Why?

Many people may ask, why? Why would you put something as private as following a diet on the Internet where anybody could find it and see your business? The answer is simple, I need accountability. Up until my mid twenties I was skinny, too skinny to be honest. Then, my metabolism slowed, unfortunately I continued to eat how I always had and didn't exercise. At 28 I gave birth to my amazing son. All of this has taken a toll on my body. I was always around 120 lbs. Now, I am 183 lbs. I would like to be a healthy 135-140 lbs.

I have started workout routines and plans to eat better several times in the past year but have never stuck with them. My husband and I plan on trying to have another baby soon. But, I have decided I need to get healthier before I get pregnant. With our son I had gestational diabetes, I'm sure this stemmed from my eating habits and my weight. I would like to not have to go through that again if possible.

This is where the book the 17 Day Diet comes in. After seeing this book featured on Dr Phil it just seemed like the right choice for me. This is not actually a diet, and it doesn't only last 17 days. This is a book that gives you a lifestyle change. There are 4 cycles of "dieting", the first three cycles last for 17 days each.

The first cycle is a rapid weight loss cycle, you are expected to drop anywhere from 10-15 lbs. This is done by cutting out tons of stuff from your diet. You are basically limited to lean proteins, veggies and 2 servings of fruit. The next two cycles focus on resetting your metabolism and training your body to crave these healthier foods. Each cycle allows you to add more foods into your diet. By the time you reach the fourth cycle you are entering your new way of life. This cycle is not 17 days, it is indefinite. At this point you are just supposed to eat healthier. If you follow the guidelines you will be able to eat healthy during the week and splurge during the weekends, as long as your splurging is in moderation.

Along with following the cycles I intend on following an exercise routine. The book tells you to do light cardio for 17 minutes a day. I'm going to do more. I will mostly be doing my workouts using my Wii. Simply because I cant afford a gym membership and I have to do something that can be done with a 2 1/2 year old playing in the same room. I will be doing Free Steps on Wii Fit with 2 lb weights, about 40 minutes of routines on Golds Gym Cardio Workout, and every other day I will do 10 mins on my elliptical and plan on working my way up to more time on that.

This may not be a very exciting blog. I intend on listing my weight and measurements each day. I also will list what I have eaten and how much water Ive had. Along with this I will list what I did to workout. Also, any thoughts, feelings, etc on the whole process. Each Monday I will post a picture of myself, hopefully after a few weeks there will be a noticeable difference!! Thank you to anybody who chooses to follow my journey!