Okay so I don't really do the New Years resolutions much.  This year I just resolved to be healthier in all aspects of life (mind, body, spirit) and there are some changes that I've begun to implement to achieve my goals.  

So I realize we are new friends here in this bloggy world and few if any of you have met me in real life so it's hard to tell from my very few photos of myself that I'm overweight. I wasn't a "fat" kid though... I only gained weight when I was in my early adolescence because of bullying and stress.  Food was the only thing I felt I could control in my life and over the years it added up.  

I wasn't fat in school, I was a little chubby but rather healthy otherwise. It wasn't until my junior year in high school that I started to really gain weight and by the time I graduated high school, I was pushing 200 lbs which for my 5'5 frame, is too heavy.  Graduated high school and a full ride to college on a music scholarship, I actually ended up losing weight and then I got pregnant with my son...  I gave birth to a 10 lb 4.8 ounce 25 inch long baby and I had regained all of the weight I had previously lost back.  I worked out a lot and lost weight but then gave up on it and reverted to old habits.  Some tragedies, mom's cancer and a ton of stress later, and I ballooned up to 268 lbs... yeah...  I had gone from being chubby to being obese and on the borderline of diabetes with borderline high blood pressure, and chest pains.  

That was about six months ago and I started eating healthy and working out and lost about 

20 lbs and am now at 240 lbs.  I am proud of the weight I lost but I know I need to really get in gear to lose more because my blood sugar is still too close to being diabetic and I want to get that and my cholesterol and blood pressure down to healthy levels.  I was watching Netflix the other day and came across this video Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It's a film made by a guy named Joe Cross who takes you on his journey to not only lose weight, but change his health for the better.  He does so by doing a juicing fast and radically changing his diet.  Watching his and others' transformations throughout the video really inspired me.  

I had been juicing sporadically for the last few months but never did so with any real consistency and during the holidays, really went crazy eating foods that were delicious but very unhealthy for me and plumped back up to 250 lbs.  So I decided to make the change and I'm currently on a juice fast.  I'm going to do the juice fast for 10-15 days (if I can handle it) but I'm really pushing hard for 10 days.  I'm not gonna lie, it's not easy.  I don't get to escape on a journey or vacation while doing it like Joe does in the video.  I still have to work and live and cook for my family and my son.  I am determined to do this though.  I consulted my doctor who said it wouldn't hurt me so it's on.  

I'm going to be juicing every meal for 10 days (maybe 15 if I can make it that long) and then afterward eating a whole organic vegetable-centric vegetarian diet.  I haven't decided if I'm going to go full vegetarian or if I'm still going to allow myself some lean fish and chicken but we'll see when I get there.  I'm on day 2, just had "breakfast" which was a green juice with kale, chard, green apples, celery, parsley and lettuce.  It's alright, not the worst I've tasted but I wish I added more apples.  

So anyway, I am going to be blogging about my journey and logging my weight loss here as well.  Probably not today since I'm swamped at work but I'm going to at least do a weekly weight loss blog and I think I'm going to make this a full feature in my blog.  I really need to lose weight.  I'm addicted to starches like rice and bread and I want to live a long and happy life.  I'm also sick of being alone so I know losing weight will also be beneficial to helping me find "Mr. Right" if/when he comes around.  I come from a family plagued with heart disease, high blood pressure and stress related illnesses.  Having watched my dad have a quadruple bypass surgery in his heart in 2001 and my mom have lung cancer in 2009 is enough to make me never want to have to go through that.  It's time to make a change and once and for all to get healthy and to stick with it.  Once my body gets used to juicing in the next few days I'm going to start working out as well.  I'm scared to post my photos, just being honest but it's something I plan on doing in the near future so you can see my progress and results. 

Are you making any changes to your diet and exercise regimen to improve your overall health and well being?  If you are juicing or doing anything to improve your health, let me know!! Share your experiences and tips with me. I'd love to hear them!

Happy Monday and I'm working on following everyone back from the Aloha Friday Blog Hop this week.  

Aloha,