I had a couple rough days as far as calories are concerned, but I'm not feeling the least bit discouraged, because even these "rough" days compare to the way I was eating before. I've cut down my soda intake so dramatically that when I have had one (and then it was a Coke Zero) it didn't really excite me that much. I need to figure out what I want to drink that has a flavor. Maybe lemonade.
According to my home scale (which is the one I've been using all along) I've already actually lost 10 pounds. This doesn't surprise me a whole lot, because of the amount of weight I need to lose, and the dramatic change in my food intake. Here's what has become a pretty average day of eating:
Breakfast:
Clif Energy Bar (70% organic ingredients, it's high in protein and made with organic oats & soybeans - it fills me up!)
1 bottle of deer park water (equal to approx. 3 8oz glasses)
Snack:
A small handful of cashews, or fruit
Lunch:
Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meal
Another Bottle of water
Snack:
Bag of Veggies w/ ranch dip or string cheese
Dinner:
My favorite is spinach salad w/ strawberries, cashews, blackberries, light vidalia onion vinagerette & grilled chicken on top!
Snack:
String cheese, or a scoop of icecream if I've been good!
Now it becomes a Spiritual battle!
Well, we've been on this journey since Monday! Most of the time, five days does not seem like a lot of time, but on this journey, every day can be a victory and every day can be a challenge!
Today, it became more than just a physical battle... it became spiritual. I wasn't finding anything that appealed to me for breakfast... and so, for a brief moment, I considered what used to be my old fall back... Chick-fil-A. I was being tempted. I decided to go on sparkpeople.com and see how many calories were actually in a chicken biscuit from chick-fil-a. I was convinced NOT to go. I was not willing to sacrifice 400 calories to a chicken biscuit - not to mention the guilt that would have come later.
Before, I stopped for breakfast at Chick-Fil-A so much that it got to the point where when we pulled up, Victoria would say "1, coke, hashbrown." She had heard her mommy say "I'd like a #1 with a coke, and an extra order of hasbrowns" (the extra order was for her) that she knew exactly what I was going to say when I got there. I think that was part of my wake up call.
So, thanks to prayer and strength from God, I avoided the temptation. But it was proof that this battle has just gone spiritual!
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." ~1 Corinthians 10:13
Today, it became more than just a physical battle... it became spiritual. I wasn't finding anything that appealed to me for breakfast... and so, for a brief moment, I considered what used to be my old fall back... Chick-fil-A. I was being tempted. I decided to go on sparkpeople.com and see how many calories were actually in a chicken biscuit from chick-fil-a. I was convinced NOT to go. I was not willing to sacrifice 400 calories to a chicken biscuit - not to mention the guilt that would have come later.
Before, I stopped for breakfast at Chick-Fil-A so much that it got to the point where when we pulled up, Victoria would say "1, coke, hashbrown." She had heard her mommy say "I'd like a #1 with a coke, and an extra order of hasbrowns" (the extra order was for her) that she knew exactly what I was going to say when I got there. I think that was part of my wake up call.
So, thanks to prayer and strength from God, I avoided the temptation. But it was proof that this battle has just gone spiritual!
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." ~1 Corinthians 10:13
What encouragement!
Thank you to all my friends and family for your encouragement and support over the last few days. I've gotten some great feedback, especially some of you who are going to take a shot at this journey as well.
It's my second day, and things are going great. I've been drinking a TON of water, and really watching my calories. If I can keep this up, and add exercise, I think I can really drop some weight. We'll see!
Tonight was the first night of leading a small group at church for women in the workforce. I had 3 ladies join me, which is great. I hope more will join us! These ladies are great! I let them know at the end of class about trying to change my lifestyle and they were all very encouraging. In fact, starting next week, we're going to start out our time by walking around the track that is behind the church. We'll start our discussion and prayer there, and then when we're done with 4 laps (a mile!) we'll go back inside to continue.
The ladies in the office and I are also talking about walking during our lunch break.
This is going to be such valuable time for me, because getting exercise in at the end of the day is so difficult for me, that every little bit will help!
My mom challenged me to a competition to lose 10 pounds. If anyone else is interested in a little friendly competition, and maybe some teamwork/exercise partnerships, etc... let me know. If you join SparkPeople (free on www.sparkpeople.com) we can set up a SparkTeam and keep each other committed.
It's my second day, and things are going great. I've been drinking a TON of water, and really watching my calories. If I can keep this up, and add exercise, I think I can really drop some weight. We'll see!
