For the last month or so, I've really tried to start taking better care of myself: juicing, exercising, eating less meat and more organic. I gave up soda in April of 2012, and I think realizing that it had been a year was what kind of motivated me. I remember I used to think there was no way I could go without drinking a delicious, ice cold, high fructose corn bev-a-reen. But a year came and went in a blink of an eye and I guess I kind of realized that... it's not that hard. If you just make a habit of something, it becomes like second nature.
And so here I am. I am officially starting a new chapter of my life. One that results in a better me, one a year from now.
Anyone who knows me personally, is aware that my passion in life is so help save animals. Mainly dogs. I spend a good deal of my time and effort volunteering and am so incredibly happy to be part of an amazing group called Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit based in the Houston, TX area, and I only point that out because a lot of non-local people often think 5th Ward must be part of New Orleans. I guess before Katrina, many people in other parts of the nation, and even the world, had never heard of sections of a city being referred to as a "Ward." But we have them here too. And 5th Ward is not the only Ward of Houston with the type of horrifying situation we face in the 5th. But I digress.
Although I give a good deal of my time and effort volunteering with this group, I never feel like it's enough. There are literally hundreds of emaciated, mangey, injured, starving, stray, neglected, chained, homeless, FORGOTTEN dogs. Since November of 2011, we have managed to rescue ~275, but if you drove around in the 5th, you'd never know it. There is an endless need. We can not take them off the street if we do not have somewhere for them to go. This is where foster homes come in. I can not foster, because I rent my house and my landlord says absolutely no more than the 2 I already have. Because I feel like I can never do enough and I am beginning a new chapter, I thought... "Why not pair the two up?"
And so here I am.
I have decided that, as I become more healthy and active and lose weight, I will do a weigh-in at the beginning of each month and for every pound that I've lost in the previous month, I will donate $1 to Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project. I hope along the way to pick up some followers and have the opportunity to have a few people (or a hundred!) willing to join me and match my monthly donations. I don't intend to post only once per month. I will use this to keep myself honest. I may just pop-in and say, "Hey! This is what was in my juice this morning!" or, "Hey! I did this much of a workout today." or even, "Damn. Today sucks and I want nothing to do with it. I ate a Whataburger. And I regret it."
I have been overweight for the majority of my life, and while I am not currently the heaviest I've ever been, I'm still embarrassingly much, MUCH heavier than I wish I were. And much, MUCH heavier than I should be. So it's kind of tough for me to post my starting weight, but I'm going to do it anyway, because if I don't, there's no point in doing this. But I promise... you have not heard the last from me.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013.
Weight: 328.4
