As the 26-year-old mother of two boys, I am constantly trying to find time for myself. My youngest son was born in June of 1999. Since then, I have pledged to give myself the time I need to get back into shape. Unfortunately, I am constantly struggling between giving that time to my fledgling writing career and using it for a good aerobic workout.

In my mind, the ideal is exercising six to seven days a week. No, I am not obsessive. I simply believe that the body was meant to move everyday. Even more compelling, I adore food. By exercising regularly, I do not have to deny myself the foods I enjoy.

As far as food and diet goes, I am not looking for miracles. I know that I will never be able to entirely avoid sugar and processed foods. In fact, from my past endeavors, I am aware that denying myself a certain food only leads to binging. So, I eat what I enjoy. My concentration is now on eating smaller portions and no munchies after 7:00 p.m.

Twenty pounds from now, I will be able to tell you whether or not my ideas have worked. If the scale reflects a 20-pound gain, I will need to seriously rethink my plan!

I look forward to this journey. Being accountable to this diary has already strengthened my conviction. Hopefully, you can gain inspiration from my trials and joys.

Shel