O.K. I'm Telling All...

I have been gradually getting bigger. My smallest clothes were beginning to get tight, so I started wearing my "loose" fitting clothes. Guess what, they started getting tighter and so on. Now, I'm wondering what happened. I really don't think I eat that much more (o.k., so I hate to waste food and I clean up the kids plates), but is it really that much more?

I'm getting older and everyone tells me it happens. Your metabolism slows down, so you don't have to change habits to put on weight. I am at my highest weight ever (except for when I was 9 months pregnant, and I'm not too far from that - sad, very sad). Especially since I weighed 98 lbs. when I got married 15 years ago (at that time, that was the most I had ever weighed).

Two years ago, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 20 pounds. I was very happy and kept it off for awhile, until my little habits started creeping back in. So now, 2 years later I gained my 20 and then some. YUCK!

Well, they say you have to first figure out what the problem is. My problem is that I like to eat (lots of sweets and sodas) and I don't like to exercise. That sounds simple, but changing those habits is not easy.

I have found something that I am going to try. It sounds do-able. It is Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin.



I've been a fan of Denise's for several years now. She usually has exercises that I can do and they work. In her Daily Dozen Plan, you basically work out for 12 minutes a day (I can do that, I don't have the time or money to go to a gym, I don't have the time to do a long workout at home, but I can do 12 minutes). You have to eat 12 basic foods (no counting points, not too much to keep up with, I can do that).

So I started her plan today. Here's where I tell all. I will be 40 this year, I am 5'2" and as of this morning I weighed 150.4 lbs. I wear a size 8 - 10 in clothes. I measured everything that Denise recommends measuring (I wrote them down on my calendar, but I don't have them in front of me).

I will weigh again next Monday morning (and on Mondays from here on out) and she recommends taking measurements after 21 days. Let's see what happens.

Today, I did my Daily Dozen exercises (very intense, but not impossible), plus a few extra. I've eaten what I'm supposed to (I cheated a little bit I had two snacks, one morning and one afternoon - yes, they were sweets and I had 1/4 of a soda). So far I've had 6 1/2 glasses of water. (I should be able to get my 8 glasses of water in before bedtime.) I am about to go walk. I haven't done any fidget-cisers yet.

I am really excited about this. I hope it will work (and I truely expect it will). I will let you know my progress (and little failures - I am only human making my very best effort).

If you want to join me, please do. Let me know your progress (I don't expect you to tell your starting weight like I did, that was to keep myself motivated). Maybe we can inspire and encourage each other.

I did not follow her exact eating plan (that is laid out in the book) because I just purchased the book and did not have time to go to the grocery store. I hope to follow her exact plan soon. My results may not be what she says to expect because I am not following her exact eating plan. I am following her "general Daily Dozen" eating plan (3 veggies, 3 fruits, 3 proteins, 2 healthy grains, 1 healthy fat).

I made a weekly chart (she has daily charts in her book) on a spreadsheet, printed it off and I put it in a clear protective sleeve. Then hung it on the fridge with a magnet. I am using a dry erase marker and keeping up with what I eat and drink. Wish me luck!

Thanks Denise for motivating me.