Sum It Up

WOW! I can not believe that it is January 31, 2012 already! Where has the time gone? Remember as a kid we used to wish the days away, now we don't have enough time to even think about wishing them away. *Sigh* We live and we learn.

On to more exciting news...Today has been 7 weeks since I started back on my journey and it only feels like yesterday. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like at 52 weeks!

I wanted to take a look back at my accomplishments over the last 7 weeks just to see the big picture of how much this has impacted my life. So here it goes!

1. Successfully tracking my food every day, learning to balance and stay within healthy limits
2. Burned 9,966 calories by working out
3. Walking, jogging, running, bicycling 85.16 MILES (Must I tell you how much I was moving before?)
4. I have lost 12lbs as of my last weigh-in (1/30/12, measurements will be taken and posted on Feb. 2)
5. More quiet time and prayer time to help me realize some things to work on and help change the inside
6. Realizing my health problems are not just from my diet but some are also medical issues
7. My skin feels and looks so much healthier and radiant from drinking so much water
8. I have been able to encourage some of the ladies at my office to take a healthy approach to life
9. I have been able to set an example to my kids and show them good food is yummy too
10. My clothes are fitting just a little bit looser all over

I have not completed this journey yet but I am still walking through every day, good or bad and giving thanks to the Lord for the strength that he provides me on this trying journey.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His Love endures forever."  Psalm 145:7

Jamie

P.S. I added January's pictures here. I am not seeing the change yet but I am feeling it.

Searching for Purpose

Lately I have really been asking myself what God's purpose for me is. I currently work as a CSR in an insurance agency. I am content doing this job but it doesn't challenge me and I don't feel like I am doing God's work here. I am surrounded by wonderful Godly women that have truly been such an encouragement to me over the last few months. So the question that I keep coming back to is why do I feel like I am not serving out His purpose for me.

We studied Jonah last night at church and I was surprised to find out that Jonah was actually an angry, bitter and selfish person. God told him what to do but he wanted to do it his way. It took the part that we all know of being in the belly of the whale for him to realize he needed God. Even after God showed him mercy and saved him, Jonah went out with a bitter heart to do what God had asked him for a second time to do.

I don't think that its going to take God putting me in the belly of whale to get my attention and obedience but I know he has used some extreme measures with me to get my attention in the past. I wish I could say for sure what it is he wants me to do in the here and now.

I don't have the picture perfect life or past but mine's real, it has hurt, disappointment and many mistakes in it. However, I know that all of these things have been to lead me to where I am today. God used other measures to get my attention and I only wished that I would have listened to him the first time instead of thinking I knew a better way.

I have chosen to make my weight loss journey public. Not because I am excited about my weight being written on the internet for the world to see but because through my journey I may able to encourage or touch even one person and that would be a praise to God. Maybe this is what He wants for me for now, to be faithful in my blogging and encouraging to others who struggle with the same things as I do. I will pray for direction, patience, to have a cheerful heart and sincere motives behind my actions.

In His timing he will reveal to me His purpose for me but for now he has me where he wants me and I will continue to love Him and do what I can to show others his graciousness, mercy and steadfast love.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace; that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Jamie

Monday Weigh In~Week 4

Here are this weeks stats:  

1/23-1/29

SW: 210 (12/12/11)

CW: 198 (-0lbs)

Calories burned from exercise: 2235

Miles ran/jogged/walked: 13.36

Avg Calories per day: 1251

85oz-90oz water daily

Well as you can see I didn't see a loss this week on the scale BUT my pants are fitting better and I sneaked a peak at my waist measurement on Saturday and it was down 3.5 inches. I will be taking my overall measurements this week and I am excited to see those numbers! All in all I would say I am pleased with this last weeks efforts and results. I do think I need to try and get in a little more water each day. 

Mini goal for last week:  Less processed foods ---I did do better on the processed foods but I am not sure that I could tell a difference. 

Mini goal for this week: Drink more water

NSV this week:

• More prayer time with God, seeking God's direction for me!
• Incline of 12 on the treadmill with EVERY workout!
• 13.36 miles this week!! From the girl who didn't do more than the required walking on a daily basis 2 months ago!

This is how my week went, how was yours? Did you have a weight loss or maybe a NSV?  

