17 LBS TO GO!!!!

Last week I made it my goal to lose at least 20 pounds.

I am 5'3"and according to the scale last week I weighed in at 152 lbs. This is what I weighed about 4 years ago before I started weight watchers. I lost the weight then but have put it back on. Hopefully writing this and reporting my progress will help me stay on target.

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With a history of obesity in my family I felt it was best for me to put an end to the weight gain now. Nearly every woman in my family weighs somewhere between 180-300 lbs with many health issues. I want to break that cycle for both me and my daughter. According to the charts I am about 10 lbs overweight now, but I have seen from my family how that can quickly turn into a lot more. I also realize that the older I get, the harder it will be to lose it. So I am making more than just a temporary change for swimsuit season.... I am making a lifestyle change for life.

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The work is beginning to pay off.

According to my scale this morning I lost 3 pounds last week!

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Losing weight is about 80% what you eat and 20% how active you are. So, while I did work out hard 3 days last week, I contribute this weight loss to the change in my eating habits last week.

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I changed 4 major things about my diet.

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1 - Alcohol. I usually have something nearly every night. Not enough to get saucy, but maybe one cocktail, glass of wine, or a beer. Last week I stuck to one glass of wine on Wednesday and Friday, and that was about it.

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2 - Water. I am awful about drinking enough water. I have to make myself do it, but once I get into the habit my body craves it so it becomes easier. Last week I focused on my water intake making sure that I drank a glass before every meal, which helps you feel fuller faster.

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3 - Snacking. I love to snack. Last week I scheduled my snacking which made it easier to allow myself to snack without ruining my diet or feeling guilty. By deciding when to snack and what to snack on, I prevented myself from overeating during snack time.

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4 - Dinner. The worst meal by far for me is dinner. As a family we eat pretty healthy, and I cook nearly every night. The problem is that I have no willpower. On a typical day I won't eat well throughout the day and then I will load up on dinner because I am so hungry. So last week I worked hard to eat really healthy throughout the day, then when dinner time came, I fixed up everyone's plates, with a smaller portion on mine, then put the food away. This helped me control my portions and it was also nice to not have so much to clean up after dinner.

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This week I will stick to these changes and make a few more.

* I will workout at least 4 days this week.

* I will begin taking a multivitamin everyday along with a green tea supplement.

* I will be more active on the days I am not working out.

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I am excited and energized!! I already feel better, stronger, and less hungry!!

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Thanks to my husband, friends, and family for the support they have given me.

Stay tuned for my progress.