Why I started my blog, Fitchicafitness, and motivation to keep moving forward with Low Carb Living.

I have the best and most diverse group of friends. :)

I literally have friends all over the world as I am associated with an amazing International School that allows me to meet amazing people, explore different cultures, languages, and learn first hand.

As I ended up rooted in my own midwest hometown, I still have friends that I grew up with since pre school too!

It really is the best of both worlds.

My friends are geniuses in their own right and on many different levels and I get to l have some of their brilliance rub off on me and learn from them.

One of which is a writer, blogger and expert in International Adoption. Recently, she asked me "Why are you writing your blog? What is the purpose?

It set me back a little as I needed to define it for myself!

1) I was, and still am, being asked regularly "What have you been doing?" to accomplish my weight loss.

As I am a constant list maker, I had all my notes, stats, food diaries, weigh-ins and such, so I thought I could easily write them all down and be able to better "share" my experience. I could help others on this journey, create a community, and that made me happy.

2) Also, as a Journalism / PR major, I really enjoy writing the posts and it challenges me to improve my voice, have a purpose in the article, and break down the how, what, when and where of Low Carb living, and tell a story.

3) I grew up with an IBM'er system's engineer dad so we had a PC and my mom had an Apple 2E+ in our home in the early 80's. I have always enjoyed "geeking out"with technology and this gives me motivation and a reason to expand my knowledge hands on regarding the behind the scenes of blogging, linking to social media, and expanding my reach with online promotion and PR.

4) In Gretchen Rubins book I refer to a lot, The Happiness Project, she insisted early in the introduction to "THINK BIG".

My nature is to think big, and then talk myself right out of how that is a little too big, will never happen, and to "get real". This time, after reading the book on the beach, twice, I decided to go for it and see what happened. Worst case, I would create a personal chronicle for my own reflection that no one else would read.

But guess what? As of today, I have had close to 1000 readers since March 23, 2015. So I got to check that off on my Happiness Project things to do list. ;)

My mom is even a subscribed reader. (Hi MOM!)

Mom was motivated to join the journey and go low carb! She went out and found a cool book at the bookstore that highlights all the different options of Low Carb diets with good analysis on the specific differences, and then how to put your own plan together. It has a nice low glycemic index food reference, and a low carb cookbook all in one! ( I'll add the title and link here)

5) Maintenance of weight loss is the biggest challenge yet. According to WOMEN"S HEALTH, " By some estimates, more that 80 percent of people who have lost weight will regain all of it, or more, after two years."

EEEEEEEeeeeek! I have wanted this TOOOOoooo LOOooong and worked TOOOOOooo hard these last 2 years to gain the weight back.

I think the best and most honest answer to "What is the purpose of this blog", is to be really OUT THERE, Absolute and Authentic, Truthful and Open to what I am doing, acknowledging and celebrating how far I've come, and how I am still on the journey with Low Carb Living. Ultimately, blogging will help me with maintaining my weight loss.

Maybe, I can motivate others and make even more new friends along the way.

:)