The Weight Does *Not* Simply Drop Off

When I became pregnant in 2005, I was already over-weight. I am 5'3, and I weighed 190lbs. I held a job as a Front Desk clerk at a hotel, and the extent of my activity there was walking from the employee area to the front desk area. On top of that, I had poor eating habits; vegetables very rarely found their way onto my plate (unless you count French fries from Sonic as a vegetable. In that case, I had vegetables all the time).

Being pregnant is exhausting. Well, for me, anyway. I had to be at work at 7am, and got off at 3:30. I'd come home, take a nap, and get up around 5pm when my husband came home from work. Neither of us would feel like cooking, so we'd go get fast food. We practically owned stock in Taco Bell. Throughout it all, I gained 67lbs. My doctor suggested I was gaining too much weight, and doing it too quickly. She very helpfully suggested I take walks, and even dared to suggest I add vegetables that were not deep fried to my diet. All along, I knew she was right. These eating habits could not be remotely good for me, and probably weren't too good for the baby, either. But, even though I'd neglected to use the on-site fitness center at work, I was convinced being a mom would change me, and I'd work out after the baby was here, and the weight would melt off with no problem.

Now, three years later (and nine months, if you wanna be technical and count the time I was pregnant), I am still over-weight, tipping the scales at (deep breath)....224.

But the winds of change are a-blowin'! I've started a low-calorie diet, incorporating raw veggies, fruits instead of chocolate, and even working out. My current job offers a membership to two gyms in the area. I've chosen the one closeest to my house, and actually work out. 224 is 5lbs lower than this time last week. It's not much, but it's very motivating. I have more energy, and the desire to eat correctly is influencing my husband.

So, my journey, with the ups and downs, will be chronicled here. If you have tips, ideas, suggestions- lay 'em on me! I need all the help I can get!