To find the real me! I'm in here somewhere.

I am going to be 55 (EEEK!!!) years old in August.  I'm married and the mother of two wonderful kids with families of their own.  I have two grandsons - One who is 12 and one who is 14 months.  They are the light of our lives.  I have always had a weight problem.  I think by 7 years old I should have been addressing it but my mother was a cook and believed everything needed to be fried to taste better!  It did.  I was widowed at 19 years old with a one-year old baby.  Thank the Lord for my family who saw me through.  I met my husband who accepted both me and my daughter with open arms.  He adopted her as well.  My husband is 22 years older than I am and without planning it we had our son.  Over the years, I tried every diet known to man..... my favorite being the "peanut butter diet" (LOL)....... to Phen Fen. 

I was referred for surgery 2 years ago and the Cardiologist didn't want to approve it because I had to try to lose weight HIS way..... His diet was "stay only on the outside of the grocery store."  He told me to give it a year.  A Year???  I should have put up a fight then but I usually not the type to fight.  In the meantime, in addition to high B/P I was diagnosed with a form of Leukemia (CLL) -- it's the good kind (if there is such a thing) so I just have to monitor it.  I want to live more healthy!

Now, I'm ready to fight.  I went back to my doctor for another referral only to find out the policy with the insurance company has changed where they are making me participate in a 6-month program called "Healthy Roads".... this consists of weekly phone counseling sessions.  She's documenting exercise and diet.  Yeah, alright.  I'm doing pretty well with eating the right foods but it's only confirming to me that I can easily be persuaded to veer off the path as I ran into two pieces of licorice last night that just had to find their way into my system.  I'm six weeks into "Healthy Roads" and I can't wait to be able to pursue my new journey.  

So I have to spend the hot summer and wait to see how it goes........  I can do this.  I can do this.  I can do this!