I mentioned in yesterday’s post that my eating habits took a turn for the better after having my son, acquiring a laptop and discovering the healthy living blog world.  Having my son was the impetus I needed to take a closer look at my bad habits (all of them) particularly my bad eating habits.  Suddenly I had this tiny person depending on me for everything.  I became so cognizant of my every action.  There were days that I felt like I could eat all day, but I knew that if I was doing it with an infant in sight I would also be doing it when he was a toddler and beyond if I didn’t change things.  My son was born in December so by summer time he was crawling and starting to move around more.  I wanted to be outdoors with him as much as possible.  We went for walks, laid on the grass, explored new places.  I didn’t want to be stuck inside.  I lost the baby weight within the first year and then I began to focus my sights on losing what was there pre-baby.  I did not want my weight to affect my health, my activity level or my happiness. I owed it to my son to be the best mother I could be.

In late 2007 my husband surprised me with my very own MacBook.  We had talked about getting a laptop since finding time to use the iMac desktop was nearly impossible.  I was convinced that having a laptop would make my life easier and could possibly help improve the way we eat.  My foresight did not disappoint.  In late summer of the same year I had discovered Roni of Roni’s Weigh.  Her candid posts, relatable story and quick and easy recipes on a separate site called Green Lite Bites helped me to start thinking about weight loss in a very different way.  I knew that the only way I could be successful was to change my lifestyle, but in order to change my lifestyle I had to take it one step at a time instead of all at once.

With the laptop almost always present on the kitchen counter I had a wealth of resources at my fingertips when I needed a healthy dinner or snack idea.  Over the course of the next two years I learned to bake and continue to wow my husband with lightly sweet treats that are homemade and full of healthy goodness.  I have made a wide variety of healthy meals almost every night of the week.  I have ditched probably about 90% of artificial sweeteners and fat free products.  We no longer eat red meat at home.  We eat chicken on occasion and lean turkey once a week.  Tofu and beans have become staples in our house.  Fresh fruits and veggies jack up our weekly grocery bill but we don’t complain.  My pantry includes quinoa, couscous, bulgur, flax, maca powder, chia seeds, agave syrup and steel cut oats.  Some still seem like new buzz words but I’m still learning about ways to improve my nutrition.

Through Roni’s Weigh I discovered Caitlin’s Healthy Tipping Point which led me to numerous other healthy living blogs.  I will include a blog roll within the next few days to recognize the bloggers who were most inspirational and whose blogs I follow regularly.  I have much more to say on the impact of these healthy living blogs so I will save that for Part 3.  In a nutshell I was floored by the sheer motivation, drive and creativity these women displayed.  I wanted to embrace all of the positive energy that flowed from these sites and experience the wonderful joys of living a happy, healthy life.

2011 is just around the corner, my son will be four years old in three days, and I am the healthiest I have ever been, the thinnest (despite still having about 15-20 pounds to lose) I have ever been and the happiest I have ever been. Equipped with an arsenal of new coping mechanisms, tools and habits I am excited about what the new year has to offer.

To be continued…