That aside, I’m here to talk about Strong Start Day. Postpartum Progress is hosting the day to talk about the grim numbers facing mothers (and thus fathers and children) when it comes to postpartum depression.

Currently, only 15% of women with postpartum depression ever get the help they need. That’s not enough. We want more women to be aware of the variety of risk factors and symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, to know where to go for help and to be able to find the support they need. When they have this information and support, they’ll be able to recover fully and their families will get off to a much-deserved stronger start.

Anyone remember this girl?

Or maybe this one?

I don’t. Because the first three months of either boys’ lives? Are a blur — and not just the sleep-deprived kind. I may be smiling in the first picture, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. Note that I didn’t even bother trying in the photo with LittleBrother; I had no will left to smile. I won’t even get into the lack of gleam in my eye after Munchkin was born. Know this: there was no gleam. There was nothing.

After each boy was born, it was a dark time. It was a difficult time. My only wish was to be a good mom, and I felt that I had already failed and could never be a good mom to my sons.

Her symptoms can range from the inability to eat or sleep, to disturbing thoughts about harming her child, to numbness or feelings of unbridled rage, among others. She is unable to function on a daily basis. She is convinced without question that she has failed as a mother.

I made it out — without driving into trees — with the help of therapy, medication, yoga, the support of my husband, blogs (like Postpartum Progress), my faith and a desire to do the best by my children. And food. Ahem. That’s why the work that Postpartum Progress is doing is so important to me. I know how important that work is, where I might be without it.

I donated today. And now I’m blogging to remind you that if you’re going through postpartum depression, you’re not alone. I promise you. You are a good mom. You will be a good mom. There is nothing inherently wrong with you.

I encourage you to share your story — whether you’ve already come out the other side or you’re still muddling your way through the muck of postpartum depression. Show others that they’re not alone. Help give their families a Strong Start. And pass on the post at Postpartum Progress so that others can get involved.

By the way?

I’m okay now. We’re okay. You’ll be okay.

Strong Start Day: I Just Wanted to Be A Good Mom is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

And I also hate the word hate, but my back has pushed me across the line of severe dislike into the deep, icky area of hate. I hate my back. And not just because it is causing me pain whether I am sitting, standing or sleeping.

I hate my back because it has made me doubt myself in many different ways.

1. As a mother.

Since my back injury, I have not been able to lift the boys at all. Now, with BigBrother, this is not an issue as I couldn’t really lift him anyway. He’s too tall, too long, too heavy. LittleBrother, however, is still rather small and needs help with various things. When we traveled with FireDad this summer, I had to have LittleBrother crawl in and out of our SUV by himself as I couldn’t help him. And once, when he was throwing a fit in a restaurant, I forgot about my back due to the crazy anger and embarrassment adrenaline surge, lifted him out of his seat to go outside and talk and paid for that move for quite some time afterward.

Beyond logistical issues, I can’t run around in the yard with the boys. I can’t walk them to the local city park as we were known to do regularly. I can’t lift them to the monkey bars. I can’t even push the darn swings. It hurts me to sit on the floor and play a game of Chutes & Ladders or Cariboo. I can sit and blow bubbles — but not for too long as it hurts to stay in the same position for more than five minutes. I can’t bend over the tub to wash them. When I cuddle up with them in bed to read a story, it hurts so bad to get out of the bed and stand up.

I feel like a useless mommy.

2. As a woman who used to be pretty darn happy with her body.

Lack of exercise means change in body shape. Which has made me question my self-image. Big time.

The weight gain is not my favorite part about this back injury. I am not feeling like myself because I don’t feel like I look like myself. My clothes do not fit properly. I sometimes get all stubborn and force myself to walk two miles — and then I can’t move for days afterward. As someone who had taken back to running and was at yoga class twice a week, the lack of movement has hit me hard — especially considering that movement and exercise help me manage my anxiety.

I don’t like the way I look right now. And when I would feel that way before, I’d go for a walk or a run and remind myself to eat well. But now I can’t walk or run and the anxiety builds up and I say, “Screw eating well! I need comfort food.” And the scale keeps tipping.

3. As a wife and partner.

See above and add in relationship-based body insecurity. Of course, my husband keeps telling me reassuring things like “you look great!” and “I love you!” And I look at him with an eyebrow raised, the “Daphne Returns” episode of Fraiser playing in my head. Is he blinded to my change in shape by his love? Or is he just a smart man?

I don’t know.

