Boot Camp...Day 33

Well, it has been a good day today! Here is how things went...

Wednesday, January 30

workout - Leslie Sansone Miracle Mile
B - popcorn/spoon of peanut butter
S - none
L - few bites of mac & chs. and chicken pot pie
S - piece of cheese
S - scallops (fried in butter flav cooking spray and lemon/pepper - not bad, also not my favorite), whole wheat pasta/sauce/chs., and green beans

I have had a really bad headache for the better part of the afternoon and into tonight, so when I got home I had to take some medicine and did not want to do so on an empty stomach. I had a mug of Lipton noodle soup - and I feel like I'm about to bust! Head feels some better though.

So, I am trying something a little bit tough for the next two weeks!!! Yes, two weeks! Are you ready for this???

Are you really ready...

Okay, here goes...

I am going to do a "boot camp" for the next two weeks. It will consist of the following:

Absolutely nothing but HEALTHY food, i.e., salads, vegetables, fish, lean meats, skim milk (if any), fruit. I will allow myself peanut butter, but only when accompanied by a fruit. ONLY whole wheat bread - and you can say that it is the same to eat just WHEAT bread, but it is absolutely NOT THE SAME! Unless it says WHOLE WHEAT you just might as well have white!

As far as workout time goes I will be working out every day if possible, skipping only Sunday if necessary. There is no reason that I cannot at least do a walking video every day.

I will be starting this boot camp on Friday of this week when I am able to get groceries. We are having a soup contest at our church Sunday, so I will also positively, absolutely, for sure, be taking that day off of the boot camp for that one day!

The reason I am doing this is because for the last few weeks I have been losing really slowly. It is good to lose slow, but honestly there is no reason I should not be losing one to two pounds a week, other than just being too lax in the routine. I am using this kind of as a tool to get me to 30 pounds, that is kind of a short-term goal for me at this point. At the end of two weeks I would like to have finally achieved a weight loss of 30 pounds. My total weight loss goal is 77 lb, so 30 lb would be a good portion of that total goal. It will also just be good to see how much of a difference it makes to eat nothing but healthy food and to exercise every day. And I'm not just talking about being active like I said in the previous post; I am actually going to be "working out" every day during this two weeks. I cannot wait to see what results this will produce!

One of the really, really great things about getting healthy is that I feel better about myself. I don't mean just because I'm looking better, I mean because I know that I'm taking care of myself and making good decisions each day. This has made me more confident in my ministry too. I used to have such a hard time singing at church because I knew that people would have to actually see me, and that really held me back because I was so ashamed of myself. Well, first of all, that was wrong! I know that our ability to minister is not based on how we look, but on how we allow God to use us, how we seek Him. But, not feeling bad about myself before I even get up there just gives me more freedom to allow him to use me. For too long I had my focus on the wrong place - on me, but now I am able to quit thinking "Oh, they are thinking I look horrible." I was always so afraid that by being overweight, that when people saw me they just thought I had no self-control. Honestly, I had no self-control! But, my weight didn't have anything to do with whether or not God used me, with whether or not he uses anybody. All he asks is that we are open and willing vessels for Him to work through. We need to remember that it is not about "us", it's about Jesus working through us to reach others for Him. And by the way, thankfully, I have some self-control now (it's important, fruit of the Spirit you know!)!

I am choosing to do this "boot camp" for my health. I talk about it on this blog to encourage others who are trying to do the same thing, and to help me to stick with it knowing I will have to talk about it. But, this is not my focus. My focus is on what I can do for Jesus to reach others. When we stand before God, it will not make any difference whether we weighed 100 lb, 200 lb, 300 lb, or more (it could quite possibly make a difference in our life span!), but it will make a difference how many people we told about Jesus, how much we shared the truth of His love. As a christian we have the hope of a perfect body one day, we have to make sure though that we are sharing that hope with everyone we meet. Each day should be a "boot camp" for Jesus too, not to see how many pounds we can lose, but how many people we can reach!

Everyday Teachers...Day 32

Woo, it feels like I have not been on here for such a long time!!! I have been really busy and have not even kept up with my journal, so I am not going to try to catch up for the time lost. So there will be three days missing from my journal. I am starting at Day 32. Here is the latest...

January 29
B – Oatmeal
S – Spoon of peanut butter
L – Whole wheat pasta/sauce
S – Popcorn – tuna (not right at the same time)
S – Chicken pot pie YUM!!!
No workout

This morning when I went to do my workout (Day 33) my kids could not wait to do it with me! I did the Miracle Mile workout with Leslie Sansone, which is pretty fast paced, and we got to about three minutes into it and my 7 year old said "I'm tired, my legs are tired!" So he stopped and did other things. He came back for the push-up part. For some reason he thought that was big fun. I think the best part for him was probably laughing at my pain, as push-ups are about my LEAST FAVORITE thing to do!!! Anyway, my little girl hung in there with me and really had a good time, I think she thought it was like dance class or something. She said, "they're all wearing white shoes", so she had to run and get her white and pink tennis shoes out for her workout! When I took off my shoes because the mat work was coming up, she got a really sad look on her face and said, "oh, I really wanna take these shoes off!" It is fun to get your kids involved in your fitness goals. And it is so important that they see your example of healthy living every day. We cannot go around saying "I am so fat!" or talking about other people, "she is so skinny", because our children are learning from us. They are little sponges soaking up everything that we say. I used to talk that way and still have to watch it now, but my kids were picking up on it. I don't want my little girl to be ten years old asking me if she looks fat in her outfit. That would break my heart. I don't think my kids even have an ounce of fat on them. It amazes me how fit, how lean and muscular they are! And it is not from doing exercise videos, it is just from being active. We have got to be more active. Instead of me asking my son to please get the milk out of the fridge for me, I need to go get it myself. Instead of saying, "do you want to check the mail", I need to walk out there and get it. All of that activity really adds up at the end of the day.

You know we teach our kids so many important things. The most important thing that we teach our kids is about Jesus - teaching them to love God and serve God, teaching them that He loves them more than anything - teaching them to walk in love daily and live for God with everything that we have in us. But, we teach them many other things from day to day, we teach them how to treat people by how we treat people. We teach them how to talk to others by how we talk to them. We teach them how to be generous by letting them see us give to others. We teach them to take care of themselves, of their bodies, by how we take care of ours. We may not have a degree in teaching, but we are teachers nevertheless, and it's high-time we take that responsibility seriously!

Even if you miss your workout, maybe you don't have time for your video or time for the gym, take some extra time to be active with your kids. Go out and run around with them playing tag. Yesterday my kids and I played hide-and-seek, and it was so FUN! Just do something to get active. If you have to go to the store, park far away. Just because you miss your "exercise time" does not mean you have to sit down and veg-out. Get up and get moving. The important thing is to stay active!

A little progress...Days 27 and 28

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time posting every day. I keep giving ya'll two days at a time. Sorry!!! Here is the update...

Thursday, January 24

B – Egg and Cheese wrap
S – None
L – Taco Bell – crunchy cheesy Gordita (or something like that! Steak instead of ground beef), steak and cheese taquito YUM!!!
S – None
S – whole wheat pasta/sauce, green beans, a little peanut butter
No workout

Now for today, I finally have lost another pound!!!!

WOOO HOOO!!!

For a grand total of

24 lb!!!

And I am still going...far from done yet!

So here is how today went:

Please keep in mind it was really, really busy day, so my schedule for my food was quite chaotic!

