Getting started

About a year and-a-half ago, I decided to change my life. I dropped 90 pounds within 1 year. I went from 228 to 138, and from a size 16 to a size 4. I've maintained the weight loss now for 6 months.

I was determined, and kind of obsessive. I started cooking a lot, and learned to alter recipes to be healthier. It turns out I really like cooking, I'm good at it, and healthy food is delicious when you know what you're doing! I counted my intake of food every single day: My calories, carbs, fat, protein, calcium, and sugar. I set goals for each with the help of My Fitness Pal, and would do the math every night. I planned my meals weeks in advance so none of the new, fresh, organic food I was buying would go bad. I also saved a lot of money this way. I used smaller plates for meals. It turns out I wasn't always actually as hungry as I thought I was. I ate bigger breakfasts and avoided eating before bed. I set benchmark weight loss goals for myself to keep me fueled to reach my ideal weight.

I love food, and I love being healthy. I'm going to let my love overflow into this blog to help keep me excited about it. I'll post about my recipes and my favorite restaurants here in Chicago and elsewhere. Join me in my Adventures in Eating and Living!