They say every journey...

...begins with a full stomach. No, scratch that! Begins with a single step.

I've had a lot of first steps in the last three years, which have totally transformed my life. And this blog has become the next step in that process.

Three years ago I was pretty darn miserable. I was in a job that left me stressed and depressed; my romantic aspirations were nonexistant; and a lifetime of eating and body issues left me very morbidly obese. The one bright spot in my life was my daughter, who I adopted from Vietnam in 1999 (one of my "did I really do that?" courageous moments).

Since that time I quit the toxic job and found one that's infinitely more satisfying and flexible for my Mom duties. Then, a combination of events and mindset led me to lose weight; from my highest weight to my lowest weight, I lost a total of 125 pounds. In that process another miraculous series of events led me to find the man who has now been my husband for 14 months.
Details about these events will certainly unfold as the blog progresses.

Now, this weight loss thing hasn't been all smooth travelling. I've gained some (thank goodness nowhere near all of the) weight back, then lost it again, then tacked a few more on again. I've fallen and picked myself up countless times. And once again I'm trying to put the magic triad together -- eating, exercise and mindset -- that has proven to be my formula for success.

My goal is not unrealistic; in fact, according to the BMI charts it's nowhere near my ideal. I want to reach the "Onederfuls" -- that wonderful moment when the scale is no longer in the 2xxs, but can proudly bear a 1. If I could see 199 between my feet it would be the first time since my teens.

So, I'm hoping this blog will give me the accountability I need so badly to make this work. Even if no one else on the world wide web ever sees it, I will know it's out there. I'm outing myself, so to speak. I plan to post daily, to go over my daily goals, my thought processes, and hopefully my successes. Wish me luck.