Friday, January 25

B – None
S – Spoon of peanut butter
L – whole wheat pasta/sauce/chs., English peas, piece of cheddar, five cheetos, few bites of apple S – Popcorn
S – Scrambled eggs, few bites of mac and cheese

Leslie Sansone walking video

I am very, very excited about making some progress again today, but I am not going to be writing any more tonight. My husband and I are both feeling pretty poorly, and have just taken some cold medicine, so I will be falling asleep at the computer if I don't wrap this up! Have a great weekend! Show the love of Jesus to everyone you meet!

Oh, and just a quick word before I go... When I started this back in November, it was hard to imagine me being 24 pounds down in January. It's so exciting. But there were times that I wanted to give up, that I didn't feel like I was doing any good or making ANY progress. I hung in there and now I have seen some really good results. So just remember to hang in there and keep going, small steps are steps nonetheless, and you will see results if you just keep on keeping on!!!

Counting the Cost...Days 25 and 26

So here is the lowdown on the past two days, sorry for the delay, again...

Tuesday, January 22

B – Nothing early
Workout - Power walk with Leslie Sansone – YAY!
Brunch – Egg and Cheese wrap
L – Tuna w/light miracle whip, whole wheat pasta/sauce/
S – Lipton chicken noodle cup-a-soup
S – Tilapia filet (baked), English peas, whole wheat pasta/sauce, piece of cheddar

Wednesday, January 23

B – Egg and Cheese wrap
S - None
L – None
S – popcorn
S – Tilapia filet stuffed w/shrimp(baked), green beans, whole wheat pasta/sauce,
No workout...:-(

Still at 23 pounds down, no more weight loss yet. But I can tell such a difference in my clothes. Usually when I put my jeans on I have a bulge at the top hanging over a little bit. I put on a pair of those jeans yesterday and the waist was loose, and the pants overall were just fitting much better. I am really happy with the results. I just have to say that working out makes such a difference in your body!


Okay, now I have to just go to a really very serious note. I know this is a weight loss journal, but I just have to share this because I think it is really important:

I found an article in our local newspaper about a woman who had been missing in our area, and they had found her body. Well, I had heard that they were trying to find out who she was, and when I saw the article with her picture I realized it was someone I used to work with at a store about 12 1/2 years ago. At that time we used to talk quite a bit and our job and I had invited her to church. She came with me one time, but that was all. I moved away the following spring to Nashville, and did not see her for a very long time. When my husband and I moved back here I would see her at the grocery store, or in passing at other places, mainly just shopping was the only time I saw her. And in all of that time I never, ever invited her to church again. I never tried to talk to her about Jesus again. It absolutely broke my heart to see that she was gone, and I would never get that chance back. It was a loss I cannot even put into words. All of those times I had seen her, I had just been busy, just been focused on me, caught up in my own problems or own concerns, dealing with my kids in the store, etc. And I didn't take the time to talk to her, time to wonder how she was, time to tell her that Jesus loved her. I will never, ever get that chance back. I don't know what her life had been like, I just knew her from when we worked together. All I know is that I didn't take time for her, I only had time for me. I failed her.

I have kept the article from the newspaper, complete with her picture, as a reminder to me of the cost - the cost to Jesus as he walked up the hill to the cross, the cost for me as I take up my cross daily, and the cost of just one soul lost - something that can not be taken back. I don't get a do-over in this, and I will have to live with my failure in that. I was so upset and just wanted to beat myself up over it, but instead, I will just keep this article and pic, and remember that each person I see, each person I come in contact with, is my missionfield. I will make it my mission to reach as many people as I can, not worrying about what they may think or say about me. Our pastor told us this past Sunday that we are responsible for each person that we see, to tell them about Jesus. He said when we stand before God, and the lost are being called before the Judgement Seat, we don't want to hear them say, "But God, Aprille didn't tell me about Jesus. I saw her every day and I never knew I needed You in my heart." Because then God will turn to us and say, "Why didn't you tell them about me?" And we will have no excuse. There is no reason good enough to not share the love of Jesus, we should have all the time in the world to share Him, make time to share Him!. I am so heartbroken over people in other countries who never hear about Jesus, when people here need Him just as much!

Once again, I cannot say where this young lady was in here life - maybe she had already accepted Jesus. The point is that I didn't take the time to find out, the time to just ask her simply if Jesus was her Lord and Savior. Time is short and the need is great, it is our responsibility to share the love of Jesus. We never know when there will be no more chances, when it will be too late.

Less than Perfect...Days 23 and 24

Whew! Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Here is the catchup...

Sunday, January 20
B – White Chocolate Strawberry Yoplait Yogurt
S – None
L – Lobster delights, whole wheat pasta/sauce/chs., salad
S – popcorn
S#2 – filet of Tilapia, baked
S – Vegetable beef soup, serving of sandwich meat (ham/turkey), slice of cheese, few chips
MESSUP – PIE :0(
Workout – walked to the kitchen and back quite a few times during the day! LOL!

I had no morning snack, but had two in the afternoon - not the best idea, I know. The pie was such a terrible, horrible, devastating idea! I am on a fast - fasting sugar! HELLO! I really messed up. I kind of beat myself up over that because I felt like that was more of a spiritual failure, and I was so tempted to just eat more sweets to deal with those feelings. Instead, I confessed my mess-up to a friend (thanks Michelle!) and she said, "so, just get right back on it, move on." That kind of helped me to gather myself back together.

And you know what? That is just how God is too. We are so far from perfect. We can try and try, but it still seems that we mess up. And sometimes we just want to give up, we just think we can never reach what God wants us to be... But all the time, God is just wanting us to say, "I'm sorry God" and turn away from it, dust ourselves off, and move on in our walk with Him. Our God is so good. It is so good to serve a God that loves us more than anything!


Now, on to the next day...
Monday, January 21

B – Whole wheat spaghetti/sauce/chs. – I know it’s crazy, but I was craving it, it was actually
brunch!
S – None
L – Cheese pizza, few chips
S – popcorn
S – Lobster delights, English peas, mac & chs., pineapple
After supper mess-up – two chicken nuggets, sorry, but didn’t feel too awfully bad about that.
Workout – None

Really felt bad about not getting that workout. Knew I would pay today!

Just remember, and hopefully by posting this I will remember too, that if you mess up, don't give up! If you fall down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on track. This is a marathon, not a sprint. These are lifestyle changes that we make in order to achieve long-lasting results. One mess-up will not ruin the hard work you have done, unless you decide to stay in that place and give up...

In a Hurry...Day 22

I am trying to get ready for church, so just a quick review of yesterday for you...

B – None (coffee - is that a food group?)
S – None
L – sandwich (wheat/turkey, cheese, veggies), chips/dip
S – popcorn/spoon of peanut butter
S – Baked Tilapia, salad, whole wheat spaghetti w/ sauce and parm. chs.

Workout – Hip Hop Abs Total Body Burn

Getting a workout in today is really iffy, so I'll just have to see how it goes. My kids are coming home tomorrow from their grandparents' house, and I have much to do before then. I may need to workout just to find a little more energy!

Happy Sunday! Thank Jesus today for all He has blessed you with, most of all, for His love. Praise the Lord!

A Little Goes a Long Way...Day 21

Well, another quiet, boring day at home... YEAH RIGHT!!!

I had a very nice anniversary with my hubby yesterday. We just stayed home, but the kids were at their grandparents' house and we had a quiet evening with a good supper, and just some good quality time with each other.

Then today we got up early and went to our church, we had a work day there. We were joking there about not needing to work out because we were getting so much exercise there, but I went ahead and worked out anyway. I'm really glad I did, it just feels great!

Here is yesterday's menu...

