I can’t believe it is 2014! I spent a couple days at my parents lakehouse which was really nice.

Like everyone, I have been thinking about a bunch of New Years resolutions. The first one that really comes to mind is overhauling my diet. I find it incredibly difficult to eat well because my diet is so restricted. I think about trying to eat more throughout the day so I am not starving at night. But then I wonder how productive I can be if I am dealing with my ostomy and living in the bathroom the entire day.

I want to try cutting back on the carbohydrates I eat (which is about 90percent of my diet) but since I can’t snack on raw veggies, eat salad, and have to micromanage pretty much everything entering my mouth so I don’t end up with an obstruction, I am not sure how I can really eat better. Crackers and other carbs are my “safe food” so it is really difficult for me to balance that with wanting to be more nutritionally sound.

I have been a vegetarian since the age of nine and am not going to waiver from that…regardless of how much I try to wrap my head around the idea.

I have gained a lot of weight recently. It is actually a good thing to some degree because I have been feeling more comfortable eating out and being around other people in food situations. I have talked before about how the constant weight fluctuations that have occurred as a result of my inflammatory bowel disease, medications, surgeries, etc has wrecked havoc on my emotional state. After all, a young girl who has no control over her appearance is bound to become upset when so many things seem to be happening regardless of her actions.

This year, I am going to try to set realistic goals for myself in this department. I am going to experiment with any and all ways of eating as well as the time I eat certain foods. I am going to get back to working out and getting in a good routine with that. I am going to acknowledge (and cut myself some slack) that I have different dietary challenges. And lastly, I am going to remind myself every single day that weight and appearance pail in comparison to the importance of being healthy, loved, and feeling fulfilled in your life.

What is your biggest new years challenge?