Here's to a NEW Me!

I have decided, once and for all, no going back, that I am going to lose weight! I am hitting the gym. I started going on Wednesday and I went every day Wednesday through Saturday. I am even meeting with a personal trainer. I mean business people! I am losing weight! I have set some goals for myself. My overall goal is to lose 73 pounds. I don't have a time frame for losing the weight. My gym membership is a year long contract so I guess I should make 1 year my time limit. 73 pounds in one year. It will be hard but with dedication, I believe I can do it.

My trainer will design work outs for me to follow. I will be completing my assigned workouts as well as attending group fitness classes. I have a great support system at the gym and that will help with my success. I love having the trainer because that will keep me accountable and on track with my weight loss. It will be nice to not have to try to figure out on my own what workouts I should do, how many reps I should do, or how long I should do a work out. My mom goes to the gym as well as some of her coworkers and a friend/mentor of mine. The gym employees are VERY friendly, encouraging, and helpful. They all were excited to meet me and remembered my name each time they saw me. Impressive!

My trainer will also help me with my fitness goals.

I am meeting with another friend of mine who happens to be a VERY healthy person. She works out on a regular basis and eats incredibly healthy. She is going to help me put together a menu based on the amount of calories I should consume. Counting calories is going to be VERY annoying but, it has to be done. I want to eat healthy but for the start of my weight loss journey I really want to focus on calories burned and calories consumed.

I will be keeping a journal on my food consumption and my exercise. I also want to journal about my thoughts on the overall process. Along with my journaling, I want to keep a goal record. You know, one of those thermometers that you color in red and the closer you get to the top means the closer you are to your goal?

I will be doing weekly weigh-ins.

I would really like to use this blog to track my weight loss journey and share it with you. I feel like the more I rely on my support systems, the more success I will have, the more confidence I will have. Plus, if I am putting it down on a site where all the world could see, the more likely I will press on when it gets really hard. I wouldn't want to let people down.

I have done diets and gone to the gym before and nothing stuck. But, this time is IT! I am tired of being everyone's fat friend. I am tired of feeling frustrated when shopping for clothes. I am tired of rummaging my closet wondering what I should wear because NOTHING I own looks good on me. I am tired of wanting to vomit every time I see a picture of myself. I am tired of making unhealthy choices. I am ready to be skinny. I am ready to be confident. I am ready to look good in a pair of shorts and a tank. I am ready to show my daughter how important health is. I am ready for the hard work it will take to get where I want to be. I am ready to see and feel the pounds shed from my body. I am ready!

I hope that I have your support and encouragement. I will need all the support I can get.

Things you will see on the blog in addition to subjects I already post include but, are not limited to: weigh-ins, slip ups, thoughts on my progress, pictures, entries in regards to food-healthy recipes, what my new diet looks like, my exercise routines, and pleas for encouragement when I am in a slump.

My official start date will be Monday, April 5th.