It only makes sense that, this being the first blog post, that I should explain why I have taken to the blogaspere like so many others to share my journey.  I’m not trying to sell anything, I’m not trying to make a name for myself – in fact, I’d much rather remain as anonymous as possible 🙂

But, accountability (aka, the crippling fear of embarrassing yourself and looking like a total idiot to other people) is the best way to ensure you actually do something.  I’m sure you understand.  So, I have started this blog to share my 2019 weight loss/health journey, and to give myself the best chance of sticking with my #1 health resolution.  Wanting to lose weight in the New Year isn’t unusual – in fact I’d say that it’s probably one of the top resolutions people make.  But my weight loss and health resolution is a little different than what I’ve done in years past, and different from what you may be expecting.  Here it is:

In 2019, I am not going to diet.

Now, that’s not to say that I’m NOT going to count my calories and macros because I will – I’m a calorie counting, macro crunching girl and don’t you try to explain to me all about intuitive eating and “if you just eat whole foods/low carb/vegan/carnivore/whatever you’d lose weight without calorie counting” because I have been there, done that, and I can assure you – yes, I can assure you – I have tried everything.  I’ve gotten myself from 240 lbs to 170 lbs by the skin of my teeth.  I’ve tried literally diet there is and if I haven’t done it myself, I’ve supported someone else who has.  I know a lot about food and diets and weight loss.  Probably too much.

I’m 30 lbs away from my dream weight, 15 lbs away from my realistic, ‘I’d be happy with that‘ weight.  I really don’t have a doubt that I will reach it, but I have come to realize that my interest in diets, my enjoyment of conquering new ways of eating and my love of cooking has made me yo-yo too much.  Because before the new diet comes that last minute binge.  After that week of bone-broth fasting comes the ‘reward’ meal.  You take one step forwards and two steps back and that weight-loss tango is really hard to maintain.

So back to my resolution.  This year, I will not diet.  I will not try the next new thing; I will not diet and fall off the wagon.  I am going to eat at my maintenance calories, which I have figured to be 2050 per day.  I won’t go over that, and while I may eat less than that in order to ‘save up’ calories for larger meals or treats (ie, eating about 1,800 daily during the week for extra calories on the weekend), I’m not going to try to live for weeks at a time at 1,000 calories.  I’m not going to water fast, detox or make crazy diet changes.  I AM going to eat healthy foods, stay within my dietary limits (I have to be gluten and dairy free), I’m going to figure out what fat/carb/protein macro ratios work best for me, I’m going to exercise.  But as far as how much food I eat, I’m going to maintain – no starving, no over-eating.  I’m going to be…moderate.  And I think this will be harder than any diet I’ve ever done.

Buuuuuuuut drama aside, here’s to a good year of good food, healthy choices and accountability! 😀