B – Wheat Chex /milk
S – Popcorn
L – potato salad (like half a cup) - two sugar free York peppermint patties
S – spoon of peanut butter
S – Beef enchiladas, salad

Workout – Hip Hop Abs Fat Burning Cardio
My weight did fluctuate up today, a little disappointing :0(

Okay, so I said on my previous post that I was allowing myself some of my chess pie for my anniversary. Well, it took a long time to get it right. I stuck it back in the oven two times before I finally got it cooked to the right conistency. It was delicious though, even before I got it right. I tried it last night in its nearly liquid form, but didn't actually get to eat the pie properly cooked until this morning. Let me tell you what, if you can get to where you skip sugar, just cut it out for a while, then when you finally eat some it doesn't take much - a little will go a long way. I ate two sugar free York peppermint patties yesterday, they are small, and it was SOOOO sweet - even though it was sugar free. A serving size for those is three patties for 80 calories. I was only able to eat two.

That is something I just have to stop and talk about just a minute before moving on. I used to just eat and eat a cake or pie or ice cream, or whatever, just for the sake of eating it! Sure, it was good, but after about two or three SERVINGS of it, it's enough to make you sick. Ya know? I have bought a box of Danish Wedding cookies, and really gotten nearly sick on them. That is nothing but pure binging. The point though to this is...just because the serving is 1/2 cup of ice cream, or one whole candy bar, or five cookies, or 20 chips, DOES NOT mean that we have to eat the whole serving size. Really take time with your food and enjoy it, listen to your taste buds before you keep packing it in! I knew after that second piece of candy yesterday that if I ate another one it wouldn't even be as good, not because it would taste different, but because I had satisfied the craving and that was exactly what my body was wanting, and I was ready to be done with it.

Case and point... I got the pie out this morning (Perfect, did I mention that???), and I started eating that, and let me tell you it was SO DELICIOUS!!! Really good stuff. But after a few bites I could have stopped, I was really done as far as my taste buds and my body went. But it was like I had this thought in my mind that "this is the last dessert I will be eating for a while", and it was like I went into panic mode and had to eat some more. I didn't really want it, I was just eating it purely for the sake of eating it. And guess what, I ate a few more bites, and I felt like I was going to be sick! Literally wanted to throw up!!!

So, just a word to the wise, think about what you're doing and stop before you hurt yourself!!! Someone told me once that the key was to get used to feeling just a little bit hungry. Not starving. But stop eating before you feel full. It feels so much better to feel not quite full, than to feel weighed down and bloated from your food. It saps your energy and just makes you want to lay down and take a nap.

Pay attention to your body and how you're feeling. Pay attention to your food, not to the TV, or paper, or whatever. You will find it easier to stop.

Enjoying your workout...Day 20

So here it is, Friday, and I am so looking forward to the anniversary dinner with my husband when he gets home!!! I am fixing homemade enchiladas and chess pie for dessert. YUM! Not exactly low fat fare! So anyway, I didn't get my workout again yesterday, I know - that's heinous! But, as I write this on Friday morning I can say that have already gotten my workout in for today! YAY! Done and overwith!

B – 1 ½ tortilla (on the run)
S – None
L – Cocktail shrimp/cocktail sauce, whole wheat pasta/Prego/Parmesan
S – Popcorn
S – albacore tuna mixed with light Miracle Whip, one Minneola, and red skin potato salad (WOOO SO GOOD!)
Didn't do a workout :-(

It really pays to not got two days in between workouts if you can help it. Boy, it was tough on my lower back this morning when I worked out, like I was not very flexible. I will definitely try not to skip more than one day from now on!

Remember to keep your workout interesting and fun, change it up, so you don't get bored! Do some workouts that will be mainly aerobic and KICK YOUR REAR, but also just walk sometimes or do a walking video. If you're achy one day, maybe just do the walking video, something low impact to keep you active without causing you to hurt more! Whatever you do though, if it's not fun you won't want to keep it up, so HAVE FUN!!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!

Sticks and Stones...Day 19

Today I am still holding steady at 23 pounds down. I did not get my workout in yesterday (Ugh!). However, there was birthday cake at church last night and I was barely even tempted. Tomorrow is my ten year anniversary with my hubby though, and I am making a pie for him, and will definitely have a piece of that! What is going to be hard is ignorning the pie as it stares at me from the countertop in the days following our anniversary. You know what I'm talking about, right?

So here is the way things went yesterday...

B – Yoplait Light Lemon Meringue yogurt (YUM!)
S – spoon of peanut butter
L – Mole wrap (turkey, mole, brown rice, wrapped in tortilla), a few chips and a slice of cheese
S – Tilapia filet stuffed with scallops & red peppers, whole wheat pasta/Prego/Parmesan, three or four mini pickles
S – 1 ½ tortilla (snack after supper instead of before)
No Workout

You will notice the addition of dairy back into the mix. Once again, the advantage of food journaling is that you have to look at what you're taking in, then you can make the changes necessary in order for your diet to be as nutritionally complete as possible. Well, in looking over my menus, I had noticed that I was not getting enough calcium. So, I bought myself some milk, and am eating yogurt and cheese during the day in order to get my three servings of dairy in for the day. I also have a calcium supplement here that I will be taking daily just to be sure that I am getting my recommended calcium each day. My mom has osteopenia, and I just accompanied her to get an MRI today because of bone/joint related problems, and I know it is very, very important to get that calcium into my body. I have never had a problem before because any time I ate something sweet I had to have some milk. But now that I have been skipping the sweets I have just not had much of a desire for milk, not even cereal. So, another change make to keep my eating HEALTHY! And as I've said so many times before, that is what it is about - not being the skinniest person around, not being the most beautiful or most handsome, but being healthy!

So my question to you today is..............................

Got Milk?

Having confidence...Day 18

I had a really, really busy day yesterday and am almost ashamed to put my menu for yesterday on here. But the whole point is accountablity, so I will post.

B – Nothing
S – Nothing
L – Nothing
S – Popcorn
S – Weight Watchers Beef Stew frozen entrée (decent enough)

Workout – Tae Bo (Billy’s Favorite Moves) OUCH!

Okay, now that you have read that, I have to say that I absolutely do not condone missing meals, skipping meals, that sort of thing. I try to consistently eat five times a day. This is to keep my metabolism up so my body doesn't go into starvation mode, and by eating this many times I tend to not overeat at all. I stay less hungry overall. I was just really, really busy yesterday. My mom was here, we had stuff to do, and I didn't even realize until nearly 12:00 noon that I had not eaten yet. Then we had to rush to the store, and I was going to get something shortly after that, but again things were just too rushed. I came home and started trying to get the things done here that needed to be done, and ended up not sitting down until aruond 2:30 - I think - for a snack. I could have had lunch here, but I was starting to feel sick and just needed to hurry and eat. When I start to feel sick like that, then I don't want to eat at all, so I had to make myself eat the popcorn. Then I got busy again, doing more stuff around the house, and it got later and later. I knew I needed to work out, so I went ahead and did that first, and I think I ate supper some time after 10:00. It kind of all runs together now. I would have been fine to skip supper too, I just didn't want it, but I made myself eat it because it's NOT GOOD TO SKIP MEALS!!!

So, anyway, I'm down one pound today. But I will be eating normally again today, not like a bird!

