Why am I starting this blog?

Monday, January 10, 2011. It was a day like any other. I was driving to work, listening to 96.9, K-Love. The only thing that was different was what they were talking about on the radio... accountability. As they discussed what this meant, based on the book Made to Crave, I started trying to think about what the best way would be for me to be held accountable for my new life-style. The best thing I could think of was to start a blog, and put it all out there for anyone to see.

So, here we go... this is my Accountability Blog. A place where I will put myself, my challenges, and my successes out there for anyone who wishes to see it.

Here is a little background on why I am taking on this new life-style...

My whole life I have struggled with the way I look. I was always over-weight as a child, teenager, and young-adult. I never liked the way I looked, so I typically wore baggy clothes to cover it up (by "it", I basically mean "myself"). When I was in college I met the love of my life, Jeff. He never once had a problem with the way I looked. He knew I did, but he always found time to tell me that I'm beautiful. When we got engaged, I did my best to look good for the wedding. And I did. I was wearing a size 12, which was the thinnest I had been in a long time. However, after the wedding I just let the weight pile back on. Then my husband and I decided to go back to Jamaica, where we went for our honeymoon, for our 1-year anniversary. I figured this was the time to get into the best shape of my life to look good in a bikini! So here's what I did...

I wrote down every single piece of food I put in my mouth. I counted every calorie and gram of fat and carb that went with that food. By writing it down, I was holding myself accountable. I could relfect back on what I ate that helped, and what I ate that didn't.

I cut out butter, oil, most fat, grease, etc. Now, most of you should know that I am a Mexican food-aholic! I LOOOVE me some chicken fajitas! So, I started ordering them without oil... mmm, they're even better that way!

Anyway, I digress... I exercised for 30 minutes a day on our eliptical, burning 500 calories each time. I found that if I turned on the TV and watched 1, 30-minute show, the time flew by and I never felt like I was exercising!

I was also working on campus while going to grad. school, and I had to walk a lot for my job. So in addition to my 30-minute workout at home, I was walking for about and hour or 2 every day at work.

So now, 3 years later, here we are. The heaviest I think I have ever been. I have had an incredible child, the most loving husband a woman could ask for, and am the happiest I have ever been in my life. But my weight still bothers me. So, I am making a decision for me and my family that from this point forward, we WILL live healthily! Not just ME, but WE! My son will grow up making healthy choices (apples instead of chips for a snack after school; playing basketball in the driveway instead of watching TV, etc.).

So now, what is it I ask of you, as my reader? I ask that you travel through this journey with me. I ask that you pray for me and my family as I am sure we will have many bumps and struggles along the way. And I ask that you hold me ACCOUNTABLE for the decisions I make in my life! If I slip up, slap my hand! (not literally, please.) But tell me how you feel about the decisions I am making for the betterment of our life.

Thank you for embarking with us...