WEEK 1

I'll call this our before picture. It makes me sad to look at it actually. We've never been so heavy and we'll not get any heavier. On Saturday Jared and Candace invited us to walk with them and all the dogs. It's nice to have the support from our kids to encourage us to exercise. Our smaller dogs got pretty tired since we haven't taken them on enough walks lately. We had to carry Gucci half the way home and Clark kept stopping in all the shady spots. We did join the Athletic Club down the street and want to go do something there every day or so. I've taken a couple of the classes and I'm looking like one of the oldest one there. That's ok. I'm trying to keep up with all the young whipper snappers. I like to feel a little sore so I know it's doing something.... and I do. Bruce would rather use the treadmill and weight room and he is going to meet with the personal trainer (Bruce, have you made an appointment with her yet?). I ride our recumbent bike almost every day while I'm watching a tv show. Pump, pump, pump!

As for food, we're eating the six meals a day thing. They are really just snacks to keep our metabolism burning. We take things to work with us like string cheeses and granola bars for our inbetween meal. I like either a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or a protein and fruit smoothie. I like a salad for lunch and meat and veggies for dinner. I know there is value in counting calories, but I really don't like to do it. I'm trying to make this as realistic for myself as I can so that I will do it for the rest of my life. I know I will mess up sometimes and eat that goodie that someone offers me. But I'm not going to overindulge. My friend at work brought everyone a big cinnamon roll she made and I nibbled at it all morning until it was gone. But it doesn't mean that I have failed. This is an ongoing way of life. I know how to eat correctly but I am human. For our family meals on Sundays I use to make dessert every week. That has stopped. I even threw away almost a whole lemon meringe pie that was left from the week before we started. We had chef salad last Sunday and it was very good and filling. No one complained. Thanks family.

Well, that was the first week of our quest and it feels good to be doing something right. I know it will take awhile to see a big difference but we will get there. I wish Bruce would write too. Jeri