The Countdown

I've been losing weight for a year and a half but I've now decided to write a blog about it.  I'm still almost thirty pounds away from my goal, but on the positive side, I've lost over forty.  Through the journey, I've learned a lot and there are still some things I'm trying to figure out.  The big one is how not to be hungry and I'm beginning to think that is just part of losing weight.  I have learned how to not let it conquer me which is a big lesson.  My focus is not just about the number on the scale anymore but on how I look and feel.  That's why I gave myself permission to not work out much last week since I didn't really feel like it and not consider myself a failure or to think I might as well give up.
My goal is to lose the rest of the weight by the time I turn forty next March.  It's getting harder now that I have less weight to lose.  My sister is planning to take me on a vacation to the Bahamas for my birthday and I'd like to buy a swimsuit and be proud of how I look in it.  That's why I'm focusing more on strength training lately.
There are a lot of reasons to lose weight, about as many as there are diets around.  And our motivations change as we age or our moods or lifestyles change.  I've thought about that recently.  Ten years ago I lost a lost of weight and it was to look good to attract a husband.  I laugh at that now, but it was serious motivation then and it worked.  I lost thirty pounds.  But then my mom got sick and life got hectic and my weight or my desire for a boyfriend didn't seem important. 
After losing both my parents, I began the process of getting licensed as a foster parent to start a family of my own.  That's when I realized I needed to get healthy to be able to play with my kids.  When I was placed with an infant girl, I knew I wanted to be a role model for her, including in my health.  So I got serious about losing weight and getting healthy.  And as she gets older, I'm more conscious of how my actions affect her and what they teach her.  So I'm still on the journey and headed in the right direction.