2014-A year of CHANGES!

A year ago, I made a commitment to myself to get healthier.  I was induced with my second son because I  suddenly had blood pressure issues.  While the issues didn't last long, they scared me enough to get myself serious about living a healthier life.  I set a measurable goal of losing 100 lbs by the time he turned ONE!

Well, this awesome kiddo is turning 1 this weekend, and I am proud to say I lost 83 lbs! Yes, I know I didn't reach my goal!  Something even better happened...I made lifestyle changes that are not just short term "diet" options but a way that my family and I can eat and live for good!  We really enjoy food and just eating bland and boring food doesn't work for us.  Even if we manage that for a bit, we will rebound in a terrible way.  I have been taking the things we like to eat and improving the recipes and we have also been trying some things we never thought we would. 

We have learned that moderation is what works for us.  We aren't cutting anything out completely and we are trying to have treats truly as treats. We are drinking lots of water and trying to get away from too many processed foods.  We have also learned to glean recipes from some "fad" diets, without falling into some of the pitfalls that can come from exclusivity.

I am going to be sharing some of the recipes and ideas that have helped me on this journey.  I have become more creative with my cooking to make it healthy and still tasty.  Some of my experiments have failed terribly, but others have been grand!  I will share the more positive outcomes!

The picture below shows the difference between Thanksgiving 2010 and Thanksgiving 2014.  And, yes, I totally enjoyed my Thanksgiving FEAST!