Resolutions for a resolution, once and for all.... it's worked before!

Well, I haven't started my resolution yet, but I am working on it so it's all set and ready to go on January first. And, I'm blogging about it today because part of that resolution has to do with this blog! Setting the stage here, people, setting the stage....

A long, long time ago, in January of 2002, I made a resolution to start the Atkins diet and lose a bunch of weight. I remember it painfully well - I had just turned 21, sitting on the couch reading a book on a Friday night, nothing to do and I vividly remember the feeling of what felt like my ass expanding! I could not get comfortable on the couch because it felt like it was growing, wider and wider and wider. (I had worked all day, at a desk job, drove home and now seated again to read, you know your butt feels after a day like that....)

It was right then that I said to myself I was NOT going to spend my year as a 21 year old FAT and on the couch with an expanding ass. And that was that! Within 5-6 months I lost about 70lbs on the Atkins diet. I ate McDonalds almost every day - bunless double cheese burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches - minus the sandwich, salads, scrambled eggs with cheese and sausage and unsweetened iced tea. For exercise I walked around our small town (totaled about 7-10 miles per night by the time I finished my rounds) and dancing all night long to the sweet, sweet sound of Jah Works on weekends any chance I had the money to follow them to whatever venue they were playing.

Looking back, I can't believe how easy and quickly the weight came off. 6 months? Could that really be all it took? I met my husband Memorial Day weekend and I was about 60-65lbs down, so it really was that fast.

As 2014 approaches, I'm feeling the jones in my bones to have a resolution. And of course, it involves losing this weight I packed on in 2004 after the birth of my first daughter, and never seemed to lose. Weird how that works.....

So, here's what I'm thinking....

#1. I need to lose weight, like, a lot of weight. I'm gonna say, to reach my ULTIMATE goal, MORE than 100lbs. But I'll set a reasonable goal of 100lbs... yeah, it's like that.

#2. I need to do more for me. I came back to my old job and learned I have it ALL wrong.
                                                 My entire life is literally ALL WORNG.
I might think I'm doing it right and got it right by putting others first, but I am learning, quickly, it's leading me down a path of destruction and loss. I never thought that would be the case, but I realize it is. So I'm changing my stinkin' thinkin' to start thinkin' more about me. What do I want or need? Well, I need an outlet, that's for sure. I have one - this blog. I need accountability. I have that - this blog. I need organization and structure and control. I can do that, here on this blog.

I also need more of a social life, and I will get there, one day. But seriously, I would rather spend the day at home with the kiddos - but I know it'll do ALL of us some good if I get out and get social. And I can think of a few mommy friends and non-mommy friends who could use some socialization as well.

#1 - losing the weight.
This will be accomplished with a Paleo lifestyle and building up to some kind of cross fit/strength training workouts. I have a long term goal (don't laugh) to actually compete in some kind of fitness whatever-the-heck-those-things-are-called-competition. It's more of a dream, really. It used to be just being able to wear a bikini in public was be my dream, but I want strength. I feel so weak, and I feel old. I want my youth back and I want my strength back. I'm 30-something for goodness sake! I'm not dead! So my dream has changed. I will address my weight loss by incorporating a Paleo lifestyle since I thrived on it in 2012 - which is how I lost 25lbs in a month and REVERSED MY INFERTILITY AND HAD A BABY!!!! HELLO!?!?!?!?! INCREDIBLE! And I ate like a lot of bacon and guacamole... a lot of it.

#2 - the blog.
The blog is going to help me with # 1, give me an outlet, a little me time, hold me accountable and help me stay organized on this journey! My intention is to blog once a week, once every two weeks and once a month.

ONCE A WEEK - on an earlier post (there are only two others posts on here so far, it isn't hard to find, lol) I posted a meal planner I came up with. I think Tuesdays were called "Try it out Tuesday" where I make a new recipe I've never made from my arsenal of recipes I have collected. So, once a week, on Wednesday, I will blog a review of the recipe I made and include photos and the recipe/link in the blog. I think one of the reasons diets fail is we get trapped in this mentality that we will eat the.same.thing.every.day and we get bored. We all have recipes galore saved on the Internet and at home and they never make it to the plate. I'm changing that. I love to cook! I love trying new recipes and I love finding new things to incorporate into the Paleo lifestyle that I loved so much. And, I'm thinking of others here and sharing the review and the recipes. There is also a possibility that I will do this because I want to be one of those COOL bloggers with pictures of really awesome looking food all over the place - food draws people. Every sucessful blog has food on it, or cute kids. I have both.

ONCE EVERY OTHER WEEK - that meal planner I mentioned.... this will be updated every other week (as I get paid and can afford food, lol, you knowwwwww how it is....) and blogged! My first try at using the planned was a financial fail, but I know in the long run, it will get cheaper and cheaper as I will have pantry staples and will eventually just need to restock on fresh produce and toiletries.

ONCE A MONTH - well, once a month I will blog the (dreaded) Progress Report! I want to have some accountability in this weight loss journey, seems like these days I need it. So each month I will post a picture (maybe) and stats of my weight loss. I'll blog about my struggles, accomplishments, whatever.... I just want to document my journey, hold myself accountable and have something to look back on to keep me motivated.

So, moving into 2014, expect to see more blogs here.

Maybe this will help, Lord knows I need it this coming year!

If I don't blog between now and then - MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!! <3