Hi There!

My goal is to lose 50 pounds by November to get to my ideal weight for my height.  I started at 182 on May 1st and have lost 12 pounds so far.  I work at a hospital on the 6th floor and I have BANNED the elevator.  In fact I take the stairs all the way down and up 10 times a day (I work 3 days a week). All the other days I make sure I work out for at least 40 minutes and I REALLY watch what I eat.  It's easy to watch what you eat when you have to record it... which is why I am keeping track of it on Prevention.com in the health tracker section.  I also wear a pedometer.  Some study said that people who wear pedometers walk an extra 300 steps a day just because they are able to monitor it!  You're supposed to do 10,000 steps a day to maintain your weight so I shoot for 20,000 a day.  I park farther out in a parking lot so I have to walk more.  I walk in place while I'm cooking or changing my baby's diaper.  Just trying to get those steps in.  I haven't been 130 pounds since I was in junior high and I've always been the chunky girl.  I really feel so much BETTER and have so much more ENERGY with just those 12 pounds gone.  Just imagine what I'll feel like at 130 lbs!  I'm just sharing what works for me and how it really is worth it.  HANG IN THERE!  There are days where I just wanna eat and lay around but I get up and moving - getting your heart rate up will help to quelch most bad moods.  And set up rewards for yourself.... when I've lost 25 I plan on spending a half day at a spa and getting a massage and pedicure.  WE'RE WORTH IT!  And our familes deserve to see us happy and healthy AND for us to be around longer!!  You just have to really work at making time for it.  Believe me I work full time (3 - 12 hour shifts) an hour from where I live, I have a husband who farms (so this time of year he's DEFINITELY not around, and my 2 1/2 year old has special needs.  I had to get rid of the guilt I felt for taking care of myself, but you know what... I can't properly take care of my family if I'm a big slug who doesn't take care of herself.  Nobody wants a slug for a wife or a Mom.... so here I am.  You're worth it.  You're fully capable.  And you deserve it.  Keep it up and hang in there.

Leslie