6-Week Fitness Challenge

I started a 6-week fitness challenge (think Biggest Loser with a $ winner pot) with 20 friends (and friends of friends) on Monday, April 30th 2012. I'm doing low-carb/low-fat (cooking with the South Beach Diet cookbook) and exercising daily (either walking or using the elliptical). My greatest friend is an app called MyFitnessPal - I'm logging everything that goes into my mouth and keeping track of my exercise so I can stick with my plan to lose 30 pounds. I'm on a 1200 calorie diet. Breads, sugar and sodas are my vices - I have cut out sodas altogether but still eat a little bit of bread and sugar in moderation. (1 tsp sugar with tea, a little sugar in my salad dressing, had 2 slices of bread in a sandwich for lunch yesterday). I'm eating smaller meals closer together (every 2-2.5 hours) so I'm not starving and want to eat whatever is around (which is what I have been doing the last 3 years, eating quickly and on the go between school, soccer practices/games and church). I'm finding that I have to be intentional about what foods I have around, stick to a schedule of eating and making time to exercise. 

I have 4 kids - ages 1, 3, 5 and 6 - and have put on about 25 pounds since my third baby was born.  Over the last 6 months or so, I have really felt unhealthy - excess weight has made me tired, annoyed when I look in the mirror and my daily activity is really pretty sedentary since I'm at home taking care of laundry, dishes and kids.   My motivation for losing weight and getting healthy is wanting to be around for my 4 kids - my husband's mom passed away 2 years ago from cancer but she also had heart issues, it's been so hard without her - she loved her kids and grandkids so much! There are heart issues, cholesterol and diabetes on my side of the family too.  I want to be an active and fun/playful mom to my children, and my long term goal is to be able to see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up! I'm so glad that I have started this journey, and I am blessed to have a group of friends & friends of friends that are on this journey with me. I think I have just about convinced my husband Josh to start using MyFitnessPal - he has seen me "normal" aka not cranky and diet-crazy this week and is starting to believe he might be able to do it too! YAY!!!

If you are on the fence about wanting to lose weight, I would love to talk to you about it!  I'm learning that the best defense is a good offense - and having healthy foods around (and tracking everything that is going into your mouth) is the only way to go!   One of my fitness challenge friends said "Weight loss is 80% what goes into your mouth" and after this week, I know that is true.  My portion control size is severely distorted, and by writing down/logging everything I am eating and the sizes of the portions - I am seeing what true healthy eating really is!

I want to be healthy for them!