40-something science/technical writer/editor in COMPLETE denial over getting older (made all the worse being the "baby" of the family with 3 older sisters...).

My favorite form of exercise is power walking/jogging. Sometimes I can't walk any faster so I'll break out into a jog, but I'm not a "runner" or even a "jogger" by any stretch of the imagination. Though I think I would like to be.

I used to be vegetarian (for about 10 years), but after a move to a new state that also resulted in 'meeting someone', that's pretty much gone out the window. Still mostly eat veggo, but on occasion will eat fish and chicken. (I roasted a whole chicken for the first time last summer and I cried preparing it... but then I made sure I made a nice meal out of respect for the poor helpless creature that gave its life so I could eat.) Needless to say, I haven't done that again.

I love to cook and most of my favorite dinner party meals are still vegetarian--and things that I often get requests to make, so I guess they're pretty good!

Nevertheless, despite eating organic *everything* whenever possible, having a decent sized veggie garden, staying away from most meat, almost never eating processed food, eating whole grains, nuts, beans, and of course lots of produce, I've still managed to pack on a good 20 pounds in the last 10 years.

The one thing missing was regular exercise. I'm hoping that seeing all the motivated people here will help me to stay motivated, especially when it comes to exercise. Just started (re-started...sigh) a daily walking/jogging regimen that I hope to stick with. And drinking A CRAP LOAD more water than I've ever managed to drink every day. Hopefully that combo will help me cut back on calories and create some more healthy eating/exercising habits that will last me the rest of my life.