I just want to get something off my chest....

And my waist, thighs and rotund tushy. That something is unhealthy weight and I want to get it off and keep it off.

I'm feeling a new sense of urgency to be healthier and lose weight. I'm trying to wrap my head around the concept that being healthy, and taking the time/effort to be so, isn't detrimental to my family's well-being, it's edifying. How can I be there for my husband and boys if I'm not healthy for them? When I became a wife and mother I lost myself in the duties and roles that came along with those two titles. Did anyone impose this way of being on me or teach me that this was the "right" way to be? No. I simply thought that denying myself the right to be fit was one way to prove how much I valued my family and their needs. I placed them above me in my way of thinking. Silly, isn't it? Yes, they are supposed to be important to me and because they are important, I owe it to them and myself to be as healthy as I can be.

Can I get an amen? This is me preachin' to myself but feel free to join in on the amen corner if you feel so moved to!

I've watched my Mom and other members of my family (both sides) struggle with obesity for years and I'm all too aware of the health problems that come with it. I'm beginning to be at risk for a couple of biggies - no pun intended....I swear!

I don't want a temporary fix that, well, doesn't really "fix" anything at all. The more I think about it, what I'm aiming for is a life change and a new way of thinking when it comes to food, being active and just being healthy in general. This ain't about getting into a special outfit for an event, bein' hot for bikini season or trying to please my Hubby (he loves me just the way I am thankyaverymuch). This is about quality of life, m'dears. My family's and mine.

Will I fall along the way towards meeting my goals? You betcha. I need to go ahead and acknowledge that I will stumble along the way and that I'm not perfect. The prospect of failure has always been a big hurdle for me. After all, nobody has higher expectations for me than I do. As the Hubs tells me, I'm my own worst critic.

As my life's journey begins to take a healthier turn, I know that there will be a few sacrifices and dips in the road. Yet, I know that as I experience the weight loss I'll be gaining in other ways - joy, less pain-filled days, more energy to play with the boys and my Hubby will have a healthy support. I think it's worth a try, don't you?