For the nth year in a row, I decided to join the Self (Magazine) Challenge. This year, though, I haven’t shortchanged myself by compromising the nutrition part away on the first day. (However, I haven’t done any of the exercising yet, so it’s still an ongoing process.)

The Self Challenge happens every year in March, April, and May and encourages you, as my friend Elspeth put it, to get in shape for bathing suit season. Since graduating from college twelve years ago, I’ve put on quite a bit of weight and every year I say I’m going to do something about it.

My goal is to be more mindful about what I’m eating and the challenge suggests limiting yourself to one “treat” per day (in addition to other suggested diet modifications). My sweet tooth has always been my downfall and I’ve found that I’m eating far fewer calories without multiple treats each day (and with the added threat of having to write down what I’m eating in a food journal). Of course, I don’t have any healthy snacks in the house to supplement my healthier diet with, so I just find myself hungry and crabby all the time. I’ve definitely got to get to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods this week…

I don’t expect to get back down to my pre-college weight. Or even my post-graduation weight. But I wouldn’t like the doctor to frown at me at my checkup this spring and inquire how I managed to gain so much weight during 2007. If I can at least start the process of healthier living before then, maybe it will be a habit by the time I see her.

Wish me luck.