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

Jamie

Truckin along

Today is a blah day for me again. I had my doctors appointment yesterday and am hoping to see some change in the next few days. The diagnosis is up in the air but I am willing try it. In an effort to avoid a bunch of lab tests (I don't have insurance) he reviewed last years lab results from my physical and decided to give me a B12 shot. I was a little low for my age last year so he wanted to try this and see if it helps in the next few days. Honestly, with the way I am feeling this morning I don't think this will help. He also gave me a prescription for an antidepressant to start taking if I don't feel like the B12 has made an improvement in the next few days. I hate to be one of those people that are medicated but if you have ever experienced depression or dealt with family members with it you know what its like. Its not a choice that I make to feel this way, it is a chemical imbalance and the medication is able to supplement the chemicals that my body is not producing on its own. This is really hard for me to share here but I want to be open and honest about the struggles that I am going through on this lifestyle change.

Its not always going to be pretty, fun and happy moments that make up my journey. Some of them will be hard, painful, tearful and just exhausting. I hope that no one takes offense to my thoughts on this but I know from past experience with my family that this can be a consuming factor in ones life if its not treated. I want to be the woman that God intends for me to be and if this can help me achieve that then I will make the changes necessary.

On another note, the Crockpot Chicken Tacos (408) were delicious!

Place 5 frozen chicken breasts in bottom of crock pot, sprinkle chicken with 1 packet taco seasoning, fill with water just above chicken. Cook on high for about 6 hours and then remove the chicken (120) and place on a plate to shred apart. I used whole wheat tortillas (100x2), 1T FF Sour Cream (20), 1T refried beans (13x3), 1T mozzarella & mixed cheese (29)

One of my favorite snacks this week

Wheat Thins Flatbread Crackers (60)
Laughing Cow Sundried Tomato Wedge (35)

This is what I was tempted with in kids choir tonight. I sustained and said NO!

Jamie

Mid Week Catch Up

I am having a pretty good week so far and we are half way through it. This is always a good thing in my book. It seems like if the first half of the week goes well the rest just follows in line behind it. I mentioned in my weigh in post that I was able to get a menu planned out for this week and it has proven to be helpful. Except for Monday night when I forgot that we had an orthodontist appointment out of town. It worked out though because there was a Subway right around the corner (my bff decided to torture me though with Wing Stop, what a friend!). Which by the way, she does not follow my blog and I told her I was gonna throw her under the bus for not following me. 

So here is what my menu plan for this week looks like:

Breakfast

Egg White & Quaker Instant Oatmeal

1 cup of coffee with splenda & sugar free french vanilla non dairy creamer

Snack Choice of 1

Apple 

Crackers w/Laughing Cow cheese

Lunch

Turkey sandwich or Egg White Omlette w/Spinach (haven't actually had a sandwich, had crackers instead with my soup)

Healthy Harvest Soups (My favorite is Tomato Basil or the Pasta Fajoli) <100 cals and super yummy!

5 club crackers and topped my soup with Chipotle Tortilla Strips

Snack Choice of 1

Yogurt w/granola

Green Beans

Apple

I usually have a cup of coffee in the afternoon also

Dinner

M-Subway-Flat bread, turkey & ham with mustard, honey mustard, mozzarella cheese & veggies, Baked Lays, Yogurt Parfait

T-Salmon, cauliflower, grilled onions, green beans

W-Crock Pot Chicken tacos 

T-Homemade Pizzas

F-Cereal or Oatmeal w/PB (kids & hubby will be gone)

S-Tuna Salad w/crackers & green beans

S-Healthy Harvest Soup & veggies

I worked out last night and felt pretty good and I am going to try and go every night this week with Monday & Sunday being my rest days for the week. 

Please pray for me today as I have my doctors appointment and I am feeling a little anxious, worried, nervous about it. 

I know this is the hardest time for so many of us because life starts to get in the way of the goals you set for yourself. Please remember that God has only given you 1 body and 1 life to spend with your family. How do you want to spend it? I want to spend mine feeling healthy, happy and enjoying all the fun things we are meant to do with our kids and families.

Jamie

Monday Weigh In~Week 3

Here are this weeks stats:  

1/16-1/22

SW: 210 (12/12/11)

CW: 198 (-3lbs)

Calories burned from exercise: 2161

Miles ran/jogged/walked: 11.28

Avg Calories per day: 1446

85oz-120oz water daily

This last week was a very emotional, stressful & draining week. I am thankful to have it behind me though. I have a doctors appointment on Thursday so I am hoping that I will be able to get some answers on how I have been feeling. Praying this is a better week all together. Oh yeah, I was finally able to sit down yesterday and make a menu out for myself for this week. Looking forward to the simplicity this will bring.