What was really wonderful for me yesterday was that my mom said she could really tell now that the weight was coming off. She was so proud of me. It has been hard knowing that at the weight I started at if I lost 10 or 15 pounds you couldn't really tell it. So, now I'm at 23 pounds and it's starting to show!
I cannot say that I have not been discouraged through some of this time (as I have been working on this much longer than I have had this blog!), and I have felt at times like I wasn't doing any good. You know the feeling, "What's the use? I'm having the twinkie/cupcake/Butterfinger/Reese's/whatever..." But, the key as I've said before is small steps. And, like I said in one of my earlier posts, we have to remember that our worth does not lie in what we see in the mirror every morning. Our worth lies in Jesus. It is through his death and resurrection that we have abundant life and confidence, not because we have the best body or the best six-pack abs, or because we have the most beautiful face. What it all comes down to is that if we are the best-looking on the outside, but don't have Jesus in our heart and don't have our lives given completely over to Him, then we have nothing.

We are to be good stewards of what God has given us, including our bodies, but our bodies should never define WHO WE ARE! I have lived for too long being ashamed of who I am because of what I looked like. That is not living boldly for Jesus. I would go somewhere and just want to hide, hope as few people would see me as possible, and get back to my house where I was safe from people looking at me and what I had become. How could I expect to show the love of Jesus like that? And you know what else? I don't think badly of people because they're overweight, or anything else, and chances are, they weren't thinking that about me! And if they were, what does it really matter? My worth lies in Jesus.

All of our looks and the youth of our bodies is going to fade, so take care of yourself now, but know that all we will have in the end is Jesus. He will give us a new body and we will never be ashamed! Walk with your head held high, not haughty, but confident because we are "fearfully and wonderfully made"!!!

Still holding my ground...Day 17

Ooo, I have been a bad girl. I did not work out yesterday. I had absolutely intended to, but it just didn't happen. On a good note though, I am still down 22 lb, will work out today - have to keep this progress going! Here is the menu from yesterday:

B – Popcorn, one piece of turkey (it was just so GOOD!), coffee – now if that is not a breakfast combo I don’t know what is, LOL!
S – baby carrots (raw)
L – Hot-n-spicy tuna and whole wheat bow-tie pasta/Prego/Parmesan
S – Lipton chicken noodle cup-a-soup
S – Brown rice w/ turkey mole (pronounced mol’A)
No workout (Bad, I know)

So that is the update, I'm kind of in a hurry, so no time to right more.

Healthy eating everybody, keep moving!

Progress...Day 16

Yay! I'm down two more pounds today! It is so, so good to see some progress! Sundays are really active for me - I hardly ever get breakfast or the morning snack, but I'm usually pretty good about getting the rest of my food for the day. But yesterday I only got to eat a couple of times. I did not work out, but it was a very, very active day; I was moving a lot. Here is how the menu went:

B – None, but had some coffee
S – No morning snack
L – Turkey w/stuffing, mac & cheese, green beans, corn, and a roll (Woo, now that's a meal!)
S – No afternoon snack
S – Popcorn, few bites of turkey

I ate a big lunch, so I decided to opt for a much lighter supper, and there was no time for a snack. I took a day off of the workout, I really felt like I needed to do it and it would have obviously been beneficial, but I really got quite a bit of exercise just through my activity level yesterday. I am going to measure today and see what my total inches lost to this point are and will post later...

Have a fantastic Monday! Jesus loves you!

Small Steps...Day 15 (second post)

I didn't get a chance to do an evening post yesterday to let you know how the day went, but here is the update:

B – Oatmeal and coffee
S – No morning snack

Workout – Tae Bo (Billy’s Favorite Moves)

L – Hot-n-spicy tuna, broccoli, and whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/Parmesan
S – Lipton chicken noodle Cup-a-soup and hot tea
S – Tuna kit (tuna/red cal mayo/relish/whole wheat crackers) and steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
S - Popcorn/fried peas and two pizza rolls

I know that was a lot of tuna and broccoli for the day, but I couldn't seem to figure out what I had a taste for, so I just went with something easy.

I did not have a morning snack and did not eat lunch until a little after 2:00, so I switched my morning snack to a p.m. snack.

I did the Tae Bo workout just to change up my workout again, which is essential to success in working out. If you do the same exact thing all the time, first of all you will get bored, second of all you're working the same exact things all the time - when sometimes you need to give other things more attention. One workout may focus on your abs, while another may put more attention on your legs, or arms. The boredom factor is really big for me. I have to change it up. Even walking - I like to change up where I walk if possible. Sometimes it is just not possible though, especially if you're going to a track or gym.
I was really excited about the workout I did though because the Tae Bo stuff can be really tough. Well, this was one of my workouts that I had bought, but had never actually tried to do. So it was brand new to me. Well, I noticed it was REALLY, REALLY FAST! I looked on the front of the box and it said "An Accelerated Workout." HA! That was not exactly what I was expecting, especially being so early into my fitness goals. I have a very long way to go, and I'm thinking while I'm doing the video - "this is so for skinny people". There is actually one part of the workout where you go from a standing position to a push-up, then jump back up to your feet. You only do that a few times, but needless to say at that point I just kept moving - I didn't do what they were doing there. The reason I was excited was because I actually made it through the entire workout ! WOO! I was so excited about that. I was beginning to think it would never end, but as soon as we started doing floor stuff I knew it was getting close to being done. It was tough, but a fantastic workout.

I felt great about the workout because I made it all the way through, but I was not always staying at their pace or able to do things exactly like they did it. The key is to hang in there, just to keep moving, it's not about getting it exactly right. We'll get there when we keep on and persevere. You can't climb a mountain in five or six great strides, you have to take small steps to get to the other side, to get to your goal. We just have to keep going and we will get there!

Just a quick note...Day 15 (morning post)

Okay, I just wanted to give you all an update. Last night after I got done posting, I went and read my bible and got ready to rest for a little while, but then my son came in (he had almost been asleep) and asked if he could get in my bed, and then my daughter (who had been asleep) about one minute later came in and asked if she could get in my bed, and so I laid down with the kids and fell asleep, and there was no workout last night. I felt bad about that only because I had said on here that I was going to work out. So, I'm sorry for not following through last night.

But, on a better note, a much better note..............................

I AM BACK DOWN

TO A TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS OF

20 POUNDS!!!!

Okay, I'm a little excited about that. Wow, finally back down to 20 pounds. So far I have felt like I was just trying to catch back up to where I had gotten to before Christmas, but now I actually feel like I am making progress from this point. This is not my final post for today, I'll still do my end-of-the-day post, but I just had to tell ya'll about my weight loss. I'M SO EXCITED!!!

WOOOOOHOOOOOO! :-) Happy weekend everybody!

A get-up-and-go kind of day...Day 14

I have had a really, really busy day today. It has just been go, go, go from the get-go, or the get-up-and-go, or whatever you want to call it. I have finally got a few minutes of quiet to sit and relax and have a cup of hot tea, it will be a short-lived quiet moment, but it is nice nonetheless.

I was very blessed today in that my parents bought Jordan and Noelle each a new pair of shoes, and they are so proud of their shoes! They are growing so fast, it is unbelievable! It seems overwhelming sometimes just how fast time is flying by...

I have not worked out yet today, it's just been too crazy, but after my supper settles I will be doing a workout - will tell you which one I did tomorrow - sorry for the delay...

Here is today's menu:

B – No time, but had some coffee
S – No time
L – Jr. Bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and ketchup/seven or eight French fries
S – bag of popcorn, one pickle
S – 1 fillet of Tilapia (baked w/lemon pepper), whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/Parmesan, five pieces of breaded popcorn shrimp

Workout - ?

