So far, so good

Success: Coke-free for 6 days. Getting there: Hit the gym Monday & Tuesday, but skipped it today. Give me a while: Chocolate is getting me through Coke withdrawal.

New Year, New Me

What will 2009 bring? Will I still have a job? Will my husband be relieved with the welcome respite from his extra job duties of the past 4 years? Will my son survive his first semester in high school? There's no way of knowing. So I'm betting on something I actually have control over. Now that I've known about my high blood pressure for two years, and have been taking medication for one year (which got upped 6 months ago), not to mention the anti-depressants that I re-started in 2008, it's time to lose those extra pounds. My goal: 50 pounds by Dec. 31, 2009. 5 pounds a month, with a little room for a bad month or two. Step 1: No more Coke. Had my last one on the plane on New Year's Day. It's only been 4 days, but hey, I haven't managed even that in a long time! Step 2: Utilize my free membership at the gym that supports the nonprofit I work for by donating memberships to full-time employees. I went this morning. I'm going tomorrow morning. Son is on notice that he'll have to ask me the night before if there's something he needs for school that he can't find. Dad does not have my superior lost-item-detection abilities, and I'll be sweating away on the eliptical when they're heading out the door to get to the bus stop on time. Step 3: Control my eating. I haven't given up chocolate. Yet. Best to approach these things slowly. Eliminating Coke cold turkey is hard enough. None of this Oprah yo-yo dieting for me. I'm starting a marathon that I want to finish, so no sprinting to a svelt physique by spring break. Slow and steady is my mantra. I know I can do this. I know that I need this. Wish me luck!