Shrink Yo'Self Challenge

I ran across this blog, The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans today that I really liked. It seems to be encouraging as well as offering challenges on a weekly basis that I can always use to push myself a little further.

So this is my week 1 check in even though I am a day late. :)

My goals for this year are to become a healthier, happier me. :) I don't think that will be a certain number but more of a change on the inside while the outside is changing along the way. I do have a plan to lose 70lbs with a healthy lifestyle and exercise over the next year.

Jamie

Cracked Pots

Have you read Patsy Clairmont's book God Uses Cracked Pots? She's a mess and I love how she puts things so simply but speaks the truth. In this particular chapter she makes the following statement and I think we all need to ask ourselves the same things.

"I wonder which weighs more: my groceries or my guilt? One makes my scale heavy, the other my heart."
"Are you eating because you're hungry...or hurting?"

This is not a question that can be answered without looking in to yourself and seeing the truth about you. It may hurt, be ugly, embarrassing or humiliating but at some point we each have to ask these questions of ourselves, get the answer and make the choice to change it or continue on like we have been. Your spouse, friend or parent can't do this for you but you can. You can always ask God for the support that you will need to overcome your fears in making the changes you need to make.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Phil 4:13

Jamie

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Visions of me

What do you tell yourself when you are trying to get in that last 5 minutes on the treadmill? You know you can do it, but what is it that keeps you going? I am a visual person so I usually imagine myself being fit and healthy and glowing. That's what keeps me going when my head says you have done enough, when my shins are burning, when my body is dripping sweat.

Its not about how others see you, its about how you see yourself. I may be comfortable at 140 but the other lady on the treadmill that has the same build as me may be comfortable at 160. The other night a lady got on the treadmill next to me and I missed an opportunity. She probably would have been considered "severely obese" but it didn't matter at that moment. She was there walking and getting healthy. She was older than me and I was out of my element. I had a million thoughts about how to talk with her but couldn't get the courage. Me, not able to talk to someone, I know its a shocker. I wanted to tell her she was doing great and she was an encouragement to others but I was afraid she would think I was just mocking her with the words I offered. I wanted to invite her to join myfitnesspal if she wasn't already there. How do I know that God wasn't trying to use me to talk to her with my testimony from my blog or myfitnesspal.com. What a shame it is that I may have missed a blessing. If I happen to run into her again I will talk to her and the next time I have the need to talk to the person next to me, I will.

The person next to you on the treadmill has a story, there is a reason why they are working on getting healthy or staying healthy. Don't judge others because you don't know their story. Don't miss an opportunity to make a new friend, you never know how you might change each others lives.

Jamie

I did it!!

I am so proud of myself! I not only had control over my self with my food choices but I even stayed under my calories while we were gone this weekend. I also managed to get some cardio in while at the hotel. Did I mention we ate out at every meal?

Ok, I just wanted to share. I'm gonna enjoy the rest of my weekend with my hubby.

Happy New Year and I am looking forward to the challenges and changes of 2012.

Jamie

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T.G.I.F

Its FRIDAY and we have a long weekend ahead of us. Me and my hubby are sneaking away for the weekend and I am really looking forward to it. Did I mention this is the first time we have ever done something together on New Years Eve?? :) Crazy I know.

I worked out last night again and felt pretty good about it when I was finished. I plan on making sure I make it to the fitness center in the hotel this weekend and stay on track even though we are out and about. I know most of the places around town will have their low cal meals marked so I will look for these types of meals. I may indulge in a treat and if I do then so be it. I will just have to work it off at the gym. This is not me giving myself an open pass to eat crap all weekend!

Anyways, I hope everyone is having a great week and continues to stay on track and move forward to a better you!

"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Hebrews 2:18

Jamie

Burn Baby Burn

Last night was my first workout in the gym since July when a friend literally made me go with her. I have to admit it was awesome and I cant believe that I forgot how much I enjoyed working out. It makes you feel great and motivates you to push your self a little further. I hope that I continue to have the desire to be healthy and work hard at achieving it. I will continue to pray daily for the desire and a good attitude.

This was when I hit 60 minutes and my cool down began. I did a varying incline between 2.5-4.0 and speed between 2.5-4.5.

I am feeling pretty good today except for a little discomfort in my hip, but I think that will work its self out.

The kids are gone for the next 5 days so Jon I are going to get away for the weekend and enjoy each other for a change. I made sure to get a hotel that has a fitness center though so I can still get a workout in.

