Starting out

I have promised myself that 2011 is my year, I said that last year, and probably the year before, but this year is going to be different. I hope. No, it will. I decided in December right after Christmas that I would lose the weight and for the first time I didn't promise to start come January 1st but I started that day. That's how I know that this is going to be my year because I didn't procrastinate in the beginning.
I have to lose the weight because of what my health could one day become. My family has a terrible medical history cancer being the biggest, next diabetes and I was born with a bad heart. I lost my mom to leukemia when I was just 9 years old. My dad has been fighting several cancers for the better part of 10 years. He has dropped over 100lbs and looks fantastic but his body continues to show that years of being overweight has taken its toll.
In my family I have always been the "thick" one. I just assumed I was born with bad genes and the last few years I decided that I could be happy with where I am right now. This is true. I could live a full life where I am now, I seem to be in perfect health except for being a little overweight, actually, medically speaking I am a lot overweight. But I have two small children who beg for treats and snacks and dessert after finishing their dinner. They are by no means overweight, they are very active and happy. But they hear Mommy say how she is needs a homemade cookie, or 2 hours after dinner that she is dying for some dessert, they are learning from the best and it's my job to change before my problems become theirs.  They love green veggies, how lucky am I? They skip over the carbs to eat the healthy stuff. I am going to run with that. I am going to change for me, but I am also making a change for them, they don't need my bad habits, those are mine and it's me who has to break them.
I wont be weighing myself, I don't care what the scale says. I want to lose a pant size, and another after that, and another after that, and eventually 6 all together. But for today, my goal is 1 pant size. I can do that. That folks, is doable.
I am going to go to the gym 4 days a week and hopefully more, but the doable goal that I can commit to is 4. I am going to eat better and exercise portion control. Most importantly for me, I am going to stop eating when I am not hungry, and drink more water. I take vitamins everyday and they seem to help quite a bit. Eventually I am going to wean myself off of diet soda, I am very addicted but I am going to get rid of it. I drink up to 2 a day but can keep the headache away by drinking just a half can.
I'll be back tomorrow, so watch me go, Casper CAN change!