Day 1 of the new lifestyle change has come and gone. It feels good to be able to say that!

The first day of doing anything isn't usually considered fun. First day at a new job, first day at a new gym, etc....exciting yes, but with excitement comes some anxiety.

At the core of change is believing YOU can do it. I think my brain has finally come to the conclusion that I am strong enough to do whatever I want badly enough. No longer will I let my mind believe that I will be unhealthy and fat forever....that is not the person I was created to be.

After working out last night I realized how out of shape I really am. No grace and coordination at all. My muscles aren't really used to moving like I moved them last night....it felt good to just get up and MOVE.

Day 2 is in full swing....how many times have I thought about running to chik-fil-a? Twice. How many pep talks have I had with myself already? Four. How many failures have I had so far? NONE. Each day that I make the decision to do this for me and my family, it will get a little less hard....it will never be easy. That is a realization that I have to accept....food will always be an issue for me, but I control how much of an issue it is.

The skinny on fat is that fat is more than a three letter word....it is a big ball of emotion that has been deep fried in addiction.

Until next time....I'll be eating an obscene amount of fruits and veggies...working out and most importantly always praying for the strength to make this journey THE journey.

I Promise, This is NOT the Same Old Song and Dance!

Maybe it's because it is January and that is when 99% of the population goes on a diet....or maybe it's just me. Each time I start explaining The 17 Day Diet to someone, their face screams "um, yeah...sure...haven't we heard this from you before?".

The answer is yes, you have heard something like this from me before.... BUT, this is absolutely NOT the same old song and dance. I promise.

Anytime you tell someone you are starting a diet, a flood of opinions start to gush out of their mouth. I have to remember that what works for me isn't for everyone. If I need a jump start and a book to teach me step by step how to get healthy, then that is what I need. I have gone so far off course with health, I feel that I need something with structure or a meal plan to get back on course.

In three days, it will be Day 1 of the first 17 day cycle of my new lifestyle change (this particular plan has 4 cycles, if by cycle 3 you haven't lost all the weight you want to lose, you start over...phase 4 is the maintenance stage). I've made my menu plan for 7 of the days and I'm not going to lie, it is restrictive....it is all lean meats (no red meat), fruits and vegetables. The only fat I allow myself to eat is extra virgin olive oil and yogurt. It isn't going to be easy...no bread, no french fries, no burgers...but my body needs to cleanse...my body is begging for a cleanse. I can do anything for 17 days, I have to keep reminding myself of that. I know I can and will do this.

I'm going to blog about my progress, victories and mess-up's. I am excited to see how this unfolds. I'm committed to changing.

I can't imagine how good it feels to be healthy....a feeling I can't even remember because it has been so long. I am ready to welcome that feeling back with open arms!

I know for sure that I have the best support system around....I CAN do this.