Mini goal for last week: No added salt---I only made it 4 days. At this point I am just not able to have no added salt so I just tried to use less of it. 

Mini goal for this week: Less processed foods

NSV this week:

• More prayer time with God!!
• Incline of 12 on the treadmill
• 11.28 miles this week!!

This is how my week went, how was yours? Did you have a weight loss or maybe a NSV?  

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

Jamie

Oh yes she did!!!

I just wanted to brag a little as I just got home and showered. Where from you ask, why I was on the treadmill doing 4.05 miles with hills varying from 4 to 12. I burned 703 calories!!!

I absolutely needed that! I got to talk with God and he got me through every bit of it because "I" was not wanting it at all emotionally or physically. It was like he kept saying, "It's ok, just trust me". I am so thankful to have a father that can handle all things.

Jamie

Better days

Today is Thursday and Friday afternoon can not come quick enough. I posted earlier in the week about feeling blah and dragging...well its now been magnified. I still don't have a real answer as to why I feel this way but I do have a doctor's appointment next week and hope to get some answers. The increased dragging this week has probably come from emotional stress and fatigue. I am trying my best to give this set of problems to God but it is proving to be very difficult when it involves my kids. Pray for strength, wisdom and knowledge for me please.

I have managed to keep my eating in check this week by staying under my daily allowance of calories but I still feel like I am just not hitting the mark. I haven't exactly planned my meals but they have all been satisfactory choices. I have found myself several a few times wanting to just eat for no reason. I know this is the old me trying to cope with the situation and I don't want to be that person anymore. I have given in some what by allowing myself extra Wheatables Cashew Crackers (these will not be allowed in the house again, officially contraband) or Wheat Thins Sundried Tomatoes Crackers but I always make sure to put them on my log. Its not a "huge splurge" but it stops me from making a really bad decision food wise that I will really regret. I have worked out twice this week and will be working out for at least an hour tonight. I always seem to feel at least a little better after I work out.

Jamie

Randomness

I have been having several thoughts for my post today but nothing really sticks out to be motivational or important so I am just going to blog about some different randomness lately.

I have been really tired lately and I am talking about the "I have no energy and I don't wanna get up from desk" kind. I am not sure what is causing this but my husband keeps telling me its just the change in my lifestyle. It is going on 5 five weeks and I would think that my body would be some what adjusted by now but its not. I am loosing concentration when in the middle of something and have trouble bringing my thoughts back around. Again, he says it is my body's way of acting out against my lifestyle change. This is my 2nd week back on my vitamins so I am hoping to see more of a change by the end of this week.

Lettuce! I have never in my life had any problems eating any kind of lettuce. But the last 2 times I had salad I was miserable. For what ever reason my body is not tolerating lettuce (romaine or leaf) at this point. This is not cool because I love having my salads. I mean I get full and feel like I have done a great job with my meals. I do not however enjoy them enough to suffer like I have been. So for now, we will not be having lettuce salads but will be replacing them with spinach salads.

One more thought on my body transition is that I cant seem to be able to wrap my mind around big tasks. For instance, I want to sit down and write out my menu plan for the week but mentally getting myself to that point of thinking it through is exhausting.

My workouts are the one thing that I feel like I am able to enjoy and feel productive with lately. There have only been a couple of days over the last few weeks that I have really not been in to my workout and felt unsatisfied when I was finished. I know the things that I need to do and have in order to be prepared to have a good work out and I want to continue to try and always be prepared for them.

If you would please keep me in your prayers that I can get past this stage and get to the full of energy and ready to go stage I would really appreciate it.

This is a lifestyle not a diet, this is a marathon not a sprint. I have to remind myself of this daily.


Jamie

Monday Weigh In~Week 2

Here are this weeks stats:  


1/9-1/15
SW: 210 (12/12/11)
CW: 201 (-2lbs)
Calories burned from exercise: 1719
Miles ran/jogged/walked: 19.79
Avg Calories per day: 1252.29
85oz-120oz water daily


I have to admit that I weighed on Saturday and was excited to see 200, however I did a really long jog/walk last night that may have affected the scale this morning. I know that the number is not the most important thing but it sure is a good feeling to see that number going down! 


Mini goal for last week: Run 10 miles---DONE!


Mini goal for this week: No added salt (I am addicted to garlic salt)


NSV this week:

• More personal time with God!!
• Avoided a binge yesterday!!
• 19.79 miles this week!!

This is how my week went, how was yours? Did you have a weight loss or maybe a NSV?  


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

Jamie