Been to the Bottom

It's 2003, I'm trying to button a pair of jeans, but they wont fit over my stomach. I'm crying and pulling my hair at how I've let myself get to this point. That was when everything changed for me. I started to eat healthy and exercise on a very regular basis.

I was in my prime, and I felt great about every choice I made. It was the first time in my life that I felt happy and just accepted myself. Then I met this guy.

My love for him runs deep. So does his love for food. Which in turn, allowed my love for food to come rolling back into my life. I thought I had a handle on my healthier lifestyle. In the beginning of us dating, I maintained my eating habits with some "unhealthy moments" but I still exercised and everything was alright. Then we moved in together and I believe it has been a very bad cliche of a downward spiral.  For example:

~What he ate, I ate

~When he laid on the couch, so did I

~His portions were my portions

~His lack of exercise was my lack of exercise

While I made note of these bad habits, and I did have some motivation at times, I have led myself back down a path to a very unhappy unhealthy pre-2003 girl. 

And I am done. Tomorrow is a new day, a new life, a start to a new me. Enough with talking, it's about doing. 

How I long for summer......

I know that I live in New England. I know that we have four seasons, and I KNOW that I hate one of them. Winter. I use to love it, when I was in elementary school. But now, while it may be pretty the first day, it definitely annoys me more than anything. I don't get snow days anymore, and I can't jump for joy when there are delays. Why you ask? Well just like every other adult in this world, our jobs don't work like that! (Unfortunately!!)

So while I am stuck looking at this........

and this

while also staring sadly at this

which to you guys looks like just a bunch of snow, BUT in a few months (ok a little more than just a few) it'll be back to looking like this!

But it's going to be ok, because the countdown has started In 144 days I'll be in Antigua, soaking up some sun, drinking cocktails, and winter will be a very distant memory!

Until then, i'll sip on some much needed java.

Do you like my coaster? Love this book, one of the best investments I've made. I have an addiction to fitness magazines, books and cookbooks. Maybe one day I will give in and take a picture of my bin to show you how deep this obsession is. Maybe, one day.

Day One

Day one was a success. Woke up (although on these cold mornings, our beds feel so pleasantly warm, huh?), put some laundry in, loaded the dishwasher and got to my workout:

~ 20 minutes elliptical intervals, levels 4 and 7

~ 30 minutes treadmill walking @ 3.5

~ biceps & squats

Then continued on with the day and some eats throughout the day:

Slice of homemade quiche with NSA ketchup

1 green bell pepper

Medium dunkin donuts FV coffee with splenda

2 babybel cheese

1 cup celery with 2 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus

The man came home and we ventured out in search of a camera. I have a basic kodak camera that was bought for me years ago by my love, but it's not a very good camera. (Although I loved it when he bough it for me, first camera ever!) After going to Sears, Walmart & Target with no luck (and really bad service at all three) the tummy was rumbling.

So we decided to head to Maggie's to enjoy some eats. When we got there we were both famished and had no idea what to get. Note to self: when hungry do NOT go to a restaurant with pages and pages of choices. We started off the with the spinach and artichoke dip. It comes with bread, homemade potato chips, tortilla chips and an assortment of veggies. Then man ate the bread and potato chips while I feasted on the tortilla chips and veggies. As always, it was a winner.

Then for my entree I enjoyed a "garbage burger" that included melted american cheese, mushrooms and onions, no bun with a side caesar salad. Sorry no picture of the burger! 

All in all, an uneventful day BUT I did eat intuitively and mostly healthy, plus I got my exercise in. So on to today, we have about 2 feet already of snow and it's still coming. The dilemma, to drive to work and be a wreck, or well, not. We shall see.

Wedding Bliss

Exactly five months from today I will be marrying this guy :-)   

and I can't wait!!! 

I was never one of those girls who had dreamed of her wedding all of her life. It's not that I didn't have dreams, I was just focused more on the present and pursuing my nursing career. But, from the moment I met him, I knew he was "the one" :-) He only made me wait about 5 years before poppin' the ultimate question one year ago, and now only five months left! 

So for the next five months, I'm going to be on my best behavior (with food and exercise) so that I feel beautiful on the day I marry the man that makes my heart swoon. Today is day 1, I'll let you know how it goes!!!

Question: Any advice on how to keep focused on staying on track while stressing (in a good way!) about the upcoming nuptials?

Numero Uno.....

After months and months of continuous blog reading, I've decided that it is time to start my own! While most of the blogs that I "religiously" follow are of those who are maintaining their healthy lifestyles, this is the start of mine. I know what it feels like to make healthier choices and to exercise to make myself feel better, but over the past few years I've allowed that choice to fade into the background. My love for food has gone way past my need into an obsession and I'm ready to get back in control. I'm ready to be the driving force in my life, and hopefully some of you will be around supporting me for the ride!! First task at hand: Say NO to this....

so I can say YES to me!!!