:::tap, tap::: "Is this thing on?"

Yeah, yeah. I've been gone for a bit, and trust me, I feel bad for neglecting my little blog. I haven't written much because there isn't much going on. As Fabulous Ma would say, "My money is boring." Although that's not entirely true.

I've been trying to get on the whole healthier eating and exercise trail. For the past two months I've been walking (low impact and free!) about 4 to 5 miles a day, six days a week, and trying to eat more thoughtfully (veggie sandwiches, cooking more often, brown instead of white rice, etc.). I've lost 10 pounds so far and my blood work from the doctor shows that my body is liking the direction I'm taking. However as the weather gets colder it's becoming clear that I need to take a new direction with my exercise. So now I'm considering getting a gym membership. I hate the idea of spending the money for something like this, however in the end I believe it will be a worthwhile investment in myself.

Speaking of investments in myself, I've signed up for a year-long pro membership at Dailyburn.com, a web site that tracks what you eat and how much you exercise. There's a free option, however to doesn't track stuff like fiber, etc., and some other features. I figured for $45 year, it's worth getting full access without the clutter of advertising all over the site (like on SparkPeople.com). I have to say that keeping this food/exercise journal has been eye-opening. If you asked me before all this, I would have said the number one thing to look out for was sugar/carbs. However it's become very clear to me that I take in WAY too much sodium! Holy cow it's in EVERYTHING!

So anyway, my greater challenge is to improve my health without adding significant cost.