Here we go

Both of you know how much I love, love, love gadgets. While my husband some may see the FitBit as a very expensive pedometer, I see it as a great motivator. I had originally planned to wait until yesterday to create my account and begin tracking, but I actually set it up the day after I bought it. So I've been a FitBitter since December 27.

Will it help? Who knows? I'm still learning how to use it, but I'm already talking myself into doing things NOW, rather than later, to get a little more activity in.

For instance, we have a bench inside our front door where we deposit things – boxes, reusable shopping bags, tools – that need to be returned to the garage. Instead of waiting until there's an armload, I don't even put things on the bench. The more trips to the garage I make, the more steps I take. And yes, that's been true all along, but now I'm counting them. And not just counting the steps, but adding up miles and making this little flower grow.

Yesterday marked the end of my vacation from paleo. This holiday season I've eaten all the things you're not supposed to eat on a paleo plan – sugar, grains, dairy, legumes – and I'm paying for it with increased weight, aches and pains, and much lower energy levels.

If I want to feel well – not just good, but WELL – I need to feed myself well. Simple as that. And paleo works FOR ME. The refrigerator and pantry are stocked with plenty of vegetables and protein and I am ready to rock it. I hope to reach my weight goal by my birthday. In order to get there I need to lose slightly less than two pounds per week. Which seems like a lot, and might not happen, but I did it in 2013.

I want to clean my clothes closet today. I've been pretty good the past year about giving things away that I haven't worn or that don't fit, but I haven't taken everything out of the closet and really assessed what works and what doesn't.

One thing I'm NOT getting rid of, no matter how big and sloppy it looks when I wear it, is my Ohio State University sweatshirt. I was only able to stay awake for the first quarter, which was fairly disappointing. To wake up and learn that the Buckeyes won was quite the happy surprise! I think my old sweatshirt will be a major part of my wardrobe between now and game day (Jan. 12).

Thanks for reading. Thanks for being supportive and thanks for sticking with this narcissistic collection of words, sentences and paragraphs. Both of you know I'm more than how I look or feel. But right now I'm seizing the moment and taking advantage of that whole fresh-start thing.

How about you?