There is no way I'm the big 4-0 today....

40..... for years that seemed like such a big number, not so much anymore.  I don't think turning 40 bothers me as much as the thought, "this is not where I thought I would be at 40."  Not to say that where I am is not good.  I'm blessed with 2 beautiful children, I have a family that loves me, I have great friends, I have a great group at church, and I am blessed with a job when so many are without.

So here is to my 40s..... It will be a decade of firsts:  my first child will start high school, start driving,  and graduate; my second child will start elementary school; and I will graduate from college - since I'm on the 25 year plan.

It's not a diet....

Diet is a nasty 4-letter word.  To mean it means being hungry and a diet is temporary.

The past 5 or so years have been full of stress and for the first time in my life I have a weight problem.  I turned to foods to help me cope with the stress and help me feel better.  That's a destructive behavior.

I have started a healthy eating plan to rid myself of unwanted pounds.  Notice I didn't say to "lose" weight. If you lose something, it implies that you want to find it again.

So far it is going well.  I easily adjusted to my new life changing, healthy meal plan.  I've adjusted so well that now when I eat the "bad" foods, it actually makes me feel ill.

In 2 months, I have rid myself of 25 pounds!!  Woohoo!!!!!

So I asked my new doctor what he recommended and I have followed his advice.  Half of your plate should be veggies (good colorful veggies, potatoes are not a good veggie).  I either steam or roast my veggies.  I have carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini, squash, green beans, sugar snap peas, and the occasional sweet potato.  Of the remaining half of your plate, 3/4 should be a lean protein.  I have chicken, fish, or pork tenderloin.  With that 1/8 that is left of your plate, if you must have a carb it can go there.

I have cut out basically anything "processed" and the "bad carbs".  I do allow myself either one Dr. Pepper or glass of sweet tea with my dinner.  I do not reward myself for getting rid of pounds with a dessert.  Why would I reward myself with the very things that caused me to gain all this weight?

FLASH BACK.... to high school

I had recorded Oprah's interview with Steven Tyler.  Alex asked who she was interviewing and I told him that was the lead singer of Aerosmith and asked him if he knew Aerosmith.  He knew a song or two.  Of course that led me to You Tube to play him a few more Aerosmith songs that I was sure he had heard.

Then.... it led to me searching "Best songs of the 80s" and what fun it was to hear those songs.  Bands like:  The Police, Van Halen, Duran Duran, Foreigner, Journey, Aerosmith, Huey Lewis & the News, Bon Jovi, The Bangles, U2, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, INXS, and Poison.  Most of the guys in those metal/hair bands had much better 80s hair than I could ever have.... LOL :)

This made me reflect on my "youth".  I was in middle school in the mid-80s and high school in the late-80s.  I do not have any fond memories of middle school, but I remember high school getting easier with each passing year.  My son starts high school next year and I hope the same holds true for him.

So I'll let you down my memory lane:

First day of high school and no - I was not anorexic, just very skinny

One of the few freshman at the Junior/Senior prom.... didn't I think I was special!

Sophomore year, Snowball Dance

Junior year - Snowball Dance - not everyone can rock the 80s side ponytail

Junior year - FTA (future teachers of america - whatever) dance at state convention - I believe the saying was "the bigger the hair the closer to God you are"

Junior year - induction to National Honor Society

Senior pictures - summer before senior year - all I needed was a good eyebrow plucking!

Senior year - Snowball Dance - yes, I decided to rock the side ponytail 2 years in a row.

Senior year - Prom - I didn't have a date and took a friend-of-a-friend.  It caused great controversy since he had graduated from another school and had facial hair.  You would have thought I was asking to bring an "axe murderer" to prom.  I had to have special permission.

Graduation - I was the only one in a backless dress that was above the knee.  Love my hair in this picture.

Walking into the football stadium to graduate.... yes, we graduated outside on the football field - classy!