Even though it is going to be late I am definitely going to work out. It just has made such a difference in the way I feel about my progress. Also, when I put my jeans on this morning I could tell it had really made a difference - my skinny jeans even (well, skinny for me!). So, I don't want to let exercise fall by the wayside again. I certainly don't want it to become an obsession either, to where if I don't work out a day I feel like I can't eat or like my body is going to swell overnight to the size of a giant boulder causing me to fall right through the bed! :-) J/K! I just want to do my best to exercise at least five days a week, even if it is just walking around our block. That is, of course, a LAST RESORT because it is so very boring!!! Anyway, keeping ourselves active is really going to make a big difference. It not only shrinks our body down to a healthier weight, but it makes us feel better too.

I am really looking forward to getting into the workout tonight as a good energy boost before I start my work tonight, but while my supper is settling and I have this quiet time I am going to give my bible a workout because my relationship with God is the most important thing to keep in the best shape possible.

Working out with spaghettios...Day 13

Whew! What a day! It stormed like CRAZY here! And of course, I went to work out today and actually got out in it! What a mess. But it was so worth it, so worth it.

Now, I said in my last post that I was down one pound. That post was written for yesterday, even though I didn't get to it until this morning, but I am down one pound TODAY, not yesterday. And hopefully, maybe more tomorrow!

I decided to branch out this morning and have an actual breakfast food for breakfast - I know it's a far-fetched idea, but I thought I needed to break the monotony of popcorn for a day...Here is the menu:

B – Oatmeal/coffee/water

Workout – Hip Hop Abs Total Body Burn (Ouch - this was tough!)

S – Small salad/topped with ham and shredded cheddar – mix of honey French/ranch dressing
L – Chicken and broccoli stir fry with brown rice
S – Baby carrots
S – Baked potato with broccoli, butter buds, and fat-free sour cream

Now, I have not mentioned it before now, but my initials on the menu are B-breakfast, S-snack, L-lunch, S-snack, S-supper. I am sure you all knew that, but it just hit me that maybe that was not really making sense when you just see a letter, then a food.

Workout time was really, really good today - really tough, but really good. I like yesterday's workout better, but today incorporated weight training into the cardio making it harder, but also something very necessary to burn fat. So, I tried my best to make it through, and I WAS SUCCESSFUL!!! I made it, and I was so excited. Most of the time when I try a new workout I wimp out halfway through, but I am loving this Hip Hop Abs stuff. I didn't actually have any weights to work with today, or even a resistance strap, so I grabbed two cans of spaghettios out of Michelle's pantry and worked out like a champ! Boy, did I feel it.

Just a side note...this is a matter of personal opinion, so make what you will of it, but if you want cheese and you are trying to lose weight, eat cheese. Don't buy the fat-free stuff, it is HORRIBLE! It does not melt right, it is like rubber, and the taste is not satisfying when you are expecting cheese. So, don't waste your money, and more importantly - don't waste your calories - on something that doesn't even come close to tasting decent. That's from me to you, no charge.

I have to add this too, it's completely unrelated to weight loss. My kids were talking in the car today about what they had dreamed last night. My son told me his dream, and then my daughter decided to share hers. She said that her brother was in her dream with her and they were eating some candy, to which Jordan replied, "I wasn't in your dream, I was in my dream!" Apparently it's one of the lesser known rules of dreaming, that you can't be in more than one dream at a time! Jordan's logic is astounding isn't it? I just think it is precious!

On the move...Day 12

I had a really good day yesterday. I am kind of behind in that I’m just giving the update today, but I’ll explain. A friend of mine sent me an email late Tuesday night inviting me over to work out. So Wednesday morning I was hurriedly working so I could get over there to work out on time. It didn’t happen, I was late, but better late than never right? I went to her house and we were planning on doing another walking video with Leslie Sansone, but I grabbed some of my workout videos on the way out the door - some of which have never even been out of the package!!! We got brave and did Hip-Hop Abs - Fat Burning Cardio, and talk about upping the intensity level. This workout was way, way fun, but it kicked our rears! It was awesome! I was sweating within about two minutes, but it was so fun! To me, it’s not even like really “working out”, more like “funning out”! After we got done she fixed all of the kids lunch and I fixed us some stir fry to top off our workout time with something healthy. It was so delicious!

Now my work schedule has been crazy, trying to work and homeschool and housekeep, etc., and so I’ve been up late, up early, up all night, you get the picture. So, after that workout I was really energized, ready to face the world, and cook some lunch. About a minute after I finished eating I basically hit a wall of exhaustion. I just felt like I had crashed and burned and would have liked nothing better than to just take a nap. Napping not being a possibility though, I was treated to a cup of French Vanilla coffee - wonderful! That helped out quite a bit and I was able to be productive for the rest of the afternoon, cleaning house, balancing the checkbook, etc. After we got home from church we had supper and I decided to take a nap before I went to work. I woke up to my son tapping me on the arm wanting to get in the bed. I got up and told him he could get in the bed, and I headed to the living room to get to work. I think it was 2:25 am. Some nap huh? So, I am just now writing about yesterday’s stuff today, but getting some sleep in my own bed last night instead of napping in between working, was just absolutely blissful!

Okay, so here is the menu from yesterday…
B – OR Naturals Butter Garlic popcorn
S – A few baked French fries
L – Chicken and broccoli stir fry with brown rice (OOOOO, so good!)
S – spoonful of peanut butter, a few raw carrots, two pickles
S – Hot-n-spicy tuna with whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/Parmesan

I felt really good about what I ate yesterday, and I got such a great workout that I’m going to be doing that again today. One great thing about the Hip Hop Abs workouts is that in using them I have a lot of different choices of workouts. The video (DVD) that we did yesterday actually had four seperate workouts on it. Then there is another one with, I think, three different workouts. And then there’s a video just for taking your workout to the next level as you get more advanced. It’s really cool. It may sound totally impossible, but after that one particular workout and a good day’s eating I could really tell such a difference in my body this morning! Maybe it is just my confidence level, I don’t know. I do know one thing though, it makes you feel so much better to be sure and get that workout in, and on top of that, we all know it makes us healthier. So, as good as it is to eat right, it is essential that we maintain a healthy level of activity, whether walking, bicycling, aerobics, or whatever, it just makes our efforts that much more effective!

Let’s get moving everybody!!!! Oh, and by the way, I’m down another pound - 19 pounds! WoooooooooHoo!

Facing up to ourselves...Day 11

Well, today has gone really well. As part of my fast I have included TV, but got to see quite a bit of incidental TV due to being tuned in to the local weather all day. Thank the Lord we didn’t have very severe weather here. I am very tired today, and as a result I have had THREE CUPS OF COFFEE! Boy, that will get you going! When I type reports for the clinic, I have told my friends that it’s like my ears are connected to my fingers so they type what my ears hear, but my brain is free to do other things. My mind just absolutely races while I’m typing. It can be very annoying at times, having SOOO many thoughts going at one time. Anyway, I was typing today and my mind was going so fast, and it was because of all the coffee. I did space it out throughout the day. One cup in the morning, then another a little while later. And I have just now sat down with my third cup of coffee as I type this because as soon as I’m done I have to dive into more reports - and yes, it is 9:45 pm. Oh, to have a good night’s sleep. What must that be like???

So, here is the menu I had today…
B – Kettle corn popcorn
S – Lipton cup-a-soup chicken noodle
L – Hot and spicy tuna with whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/Parmesan
S – spoonful of peanut butter
S – Lobster delights, pickles, and a mini-bowl of shells-n-cheese with two spoonfuls of pork-n-beans

Not so good on the veggies right? Need to work more of that in tomorrow. I have started keeping a word document on my computer with my food listed for each meal on it because by the time I sit down to type the menus for the day it is sometimes hard for me to think about what I had (sad, huh?). This way, I can just copy and paste at the end of the day for your viewing enjoyment (LOL!).

