Rebekah Carey's Food Revolution!

Well, technically, "Rebekah McNall's Food Revolution", but I just thought Carey fit better for this. I have been somewhat quietly dieting since MLK day (no, it's not significant of anything, it just happened to fall on that Monday, or maybe I was inspired?!). I have been struggling with my weight (ugh, let me just say, I know it sounds vapid and somewhat ridiculous to say "struggle" with being my size, but at 5' 1'' any weight gain really shows!) I guess since I got married. It was when my crazed routine of classes, play rehearsals and work (which kept me in pretty good shape!) all changed to just nannying and the vicious world of pursuing acting in Los Angeles. *Shudders*

Without having people start throwing things at the computer, let me just say briefly that it was very hard in LA and my size was considered "over weight" or too big. It's sick really, totally

unrealistic and just perpetuates the anorexic look we see on TV every night. However, it really took me awhile to get over that and to get motivated again. I really thought that walking

two hundred miles on the PCT would have made me lose a little weight, but no! I didn't lose a single pound whereas all the other people I met were losing it by the baker's dozen! When that didn't work I figured that I just wasn't working out correctly and off setting it with high calorie trail food couldn't have helped.

My next attempt at changing my body was this past Fall when I decided to train for and

compete in an all women's tri-for -fun (not particularly fun, but it is a shorter version of a triathlon). The race would be a half mile swim (had not swam that far since high school), 11 mile bike ride (in the napa mountains!) and ending with a 3 mile run. I trained for six weeks.

I have to say that I was very, very, very discouraged after the race (I actually did quite well and was very proud of myself, but the lack of weight loss was seriously depressing) and continued to be confounded and depressed about my weight and my body and it's apparent inability to change.

One Saturday I got my Glamour magazine in the mail and was reading an article about Katy Perry, when I came across a "Body By Glamour" meal and exercise plan. It looked simple

enough and women were giving their testimonials about how much it had changed them. I lost six pounds in the first week. I couldn't believe it! And I wasn't really exercising either, I'm a

nanny so there is a certain amount of activity that goes into that

and I do go on long walks with the baby, but noting compared to what I had been doing!

I have now lost 15 pounds and hope to lose another four or five, especially since I fear eating as

healthily as I have been may be hard in France so I would like to have that buffer. I also don't need to lose weight now as much as I would like to add more muscle and start working out more when my schedule will allow it! I have learned how to count calories, but really just to actually look at them! I can't believe how many calories I was eating without even knowing it. I honestly ate pretty well before, I just didn't know how to do portion control and didn't know how many calories are snuck into things without you even knowing it. Now, I eat what I always did, just in a smarter way and with a lot more fruits and vegetables! I know I sound like a weight loss commercial, but when this has been something so painful and difficult as it was for me, it just feels so good to know that all that needed to change was FOOD!