I do know that my back is not healing as quickly as I’d like. Or as quickly as my chiropractor would like. And an MRI is going to be scheduled soon… and I don’t like that either. I don’t like feeling this way — the not knowing what is next, the self-doubt, the mother-doubt. I also hate shuffling around like someone’s Great-great Grandmother. (I can’t even say Great-grandmother because mine walks better than me right now.)

I’d give anything to wake up tomorrow and feel better. Then again, I’d also like to win the lottery, have a book published or make sure BigBrother never comes home from Kindergarten in tears ever again. All of those seem somewhat doubtful too.

I’m Having Trouble Feeling Like Me is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

I’ve been experiencing some debilitating back pain since December. Yes, I realize that’s a really long time to experience such awful pain. At first, it was intermittent. And then it got progressively worse. To the point that three days before we left on our visit, FireDad took the kids out of the house with him for the day so I could just rest and weep and read and weep and sleep. I was basically immobile. We still went on our visit, but I fell down twice and almost fell in the parking lot of a rest stop on the way home. I just couldn’t even hold my weight.

I did schedule an appointment on that first truly immobile day, but I couldn’t get in until after the visit. Turns out that my L 3, 4 and 5 are jammed together. My chiropractor asked me if I had fallen; I hadn’t. But they’re jammed something fierce and wearing on one another. Swell. I have no range of motion, which is frustrating for someone who is normally pretty flexible.

I’ve had two appointments that actually involved adjustments. I’m feeling better, though I’m learning not to push myself right now. On my first appointment, I kind of broke down into tears as I told the doctor that I couldn’t pick up my kids anymore. I mean, I haven’t really been able to lift BigBrother for awhile now. But I had to convince LittleBrother that he could climb into our SUV and into his car seat by himself because I couldn’t lift him anymore. And every time we got into the car on the trip, he would ask, “Is your back feeling better?” I would reply that it did not. And he would ask, in his teeny-tiny voice, “Mommy, when can you pick me up again?”

I wanted to say, “Well, kid, you’re four! You’re big and tough and it’s great to be independent!” But my mommy heart just shattered all over the place every time he asked. I haven’t been able to run or play or even bend over the tub to bathe them as of late. I’ve been feeling twelve kinds of useless.

I have hope though. I don’t know why it took me so long to schedule the appointment. I mean, I know why; I’m stubborn as all get out. And I usually believe that things will get better with time. Turns out that crazy back pain doesn’t always get better on its own. Sometimes it needs some help.

Unfortunately we’re traveling twice in the next two-and-a-half weeks, so I’ll not be getting my three-times-per-week in until after BlogHer ’11. But I’m hopeful that someday soon I’ll be able to pick up this little guy again.

Because there’s only so much time left for me to pick him up anyway.

Mommy, When Can You Pick Me Up Again? is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

With my kidney disorder, I’m supposed to limit salt. Anything I want/crave is salty; even a lot of so-called healthy stuff has too much sodium for me. I have to avoid a lot of processed stuff. To boot, I don’t like sweets. No, really. I don’t. So even the protein bars/etc that are supposedly good for you and may contain less salt that other things simply don’t appeal to me. I love fruit and veggies, but they all taste horrible right now. Minus oranges and grapefruit. So maybe I’ll just stick with those right now.

Snacks make me nervous and stressed out. So I just don’t snack. Which makes me eat too much at meals. Sigh.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a few things as I purposefully missed last week’s Eat Live Be. (Apologies to other participants.) I needed a week off from talking about all things healthy. Why? I just needed to be doing all things healthy. I really stepped up my workouts last week and logged a total of 25 miles (see me at Daily Mile). I am now into week 3 of my second year of Couch 2 5K. I had to restart this year as I had an injury late last year that ruined all of my training. I’m doing well; my ankle hates the treadmill but I’m working on it.

And tonight I start a new session of classes at the YMCA. I’m not just doing one yoga class per week now. Tonight is Zumba (what? oh no!) followed by Power Yoga. That’s right, two hours in a row. Wednesday will be Hip Hop Cardio (no video, kthx) followed by Yoga. That’s right, two hours in a row. I think I might be slightly insane, but it’s okay. I’ll be keeping up my running and elliptical as well. Thursday will remain my definite day off from the gym with options to go on Sunday if I feel so inclined. Or not if I don’t.

I feel great as of late. Physically. I have more energy. I’m sleeping better. My pants fit! I’m not seeing a huge difference on the scale, but my face lost its post-holidays puff. I know you know what I mean. I am super proud of myself — not for the weight loss aspect but for a photo I shared last week. I pulled the wagon with both boys — both of whom have gained weight — and I was not winded. I was not sore the next day. In fact, I felt amazing afterward. I am getting back to the healthiest version of me.

