Here Goes Something?

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things--
Of ships and shoes and sealing wax, and cabbages, and kings!" --Lewis Carroll

And so my friends, here is my confession: I feel fat.  All the time.  And although I have mentioned it to one and many, I feel a growing sense of urgency in the matter.  We are constantly bombarded, you will remind me (good people as you are), by media images of female perfection consisting of a skeleton barely fleshed out upon which to hang expensive couture.  I thank you for this reminder but it's not just that--I see myself now reflected in my kids and I don't want them to suffer like I do.

My three beautiful children have perfectly formed, healthy little bodies and I am so proud of having had a contribution to that. I thrive in watching them thrive, know what I mean?  And when they eat junk a part of me does wither up. So when I just don't have energy to run around outside with them and swim in the pool all day I feel bad (we don't even need to address how horrible I feel when everything jiggles during my attempts to play with them). Also I do not want to be "the fat mom" dropping them off at school functions or have them be embarassed by my appearance...it happens. I remember. They will likely have many and more reasons to be ashamed of us since it seems to be something that kids just "do" nowadays.

There are just three major hurdles to this fat question and they are these: 

1. I HATE TO EXERCISE.  I just do.  I feel like time working out doesn't have immediate gratification like scouring a floor or mowing the grass, and I get sweaty for what feels like no good reason. I know I am not rational about it but I also suspect I am not alone!

2. I LOVE CARBS. Seriously. The more refined, probably the more I like them....although I do love a potato as well, in just about every format. I even like a bite of them raw from time to time...with a sprinkle of salt and pepper maybe?

3. I WORK NIGHT SHIFT. Nuff said. I am tired in a real, physical kind of way. All the time.

So with that in mind you can see I have my work cut out for myself and I was thinking maybe if there was some kind of public forum where I could be held accountable it might provide some motivation to start tackling those hurdles. So here we are. I don't have time for MEETINGS, or GYM MEMBERSHIPS, and they are useless errands that just cost me $$$ in gas money. I live in the middle of nowhere for crying out loud...gotta keep it simple.

I am armed with a sense of purpose and while it may take a few minutes of time to post all my musings, occasional photos, perhaps even a video on here, I am hoping to get some support as well because that is, after all, the point.  We can link up, form a community, get healthy, and have fun together in this wonderful online forum right?  With that in mind I have a plan, people:

• Weight Watchers online.  Has a mobile app, I can access from anywhere, sensible eating, etc.
• Dance Videos.  Got a few on sale at Target, maybe the kids will either do it with me or leave me alone. We will see.
• Play Time.  Part of the new discipline plan is to make the kids run when they misbehave.  I figure if I run with them they will get what they really want:  Mom's attention! but in a more positive way.
• Eat what is cooked.  All of us, all of the time.  It would be OK for us to eat hotdogs if I made them as a meal for the family...but to make food for me and the hubs, then separate food for the kiddos, is getting totally old.  One meal, one family, table time together.
• Plan ahead. Stop cooking on the fly--plan a shopping list, plan a weeks' worth of meals, and try my darndest to stick to it.  This one is going to be tough.
• Do not feel obligated to join the clean plate club. No problem. Just have to enlist the hubs.

Might take a few weeks to get organized, since as usual I have myself spread thin on painting, crafting, working, cleaning, organizing, raising a family, gardening, etc. but I am planning to post pictures, measurements, possibly videos, outfits, etc. Stay tuned.  If any of you are even out there, that is!