Man, good for you! Setting goals and having them in a place that you can see them often is an important step. You are on the right track by setting the goals that you mentioned. I have found more than just counting calories is what chemicals are in your food and where it sourced from. The ingredients list on the container only tell you so much, it's the omissions that need to be considered. Was the grain that was used to make your crackers doused in pesticides prior to cultivation? Do you live in an agricultural area where pesticide sprays may linger in the air for long periods? Or rain runoff cause contamination of your living situation? There are far more chemicals that we are exposed to everyday that most of us are just not aware of. I grew up between several refineries in an area that as you might expect is having all kinds of issues related to abnormally high cancer rates, that of course are not the fault of the companies that operate there; never is.

Anyhow, hiking is a great outdoor adventure that can help to really appreciate the effort that you are putting into your changes. More importantly than simply dieting or exercising is a lifestyle change altogether. We've been conditioned to not be mindful of our connections to nature, keep searching, you will find yours.

Best of luck

7L9R