Well.....here I go!

I had avoided this thread for most of its existence. But now I'm ready to let it go. Let go the bad habits. Let go the junk food. Let go the weight.

I've been wanting to do this for awhile now. Especially since Dean left. But...I'm sure most of you can relate to the power of emotional distress and its effect on eating habits. Instead of getting started and making any progress...I went backwards. Seriously backwards, ever since Dean left.

However, I've realized that I should not beat myself up for that. What's done is done. I can't start making progress yesterday....I can only start today. And so today....I started.

I got up at 5:30 in the morning to get in about 30 minutes of walking before I had to start waking kids for school. I ended up going 1.1 miles in 25 minutes. Felt brisk to me, but obviously not all that fast. Still, it got my heart going nicely and that's the whole point. My goal is to work up to a full 2 miles in 30 minutes...but I know that won't happen overnight. As that goal is attained, I'll set more.

My general plan as of now...it's subject to change as I educate myself more fully and as I assess my progress:

--30 minute brisk (for me) walk 6 days a week
--Free weight and resistence training 3 days a week
--Eat five small meals a day...each with a minimum of some protein and some complex carb...higher calorie meals in the morning
--Avoid refined sugar and flour products if at all possible
--Journal every bite and track calorie count, as well as fat, carbs and protein ratios
--Daily calorie limit is yet to be determined as I write this post, but will not drop below 1500...probably start off a bit higher than that
--Goals written...daily, weekly, short term and long term
--Affirmations written....read daily...positive thoughts to change a lifetime of negative attitudes
---And lastly...be accountable to the dears who have started this thread and kept it alive.

Don't worry...I won't bore you with daily reports....but I do plan to check in weekly and let y'all know how I'm doing.

I would like to lose 120 pounds, but my primary goal is keeping and building muscle while burning fat. A 16% total body fat would be ideal for my frame and body-type I believe...and I'd be thrilled with that, no matter what number showed up on a scale.