Despite owning a Slap Chop, I’ve never been one for infomercials… but I gave in. I’m still too intimidated to take a Pilates class but want to strengthen my core. So, I bought this crazy machine from Bowflex.

I’m going to take before pictures tomorrow, and try to do it 4 times a week. I’m really hoping this can help me work on my strength. It looks like a fun way to get some exercise. Whatever you do, don’t watch the infomercial, there will be one arriving at your house in no time.

One of the big things that really helps me is planning ahead. I completely cannot be trusted to choose which foods to eat when I am hungry. My brain always says, “Let’s get Pizza! Chips! Cookies! C’mon it’ll be so fun!!”

I started preparing as many things as possible on Sunday evenings. I put fruits/veggies into little snack bags and try to cook at least one or two meals. That way when the crazyness of the week sets in my free-spirit brain won’t say, “Let’s get wine and sushi!”

This week I made a healthy version of shepherds pie and stuffed peppers. I made 4 servings and will be freezing the other two servings for next week. It’s not the most glamorous way to eat, but I have tell you, after a long day it’s pretty great to come home to something that just needs heated up.

Because I think the peppers looked pretty here’s a picture. I made them with poblano peppers, tomatoes, quinoa, black beans, corn and chili powder.

Oh Hello! I wanted to start a blog to chronicle my weight loss. The extended version is in the “about me” section, but the short version is: I’ve lost 80 lbs, want to lose 40 more and am having a hard time. I think dieting is some kind of cosmic joke where no one is laughing. I know it’s a “lifestyle change” but sometimes I just want to call it a diet because it’s easier.

I also wanted to have a record for myself of these shenanigans. I wish I started 80 lbs. ago and could read all my struggles along the way. It’s not an easy ride I will warn you, but certainly worth it.

Some of the things I learned so far:

• You know how they say, “nothing tastes good as skinny feels?” I don’t know who these people are, but I guess they clearly don’t know where to go. I love food like my baby. While being thinner than I was feels awesome, it’s not a brownie sundae. It’s a different type of satisfaction that you’ll learn to like almost as much as food.
• You need to be realistic about what you’re eating. For me, it’s writing it down. (Well actually putting it in my iphone.) It’s hard to type in that you have 6 servings of popcorn but it happens sometimes. I take it as learning experiences. “Well, I had 150 calories for breakfast and I was starving by 2pm!!! DOH!”
• Dieting is really weird and polarizing. People know you as, “the fat girl” and are going to stare at you like an alien while you dip cucumbers in guacamole and sip club soda. Eventually this will be the “new you” and no one will care.
• So many things about being fat are SO HARD. I’m still pretty big, but I think I look more normal to people I am around. No one stares at me, I fit in a plane/bus seat, I don’t accidentally bump into people I think are far away etc. Just taking off a certain % of your weight is really freeing. I never focused on the huge # until recently. At first I was like, “I wonder if I can get under 300 lbs.” Set small attainable goals.

I feel like the last person in the world that should be giving dieting advice as it’s still such a struggle for me. But, the truth is we can all do this. We just need support and patience. I’m writing this with the intention of what I was looking for when I started out. I needed to know it was possible. Everyone I knew who had lost weight had gained it back. I’m proof it’s possible and putting it out there that you can do it too.