3 lbs down, 7 more to go

After Connor was born I gained 5 lbs simply due to lack of exercise. It was really hard to go anywhere in January with a tiny new baby. And then we travelled a lot, and then we moved, and then the holidays came and not only did I not ever lose that initial 5 lbs but I gained an additional 5, seemingly overnight. Growing up weight gain was something I constantly worried about, but in a different way because I was always trying to weigh more. My heart problem made it very difficult for me to gain any weight. I can vividly remember the day I reached the 100 lbs mark which was a day of celebration. Hooray for hearts that work! It has been hard to change that 'must gain weight' mentality as I've been in my twentites and to realize that I need to exercise. So my goal is to lose the weight by Valentine's Day, which means I have to be a lot more conscious about what I eat. The funny thing is I don't eat a lot, but I haven't been moving a lot either, so what I do it sticks. My two biggest downfalls have been lack of exercise and lack of planning because when I don't plan I don't eat well. My exercise plan is off to a good start (down 3 lbs already) and I am getting back into the swing of things with meal planning. I have a major sweet tooth so yesterday I made almond biscotti, another fabulous recipe from the mayo clinic, with a few changes. I left out the dried apricot, used 1 tsp of vanilla instead of the almond extract, and added 1/2 a vanilla bean. They are delicious and mildly sweet and fulfill my craving for something sweet and crunchy. Last night was more fun with Martha and vegetables as I tried out this new quinoa recipe I cut out of the January issue. It is delicious and combines many of my food loves. I love quinoa because it is the only non-animal complete protein. I love swiss chard for its color and flavor and versatility, and I love mushrooms. This is quick to prepare (although I would recommend first cooking the chard stems until almost tender and then adding the leaves) and delicious.

I do not believe in dieting, just in healthy eating. I love butter and chocolate and sugar and fat and have no intention of cutting them out of my diet, but I also understand the effects of creeping obesity and don't want to gain 10 lbs a year for the next 5 years so I figure I had better get this under control now while my life is relatively simple and I only have one child.