TAGGED

I was tagged by Aileen. I am not sure who even reads this blog (so sorry if you do and I don't tag you), but I am supposed to tag 10 people and then blog about 6 random facts that you may not know about me. And those 10 people - well THEY have to tag 10 people and then do the same. Good grief. I am only tagging 5. Mostly because I am lame and don't have a lot of blogger friends. I think I may stick to Aileen's good idea and still try to keep my random facts within the "weight loss," good health arena.

1. Bernadette

2. Amy

3. Cassie

4. Holly (when you set up your blog)

5. Yolanda (see Holly)

Random Facts:

1. The first time I lost weight I exercised two times a day, seven times a week. At first it was a great weight loss booster, but by the end I think it became unhealthy for me. Regardless, no matter how long it takes me to meet my weight loss goal, I'm not going down that route again.

2. I AM NOT A VEGETARIAN. Dan and I attempted to eat vegan, because we thought it would be a healthy alternative that would help me lose weight. We discovered that a weekly combination of vegan meals and lean meat/dairy meals worked much better. There is not one right way to eat, that's for sure. It IS important to have a diet full of iron, fiber, protein, and vitamins, which we now get from soy products, whole wheat products, spinach and tons of other veggies and fruit (If you are worried about the cost, buy fruits and veggies in season, it is easy to find produce that is under $2 a pound.), yogurt, and the occasional chicken and turkey meat.

3. The first time I lost weight, I lost my sense of self. It is a hard thing to change one hundred percent on the outside, but to still be the same person on the inside. You have to find a way to see yourself differently if you want to be successful. I am working hard to find that balance all the time now. I am hopeful that I'll get there when I reach my goal.

4. Being fat and fashionable is hard work! I'm sure anyone will tell you this. What is hard about it for me is that the style I like to subscribe to would normally be effortless! I used to love going into any store, seeing something on the rack that catches my eye, and just buying it! It was fun that I didn't have to worry about how something would fit, or whether it was fashionable in someone else's eye. I felt like EVERYTHING looked good on me when I was thin. Now I have to constantly work to not only make sure that it is something I like, but that it also actually fits my body and doesn't make me seem too "fat." And granted, when I was thin I by no means had the perfect body. But I had more options.

5. Right now, I would rather have dogs than children. I am at a point in my life right now in which I want what I earn in life to be for us (me and Dan). I want the ability to take on multiple projects and be out late. I want the chance to try everything out there that interests me. I want to go to grad school, I want the ability to quit a job that I don't like and not worry about how I will support my children. It sounds selfish and it may change. But Dan and I have realized that we wouldn't want to raise children in the city, so if we ever have children we have to be ready to settle. So kids, if any, are WELL into the future. We're talking late 30's, early 40's. Because if we do have kids, we're adopting. At least, that's the more preferable choice to us. If we do want to bring a child into our life, we want to help an older child who feasibly has less of a chance to find a good home. There are so many children who need a home - and I can understand why people have their own kids - but I would rather help someone who is already out there. Especially if Roe Vs. Wade ever gets taken away from us - there will be MANY unwanted children in our futures. I'm just saying, that's the reality.

6. I am learning every day more and more that having a fully supportive partner makes all the difference in this world. And not the sort of person that offers support and then whines through it every step of the way. That's not true support, not really. I feel so blessed to be marrying a person who happily takes on whatever healthy life plan I need without one word of complaint. Just support. He not only eats the vegan meals, he prepares them. He suggests we eat out at our neighborhood healthy restaurants. He recognizes that I need the support and gives it fully, without ever making me feel bad for making changes in our lifestyle. And while I support him too, it's in smaller every day ways. I look forward to the day when he needs my full support on something as big as this and I can give it so fully. He amazes me every day.