This is one of the first times in my life I have started a diet and stuck with it.  After realizing just how much the homemade ice cream and fried foods had hurt me on Father’s Day, I decided to make a lifestyle change, and so far, trading this for that and taking up cooking at home instead of just “dieting” has really been a great help.  So here I am, 17 lbs less than when I started, and while it still seems like such a slow go, I can’t really argue with those results, can I?

Having our own garden both at home and at work has been a great help as far as staying on the right track.  Sure, I’m sure The Boyfriend is sick of it.  But I love it.  Squash, zucchini, red and green tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, okra…and soon there will be eggplant, bell peppers, etc.  And let me tell you: there are zillions of different ways to cook/eat them! I am just getting around to the most obvious method of them all: garden vegetable soup.  You really can’t go wrong with veggie soup…just chop up your vegetables, use whatever meat you want or none at all, clean out your refrigerator, and dump into the Crock Pot.  Healthy, easy, and can be frozen and eaten again and again.

As far as exercise goes, I always try to do active things outside: neighborhood basketball games, tennis, badminton, swimming, Frisbee…anything that gets me moving.  However, I am still quite embarrassed and ashamed that doing two solid minutes of jumping jacks for Wii’s “My Fitness Coach” almost killed me, and I have been too afraid to turn the game back on, afraid that Maya, the virtual trainer, will frown at me and let me know just how out of shape I actually am.  I have two rafting trips planned in the next three weeks: one for work, another with some friends.  And while rafting isn’t really physically demanding, I am nervous about wearing a bathing suit around other people.  I am good at covering up my areas-of-need, but swimsuits aren’t generally so forgiving.  Also, I’m white as a sheet.

Overall though, things are going well, and I hope I will see those last 32 lbs disappear in the coming months.  And as long as The Boyfriend is promising to buy me a new wardrobe when I reach my goal, I will have plenty of motivation!

How about you? Share your insights, tips, and progress!

Other Gems from Jeb

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• Chocolate Therapy (1)
• Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (4)
• Seven Day Soup Diet (2)