Food journaling is a great idea because with every bite I take I know I have to write it down (type it) and make a record of it, and then post it on here for you to see. If we all would do this and then at the end of the day look at it, like I just did, and see what changes need to be made, it would be so beneficial. I can see at the end of today that I didn’t have enough dairy and didn’t have enough veggies. I had plenty of fiber and protein and water. But you know we eat our water too. So when we eat our fruits and veggies we get a lot of water out of those, and if I’m deficient in my body of those foods, that means I will have to drink more to equivocate it, and also that I will not have all of the right fiber I need. Yes, the whole wheat spaghetti is fiber and the popcorn, but I need more of the pickles, green beans, broccoli, apples, oranges, and things like that if I want overall health.

So write it down. You don’t have to show anybody like I do, but you do have to be ready to face it yourself. Taking the step to write down what we eat means having the courage to see the truth and to make the changes needed for our health.

When to say "when"...Day 10

Today is the first day of our church’s 21-day fast. I am fasting sweets and TV. I wanted to start the no-meat fast, but had already bought groceries before we were told about the fast. Anyway, that is my plan. However, my anniversary falls on January 18, and it is my tenth anniversary, so I will be making an exception for our special occasion if necessary. There may not be any dessert involved, but then again, there may be!

Breakfast - my mom brought sugar free mini-muffins - I ate one for breakfast

Snack - spoonful of peanut butter

Lunch - Subway with my mom - turkey and ham on wheat with oil/vinegar, spicy mustard,
pickles, lettuce, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cheese (didn’t think at the time, but next time will probably leave off the cheese).

Snack - one mini-muffin (yes, again…)

Supper - lobster delights, english peas, whole wheat spaghetti (I know that’s a weird combination, but my family was having pizza and I had to eat something quickly before I was overtempted!)

So, I have already started today. I don’t have much time to write today as my reports are piling up, but will tell you more tomorrow. And by the way, the muffins were on my menu because my mom brought them over - and they were pretty good, even though they were sugar free. I just don’t normally eat them.

And in closing, here is a quick word to make you not want to overeat…

Proverbs 23:20 NIV
“Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”

That makes me want to say “when”…

Fast, anyone?...Day 9

I really want to be transparent with you, which is why I have done this journal, and I want to give good news - all the time. I guess that is silly. I need to keep it real! Right?

Well, this morning I have to say I was a little aggravated. I was up a pound today and I ate really well yesterday. UUGGHHH! Oh well. I’m not going to let it get me down, but I need to buckle down really hard apparently. Maybe the way I’m eating now is maintaining my weight, but not really helping me to lose. Everyone plateaus at some point or another, I guess I just hoped it would be a little bit further down the line before that happened.

So, what do you do when you hit a plateau??? Well, you make changes…I don’t think they have to be drastic, huge, overwhelming changes. I think that just a little tweak in your metabolism, a little change in the food you take in, can help. My water intake is great, no problems there. I might drown if I drink more, seriously! My exercise program is very inconsistent though. I’ve got to get a better handle on that. Exercise is a must for a healthy lifestyle, not just to lose weight, but for cardiac health, just overall health in general. And, exercise is so beneficial to our mood. When we exercise, endorphins are released in our body. That boosts our mood, gives pain relief, etc. So, not really a down side to exercise unless the doctor has told you not to do it!
Next, I’m eating really good, but I have as few veggies as possible. Another “must change”! Not really a down side to eating veggies either really. I don’t even think a doctor would tell you not to do that!

So, with these changes in mind and getting this plan into action, I’ll see what progress I make.
Oh, and our pastor has called our church to another fast. He asked us to fast whatever we wanted to, and so I am going to be praying about that today and tonight, and will post tomorrow what my fast will be.

You know, God is so awesome! We think we are so smart, but he has wisdom we will never understand. People fast to give that extra time to God, to spend time with Him, to say “I’m willing to give this up and press in to see this need met, or to go to the next level - the next dimension with God”. And now, there are studies being done because according to statistics it is believed that fasting is related to better cardiac health! Wow! All this time we thought when we fasted that it was just us having to go without something. But, it is actually healthy for us to fast! I think that is so, so cool that something that God would have in His word for us to do would be good for us. Surprise, huh? There should be no surprise to it! God only wants what is good for us, and will never tell us to do anything that will harm us.

Joel 1:13 NIV (A Call to Repentance)
Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God, 14 Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly, summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.

It doesn’t matter how healthy you are physically, if you don’t have a healthy relationship with Jesus. I guess what I’m trying to say is that most importantly we should seek God and strengthen our relationship with Him, and the rest of our life will line up with His word. When we are living for Him, seeking Him, and spending time with Him every day, then our lives will bear the fruit of his Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Did you see that last one? SELF-CONTROL! Wooo, I need a little more fruit of the Spirit!

Goodbye to fads - Hello health!…Day 8

Wow, I feel great today! Woo, one headache gone and a good night’s sleep, and I’m good to go today. It is 11:22 am and I have already done all of my errands for today and am ready to get busy at home. I feel like I have gotten a really good workout in because of all the walking I have done and hauling groceries, etc. I made sure I didn’t park too close to the stores I had to go to, so I would have to get some walking in that way, and I MOVED - I tried to really pick up the pace and walk quickly when I could. Sometimes the aisles are not exactly made for that sort of thing, so I just did the best I could. But I feel really fantastic right now. Yesterday I only actually ate one meal - lunch - a club sandwich and french fries, followed by a dessert of two Reese’s Hearts. I know that is not exactly health food, but I don’t feel too bad about it since that was the only meal I ate! However, I did close out the day with a soda, and when I weighed this morning I was not down any, even after eating so little yesterday.

So, I have gotten quite a lot of exercise today, and will probably still do the walking video this afternoon at some point, if nothing else just to give my arms a good workout!

My husband had requested chicken and dumplings tonight for supper, and for anybody who knows me - that is my weakness!! I cannot eat them without binging! I have really been working on exercising some self-control, but I don’t feel a need to overtempt myself. I called a friend this morning and told her about the upcoming meal, and she was very encouraging. She said she had stepped on the scale this morning and had not lost any more weight, and that did not feel good. She reminded me that if I ate the C&Ds I would feel yucky, that’s besides the fact that they are probaly one of the worst things that I could eat while trying to lose weight! She said that there was no food that she could eat that would make her feel as good as seeing her weight come steadily down. And she is so right. So, tonight while my family eat chicken and dumplings and cornbread (starch, anyone?), I will be eating chicken and broccoli stir fry - fried in olive oil cooking spray so as not to add any more fat! I love that, and it will make me feel better, and keep me from even giving those dumplings a second glance. So just remember that those Reese’s hearts may taste really good, that Dr. Pepper might seem really refreshing, the brownie might really be gooey, and that cake is probably really, really moist and chocolatey, but none of it will make us feel as good as stepping on the scale tomorrow morning and seeing progress, another pound down, maybe more.

I guess with me, I just got fed up with fad diets and worrying about dropping 40 lb in a month, etc., and now am only interested in living a healthy lifestyle, not a quick fix. That one pound down, is in fact a pound down. And just think, if you only lost one pound a week for an entire year, that’s 52 pounds lost by the end of the year. When you think about it that way, it seems almost easy to live a healthy lifestyle! So here’s to making good decisions every day, and if you mess up one meal - don’t go and eat a dozen donuts out of guilt, just make the decision that your next meal is going to be healthy. There is no reason that healthy can’t mean delicious either, because it can be really, really delicious! And if you do mess up that one meal, maybe walk an extra time or two around the block or vacuum the house to burn some calories. One mess-up is no reason to go back to being unhealthy. This is a way of life, not a fad! Hang in there!

