Attempting to Live Differently

     I am for the most part your average consumerist. I am 27 year old female, married and renting a condo in the Bay Area. I grew up along the I-80 corridor, one of the busiest commutes in the United States I think. Home to a whole myriad of fast food restaurants. I grew up in a small household. My father was a fire-fighter in the Air Force who delivered pizzas part-time to make ends meet in Montana. When we moved to California the only food access we had was a local outrageously priced grocery store and the base commissary. But we had full access to a wide range of fast food chains. So needless to say I grew up on instant ramen and a ton of burger joints. I am about 165 pounds if I were to guess right now. I am about a size 12 give or take and 5'9". I have curves, so much so that people often ask if I am pregnant which I find not only awkward but terribly insulting and annoying.
     When I met my amazing husband he had been off his Naval ship less than a week and was quite the hotty. He moved in with my family and became one of the family. He took on their habits and had a few of his own. But I am the greatest contributor to our health since I do almost all the shopping and cooking in the family...and I don't cook very often. He very much loves to give me what I want so when he asks what I want for dinner, nine times out of ten it's fast food. And three out of five times it's Taco Hell.

     So when I went once again to get Taco Hell for lunch this afternoon I had an epiphany. What if I could go an entire year without fast food? How hard would that be? What kind of weight would I loose and how much would I piss my friends and family off when they want to go out to eat some junk? And what if I wrote about it? Now I don't know if I am able to make that kind of commitment, especially in my living situation. But I would like to try. One Year. Would that change my life forever?

     I had Taco Hell for lunch, but for dinner I made Tortellini with Italian Sausage and Mushrooms. I loathe mushrooms but I thought, what the heck. I know my husband loves em so why not. I was so used to my dad's ol' canned button mush mushs that the taste of a fresh Capellini mushroom was actually exotic and appealing!!! I think I could actually do this and in fact- it may make me loose that tummy of mine and perhaps save our wallets and keep us afloat. It's worth a try.

So here is the ground rules:

1. No Fast Food- at all. That is anything with a drive through, so I say that subway doesn't count since for the most part they can be quite healthy.

2. Must be fresh as I am able to do and can afford to. That means weaning off Spaghetti O's and Ramen Noodles and anything "instant".

3. No Soda or Soft Drinks. I will be able to have perhaps one drink a week as a treat.

4. I have to write about it, this includes any cravings or frustrations I may have.

5. I also have to track my weight as much as I am able.

That's about it. Time for bed and early to rise. We'll see how well I fare tomorrow.