just a few

I only have a few moments before the boy wakes from his nap. I've been plugging along slowly but surely. I vowed this time to take the weight loss slowly. I know how to lose weight fast. I've just never been able to stick to a plan that keeps it off. I'm doing my own thing with my own rules that basically go like this:
- Eat whole grains, more veggies and fruits and lean meats. Veggies are my new mainstay
- Exercise every day with a minimum of 30 minutes walking and some Yoga
- If I eat something other than whole grains, veggies, fruits, and lean meats, I measure it out and watch my portions! This includes fried foods, fatty meats, desserts, and alcohol, which are only allowed on occasion and usually planned.

So far, this has really been working for me. I finally heeded the old advice of using a smaller plate and it works, especially for the bad-for-me foods.

I've lost about 10 pounds, 2.5" from the waist, and about 4 inches from the hips in about 5 weeks time. Those are the only places I measured in my effort not to focus too much on the numbers but still have a guide to see my progress.

I changed my eating habits first and then added the exercise back in. The biggest challenge is filtering out all the data on weight loss. It's too much. Too many studies conflicting with each other and studies that don't make it a good study (i.e. leaving out certain populations, data, etc.). I finally took everything I've been trained on, read, and studied and decided it's time to figure out what works for me. What can I live with? I'm pretty sure this is it. It's rather simplified but I've gotten results and I feel good for the first time in about 2 years. Who could believe I was ever a fitness instructor? I'm really trying to hone in on what motivates me too.