If you read my first post, you know that a little over a month ago, I pledged to start moving more, start eating less, start writing down what I eat, etc, etc, in an effort to begin losing some weight the natural, healthy way and keep it off for good. In a nutshell, the post was about lifestyle change.

A month (or so) later, and I’ve gone from 147 to about 154.8 (about). So much for that. I didn’t revise my eating habits, I didn’t write down what I ate, and I could never remember to use my iPod’s pedometer on a daily basis. When I did use it, I found it REALLY difficult to get to 10,000 steps in a single day, even with superlong walks from C zone parking to my buildings on campus OR even if I walked all the way to campus from my apartment.

I will give myself proper credit, however.

What I did begin doing was really making a commitment to moving. It started with yoga. A friend and fellow blogger is working to become a certified Yoga teacher. As part of her training, she had to do eight hours of “community service” (read: free) yoga, and asked if anyone wanted to be a part of her weekly “class.” I love yoga, I love my friend, and I love free, so I said yes.

And then I got back on the Zumba train. Before spring break, I went to two Zumba classes at the student activities center before I started making excuses about being too busy. Then, after spring break, they moved the class to a day and time that was more workable for me. I could no longer make excuses, so I went. And had a blast. And went again the next week.

So I had Zumba Tuesday nights and yoga Wednesday nights. I decided to add a Thursday morning run/walk because I had an excuse to get up early—take my friend to his 8 am class—but I didn’t have to be on campus myself until 10 am, when I would give him the car and he would drop me off (or, “trade the car”). So I added that to my weekly workout regimen.

It wasn’t exactly running three to five times a week like I kind of wanted to aspire to in my head, but this was hella more fun. I eventually added more solo workouts, and have managed to stay pretty active since I got into that routine. So that, I say, is a pretty damn good start. I’ve Netflixed (yes, it’s a verb) the Dallas Cowboys Yoga video and managed to fit in some solo yoga both yesterday AND today. This morning, I also got out of bed, had a cup of tea, and went for a (very brief) swim! I only did ten laps—five using mostly legs, five using mostly arms—across my not-olympic-sized apartment swimming pool, but dammit, I went swimming. Also, I floated on my back a little, which just felt nice. I freaking love the water. I hope to make this a regular part of my regimen (summer, Huzzah!).

So now it’s time to get serious about the food. We’ll see how that goes. Wish me luck!

I was never the skinny girl. At least, not when it mattered. I was a normal-sized kid (back when normal-sized kids were skinny), but I hit my growth spurt early, so I was at least taller than most of the other kids from about fourth through sixth grade. And otherwise, fairly normal sized, but never skinny.

Then I gained the freshman five, then lost it, then gained the sophomore ten, the junior twenty, and the senior thirty. Maybe I’m exaggerating. I don’t know the exact progression of things, but I eventually gained enough weight to put me in the Obese I category. Granted, it doesn’t take too much extra weight to put a 5’1 woman there, but it was a little depressing.

My high (or low) point was 185 pounds in December 2008. Through a combination of weight watchers, exercising, slim fast, slim quick, and nutrisystem (not all at the same time), I made it down to 136 in September 2010. And then in the past six months, I’m back up to about 147.

So I’m kind of not happy with myself. And I’m thinking about what I can do to start losing weight again. I’m thinking—I need to do it right this time. I should buy another book telling me how to lose the weight and keep it off.

I find one in Hastings: In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. Its tagline reads, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” The basic idea is to eat less processed food and to stop eating when you’re full (or just before—usually it takes a bit to tell you’re full). It seemed to be the same basic idea behind “You: On a Diet,” which I’ve read twice and sort of tried before: eat less of the crappy stuff, eat more of what’s good for you, work out a bit, and don’t eat too much.

That’s when it hit me—I knew all of this already. Losing weight isn’t THAT complicated, yet it manages to be a multi-billion dollar a year industry. That’s because each book has a slightly different approach, each diet promises quicker and better results, and each pill does something new. And I realized—I didn’t need another book, or another diet, or another pill. I just needed to do what I already knew to do: eat less bad stuff, eat more good stuff, move around some, and don’t eat too much.

So instead of buying the book, I bought “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (spring break read) and a tiny purse notebook which I will use to help me follow my new diet plan: eat less bad stuff, eat more good stuff, move around some, don’t eat too much.

I’m going to write down what I eat (which, of course, I haven’t done yet today—good start) and what/when I exercise. I’m also going to try to really use my iPod nano pedometer and get to 10,000 steps a day. Good thing I get to start with a hiking trip this week! Good way to rack up lots of steps. :)

I’d also like to keep the scale out of it. I’d like to worry less about a number and more about how my clothes fit and how I feel (in-shape-wise).

Anyway, this blog will hopefully be a way to track my progress and keep me accountable to my imaginary audience. Thanks for reading!