so, here we are....

well, here i am. i mostly started this blog to keep up on the goal i set to write in a journal every day. i think it will go well...i like writing.

um, i guess just a quick over-view of the situation as it stands: i have to lose at least 20 lbs (Sparks says i can do 34, so we'll see what happens with that) per dr's instructions. i have severe degeneration in the disks in my lower back and the main cause of my pain is excess weight. good news: dr doesn't think i'll need surgery on the disks if i can get my weight down and stick to a core strength training program. so that sort of ups the stakes a little bit.

going on in my life right now: just got married last may. that was an interesting and very stressful event. but i love and adore my husband, so i'd do it over in a heartbeat if i had to. ^_^ i work full time as an assistant manager at a Subway. surrounded by healthy food you think? not so much. my fav 'wich is the Italian. yeah, not so good for the dieting. i'm also a full time student. when i'm done throwing shredded lettuce at customers in 2.5 years i'll be a high school biology teacher, so jazzed about that. i totally have the frizzy hair, now i just need the glasses and lab coat. .... i so want a lab coat. :P

another issue going on right now is--apparently--my stress level being too high. dr says the muscles around my spinal column in the lower back are waaay too tense. that tension is supposedly to blame for most of the pain i have, not the disks. i HATE medication, so no muscle relaxers for me. i'm on good old fashioned hot baths and relaxing reads. i've played with meditation, too, so we'll see what that does.

next dr appt is set for 6 mos out: July-something-th. i hope to be at least half way to my weight goal so dr will be pleased. we'll see what happens.

oh, and i have to confess: i started this diet/fitness/blog thing at about 12:00 pm, so i totally had Spagettios for breakfast. guess that'll have to stop, huh?