hard it is to lose weight. I have been overweight for almost my entire life, and I hated it. I was a normal sized child, but when puberty hit me (and it hit pretty early) I packed on the pounds. I was bookish and studious, but I was not born with the "sports gene." Growing up as the "fat kid" was hard, especially with a skinny, athletic sibling. Kids can be cruel, and I was teased a lot.

You'd think things would get easier when you're an adult. Sure, most people mature and acquire some tact. (Most people do. Others will be inconsiderate jerks for much longer, until someone butters their floor, and possibly even after that.) I'm 5'7", and at my heaviest, I weighed roughly 228 lbs. I may have weighed more, but I stopped weighing myself because it was too depressing. I was a size 18 before I knew what happened to me, and that was when I was 23 years old! Do you have any idea how hard it is to be overweight, in your twenties, and living in Los Angeles? LA is the land of red carpet couture, Hollywood diets, and all kinds pretense designed to make you feel like you're not good enough, not pretty/handsome/sexy enough. Want proof? A coworker once told me that he wasn't in-shape enough to go to his neighborhood gym in Hollywood. I asked him if the point of going to the gym wasn't to get fit and get in shape. He replied, "Yes," but too many celebs, models and industry affiliates worked out there. Imagine that - having to lose weight before you can set foot in a gym.

I managed to lose 20 lbs. in my mid to late 20's, but I was still clinically obese. However, I have just entered my 30's, and in the last nine months I have lost (drum roll, please!) ..... 62 pounds!! Pretty cool, huh? In April 2006, I was a size 14. I'm now around a size 6/7. In nine months, I have lost 30% of my body weight. I think that's awesome, and I am totally proud of my accomplishment! You know what's better? I'm not starving, I'm not deprived of chocolate, my weight is not going up and down on a yo-yo, and I've actually acquired some great tools for living a healthy lifestyle. And I personally believe that you cannot have mental or physical health without some good chocolate.

People ask me what I did to lose weight, because when they see me, the difference is pretty dramatic. I'd like to say there was a miracle pill. (Wouldn't you love it if there was a miracle pill?) I'd like to say that I found a miracle diet that worked magic on my body. However, the truth is that I just decided, for various reasons, that I needed to get healthy, and that means eating healthy foods in moderation and exercise. As my husband told me so often, the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume.

I started out using Nutrisystem, which really taught me a lot. I learned about portion size and how to count my calories. It sounds so elementary, but you wouldn't believe how many people out there have no idea how many calories they consume in a day. I had no idea about my intake, although I knew that FDA food labeling standards put forth a 2000 calorie per day average. When I started a food log to find out, I was shocked to find out that I was downing about 5000 calories every day. And this is when I thought I was being rather health conscious! (Health tip: Trail mix, although usually loaded with protein, omega 3s, and antioxidants, is also fairly high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. Yikes!) I also subscribe to Hungry Girl, a most fantastic resource for people looking to lose weight. Among other helpful tips and information, Hungry Girl provides insight into high calorie, high fat food frights, and provides diet empowering alternatives.

I am no longer on Nutrisystem, because I don't feel like I need it anymore. It is incredibly convenient, but it's also pricey for me. Besides, I have found, and also created, some simple, tasty, low cal dishes. I do still read Hungry Girl daily. I also have some other resources, which help me daily with my weight goals.

If you're looking to lose weight, I recommend a few things. These are things I did, things I believe in, and things that worked for me. I'm not a dietician or a physician, but hey, I lost over 60 lbs., and I'm still losing. I can't be completely full of it, right?

1. Definitely talk to your doctor. My doctor gave me a few dietary and exercise guidelines, and they were extremely helpful. Safety first!

2. Don't "go on a diet." Food is not a temporary thing, it's something you'll be living off of for the rest of your life. An ad for Weight Watchers reads, "We help you lose weight by teaching you to have a healthy relationship with food." This is so important, and so true! Learn to eat healthy portions of healthy foods for your every day meals. Learn how to eat a healthy diet.

3. Be knowledgeable and accountable for yourself. Know how many calories you consume in a day. If you don't know, start a food log. It doesn't have to be fancy. I keep a daily desk calendar in the kitchen. Whenever I eat something (a meal, a snack, whatever), I log the calories. At the end of the day, I tally everything to see how much I've eaten. The best part is, no matter what I've eaten, every morning I tear off yesterday's page, and start a clean new day. (Slightly hokey, but very mentally and metaphorically uplifting.) It keeps me aware of my nutrition, and I am accountable for my food decisions. It can also help you become aware of any eating habits you have, like constant snacking, or stress eating. Once you know how much you're eating, and when, you'll know where you need to make adjustments.

4. Do some exercise. I personally hate gyms. I hate the smell, the mindless hamster wheel-like exercises (the Stair Master stairs don't go anywhere!), and I hate to be around stinky, sweaty people. So I have to sneak in my exercise when I won't mind it so much. (Every little bit helps!) I park far away from store entrances so that I have to walk more. When my son watches The Backyardigans, I dance with him. When I take my boy to the park, I chase him up and down hills. I play music and dance around the house when I'm doing housework or cooking. Anything you can do to move your body, do it.

5. Just make a commitment and start to be healthy. Oddly, the hardest thing for me to do was Start. I made up my mind that I had to be healthier - for me, for my family. But for some reason it is so scary to make that change. What if I fail? What if I lose weight then gain it back? What if people say things about me? What if I have a heart attack while walking up this hill? Good grief, what if I succeed?! It's scary to take that first step, but I swear that once you get started, you gain momentum.

A good support system is also extremely helpful. Having encouragement at the right time can make or break you. I had my share of lows when I could have jumped into vat of melted ice cream to drown myself, rather than eat a salad. (I still have those days on occasion.) I could not have stayed focused without my loving husband telling me that I was very able to lose weight. My family and friends helped me, and they continue to help and inspire me to be a healthy individual. They remind me of what I have accomplished, what I started from, and how well I am doing. And that helps me keep going. I have 6 more pounds to shed until I reach my goal weight, then I only have to maintain that for the rest of my life. I'm very committed to living a healthy life, and I'm committed to teaching my son to live a healthy life. And I would like to inspire others to live a healthy life. It's a lot of hard work and discipline, but I believe I'm worth it.

Remember, don't just work towards a skinny life. Make a commitment to live a Healthy Life! If you develop healthy habits, the weight will come off! If you don't have a support group, or if you feel alone in your weight loss journey, feel free to drop me a line. I can be a very helpful weight loss cheerleader. Just ask my friend. She's managed to lose a considerable amount of weight, and I am so proud of her!