…that I will no longer drink soda. Instead I will drink 8 or more glasses of water — with crystal light mixed in if need be. If I do have an uncontrollable urge to have a soda, I will treat myself to a Sparkling Cranberry drink.

…that I will no longer eat fast food. I will say goodbye to the tasty caramel apple frosty parfaits from Wendy’s. I will no longer crave their spicy chicken sandwich or their delicious french fries. I will no longer crave the bean and cheese burritos with green sauce or the volcano tacos from Taco Bell. From now on, I will only eat lean chicken prepared in a tasty, healthy way. I will have fruit and vegetables every single day with every single meal. If I do have an uncontrollable urge to have a burger or a spicy chicken sandwich, then I will make a healthy chicken sandwich with spices myself. If I need that burger, then I will opt for the veggie burger variety. Frosty’s will be replaced with a banana and peanut butter/fruit puree of my own creation.

…that I will no longer sleep in till 1200, 1300, or later. That I will arise in the morning at 0800, weigh myself, mark it in my log, and I will eat breakfast. Gone are the days of skipping the most important meal of the day to jumpstart my metabolism. I will only eat the allotted number of calories allowed. A healthy breakfast that entails protein, fruits, juice, and water. That way I can start my healthy days off right and feel fulfilled and motivated to conquer what is on my schedule.

…that I will no longer snack. I am allowed one healthy snack after my workout before lunch, and I am allowed one more snack around 1530 after my walk/jog/run with my dog Bella. That is all. Nothing else. No more convincing myself that I need to eat that piece of candy. No more hunger pains that need to be satisfied with chips and dip. No more late night snacks before bed. No more because I will follow my food schedule and be contently full and satisfied with my meal plan.

…that lunches will only be full of healthy items. I will no longer go to drive throughs because I am tired of sandwiches or too lazy to cook food. I will not being lazy. I will stay motivated and prepare the healthy dishes that look so appetizing online. I will learn to be a healthy cook. Not only for myself, but for my husband and for our future children.

…that my dinners will be proportional to what I am allowed to eat. I can consume 600 calories and that is all. I no longer have to eat as much as my husband; for he must consume many more calories than I due to his workout schedule and job. He needs to gain weight and fuel his muscles. I need to lose it and get my muscles back. There is no eating competition. I will have veggies with every dinner meal. Only lean protein for myself. No grains, no pasta, no bread. Only brown rice if I am truly craving it. If I am craving pizza, then I will create a healthy flat bread at home and cover it with healthy items. If I am craving mexican or american, I will create healthy alternatives at home.

…that I will stick to my daily schedule. I will get on this routine and I will not falter. Waking and sleep time must be strictly observed so that I can recovering from my hectic day. My workouts must be followed so that I can start to see results quickly. For when I start to see results, I will become more and more motivated.

As I swear these statements, I realize my wants:

• I want to be able to run next to my husband. By his side and not have him suffer at my slow pace.
• I want to get back into single digit sizes. I promised myself when I was younger that I would never enter double digits in pant sizes and I have broken my promise. I must resolve this.
• I want to have my six pack back. I promised myself when I was younger that I would never let the abs I had worked so hard to obtain in basketball, to disappear. And yet, I have failed again. I want them back.
• I want to have my husband be proud to show me off. Yes, he is proud now, but I want to feel proud of myself when I stand beside him.
• I want to be proud of my body.
• I want to have a healthy body, so that when we are finally blessed with children, I can stay healthy through out the pregnancy and be able to keep up with the little ones with my quick recovery.
• I want to live a long and healthy life with my husband.
• I want to be happy with myself.

If I follow through with this plan, I will receive incentives as I hit my weight and tape measure goals. Incentives that will continue to help me push and strive for the next goal. Every 5 pounds I drop is another mile marker for me. The first 10 will be easy, it is the last 40-50 that will be tough. I must stay strong. I must keep pushing forward. I must strive for my ultimate goal.

With this post, I am swearing to myself, to my husband, and to everyone that stumbles across this, that in a few months time, you will see a changed person before you. Someone who is fit, who is healthy, and who is happy with herself.