I need to lose some weight. I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been - and this is not a good thing. I’ve never had a weight problem, yet I packed on the pounds at a steady rate over the past four years or so. I had been at the same weight for a year or so, and have no started my decent back down to “Skinny but Healthy Girl”.

The problem is, being on a “diet” is stressful. I love to cook. I love to eat foods that taste good. I dislike counting calories and carbs and protein and living a life filled with the stress of “weight loss”. We all know that stress causes weight gain because of the release of cortisol. I would personally rather turn my journey to a healthier weight into a fun experience.

Doesn’t that sound nice?

Back when I lived in Germany, I was at peace. I lost ten pounds rather effortlessly. I walked. Baked and ate the things I baked.  I took up running, lifted weights, and walked so much that a 5 mile walk uphill didn’t phase me. Plus, that hill had a gem of a place at the top - Kloster Andechs, home to my favorite version of obatzda, a creamy spread made from butter and camambert cheese. I burned it off before I even got there.

This isn’t your typical diet blog. I won’t start my day with my weight. I barely plan on weighing myself and will favor the “zipper rule” instead. I won’t bore you with a long list of the foods I ate with the number of calories. Instead, we’ll build healthy habits together while loving life and food.