The Beginning: Week 1

There are several reasons I'm starting this blog. Mostly I want to track this new adventure I'm starting. Partially I want somewhere I can share stories about things that happen.

But most importantly, I'm trying to get healthy. Physically, it's gotten to the point where my weight was starting to cause health problems. I'm already at pretty high risk of thyroid disease and diabetes anyway, and then to add all those extra pounds didn't help at all. So my biggest project this year is to get in shape.

I have a goal: Complete the Walt Disney World 1/2 marathon next January. Just complete it. Nothing more.

My dad did the Goofy Challenge this year and survived did great!

I currently can walk about 1.5 miles at a moderate pace before getting tired, which means I've got my work cut out for me. This is why I set this goal now, in March, so that I have most of the year to get my speed and endurance up.

My doctor suggested a 1200 calorie diet and moderate regular exercise as a quick- but still healthy- way to shed a lot of the weight I need to get rid of, and then ease back up once I'm getting close to my goal weight.

The basic facts-

Height: 5'7"

Pants size: Women's 18

Weight at start: 254 lbs

Exercise at start: none

Goal weight: 150

Now, I'm already almost a week into this new regiment. The diet is proving easier than I thought it would be so far, partially because of my tendency to put salsa on everything. Salsa is pretty healthy, being mostly tomatos and spices.

Turkey spinach salsa wraps- surprisingly delicious!

In the last five days I've lost 5 pounds, just like that. Just by cutting my calories to 1200 (what had I been eating like before? Geez!) and walking 5 miles.

So, to amend my fact list-

Weight at start: 254 lbs

Current weight: 149 as of 3/5/12

Left to go: 98 lbs

I'll be back in a couple of days with more!