Fresh start and weight loss journey

Well, it's been some time that I posted something for the last time, so here's to another try and a fresh start. I want to use this blog to document my everyday life, my ideas, my inspirations and my journey to a healthier weight. 

I started my weight loss journey in January. I have never been a skinny child. I was not overweight until I was about 18 and even when I was a teenager, a few pounds less wouldn't have hurt me. I started piling on the pounds and I unfortunately gained nearly 40 lbs until I turned 24. I am a US size 10, which means that I am overweight but not (yet) obese. I figured that now it is the time to tackle my weight, because I still have a realistic chance to lose it in about a year. I have tried a few times to do more sports and to eat healthier, but the most I lost were about 10 lbs and then I fell off the wagon. I have never found a sport that has become my hobby. When I lived in the US, I played softball and loved it, but there are no teams around where I live in Germany. But this year, I am a lot more determined and I want to change my eating habits for good as well as move my butt more often. I started to go to the local indoor swimming pool about twice a week and I ride the bike to work as often as the weather allows it. I just treated myself to a new bike this spring and have been on three long bicyle tours so far. I really hope that the weather is going to improve so I can ride the bike every weekend and shed that weight!

I am losing weight by tracking what I eat - which has been an exe opener at some times because some foods have waaaay to many calories (and I do not mean the obvious ones like burgers, fries, candy or chips!). On another blog, I stumbled upon myfitnesspal - a free website where you can track food, exercise and progress. I tried to use it in early 2011, but it was too much of a hassle. But now that I got a smartphone in early 2012, I started again on January 1st and have lost 14 lbs so far, which makes me very proud. It now is pretty easy to track my calorie intake and I am feeling very good. The program might not work for everyone, but so far it has proved to be a big help to me. 

I want to document fun, easy and healthy meals and ideas that help me as well as my journey and would love to share and exchange experiences with other bloggers!

It's time for me to introduce myself

I was born and raised in Germany where I went to high school and started university. I grew up with a younger brother in a waaaay small village in the most beautiful part of Germany (well, I might be a little biased, but I will soon post pictures - it's lovely here!). Already as a kid, I was a bookworm, loved music, my friends, family time and birds. I was lucky enough to have parents who took my brother and me to trips all over Europe (Italy, Ireland, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, Austria and Hungary) and we visited the US twice.

I quickly found out that choosing Tourism Management and Business Administration as my majors was the right choice. But I somehow wanted to leave the area I am so used to (and of course, fond of) to get out of there and see more of the world and explore it. I must add, that I didn't move out of my parent's house to go to university - I was lucky enough to get accepted to a university only a 40 minute drive away. So unlike a lot of my friends at university, I hadn't lived on my own and I didn't get the chance to live in a whole new place.

So I decided that if I wanted to take the chance and go abroad, I should do it while in school. Some german universities require you to do a 6-month internship in order to complete your classes and obtain a Bachelor's degree. So I decided to apply for internships in the United States. I am fascinated with this country that has so much to offer - wonderful people, a great lifestyle, nature, various landscapes and great food (just to mention a few)! I fell in love with it when I went to New England with my parents in 2004 and when we went on a road trip from San Francisco to Denver (via Yosemite, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde) in 2007. I wanted to live the American Way of Life. And I was lucky enough to be able to go to Chicago from February to September 2009! It is one of the greatest cities in the whole wide world and I had some perfect 6 months where I lived the American Dream. I always look back with a big smile on my face and in my heart. I went back for a great vacation in September 2010, where I was able to see loved ones again. Chicago changed my life - definitely for the better!

After returning from Chicago in 2009, I finished school, worked part-time at a restaurant and enjoyed life. I started my Bachelor's Thesis in January this year and handed it in in May. I scored an A- for all the hard work and got my dimploma in June. In June, I was able to join my family on a trip to Italy - one of my favorite places to go in Europe. I've been there at least 8 times and I could go every year! So as of now, I am officialy done with school and I just have my graduation festivities left in October.

On July 1st, I was able to start my first real job! A position as assistant at the tourism department at my university opened up, I applied and got accepted! I love it and I had a great 1st month there so far!

Hello blog world - it's nice to be here!

Soooo, I have been just a reader of blogs for far too long. It is time, that I entertain the blog world out there with my stories full of wisdom, wit and zest for life! I want to use it to document my life, the randon things that happen to me and to get in touch with all those wonderful people all over the world who blog out there.

Blogs give us a glimpse of the life of others - in my opinion not in a creepy way, but in a way that inspires. By reading blogs, I was shown, how other people - my age, older and younger, it doesn't matter - lead their lifes, design their homes, cook their food, battle problems, overcome themselves, document their lives not only for others, but also for themselves. Things they do to make every day better inspire me to change myself, my way of living and how I feel about things. I apprechiate and love my life the way it is, but why not take the "advice" of others and improve what you already do? People in the blog world gave me a lot of inspirations by having their blogs and sharing parts of their life.

It now is time for me to contribute to this goodness, too - by sharing my thoughts, dreams, ideas, life, random ramblings and stories - and giving something back!