And it feels great.

Now if only I could figure out my snack issues. Hmm. What do you snack on that is low-or-no sodium?

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be Facebook page and check out the other participants. I’ll be scouring their posts for healthy, sodium-free or sodium-lite snack ideas today!

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours| Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People | Sarah at Sarah’s Sweet Creations | Denise and Lenny at Chez Us

Eat Live Be: I Need a Go-To Snack is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

But real ruts are a little more difficult than that, aren’t they? And yes, I was in one prior to the beginning of the year. What changed? Support, a friend willing to meet me at the gym for my gym days and a raging desire to do better by myself. Changing up my workout routine, rewarding myself with positive speak and the occasional treat and generally loving myself for who and where I am at any given time also help me get out of and stay out of ruts.

There’s no concrete advice in that except that whole loving yourself part. It works. It really does.

As I said last week, I’m not checking in this week. Not only am I bloated (yay womanhood!) but yesterday was the Super Bowl. So, pfft. I’m still counting myself -3 total, which is what I was before the weekend. I won’t apologize for my genetic femaleness nor my first real indulgence since the New Year. Yesterday was a holiday for the sports lovers among us. I celebrated. And I hit the gym before 9:00 this morning. Points for me. And I’m going back again this evening for yoga. Points again.

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be Facebook page and check out the other participants. I know several have checked in with progress, so go celebrate with and encourage them.

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours| Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People | Sarah at Sarah’s Sweet Creations | Denise and Lenny at Chez Us

Eat Live Be: Rut Rescue 101 is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

This week we are supposed to talk about Our Favorite Healthy Change. I laughed. I hate change. I’m no good at it. I dig my heels in. I might whine. (I do.) I like things to be the way they are… even when they aren’t working.

But in the spirit of Big Changes, I’ll think about it.

To be fair, I’ve been living kind of healthy, minus last year’s slip-slide into the holidays, for awhile now. But I have made a change that is working for me and that I kind of like. Actually scheduling in my workout time means that I workout. Who knew? Minus last week when the Viral Ick crept through our house, downing each and every one of us. I only worked out once, but I’m 100% okay with that. I ate well — when I could — and I will not feel guilty about resting to let my body heal. Hopefully this week as we all begin to get better, I will get my 3:00pm workout in along with a morning workout with a friend three days per week. Hopefully. We all need to get fully better first! (Note: Today is a bust. I STILL can’t breathe. And, again, that’s okay. The not exercising part, not the not breathing part.)

Another great change? Well, it’s half inspired by a post Melissa Ford made on BlogHer last year and half inspired by this challenge. And HGTV. You see, on weekend days, I watch HGTV while I lounge about. Sometimes it inspires me to clean, even when I’m sick. Yesterday I de-cluttered our kitchen, including the cabinet above our sink which holds all those one-purpose-only things. I decided we could do without something — our deep fryer. To be fair to us, we haven’t used it in nearly three years. But it’s there, it’s taking up space and it is a temptation. Until yesterday. In its place? My cookbooks! Or, some of them. The rest are all on our shelves in my office. But now they can go here! WOO!

So, two great changes. Whew. That’s enough talk about change. Back to normal.

Next week is official Weigh In Week, being the first Monday of the month. I will attempt to step on the scale, but it’s a bad week for me to think about weighing in do to cycle related bloat. The truth is that I am currently down three pounds (-3 total) right now (the most recent pound likely due to the aforementioned Viral Ick) and I won’t be next Monday. And that’s okay. I know my body. Life will return to normal shortly thereafter and I’ll be back where I am right now. However, if I’m grumpy next week, please point me to this paragraph. Thanks.

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be Facebook page and check out the other participants.

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours| Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People | Sarah at Sarah’s Sweet Creations | Denise and Lenny at Chez Us

Eat Live Be: Favorite Change? I Hate Change! is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

The obvious answer is: Myself.

I decided that after five days of two workouts per day, I would allow myself a day and a half off. Meaning I wasn’t going to do any workouts on Friday (though I did take the kids sled riding which must account for something, right) and then, on Saturday, I was going to do a very easy yoga workout. And on Sunday, I’d get back into my groove. Except Saturday came and I went out with friends instead of working out… and ate way too much. And then Sunday came and I really just felt like relaxing (and taking the boys to their first soccer practice of the year) rather than working out… and ate way too much.

