Healthy living and eating

I refuse to call what we have been doing "dieting". Diet connotates something so negative, something I don't want to think about, and something that most people equate with saying certain foods are a no-no. Take my sister-in-law for example, who is like a size 9 and thinks she needs to diet. She's been obsessive about her caloric intake, and while I understand she feels the need to drop a few pounds, I begged her to not be so obsessive about it. I told her that certain proteins are good for her and she needs them (lean proteins like skinless, boneless chicken breast). The problem is her husband likes to grill burgers all the time and that is something she's trying to avoid.

I myself have had a weight problem since I was about 12. It started when I was younger, my father putting me on diets (and I wasn't a fat child, I was very active, but tall and "big-boned"). I was always the tallest in my class. Since having my daughter and getting the Depo Provera shot (which I tell everyone to avoid if they have issues with gaining weight and other problems on hormonal birth control), I have been at my highest weight ever. Things I used to take for granted- regular things like walking without pain, shopping without having to sit down because my back aches, are problems I have been encountering. My husband has been dealing with a weight problem too, and I believe he has a thyroid problem like his mother. I have what is a pre-diabetic condition, called Insulin Resistance, which can make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off. I recently had a blood panel done and luckily, everything turned out just fine- cholesterol, liver function, kidneys and glucose levels all were good. No thyroid problems. A relief, really (especially the glucose/diabetes part, because Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family). My husband and I have committed ourselves to walking together to try to lose this weight, and I have been cooking healthy for a while now. We don't buy junk anymore (no more ice cream, and the last cake I baked was for his work). With Fall and the holidays coming up, my biggest culprit will be all of the baking I do. Now, while I cook and bake, I don't want to eat, but afterwards?? I'll bake enough and take it all elsewhere so it's not sitting around my house.

In any case, one of my biggest points in life has always been to drink at least a half gallon to a full gallon of water a day (which I have been doing for years now). I don't drink pop (I will occasionally, but not on a daily or even weekly basis), and I have been trying to make myself drink more milk. I do drink coffee though, which I know is something I need to cut down on (because the shakes from the caffiene is not normal). My husband has a bad pop problem, and that's something I'm trying to get him out of. I like to buy juice instead, but our problem is the amount of pop he drinks. Overall though, I think we're both doing good, and supporting each other through this will be the key to our success.

At least I hope I can avoid the gastric bypass, because lord knows we can't afford it, but I am keeping my options open for that one.