My Daily Avocado is Back!

***Disclaimer: For those of you who are new to My Daily Avocado, I am NOT selling anything. I'm simply a mom trying to be healthy and help others be healthy too. I don't preach; I just share ideas and examples from my own life.***

The past few years have been full and fun, with a bit of crazy in the mix. Having just turned 40, I look at the 30s as being, by far, my best decade yet. I began the past ten years as a newlywed; now I'm a mom of two and in love with my husband more than ever. Over all, life is really good!

So the crazy and the bad?  First, any mom won't need an explanation: life is simply crazy with kids! Besides the go-go-go and emotional roller-coasters in any mom's life, I have had a few health problems that have gotten in the way of my goals.

The biggest trigger has been allergies.  I have severe allergies to 25/50 things for which I was tested.  The Doctor said, "Wow! You're allergic to everything!" Those allergies include dust, mold, trees, grasses, and various kinds of pollen.  I pretty much knew all that, so no surprise. What did surprise me was my allergy to cats (yes I have a cat and no I won't get rid of her!) and cockroaches (...um...bummer?).

These and several other allergies reached a point a few years ago where I thought I'd be hospitalized.  I was chronically sick (flu or cold every two weeks), in bed constantly, and I hadn't exercised in months.  This all led to depression and other complications, along with a defeated attitude toward eating. And yes, I gained weight.

I have now been taking allergy allergy shots for the past year and a half and it's helped significantly. I'm not totally out of the woods when it comes to allergies (who knows what else I'm allergic to???) but it's better, and I'm a long ways from being hospitalized. Last summer I made the conscious effort to begin exercising again. It is paying off. I feel really good, my depression is gone, and my body is stronger. I am ready for the next step--eating right again. I don't eat badly, just not always logically or in moderation.  I really need a jumpstart.

Enter 21 Day Fix!  I have heard great things about this diet.  Even though I am anti-diet (I'm more interested in a long-term life change), this program is more of a door to eating more healthily and establishing new patterns and habits for the LONG-TERM.

I will call it the Container Diet, since measuring foods is how it works.  And... that's it! No counting calories. No weighing yourself. (I'm measuring inches when I start and finish.) There is a list of foods to choose from and various colors of measuring cups that I bought on Amazon.  It's that simple.  Lots of work, yes, but simple.  (My biggest effort comes from planning my meals, but I'll get into that in a future post.) The cost? A whopping $9.49.

Want to see how I do? Follow me for the next 3 weeks while I tough it out through my new health journey! I'm looking forward to inspiring you and keeping the momentum alive long after 21 days have come and gone.