It Ain't Easy Being Selfish

The time has come for me to really address my weight, and the sad truth is that I'm not getting any smaller.  Having battled weight gain all my life I am not looking forward to once again addressing my diet and exercise regime.  Truth is that I do have a pretty healthy diet so why is it that I continue to gain weight?  Is it my love of red wine?  My exercise regime (or lack thereof)?  Too much bread and pasta? 

Ironically I've discovered that I don't eat enough!  For the past week I've been tracking my meals using this really nifty website called Calorie Count.  For a few days I ate normally, and what I found was pretty interesting.  In addition to failing to meet my daily intake goals in protein, iron, and potassium I also found that (after cutting out my evening glass or two of wine) I wasn't hitting my required calorie count either.  

So why do I think I'm being selfish?  It's probably that age-old problem of women taking care of their family, and forgetting to take care of themselves.  I have to confess I feel a little guilty that I'm at home all day while Paul works so I figure the least I can do is offer him with a nice meal when he gets home, and I'm pretty sure it's the only square meal my son eats all day.  

Of course both my men are very supportive but I have to admit it's hard to spend most of my day researching and tracking what foods I should eat to meet my daily requirements, and feeding them the same food.  I'm sure as time goes by it will be easier to incorporate the foods I love as I get more familiar with my dietary needs so I'll be able to offer my family more interesting meals.

For the last week I've been trying to stick to my intake requirements (including cutting out my evening cocktail), and happily I'm starting to see some results.  I find I have a lot more energy (I used to take a catnap almost every day but haven't felt the need to for a few days!) and I've even lost a little weight.  Right now my exercise level is "sedentary" because of a mysterious foot injury that is healing very slowly.  Hopefully in a week or two I can start incorporating walking and bike rides into my daily routine.  

I'll be honest -- I wouldn't be able to do this program if I worked outside the home.  It's amazing how much of my day is spent thinking, planning, and tracking my meals.  My goal is to lose 60 pounds, and currently my goal date is August 3, 2012.  I'm hoping to change the goal date as my ability to exercise increases. 

I'll keep you posted!