…am I awake? Zzzzzz…Day 7

I will not be saying much today, this is the first time today I’ve had time to sit down and write - and it’s nearly 5:00 pm! I did not even get to step on the scale today, so a day off from that for me I guess. I have had a migraine for most of the day, and I took Aleve first, then some sinus medicine a few hours later. I don’t know if you have this experience or not, but when I take medicine on an empty stomach, then I go and eat, it’s almost like the food activates the medicine and boosts its efficacy. Has anyone experienced that? Anyway, I took some sinus medicine, then ate my first meal of the day around 2:00 pm - I had to force myself to eat because by head was really making me feel sick - and boy, by the time I got done eating I was feeling really yucky - out of it kind of yucky - like my head was too heavy for my body. My headache is gone, but now I’m kind of numb, walking around in a hazy fog, and I’m having a hard time even making my fingers type the words I’m thinking! So, I guess that’s all for today, sorry it’s not more exciting, but I’m sure I will feel better tomorrow!

Rolling right along...Day 6

Wow! I am so excited this morning after stepping on the scale! I am now back down to a total 18 pound weight loss, still two more just to get back to where I was before Christmas, but I’m getting there!

Here is how yesterday went…

Breakfast - bowl of rice with butter buds (these melt on moist, hot foods just like butter - I don’t care for them on popcorn), artificial sweetener (one pack), and cinnamon. I was in the mood for a rice pudding, and this was pretty close, just without the milk. It was okay, but nothing I will crave for sure. Definitely not the same as good old fashioned rice pudding.

Lunch - cocktail shrimp with sauce and whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/parmesan (surprise, surprise!)

Snacks - first snack was Corn on the Cob popcorn - a buttery DELIGHT!, and second snack was a mug of Lipton noodle soup

Supper - Rotisserie chicken, mixed greens (cooked - not salad), au gratin potatoes, and one and a half Hawaiian rolls. Delicious!!!

I had a couple of cups of coffee, a cup of hot tea, and loads of water.

I did the walking video - felt like I had lifted weights because it has such a good workout for your arms in it!

All in all, it was a good day, and I’m looking forward to another great one today! When I packed my husband a big old brownie in his lunch today, it just wasn’t as tempting when I know I’m making progress! However, I will say that if I am craving something really bad - such as a piece of cake or a donut or cookie (not likely) or cake (did I mention how much I like cake?) - then I will allow myself to have a portion of that treat. A serving, not two or three servings! If we deny ourselves constantly when we are trying to take the pounds off, and don’t allow our bodies the things that we are SOOO craving, then one day we will BINGE. If I don’t allow myself that piece of cake I might just one day go crazy and eat half of the cake! I love Danish Wedding cookies (Keebler), and there was a span of about a week where I went to the store a couple of times and got a box of those cookies, and I hid them in my house, and I didn’t just eat a couple for a good snack, I ate until they made me sick. No, I didn’t literally get sick, but I felt horrible. Supercrash for my body! So allow yourself a treat once in a while, I know I will!

Hide the Rotel...Day 5

I just have to say that I am soooooo thankful that the holiday season is over! I love this time of year, it is beautiful and fun and wonderful. I love all of the get-togethers, and unfortunately…I love the food. Yesterday my husband was off work for New Year’s, and I fixed him some Extra Spicy Rotel with Hot sausage in it. I ate it twice! I didn’t eat it with chips. I just grabbed a tortilla out of the fridge, heated it for about 8 seconds in the microwave, rolled it up, and dipped it! YUM! I had two tortillas like that yesterday. NAUGHTY! NAUGHTY! NAUGHTY! And now, the rotel is just sitting there in the fridge, calling me across the kitchen, reminding me of how tasty it was! UUUGGGHHH! I will be strong today. Today is not a holiday, and I am back to normal! Needless to say I didn’t lose any more weight from yesterday today. I know that I will not lose every single day, but I did make some really bad choices yesterday (I mean how can I expect to lose weight eating Rotel and tortillas???), and didn’t exercise to boot.

Today’s exercise video is called Easy Steps - A Walking Weight Loss Program - it’s 20 minutes. If you have never tried these walking videos, they are fantastic. I normally do the ones that Leslie Sansone has out such as Miracle Mile - a christian based workout (fantastic), or really any of her different walking videos. By the time you get done with them you have walked the equivalent of one mile, two miles, even up to four miles I think. But you don’t just walk, you do leg lifts, kicks, knee lifts, work your arms, it’s really good - and boy, do you feel it! I check out my videos at the library, since I have not actually bought one of the walking videos yet. And since I check them out at the library I try to alternate the ones I get so other people can use them too, even though I would like to just keep that Miracle Mile out for a whole year!
So, here’s to a better day today. I’m about to start it with a cup of hot tea - I’m craving it right now - complete with caffeine! The main thing for me to remember is that this way of living is one step at a time, one day at a time. Some days are gonna be messed up, they’re not going to be my best, but I just have to pick up the next day and get back on track. The key is perseverance!

I have to say too that many times when I’m hungry I need to just go read my bible. That time spent with God is very satisfying and keeps me on the right track. God wants us to be healthy. Our bodies are a temple, and we only get this one. If we mess it up by not taking care of it, there’s not going to the store to get a new one, or going to the shop to get a replacement part, or whatever. We have to be faithful and good stewards of what we have, of what God has given us.

Well, that ought to give me a good kick in the rear today!

Happy New Year...Day 4

January 1, 2008
WooHoo! Down another pound today! Steady decline, that’s what I like to see… as far as weight goes anyway! I was a little scared to step on the scale this morning after our church service last night. We ate late, and it was not what you would call a healthy buffet. Here is how yesterday went…

Rice for breakfast - cup of coffee too

Bag of popcorn for a snack

Lipton Noodle soup - two big mugs full for lunch

Coconut cake for a snack (not the best choice of course)

late night supper consisting of two small sandwiches that maybe amounted to close to one normal size sandwich made with two plain slices of bread, two or so servings of chips, two cocktail sausages - that’s only because they were the last two, I so could have eaten more! And, of course, a diet Pepsi.

I’m so excited about what this new year is going to bring! Things are really exciting at our church, I know that God is really gonna do great things with our church! I’m getting healthy, and that is not a New Year’s resolution, as I have been working on this since last year! There is just so much to look forward to, and I want 2008 to be the best year of my life so far! It did make me a little bit sad though when I came out of church last night around 12:30 or so, and there is a place across the street called “The Entertainment Complex” which is a club, and it was packed. It was so packed that people were parking in our church parking lot to go to it, and the surrounding business parking lots! During our church service when we were praying we could hear the music booming from across the street, they were having a big New Year’s party themselves. It just made me so sad because people will go to a party like that and drink, and who knows what, and maybe not even remember what all they did, but it is so hard to get them to come to church. We had an AWESOME party at our church, and I’m not talking about the games or food, or even the music, but we were in the presence of the King of Kings. You could feel the presence of God so, so powerfully in the service and there was real freedom there. Sometimes we were dancing or shouting or laughing or crying, and it was so amazing. That time brought us closer to God, and gave us time to bond with one another, and time to pray for others who are suffering while we celebrate. I just cannot say how amazing it was. I just wish that all of the people across the street at a different kind of party could have come in a different direction, and could have gone through a different door - one that led to Jesus, and not to sin. I guess that my biggest hope for myself in the coming year is that I will reach as many people for Jesus as I possibly can, and realize that we may only have one chance to reach each person, maybe one last chance to touch those around us with the love of Jesus. We never know when it will be too late.