So now it’s been three days. And I haven’t done anything. And let’s not even talk about the portion sizes from the past three days, okay?

So, yes, I’m my own biggest challenge. I’m working on it — on myself — as best I can.

I don’t quite know if this is weigh-in week or if it’s next week. The good news is that I stepped on the scale this morning and I’m down two pounds (-2 total) since we started four weeks ago. The bad news is that I find that number completely and utterly frustrating. Granted, if I hadn’t been a complete waste of space this weekend, it might have been different. But now I’m frustrated and want to quit. See? My own biggest challenge = me. Sigh.

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be Facebook page and check out the other participants. Maybe they’re more inspirational this week. I sure hope so.

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours | Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People | Sarah at Sarah’s Sweet Creations | Denise and Lenny at Chez Us

Eat Live Be: Biggest Challenge is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

It is cold outside. 21 degrees. While some people can put on some warm layers and go for a run despite the biting wind, I cannot. Maybe — and that’s a big maybe — if there wasn’t ice involved, I could suit up. But it’s doubtful. So I’m stuck inside until the ice melts and the air doesn’t hurt to breathe it.

Here’s what I’m doing indoors right now:

• Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred. I downloaded it via iTunes last year and break it out when I know I can’t get out and about on the trail. I hate it. I hate Jillian Michaels. I hate the advanced chick who very obviously cheats when she thinks the camera is not on her. But? It works. It’s a great workout. I just started a new 30 days, and the best thing about this time around is that FireDad is doing it with me.
• Exercise.TV yoga workouts. Most specifically Cardio Yoga and Yoga for Hips, Buns and Thighs. I also downloaded these from iTunes last year. These two are my favorites, though I have some others that are meant for easier “off” days that aren’t really off days. ExerciseTV also has some other great videos for download (I prefer downloading than their free videos because our Internet is slow and makes live videos skip), so I might add some more non-yoga ones in for some variety. Their website actually has more downloadable stuff than they have on iTunes, so check it out as well.
• I signed up for a yoga class at the YMCA. I was, at the time of registration for this session, only free on Monday evenings. Which only left Power Yoga with one of the more difficult trainers as the instructor. I almost didn’t sign up, intimidated by her awesomeness. I signed up anyway. I’m not as advanced as I probably should be for this class, but it should be a great learning experience.
• Just Dance 2. I didn’t ever put this into the context of a workout until Carmen mentioned it. And now I add it in on days that FireDad is at work (meaning that I have a day off from 30 Day Shred). I do one of my yoga workouts and a 20-40 minute session of Just Dance 2. And I get so darn sweaty — and feel so darn awesome — that I can’t deny it’s a great workout. And it’s fun.

I should be working out at the YMCA on the elliptical and a few machines as well, but I hate the January crowds. Probably by mid-February, when everyone else has gone home, I’ll try to get back into a groove at the gym. Until then, I’ll be working it at home and ignoring the cold.

I honestly can’t wait until it warms up and I can get back outside. I do love winter. And, let’s be honest, sled-riding with your kids is a total workout. But I need some air that I can actually breathe before I can get back outside and start trying to run again.

So tell me, what do you do to stay fit when it’s too cold to go outside? I could use a few more ideas for variety! Do share! I’ll be checking out some of the other participants’ posts today for some great cold-weather recipes.

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be facebook page and checkout the blogs of the other participants!

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Emily at The Anderson Crew | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours | Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer atLick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People | Sarah at Sarah’s Sweet Creations | Denise and Lenny at Chez Us

Eat Live Be, Week #3: Baby, It’s Cold Outside is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

This week’s theme is Where is Your Support Community.

I am thankful for the support I have found online, in various areas, for my continuing goals for health (and happiness and career fulfillment and so on and so forth). When Cate asked me if I wanted to be involved in this group, I already knew that the ready made support that comes from such a group would be a good thing for me. I thought of my group of women striving for healthier selves last night… and didn’t eat that extra piece of pizza.

I find that when I am  diligent about tracking my fitness on DailyMile, I am more prone to actually working out. (So friend me there if you want! I love the support I’ve found there!) I have decided to officially abandon Spark People, even though I brought it out of its archived state at the end of 2010. Why? Counting calories is a huge trigger for me. The knowledge of those numbers does really bad things to my brain. I am smart enough and logical enough to understand what is good food and what is bad food and how much of either I can or should eat. I do not need a number to define me or how well or poorly my day supposedly went. So, you’ll just find me at DailyMile, clocking in things like yoga, Just Dance 2, time at the gym (once the January crowds slim down) and running (when the snow melts).

