Where do I start?

Okay, so I think it is time for me to take charge of my family. I mean, I am the mom. No waiting for someone else to step in and say, "Hey, here is a list of the meals for the next week. Each of them is well balanced and delicious. Don't worry, the kids will love them. Oh, and here is the grocery list. Have fun!" Yeah, I only wish.

Nope, I have been waiting for almost 6 years, and I guess I am giving up waiting. I guess that means I have to do it myself, huh?

Man, I love the Internet. I google 'healthy meals' and get over 6 million results. Great, I now know that there are healthy meals out there. But with all this information, where do I start?

I want to change the way we eat as a family. I would love to lose a little weight and get in great shape. I want my kids to love healthy foods. I want to become more organized with meal planning and shopping. I also want a flying unicorn that can cart me and my kids around so I don't have to worry about car seats or gas. Am I being too unrealistic?

The unicorn might be a little out of my reach, but I fully intend to get these other things. I have decided to keep a blog of my journey. Why? Maybe to get it out there, so on those days when I just don't know if it is worth it, I can get inspired. (Yeah, that's right, I plan to inspire myself.) Also, to help me better understand what I am trying to accomplish. Usually my mind is full of great ideas. The problem is, these ideas love to hide in the little fatty brain cells with absolutely no organization. I hope to get them in order, so maybe I can get my life in order. (If something I write doesn't make sense, it is probably those little ideas being stubborn. Remember, they are magnificent, just confused.) And hey, since I don't have time to look at 6 million plus websites, why not start my own?

I guess I need to know why I want to change our lifestyle. I mean, life isn't horrible. The kids seem pretty healthy and Dallas and I aren't too terribly fat. Yet. But I am starting to feel mortal: starting to realize that the choices I make right now for me and my family are going to influence our lives, and yes, our deaths. And by golly, I want life to be as good as it can be, and death to be as far away as possible.

I know that a healthy, happy life has a ton of factors. Right now, I am just going to focus on diet, and maybe exercise, as I see fit. (No pun intended.)

Well, I may as well introduce myself and the fam. (Even if I am the only one who ever sees this. It never hurts to look at yourself objectively. If I can be objective about myself...) Hello, my name is Emily, and I am a foodaholic. And I am not even joking (okay, I am trying to make a little joke, even if it is a lame one, but this is a very serious matter.) I am an emotional eater to the very worst degree. I eat when i am stressed. I eat when I am sad. Or mad. Or happy. Or... you get the idea. Eating calms me as I imagine a drug calms a drug addict. My goal for me? Develop a good relationship with food, and hopefully the rest will follow.

Okay, moving on. I am married to a brilliant man, Dallas. His issues with food are completely different than mine. Mostly, he eats to survive. But he eats mostly bad food to survive. Yes, that is right, Dallas is a picky eater. Worse than any of my kids. He mostly likes breads and dairy and mostly avoids fruits and vegetables. He snacks, but moderately. He is extremely hesitant to try new foods. Lie. He doesn't try new foods. My goal for him? Really, can a wife have goals for her husband? Probably not, but since I do the grocery shoping.

The kids. There are a lot of them: Sophie, 5; Penelope, 4; Gabriel, 3; and Daphne and Peter, 2 months. They are amazing and beautiful and crazy. I love them all. For them, they eat or don't what is for dinner. They get snacks when I give them snacks. Gabe is probably the pickiest, but I don't think any of them have eating issues. I think I just need to get in gear, so they have great options.

Our Strengths:

• I love, and usually have available for meals and snacks, lots of fruits and vegetables.
• I generally limit how many unhealthy snacks the kids eat.
• We don't eat out much, maybe 2 times a month.
• I generally like healthy meals (i.e. ones with whole grains and vegetables.)
• I love exercising. Dallas is starting to enjoy running. The kids are active little things.

Our Weaknesses:

• I usually don't think of what to make for dinner until about an hour before it is time to eat.
• I don't plan meals before I go to the grocery store, so I usually end up buying lots of easy, frozen meals.
• I don't really like cooking, and so don't generally make the time for it.
• I eat way too many snacks.
• I don't know of any great recipes for healthy meals.
• I don't make the time to exercise. Dallas' knees hurt when he runs.

Okay, so there are probably a hundred more, but you get the idea. Well, I am pretty much out of time for today. I guess I better get a goal for the day out there. How about no more snacking today until tonight when Dallas gets home. And I will find a recipe or two to try. Wish me luck.

Emily's Stats: 127 lbs, feeling overall tired, flabby. Have been pretty discouraged, but I have more hope today. I can do this!