On another note real quick, WATER has become my new addiction. I am even finding my self skipping my 2nd cup of coffee in the morning and filling up my water bottle instead and I LOVE coffee!

Today is a new day and it will be an amazing day!

Jamie

This & That

Not to get myself to worked up but I am seriously pumped! Last night me and the kids played Wii Just Dance 2 and we had so much fun. I am pretty sure they are now convinced to buy it with gift cards they received for Christmas. Plus for this momma for sure! My hubby and I agreed that we would turn our gym memberships back on so I plan to hit the gym tonight after I get back from taking the kids to their grandma's house.

I want to set small goals for myself with rewards for when I accomplish them. So here are a few goals and rewards to get me started.

10lbs--Manicure & Pedicure
20lbs--Digital Scale
30lbs--Heart Rate Monitor
40lbs--Running Shoes
50lbs--Spa Day **The Works**
60lbs--New Outfit **Head to Toe**
70lbs--Vacation with my Hubby!!

I haven't ran these by the hubby, but I think it will be ok. :) At least this is what my plans look like.

A yummy snack that I had today and wanted to share was a red gala apple sprinkled with cinnamon. It was so yummy, it tasted like an apple pie!

Jamie

Another day

My family and I had a great Christmas this year and I am so thankful for that. We were able to enjoy one another with out any major drama and only a little bit of competitiveness around the game tables. My kids were able to help pick out gifts for less fortunate kids in our church and see the excitement on their face when we delivered them. We were able to give a thoughtful gift to an elderly neighbor and see the tears of joy and thanks she had for such a small thing. My girls were able to help make gifts this year for family and friends and really enjoyed seeing how much the gifts were liked. My youngest daughter was able to share thoughtful spiritual moments with my oldest who is really starting to question salvation. My prayer for this next year would be that we are all able to share moments with her and she would be able to accept the ultimate gift by next Christmas.

This is some of the good that happened over the last few days, the bad is I was weak. I was like an uncontrollable toddler. Ok, so it wasn't that bad but I didn't have the self control that I wanted. I started out good by just watching my portions at each meal. Then I went out shopping yesterday and completely fell off the wagon. I had fast food for breakfast and lunch then a Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte, that was amazing by the way. The down side to all of this is that I feel horrible today. My stomach is hurting and I have a migraine. My body had already made the transition from bad, greasy, starchy foods to good, healthy meals and now it is freaking out.

Today is another day and I will ask God to give me the strength and desires to be healthy once again. Feeling yucky is one of the hardest times for me to be my best. I alone am not a strong person but I know that God can give me the strength to be strong.

Jamie

Christmas Parties!!

It is that time of year and as we all know temptations are every where! How am I supposed to resist the urge to enjoy those yummy cookies, cake, pie, fudge and the list goes on? We are having our company Christmas lunch today and I am praying that I will be able to enjoy it without over eating and then feeling horrible about it. I am going to remember that the food on the table is only to give my body the nutrients it needs to continue on with my day.

I will practice self control today and all days!

Lord, please change my desires for food into a need and not just a want that will damage me. Amen

Jamie

P.S. I bought a pair of pants last night at Beall's and I have to return them for a smaller size. Yea!!

Filling In the Holes

Today makes 6 days since I started down this trail again. I feel good, I have more energy already and I have lost 5 pounds. I haven’t started working out yet but I plan on it. I am keeping up with all of my calories on www.myfitnesspal.com and it has been so much easier than a food journal.

I have been able to look at food for what it is nutrient for my body to continue to function properly. Not as a substance that I am going to abuse and be a slave to. That’s what we do when we can’t control ourselves around it, when it consumes our lives daily. I don’t want to be an addict to food just like I don’t want to be an addict to drugs or anything else that will harm my body.

I have known several people through the years that were addicts to other things and I have watched it destroy their lives. As I am sitting here writing this out it is being made even clearer to me. I think to myself what makes my food addiction any different than a drug, alcohol or tobacco addiction to the unsaved person seeing me. If an unsaved person was looking at my life and saw that I was over weight due to my own choice's what kind of testimony is that showing? Do they see that I am filling myself with unneeded and unhealthy food when I am trying to teach them about a God that can and will fill all the holes in there heart and needs in there life. Isn’t that what I am doing when I decide I need that late night ice cream or extra serving? I have been trying to fill the holes in my heart with comfort, except I was searching in the fridge instead of in God. 

I don’t want to be the kind of person that makes someone else turn away from God because of my actions. We are all accountable to God for our own actions and I want mine to be glorious to Him.

Jamie