I have finally decided to make a lifestyle change instead of just talking about it.

I have at least 71 pounds to lose and DH has about 60. I am going to walk on my treadmill 5 days a week and do high intensity aerobics 3-4 times a week. I started on Monday and I am proud to be on day 4 of my journey! Gotta start somewhere right?

I used to be pretty small (135 lbs) when DH and I were dating. I was at the gym 6 days a week but then life happened, marriage and 2 kids later, I let myself go. Well I am no longer putting my health and happiness on the back burner!!!

Plus I had forgot how good it feels to take a shower and put on some comfy clothes after a good workout!

Another thing we are doing is changing how we eat. Starting with our next trip to the grocery store if there is anything listed on the label that I cannot pronounce or don't know what it is, I will not buy it!

Even though it's more expensive, I am buying all my milk and cheese from the local dairy, I will also be buying cream from them and making my own butter, which will be used very sparingly.

We are going to limit our meat consumption to only local grass fed beef (expensive, so only a couple times a month) and our own chicken.

I will also be making at least 3 vegetarian dinners each week.

I am happy to say goodbye to the processed, chemical laden and hormone and antibiotic pumped foods! I really think that even without working out the weight will drop just by changing how I eat. I just figure why not help it along with exercise!

We are also going to try to eliminate as much sugar as possible! I will not eliminate bread or pasta, just eat it less often.

I am no longer going to buy bread or pasta either. I will be making my own so that I can control what is in it. The Kitchenaid is going to get a lot of work!!!

I think I may be able to talk DH into getting me a grain mill for Christmas!!! Then I can grind my own grains for the bread!!

I'm doing this for me, my children and my future grandchildren that I want to be around to meet!

Another good thing is my DD's are almost 5 and 18 months. By doing this I will be teaching them a healthy lifestyle from the start. They won't know any different!

My neighbor told my DH the other day that he found it odd that my oldest DD didn't know what a Twinkie was. My goal is to keep it that way!

Hello and welcome! Sounds like you are going full steam ahead. Good job. While that is difficult for some, many, find is easiest to change it all at once. No baby steps here!

One thing I did notice is that you never mentioned vegetables, (and fruit). Do you plan on getting in at least 5 a day? All that fiber and low calorie goodness really helps keep you full and healthy.

Keep up the good work!

Welcome!! Good luck and stick with it!

Yes, we will be eating mostly fresh fruit and veggies! I am a stay at home mom, so I have the time to prepare meals. The vegetarian meals I will be making are all produced from fresh veggies. I will not include anything that is processed, including tofu. Protein in those meals will come from our own eggs or whole beans.

Our Saturday's and Sunday's, during football season, always consisted of Nachos, chips and dip and wings. We are going to change that to a large tray of fresh veggies with a low cal, fat free dip!

it is nice to have vegetables and fruits in your meals...keep going

Sounds like you have it all figured out, and I think you will be immensely satisfied to be feeding yourself and your family this way, all while losing weight in the process. Teaching your kids that leading an active lifestyle full of healthy foods is the best gift you could ever give them.

Very inspiring, thank you for sharing!

Good for you! Good luck with your goals

"Plus I had forgot how good it feels to take a shower and put on some comfy clothes after a good workout!"

I love this... I know a lot of people don't like to shower at the gym but I do. It feels good to walk in ready, sweat my head off then walk out looking nice and clean with the endorphin rush putting a spring in my step and that happy sore-tired feeling from a good workout.

You are going all out, aren't you?!?!?!

That's great. But I will caution you that your exercise regimen sounds a bit intense for a beginner. I find it better to ease into exercise, instead of ram myself into it. Perhaps you may want to ease up on those high goals. Of course that is for you to decide.

And of course, the truth is, the most important equation of weight loss is the food aspect. Hands down. You can't out exercise over consumption. So I'd love for you to put lots of energy towards this. Sounds as if you are, in fact.

Another caution. Eating healthy is great, wonderful in fact. But it is still possible to not lose weight (and even gain) by eating those said healthy foods. The reason? Healthy foods have lots of calories too! That bread and pasta that you will be making - it's loaded with calories, as is many of the other items you mentioned. So, for me, and many others on board, we've had to combine healthy eating with calorie counting. It's so easy to still take in too many calories and not create that calorie deficit that is needed in order to produce fat loss. Adhering to a calorie budget is a way to ensure that you don't eat too much. It's built in accountability and forced portion control.

Perhaps you'd like to take a look at fitday.com or livestrong.com. They are calorie counting websites. This way you will know just how many calories that you are consuming. It would be a shame to work as hard as you are, and not see any results on the scale. Yes, you'll be healthier, but why not be health-iest?

I'm excited for you! Keep us updated.

Sounds like a lot of work but you can do it! Just make sure that you are getting enough protein into those vegetarian meals

I'm really impressed with your plan, but I too would also caution you on taking on too much too soon. Take small steps, see how those work out and then add to it. You don't want to burn out and give all up all together. Good luck!

Good luck with everything! You can do it!

Even just walking every day is a great way to keep active without risking overfatigue/injury.

OMG- The list of things you are going to do TOTALLY wore me out. I would find it easier to eliminate bread and pasta rather than MAKE it myself. Although I totally am doing what you are doing I can't get my family on board. My 6 year old is the WORST eater alive and my husband thinks every meal is his last. Some nights I am making 4 meals. 1 that is all clean eating and no processed foods, no pasta, bread, rice, potatoes or refined sugar for me. 1 for my 6 year old which is usually pasta, chicken nuggets, fish sticks) one for my husband that has estra meat and potatoes and noodles and 1 for my 3 year old who eats a bit of everyones. Whew- I guess what I end up doing wears me out too!

This new lifestyle stuff is a lot of work. Kudos for the exercise. I have turned into one that doesn't like to miss my workouts and even work out twice on M and W.

Stacy

Stacy

wow that sounds like a project. Good luck.

Good luck. One of the important reasons I am getting back on track and eating healthier is so I can set a good example for my three kids. Last time I had lost 20 pounds, my son had said wow mom, you look good since you have lost weight....ummmm does that mean I didn't before...LOL....so anyways I want to set a good example for my kids. Aganin good luck.