A Very Fresh and Positive Beginning...

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".... Lao-Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

You've heard the quote, right? Well, anyone who has ever tried to lose a significant amount of weight knows that the single step is important but its what happens after that really makes the difference. I've taken that single step a hundred times or more but I've run into trouble on my journey to a healthy weight. I've stopped, stumbled, lost some and gained some more. I'm here now again, at that single step, in the hopes that it will be followed by many more steps in the right direction.

Who Am I? I'm a mother of four (2 tweens, a toddler and a baby), a wife, and a medical professional. Like many women, I've hated my body since childhood. Like many more, I've tried it all. South Beach Diet. Done it. Atkins. Yep. Physician supervised clinic. That too. Lap Band. Umm, yep, I've got it. But, yet, I've NEVER identified the root causes for my overeating and so I'm here, still hoping for a miracle. The reality is that my journey thus far has taught me a lot, I've just chosen not to take its advice sometimes. There aren't any miracles, no quick fixes, no magic pills. To have a healthy body, one must have a healthy lifestyle. The combination of high stress, overeating, and low activity has been my plague all along.

There is a fine line between dwelling on the past and using it as an educational tool to help you move forward. I have realized that my perfectionist tendencies have gotten me where I am today. Its been my all or nothing thinking, the thought that if I'm not totally perfect then I'm a total failure and there's no sense in bothering, that's plagued me all my life. But, I've come to an epiphany! I chose this path and I can choose a new one! What I ate before, thought before, did before really doesn't matter now. My goal more than anything now is to accept my failures and acknowledge them, but then MOVE ON. I hope to inspire others and be inspired. If you are on this journey with me, THANK YOU!