I am also finding huge support and encouragement in BlogHer’s Own Your Beauty initiative. If you haven’t checked it out, you should. Some of the posts are hard to read, but they are all encouraging. Because? We are all beautiful. In fact, just last week, I was really moved by the fact that one blogger stopped the diet trend and just bought bigger clothes. It made me reevaluate a few things. And add a few more pairs of jeans to the donation pile. Let’s face it: These hips aren’t ever going to be pre-BigBrother ever again. I have been so touched by so many of the posts in the Own Your Beauty initiative; I am thrilled that it will last all year long.

And, of course, my support also rests in my husband. He knows how deeply I want to get back to healthy this year. He has been reminding me to drink my water. And, oh yeah, he’s been working out with me. It took him a few days into the year, though he promised before the new year began, because he had a cold and couldn’t stop blowing his nose. Or, you know, breathe. But knowing that he’s willing to hold me accountable for my workouts by working out with me is a huge boost of confidence. And it’s fun!

And back to me, I still haven’t take my full body shot in any kind of workout-gear that would show personal lumps and bumps. I did take a photo in Vegas in the full length mirror, but I choose my non-workout clothing very carefully to hide those lumps and bumps. (Clothing that fits! What a concept!)

I’ll get a real photo soon.

And now, let me ask you, when it comes to fitness, health and food, where do you find your support? Don’t forget to check in with our other Eat Live Be challengers this week. I’m sure they’ve got some good ideas about support as well.

Sarah at Cucina Bella | Cate at Sweetnicks | Maris at In Good Taste | Chris at Mele Cotte | Faith at Bon Appetit | Kristen at Dine and Dish | Emily at The Anderson Crew | Joanne at Eats Well With Others | Casey at The Starnes Family | Patsy at Friends, Family and Food | Tri-Fit Mom at Tri-Fit Mom | Claire at Cooking is Medicine | Allison at Sweet Flours | Jen at NJ Epicurean | Jennifer at Lick-a-Plate | Rivki at Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Eat Live Be: Week #2 is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

While they’re racing to see who can lose 40 pounds first, I’m joining some other bloggers in a healthy new year. I do have a weight loss goal — 20 pounds — that would put me back in the healthy BMI range and back to where I got last year before I jumped off the wagon. As I said yesterday in my 2011 Projects post, I’m also working very hard on food consumption, regular exercise again, and water, water, water. So, very simply, those are my goals. More specifically:

1) Really focus on portion size. My problem is that I really, really like food. I like the way it tastes. I like to prepare it. I like it. A lot. And so I have this tendency to fill my plate. And eat it all. I’m mindful of portion sizes when I give the boys’ their plates; I want them to eat enough but I don’t want them to have too much (because they WHINE). And so I need to do it myself. Maybe I need to start making yucky food. Ha! And no pop. I mean, c’mon. I have a fire department specific issue with this as well, which I’ll talk about in a post soon. Other fire families will understand when I post it, too.

2) Exercise 5 days per week. I’m not talking marathon exercise lengths of time. Just something. For 20 minutes. Five days per week. I can do more, but 20 minutes is my minimum. I will start running again — when it warms up. Sorry, I don’t do cold weather running. Nor do I run on treadmills as my ankle cannot handle it. Yoga and Jillian Michaels will be my cold weather exercise resources.

3) Eight glasses of water per day. I used to be great with this, and, yes, I threw myself off the wagon. Time to get back on. I feel so much fuller and so much cleaner when I have my water intake up, up, up!

And so, we’re supposed to share out starting point. Yeah. Hmm. I weighed myself for the first time in, oh, five months… right in the midst of holiday consumption. Silly FireMom! Last week I ate well and exercised, so for my first check-in, I am xx2 pounds. I won’t tell you what that weight is as I don’t have to: I am more than a number. It’s not a horrible number, and it wasn’t overly surprising as I could tell the difference in how my clothes (and bras, people, BRAS) fit. When I check-in next week, I will report I am xxx, which is + or – x pounds from my start of xx2. That’s how I’m rolling with this one. Someday when FireDad is home, I’ll have him take a full body shot. Yay?

Next week’s topic is Where Is Your Support Community? If you’d like to join in, go ahead! You can also check out our Facebook page. The more the merrier.

For more motivation, check out the blogs of the other participants:

Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011: Week 1 is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.