More of the same...Day 3

December 31, 2007
Here is just a quick overview of what I had yesterday…
Breakfast was skipped due to getting ready for church. I had a BIG cup of coffee!
Lunch - I had a junior bacon cheeseburger from Wendy’s, and a bowl of whole wheat spaghetti with Prego and parmesan (get used to this entry!) Sugar free HP drink mix
Snack - bag of microwave popcorn (butter garlic - UMMMM!), after I finished this I had a cup of Candy Cane lane hot tea (super YUM!)
Supper - Half pack of sweet and spicy tuna and (you guessed it) a bowl of whole wheat spaghetti/Prego/parmesan.
Where I went wrong was that I made Mitch a cake and totally cleaned the bowl, the beaters, the spoon - you know what I mean! This cake consists of white cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, cool whip, and coconut. I was up really late and I ate a little bit of cake (that I made for Mitch - I had to see if it was good. Then I had about eight peanut M&Ms with 1 tbsp of peanut butter - not good. I also had a little bit of rice at supper time, forgot to mention that!
Thankfully, I got a lot of walking done at Wal-Mart and EW James yesterday! My weight is still the same today. No progress, but stable. After the way I messed up last night I have to be happy that I didn’t go up!
I made the rice last night to try to eat for breakfast in the mornings, not brown rice, but sticky white rice. I had some this morning, but it feels a little bit heavy. Not sure if that is going to work or not.

On my way...Day 2

December 30, 2007
First of all, let me just start by saying that there is MUCH to be said for water weight!!! I lost five pounds from yesterday until today. Can you believe it? FIVE POUNDS!!! That is 1/4 of my total weight loss so far. WOW! On Friday night I made a pot of Lipton Noodle Soup - no chicken - so it is almost completely broth. But, if you check out the sodium content on the package, it is unbelievable! So Saturday when I weighed I felt horrible - because I was up so much. Then yesterday, i was more careful. Lots of water, hot tea, and some coffee, and this morning I was down five pounds.
We, as unique people, have to do unique things in order to achieve success for our health. What works for you may not work for me, and vice versa. I am able to eat with my family, but eat something completely different from them. For instance, if my family is eating a meal that consists of cheeseburgers and french fries, baked beans, whatever, I will sit there with them and eat a Boca burger - which is very decent (not excellent, but pretty tasty) and will eat french fries - but baked - maybe even a baked potato. If they are eating spaghetti, I will eat it also, but will have whole wheat spaghetti. I have a friend who is not able to take this approach. She is not able to eat differently than her family and has to manage her weight differently. I am writing this journal, not to say this IS THE WAY TO DO IT, but to say “this is what is working for me, and it’s okay to tailor-make your own plan of what works for you.”
Another thing that works for me is weighing every day. If I’m up a pound or two I can adjust my eating accordingly for that day. I can also think about what I ate the previous day, as it might just be water weight. This way I don’t let myself get out of control with my eating. For some people this approach does not work and will drive them crazy! The key for me is to not let myself get in a funk about it if I am up a little bit. I just have to keep working to bring it down.
The following foods are staples, absolute MUST-HAVES in my house for my consumption - (my husband does not care for this list!):
Whole wheat spaghetti - at all times there must be a bowl of cooked spaghetti in my fridge!
Popcorn - does not matter what kind, butter, kettle, natural, whatever
Tuna - this is a must-have for anyone’s weight loss regimen. If you add tuna into your diet, you will lose weight. I can eat tuna salad, tuna fillets, or those new flavored tuna packs that you don’t have to drain (hot and spicy is my fave!). Also, tuna lunch kits come in really handy when you’re in a hurry, and they are really tasty. I had never had one of those until this past September, and it has turned out to be a real lifesaver for me.
I said tuna, but any kind of fish has to be on hand - tilapia is really good too, it’s very mild. I don’t like fishy fish - tuna is the exception.
I do not keep cokes for me in the house. If I need a coke, I will stop and get a diet drink just for that time, and usually don’t even finish it, I normally give it to my kids. I get really tired of water though, so the singles drink mixes work fantastic for me. I especially like the Hawaiian Punch Sugar-free mixes - $1.00 or less for a box of 10. I can use one packet for 32 oz of water - i think it says only 16 or 20 on the box, but it’s pretty strong stuff. I also like Crystal Light - there are so many different kinds, but I really just like the basic iced tea flavor, or pink lemonade.
Brown rice - this is not generally eaten alone because I like some flavor with it.
Broccoli florets - if I’m gonna eat broccoli I can do without all of those stalks! Stores usually carry their own brands that are pretty cheap for this sort of things. Try not to skimp on your veggies, they’re hard enough to eat as it is - might as well be good!
Carrots - usually baby carrots since these are easy to thrown in a cup and eat at my desk or in the car, whatever…
Stir fry mix - I get Beef and Broccoli stir fry mix in a little yellow pack - can’t remember what brand it is. Use one pack of chicken of your choice - I prefer boneless/skinless tenders or breasts (1 lb or so), and 1 pack of frozen broccoli (1 lb or so). It’s so easy to make, quick and delicious!!! i use the brown rice to go with the stir fry, and I can pretty much bet on losing weight after eating that for a day or two. It’s super-healthy.
You will find in this journal that I can eat spaghetti for just about every meal of the day. I used to get the cheap sauce just thinking it was okay. But, I must say that now PREGO is the only sauce for me. I told my husband I am absolutely ruined because I have to have Prego now. A meal with whole wheat spaghetti, Prego, and parmesan cheese gives you - fiber, veggies, and dairy - YUM! I prefer to leave the meat out on that.
My main struggle as far as meals go is breakfast. I am not really much of a breakfast person because things upset my stomach really easy in the morning. So some days I just eat popcorn, or skip it all together. If you have any suggestions for an easy-on-my-stomach breakfast, please send them!
Also, the hardest time for me to control my intake is when I’m overloaded with reports, and am having to stay up late, or all night, or getting up in the wee hours of the morning. Serious seratonin chaos for me. So, if you have any suggestions for me on staying awake without eating one of everything in my kitchen on the hour every hour, please let me know!

Getting ready...Day 1

December 29, 2007
Wow, I finally got a blog spot! I’m so excited! This is a huge and SCARY step for me to start this weight loss journal, but I think it will help me to know that someone might read it, so I’ll make better decisions for my health and be somewhat more accountable.
I will not give my start weight at this point, but you all know what I look like, and that should be enough to be getting on with. I started a fast back in November (not a “no food” fast, but a “only healthy food - no sugar” fast), and I had lost a total of 20 pounds. However, over Christmas, I have put some of that back on. I have gone to the store and gotten the staple foods that I need in my house to help me to eat right, and am ready to get started. I am starting today (even though I have messed up by eating some M&Ms) to get back on my healthy eating regimen. Also, I use a lot of videos for exercise, and will be listing the different ones with each blog, so that you can see what I’m doing. I have tried going for walks with my kids, but they get really tired of it really fast - my daughter cried for an entire lap around the track! I can do outside stuff with them just here at home to stay active, but it is really hard to gauge just how much I have accomplished through that. Please feel free to give me tips and chide me when necessary!
Here goes…

Welcome...

Welcome to my new site!!!

I'm in the process of transferring my older posts over to this site if I can, and will proceed from that point with new posts.

Thanks for reading everybody!
Aprille :-)