As of tomorrow, it has been two weeks since I “went back to my roots”. My roots :When I graduated high school, I dropped some weight using the Atkins program. I lost about 60lbs and kept it off for quite some time. It worked to help me lose weight, learn how to eat right and proportionally, and keep the weight off.

In February of 2007, I moved in with Mike. I was 23 years old and until this point, I had never lived anywhere other than with my parents. It was an insane struggle for me and I gained a LOT of weight.

The following year, around the same time, I started working to lose weight. I was doing really well until in the fall of 2008, my “nieces” came to live with me. I was working two jobs, trying to go to grad school, keep a relationship in tact, and lose weight. None of these worked well together. I also had a miscarriage in the fall that year. At this time, I didn’t exactly give up. I just stopped caring all together about what I looked like.

In summer of 09, Mike I and got pregnant with Austin. I was thrilled to be having my baby. I was also in a lot of pain. My key advice to overweight women- don’t get pregnant when you are fat. You thought you hurt all the time when you were JUST overweight? Try adding all the issues of pregnancy to it. I hated myself for not losing the weight before Austin was conceived.

In summer of 2010, though I was ready to get back to eating right and losing weight, the vast majority of my time was split between working on my new house and taking care of my new baby.

Now it’s the summer of 2011. It has been nearly 4 years since I have been remotely excited to leave the house. 4 years since I could grab clothes off a rack in the store and know that it will fit. 4 years since I could wear clothes without worrying if my skin/ fat is showing.

So, when I say I am going back to my roots- I am going back to Atkins. It works, and this time, I have the right motivation to keep me going: Austin and his (someday) sibling.

So, two weeks in and 18lbs down. I’d say that is a good start. I am past the two hardest weeks. Two more and I have made this a habit. No more excuses. No looking back. I am doing this.