a new year, new you

In December, BlogHer approached me about doing a New Year, New You initiative with Best Buy and participating in the Inspiration to Fitness program. I was in the midst of scarfing down treats from the neighbors, white fudge oreos, and coconut almond chex mix. I hadn’t exercised in at least 3 weeks. My first thought was that you’ve got the wrong girl. I’m not a fitness girl, gym girl, or count every calorie, always order a salad when we go out to eat girl. Not even close.

I’ve always loved food and loved to eat and have honestly never really dieted. Well, I tried once in college with my roommates: we did the cabbage soup diet and lasted 1.5 days? I didn’t even know how to diet, or really how much I weighed, or counting calories, which is a credit to my mom. She never focused on that kind of stuff (even though looking back at some pictures…uhhh….maybe she should have said something, but I love her more because she didn’t)

1995 with my baby sister Kerri my senior year in high school

 

I got married when I was 22, got pregnant soon after and actually started dropping weight. Maybe it was because we were poor and couldn’t afford junk food, or maybe the whole emotional roller coaster of dating and college life was over, I don’t know.1999 in my first maternity outfit with my first baby!

 

I stayed fairly slim~not crazy skinny, but nothing I ever worried about. 2006

  When we lived in Idaho, I was friends with some runner girls and they got me going. They would be waiting outside my door at 6 a.m. and wouldn’t let me fail. We all ran a half marathon in 2006 and was in the best shape of my life running about 3 miles a day with long runs on the weekends. My husband said he’d do it too and I hated him because he barely trained and totally schooled me. I tried to eat healthy, but I wasn’t obsessive about it. It felt so good. 2006 my husband and I ran the Great Potato Half Marathon

Fast forward 6 years, some major thyroid issues, 2 babies later and wow, things have changed. I’ve gained about 15 pounds, I haven’t run over 1.5 miles in a loooong time, and I’ve got a blogger belly. That’s where I gain my weight (my mid-section: I’m a total apple) and it’s not pretty. Doing projects around the house and sitting on a chair at a computer is not so productive in the calorie burning department. And I’m realizing that I can’t wolf down 6 chocolate chip cookies anymore without some consequences. I know I eat emotionally…a lot. I’ve seen a few pictures of myself in the past couple of months that have made me want to cry. I’ve been asked twice when I am due when I’ve been in Lowes. (really…Lowes??)  It’s time for me to put my health back on my priority list. My husband and kids deserve the very best Melissa, and my well-being affects everything in the home.

Every week I’ll post a journal-type post about my progress, what I’m doing and I’ll have some fun giveaways along the way from Best Buy! The cool part is that you can join us! I'm following registered dietician, Alysa's Heart Health Track exercises and challenges. Are you ready to begin the journey to new health?

My first assignment is to set 2 specific goals for the week and schedule in exercise for 30 minutes, 6 times a week.

My first goals:

1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day

2. Write down everything I eat

I can do this…right?? I’ve got to admit: part of me is scared to death to be doing this publicly on the blog, but it’s going to be a good thing for me. What about you? Will you join us?

Have you been successful at taking more steps to be healthy/lose weight? Do you have any tips for me? I need all the help and motivation I can get.

Here we go…

 

 

* If you roll over the Best Buy image at the top of my blog, you can view a calendar of all the Inspiration to Fitness content.

You can enter to win the first giveaway here: a Zeo sleep manager!