How’s the new year treating you so far? To be honest, I haven’t really started mine yet. I left for a wedding on New Year’s Day, and I just got back yesterday. Today is my last day off before I head back to work tomorrow morning. One last day to kick back before staring into the soul-sucking void that is my job.

But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s affording me the opportunity to transform by allowing me to buy my clothes and such. The only bad thing is that my job is a little less physical now, and as such, the weight is beginning to creep back on. Yikes!

That’s why I’ve decided to ease into a new lifestyle course. Yes, I’ll be dieting, but I hate the American idea of a diet. It’s not deny everything until you achieve an arbitrary goal, then fall back into old habits, gaining everything back plus some. It’ll have to be a lifetime change, and one that doesn’t completely deny me my guilty pleasures. Just strictly moderates them.

What I want to do is lose inches around my upper body, beginning with my belly but also a little around my chest. I’m too top heavy, which is not surprising. I also need to start exercising, to strengthen and to tone, but not to bulk up. That would defeat the purpose. The exception will be my lower body. I need to work on my legs and butt to help round out my figure a bit.

I’m hoping there will  be a little less of me in the coming months. It scares me because it’s an alien though process for me. I’ve gotten used to eating what I wanted when I wanted. Moderating that will be tough, but I’ve done it before. I swore off sodas beginning New Years 2015, and I haven’t had one since. I miss my Dr. Pepper, I lost a pant size as a result. Amazing what giving up something that’s bad for you can do.