Just want to lose weight - eat healthier - and enjoy working out. Through this journey I hope to be a great example to my children. As I learned the habit and consequences of unhealthy eating and no exercise from my parents - I want to share with my children the importance of healthy living - eating good, nutritious foods and love of purposeful movement (exercise).

I lost over 40 pounds over 2 years ago and then got pregnant (again). With little time to spare (homeschooling, new ...

Just want to lose weight - eat healthier - and enjoy working out. Through this journey I hope to be a great example to my children. As I learned the habit and consequences of unhealthy eating and no exercise from my parents - I want to share with my children the importance of healthy living - eating good, nutritious foods and love of purposeful movement (exercise).

I lost over 40 pounds over 2 years ago and then got pregnant (again). With little time to spare (homeschooling, new baby, etc.), I started returning to bad habits (prepared foods, fast food, soda, etc.) and all the weight returned.

I love to exercise in many different ways and I also love to find ways to make healthy food delicious - but my biggest obstacle to overcome is TIME. I truly feel ALIVE and STRONG when I am exercising and keeping myself healthy - I just need to remember to take time for me.

I'm a homeschool Mom of 4 kids that rarely has time for herself - and I want to start taking care of me again. I enjoy exercise and eating healthy and wish it would show.

If I had the free time - you would find me exploring the great outdoors - roller skating, hiking, walking, and having fun with the kids. I AM GOING TO WORK TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.

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UPDATE: 5/17/2013

For those that wonder - no, I do not count calories. There, I've said it. It is not because it doesn't work for weight loss - because it does help (a lot for some people) - it is because it doesn't work for me. Perhaps you are the kind of person who is de-motivated by the scale (every time you step on it and it doesn't move - you wonder why you bother - and eat to soothe that pain). You might want to step away from the scale - find some other ways to chart your progress. It's okay - I've got your back - and YOU must do what YOU need to SUCCEED - not what works for everyone else.

Counting makes me a liar - first of all - I won't count what I am ashamed of. I know that about myself. Second - it makes me feel like a caged animal - and instead of being on a journey toward healthy living - I find it to be a trigger for temptation (temptations I wouldn't normally have when I am just living healthy).

So - if anyone wants to get off the bus at the next stop - that's okay. I understand. But I must keep doing what I know works for me. I actually think all this through (every step of the way). I analyze and re-analyze based on how I am doing. Am I achieving my goal? Can I make more progress? What can I do to make a positive change?

I know why I gained the weight before. I know my mistakes - my temptation - but I also know and learned from my successes and victories. So far, I may have only lost 6 pounds - but in my heart I know it is only a matter of time before I reach my goal - because I am not giving up.

I'm not a dieter - I'm not one to totally deprive myself of things - it's just not me. I'm not going to give in to my temptations every day either - because when I am living healthy - I don't have many temptations - I am stronger than they are.

I saw my mother struggle through her life - trying every diet and program out there. She counted calories - she tried weight-loss pills - she deprived - she starved herself - and never met her goal without going back over her highest weight. The most important thing she didn't have was the proper mentality of what a healthy lifestyle is. Once she would come off a diet (or counting calories) she would go back and binge. She couldn't help herself. Her thoughts were only on the weight - not how she got there - and not on what she needed to do to get out - what she needed to do differently. She never learned to feel good about herself - she never felt worthy - she never realized there was any other way to succeed . . . so she gave up.

It's like when you go to the doctor. The doctor figures out what's wrong with you and gives you a medicine. It may work for you or it may not - if not, you will go and try something else. You have to be flexible.

For me - being motivated to exercise is enough - because it then motivates me to eat healthy and allows me to be strong enough to resist temptation. When I make mistakes - I know I am not a failure - and I pick myself back up and keep going toward my goal. This choice of mine is not a small trip to the store and back - but it is a lifelong journey that I am just in the starting steps of.

Read More About SUMTHINGSPECIAL (Updated May 17)

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