Getting Started

Albert Einstein is attributed with saying that "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Since I do not wish to be considered insane, it is time to do something different.

This is different.

In my profile, I describe myself as a driven 30-something with PCOS and a fabulous career who is just starting to realize that something must change. It's not entirely true. Yes, I am driven, I am 34, and I do have PCOS and a fabulous career, but I've known for quite some time that something needed to change. I just wasn't ready to face that fact.

I like my life. What I did with my life helped me become who I am and I am happy. But there's a part of me that knows better. Knows that there's a hidden side of me that comes out every now and then, and that side comes with a bitter aftertaste. Because that side wants to be thin, wants to be healthy, and most of all, wants to know what life could become if only...well, if only I were "normal."

For those of you who don't know the term, PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a collection of symptoms related to hormone levels. In many cases, testosterone levels are higher than estrogen levels, resulting in irregular menstruation and a plethora of other symptoms. But I'm not a medical professional, and my purpose is not to educate. If you'd like to learn more about it (and I hope you do!), please check out: http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/pcos.htm

Back to my reason for being here. Something needs to change. I've been on many diets and exercise programs (I finished my fourth triathlon just last week), but none have worked as well as I'd hoped. Is it them, or is it me? It's time to find out.

This blog is my attempt at mixing things up a bit. Trying new things, finding out if they work, learning as much as possible, and being accountable. That last one is tough. It's easy for me to excuse my weight problem - I have a valid medical condition. But making excuses hasn't helped me. Every year, the weight just keeps coming; stealthy, quiet, insidious...2 pounds here, 5 pounds there. My symptoms get worse, and my ability to ignore them gets better. Dealing with it has become a way of life. But now I'm starting to lose it - lose faith, lose hope, lose my grip, my will, my strength...you name it, I'm losing it. Even my hair has started to fall out. That's the last straw. It's time to lose the weight.

I'm starting this journey with one rule: try something different every week. I know what's considered healthy behavior and what's not. So, each week, I will change one thing for the better, and share my observations, my struggles, and (hopefully) my victories. The more the merrier, so if you'd care to join me, strap yourself in...it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Week one goal: stop drinking soda