Food is fuel, not friend.

I'm not one of those people who habitually turns to food to make themselves feel better, though I hear that's a big thing amongst the overweight set. It never even occurred to me that food had any real impact on my life (I know, I know) until I was in bed last night trying to sleep and my stomach suddenly yowled like a trapped cougar.

I was hungry. Like, really, really hungry. And I realized with something like disgust that I hadn't been really hungry in a long time.

My name is Liz Lucas and I am a snacker. (Hi, Liz).

I'll reach for crackers or chips or some kind of sugary drink to sate my potential hunger before I even have a chance to feel it. That's no bueno, amigos. Yesterday, the official start of my Life-Changing Ludicrous Adventure, I missed out on breakfast in favor of studying (I know, I know), went to the gym, had a decent lunch and a decent dinner, but without the snacks in between that I was accustomed to, my stomach gurgled unhappily into the night.

And it felt awesome.

There's definitely something to be said for putting your all into things, especially when you're me and your favorite food is the honey barbecue chicken strip sandwich from Whataburger. Wow, I feel fatter just having written that. It's a 960 calorie monster.

This got me thinking about this whole undertaking and how, if I want to achieve my Great Big Goal, I'm going to need to make up some rules to this game. I'm so freakishly motivated right now. So here goes:

1.) I will go to the gym 5 days a week (M-F), changing my workout routine every week but sticking to the same general pattern: Cardio, weights, cardio.

2.) I will drink 8 glasses of water a day, as recommended by like, every doctor ever.

3.) Whenever I find myself with an urge to break out the yogurt pretzels or the jalepeño Cheetoes, I will drink water instead and find something with which to busy myself.

4.) (And here's the one that makes me whimper a little bit) As it is my absolute favorite vice, I will refrain from eating Whataburger until June 14th of next year, when I accomplish my Great Big Goal. Then and only then will I allow myself a celebratory honey barbecue chicken strip sandwich.

Only 364 days! I can so do this.