Tonight was the first night of leading a small group at church for women in the workforce. I had 3 ladies join me, which is great. I hope more will join us! These ladies are great! I let them know at the end of class about trying to change my lifestyle and they were all very encouraging. In fact, starting next week, we're going to start out our time by walking around the track that is behind the church. We'll start our discussion and prayer there, and then when we're done with 4 laps (a mile!) we'll go back inside to continue.
The ladies in the office and I are also talking about walking during our lunch break.
This is going to be such valuable time for me, because getting exercise in at the end of the day is so difficult for me, that every little bit will help!
My mom challenged me to a competition to lose 10 pounds. If anyone else is interested in a little friendly competition, and maybe some teamwork/exercise partnerships, etc... let me know. If you join SparkPeople (free on www.sparkpeople.com) we can set up a SparkTeam and keep each other committed.
A tool for the journey...
www.sparkpeople.com is a great resource for anyone trying to live a healthier lifestyle, or anyone trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle - it's a great way to track your nutrition, fitness, and other goals.
I had previously used sparkpeople.com (a totally free resource!) but lagged... now I've started back and accomplished two goals today!
I tracked all my eating today, something very important for controlling your caloric intake. Knowing I'm going to be entering information in really seems to help me control what I actually eat in the day...
Also, I actually managed to drink my full 8 glasses of water today! Whew! I had to add some crystal light to get through those last two!
I had previously used sparkpeople.com (a totally free resource!) but lagged... now I've started back and accomplished two goals today!
I tracked all my eating today, something very important for controlling your caloric intake. Knowing I'm going to be entering information in really seems to help me control what I actually eat in the day...
Also, I actually managed to drink my full 8 glasses of water today! Whew! I had to add some crystal light to get through those last two!
"Let it be said of me..." and My new reason for blogging.
"let it be said of us that we lived to be a blessing for life...
let it be said of us by the fruit we leave behind...
let it be said of us that our hearts belonged to Jesus
let it be said of us that we spoke the words of life
let it be said of us that our heritage is blessing for life"
John Waller - "The Blessing"
let it be said of us by the fruit we leave behind...
let it be said of us that our hearts belonged to Jesus
let it be said of us that we spoke the words of life
let it be said of us that our heritage is blessing for life"
John Waller - "The Blessing"
I've heard it said "You can't be everything to everyone." That is so true.
I can't be the wife that others might want me to be, or the mother that others might want me to be. I can only be the best wife and mother that I know to be, and show my husband and my daughter the incredible love I have for them.
In the end, I cannot let other's criticism (whether outright or hidden) discourage me. I know who I answer to. Instead, I should examine my own life...
Jesus said, "Why do you look at the small piece of dust that is in your brother's eye, but you do not give attention to the large piece of wood in your eye? You are a hypocrite! Take out the large piece of wood from your eye first. Then you will see clearly to take out the small piece of dust from your brother's eye." These are good words for all of us.
Here's another worthy quote... something I aspire to do and be more and more every day... "She did not try to set others right; she only listened to and loved and understood her fellow creatures." (Eliza Keary)
I am only responsible to grow in Christ, give the glory to God, and "live to be a blessing for life..." and in the end... hopefully one day it will be said of me that my heritage was a blessing for life.
-------------------
It has been on my heart for some time now that, in the realm of health, I needed to change the way I live. Like many, this journey has been full of starts and stops. Two things, however, have not been present... I have not relied on God and his strength to keep me going, and I have not allowed others to be a part of this journey with me.
So here we are. I'm going to be taking measures over the course of the next week or so to change the way I live. Why?
Because...
~"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
~I want to be healthy. Not necessarily thin (just a bonus!) but healthy. And at the rate I'm going, I'll have not only weight problems, but diabetes and cholesterol problems. How do I know this? Ask my dad. He's told me to get my life straight, or have the problems he's having now. It's about time I listen to dad. :)
~When I'm thirty, forty, fifty, and so on, I still want to be able to play with my daughter. The type of play will change, from running in the yard, to walking through the mall, to who knows what - but I want to be ready for it all.
So here we go! I would love your comments and feedback. I'll be greatly reducing my computer usage, but will be checking e-mail and updating my blog frequently (maybe daily?) with updates on how things are going. If you're reading this, it's probably because I've sent out an e-mail and invited you to be a part of this journey with me. I hope you will!
I've started by including some "before" pictures. This is me at 210lbs - April 14, 2008.
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