The First Thing

The First thing you need to know when you decide to loose weight is that EVERYONE and their dog has unsolicited advice on what you need to do to have success.  I'm grateful that I spent months talking to my health coach before jumping in and making this decision public.  I already had a game plan for success and the last thing any smart unhealthy person will do is take weight loss advice from someone who hasn't had success keeping weight off themselves.  This is for a NEW healthy me, not the yo-yo dieting that most people do and that has sucked me in before.

A New Journey!

I'm about to embark on a new journey in my life.... one of health!  When I was in 4th grade I weighed 180 pounds.  For about 6 months of my life I lived with my grandparents as my family transitioned through a move from Arizona to Kentucky. I was in 4th grade at the time and I have a memory of stepping on a scale in my grandmothers bathroom and thinking I was fat as the scale read 180.  As I grew up I became more and more comfortable as the "fat" kid.  I embraced it, I made it SEXY!  I am still comfortable as a bigger woman!  The skinniest I have ever been was 175 pounds.  I returned from my mission in Idaho in 2005 at 175 lbs. with great pride at having lost 70 pounds. The boys noticed! I loved it!  In the course of the past 10 years I have steadily gained about 7 pounds a year for a grand total of 260 pounds.  I weigh 260 pounds....
Weirdly I'm okay with that number in a way most woman wouldn't be, but then I've always been big! I don't turn off the lights to make love to my husband, I'm not ashamed or shy about my body. I would still be okay with this weight if it wasn't effecting my life and my health.
 In the last year my weight has been effecting me being able to get pregnant.  I've learned in the last couple of years that I have a thyroid condition and PCOS.  Both things could be more manageable if I managed my weight better.   I've also noticed a difference in the way that I feel.  It's hard for me to get out of bed or off the couch.  My feet, knees and back hurt all the time and I am ALWAYS, always always tired and irritable because I don't sleep well.  ENTER TSFL!
I have five people that I know. Three friends and two of their spouses who have done this program called Take Shape For Life (a.k.a. Medifast).  The have all five of them had amazing success on this program.  They have all lost large amounts of weight and transitioned back into normal life and kept it off!  Its a program meant to help you loose weight, and teach you how to make better informed health choices.  SO, on Friday I put my first order in and I'm about to begin this journey of a healthy life!  I couldn't be more excited!!!!   I'm not looking to be skinny, just healthy! I am looking to feel better and have less pain!