Ok, I've been reticent to mention this here, because mentioning it in a public forum makes me more accountable. Or something. But I have begun a serious change in my day-to-day, and because I really mean to do it this time, I think I can mention it here AND be accountable for it. I'm not calling it a diet -- that, to me, sets one up for failure somehow. Rather, I have instituted a healthy lifestyle change. I hope to get back into Pilates in the next few weeks, I'm walking daily (an hour), and for the past 11 days, I've completely morphed my eating habits from moderately ok to as healthy as I can be. This includes:

- giving up regular Coca-Cola cold turkey (I am now drinking Coke Zero to get my caffeine fix, but I'm doing it in decreasingly smaller amounts so I can go off of caffeine entirely -- have to do it slowly though)
- drinking lots more water
- only eating at mealtimes (no snacking allowed)
- no dessert (although I will allow myself one 100-calorie package of cinnamon graham Goldfish crackers a day if I really want something sweet)
- small portions (I'm already, and always have been, the queen of small portions, but I'm making them smaller)

I told my mom over the weekend that I just want to be healthier than I have been lately. Have more energy and pep. I hope this will do it. I finally took the plunge. I did not weigh myself before I started (and I must mention that I am hardly huge... just heavier than I want to be) and I won't weigh myself as I go. I don't want that pressure. Instead, my success will be judged on how my clothes fit.

I think a conversation with my nephew last month really sparked my determination this time. He asked me why I was drinking regular Coke if it's bad for me (he'd heard that somewhere). My answer to him was that it was because I liked it. And as I examined that conversation more thoroughly after the fact, I realized that liking something that was bad for me wasn't a good enough reason to partake in it.

So, I've been REALLY good for almost two weeks. I'll let you know about my progress as I notice my clothes getting bigger. Thanks in advance for any encouragement!

P.S. Big prayers to my Grandpa, who turned 89 last week... he's in the hospital with low blood pressure right now and they are tweaking his meds. Hope he's home and that he's up and at 'em again really soon. When I spoke to him this morning, he said he felt terrible. The low BP is making him dizzy. As someone who suffers from vertigo, I know how miserable that is. Love you, Grandpa!