Hoping this helps

I hope that regular posting here, with monthly photo updates, will help motivate me to finally lose the weight I've gained since I moved to West Virginia eight years ago. When I moved here I was trim, fit and healthy. I could run six miles without stopping, on the mountain road on which I live, and was lifting weights regularly. I was strong.

Today, I feel unfit, weak and horrible. My weight is a constant – I am never not thinking about it. I don't like living like this and I intend to succeed this year.

To that end, I joined eDiets, and chose the Glycemic Impact plan. I've long felt I was insulin-resistant, after trying and failing at many, many eating plans. It was easier for me to have eDiets provide a list of what to eat on a daily basis, rather than try to figure out correct combinations of food on my own. And the price is quite reasonable. I've lost three pounds since December 29, 2005, so at least the first two weeks of food plans worked, even though I wasn't able to stick with it last week while I was at my daughter's.

At any rate, the "before" picture was taken last Tuesday and will be updated around the first of each month. Weekly progress won't be worth looking at, and will more than likely just depress me.

Why is this blog called The Shrinking Knitter? Because "shrinking" is only part of my life. I've been knitting since I was nine years old, taught by my grandfather's stepmother. I've put it down for only one extended period, when I had carpal tunnel problems and felt it was more important to work (I'm a graphic designer) than to knit. After I had the surgery, I picked it back up and haven't stopped since. I've designed a few things on my own, and am not sure if I'll continue to do that, or just enjoy knitting.

So. That's it – first post of the umpteenth blog (I love trying out blogging services, but rarely follow through).