Welcome 2015

A brand new year...365 days...it's like looking at crisp, blank pages in a book, waiting for me to write the story of my journey. There will be wrinkles, smudges, and coffee stains marring those pages by the end of the year, but I hope to look back and see a well-worn, beloved story of God's grace shining thru. Happy New Year!

Setting Goals Along The Way

Well, It's time to look at the calendar for 2015 and set some reasonable goals to achieve along the way, rather than just looking at "I want to lose 70 lbs this year".  Notice what occasions and events are coming up along the way and try to plan accordingly.  Even I know that losing a stagnant 1.35 pounds per week, every week, just isn't realistic.  I'm guessing, if history is a good measure, that I'll lose 5-7 lbs the first 2 weeks, then I'll get comfortable with that little bit of success and either stay put or even gain a pound or two in weeks 3-4.  Then will come the decision point.... get back on track or just throw in the towel and give up.  Well, this year, I'm promising myself that I'm not giving up, which leaves room only for one thing.... get on track and keep moving.

So, today I'm looking at my calendar and charting my course; setting out a plan, a daily schedule, along with deciding on rewards for milestones reached, and devising a plan for when I fall behind and need to get back on track.  I'm also setting weekly and/or monthly challenges that will build upon one another.  Focusing on one thing at a time means I'm less likely to get frustrated and overwhelmed and then quit.  It occurred to me today that working toward my weight and health goals has a wonderful umbrella benefit for my family.... they'll be eating better as well since I'll be cooking more at home and relying on drive-thru less.

Christmas 2014

What a blessed day, spent surrounded by those I love, celebrating the birth of our Savior.  We had an enjoyable day, relaxing once all the gifts were opened, the squeals of delight died down, the wrapping paper and boxes were picked up, and our meal was underway.  We also went to visit my Mamo's gravesite.... missing her greatly yet thrilled that she is celebrating the birth of Jesus with the Birthday Boy Himself :)  Yes, it was a day of indulgence all the way around, but that's part of life and meant to be enjoyed and celebrated.

Tomorrow however, marks my final week of preparation and introspection for the journey that awaits me in 2015.  The forecast is a cold one and there looks to be a bit of travel mixed in, but I'm looking forward to truly seeking out God and His direction for the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Schroeder Clan!

Paying Attention

It occurred to me this evening, that I've fallen back into a lifelong habit of not paying attention to what and when I eat.  This particular habit might lead people to think that I wouldn't have a weight issue as food really isn't important to me.  Don't get me wrong.... I enjoy a good meal or brownies or warm chocolate chip cookies as much as the next person; but food to me isn't my great joy, it's really  nothing more than a way to stop my tummy from growling.  You wouldn't think I'd have a weight problem, would you? :)

The big problem with this is that when I do get hungry, I just grab the most convenient thing to eat and fill that void.  Usually, it's not the most nutritionally sound choice and it's something that will give me a quick boost of energy..... i.e. SUGAR.  Case in point, I was running errands today when I realized that I was starving and starting to not feel so good.  It took a bit longer before I'd realized everything I'd eaten today ~ it consisted of some homemade caramel corn and a Dr. Pepper this morning while visiting with my mom.  Yup, that's it; and I'm not talking 2 lbs of caramel corn either, it was more like a cup of the yummy stuff along with about 32 ounces of soda.  It was enough to fill me up and give me the energy I needed to carry me thru till about 5 pm.  So, what did I choose at that point when I was truly hungry and my tummy was growling?  A jalepeno cheeseburger, small fries, and a cup of water at McDonalds.  So, there you have my fabulous choices in nutrition for today.... UGH!  Was there a single veggie or fruit in any of it?  How about some healthy grains?  Any dairy choices with staying power to stabilize my blood sugar thru the day?  NOPE.

As you can see, I have a lot of work to do to make the changes I need to make.  And, now you can also see how someone who doesn't eat much in the sense of volume, can still have a weight problem because of the nutritional deficit in her choices.

Weight Watchers will help me immensely as I will naturally make better choices to use my points in the most effective way possible.  I'm already starting on some menu plans and grocery lists so that I can get off to a great start.  I will have my office completely cleaned and organized this week so that I have a pleasant and calm place to get in my daily exercise, plan my healthy days, spend time with God, and enjoy prayer time... all without the distractions surrounding me of housework that needs to be done.  And.... my little mason jars to track my progress are ready and looking pretty cute too, if I may say so myself :)

Inspiration/encouragement Jars

For about $5.00 I bought the supplies to keep a visual of my journey. Gotta love Hobby Lobby :)

Jars were half price in the craft department (pint size), glass marbles were $2.99 in the bridal department and I used a 40% off coupon, and the chalkboard stickers were half price in the paper crafting department.  Now, I can't wait to see the "pounds lost" jar fill up 😊

Encouragement for the journey

I ran across a fun website tonight.  It can give you a visual of what you will look like at your goal weight... giving you something to focus on as you walk this journey to better health.  http://modelmydiet.com  Check it out :)

Also, I've decided that I need a visual to help see how I'm doing; especially during those times that I may be losing slowly or even at a plateau.  It would be nice to have a way of remembering just how far I've come and get less discouraged when things aren't going as well as I'd like.  I'm going to keep two mason jars: one with 70 glass marbles to represent the 70 pounds I want to lose, the other empty.  As I lose weight, I will move a marble from the first jar into the second for each pound that I lose.  It will be a huge milestone when the second jar is more full than the first:)

I haven't decided yet, as to what my smaller milestones will be, or the rewards I will get when I achieve them.... but, I am giving it a lot of thought.

Still waiting and hoping that Weight Watchers runs a special soon.  Fingers crossed ;)

You Are What You Eat

I should be close to the finish line by now, but.........

I'll be honest, I'm tired.  I'm tired of being tired.  Tired of being overweight.  Tired of not being as healthy as I should be.  Tired of not having any endurance.  Etc. Etc. Etc.....

I've learned that my issues aren't just middle age, nor is it just long-term effects of a life struggle with severe asthma and all the medicines and steroids that I've lived my life on, nor is it life as a mom of a child with chronic health problems that cause me to live sleep deprived.  It's the combination of all these things that work against me and my health goals, along with potentially a thyroid issue to top it all off.  Does this mean I just give up and no longer strive to get healthier and stronger, no longer try to lose weight, no longer work at making better choices when it comes to food and exercise?  Of course not.  It does mean, however that I need to pick myself up by the boot straps and start all over again.

In my usual fashion, I'm spending a bit of time really evaluating what I need to do, the best way for me to do it, looking at my options, and writing out my plan.  GOALS and the action I need to take to achieve them.  I'm really feeling strongly that I should probably go back to Weight Watchers.  It's a simple, straight forward program that works, WHEN I FOLLOW IT ;)  It takes work on my part; planning, preparing, and executing healthy meals, snacks, and exercise routines.  It takes dedication and for me not to lose sight of my goal.

So, what is my goal?  In 2015 I want to be on a solid road to health and I want reach my goal weight by New Year's Eve, so that I can head into 2016 without this still hanging over my head.  Yes, this is a very lofty goal.... but broken down into small steps and small milestones, it's very achievable.

What are some of the steps I need to take?

1- Get my office cleaned out and organized before the end of this year.  I have exactly 2 weeks to accomplish this.  Having my space organized will give me a calming environment to erase some of the stress I face each day.  I will actually enjoy getting daily exercise in this space, if it's kept clean and cheerful.  Keeping the clutter out of there will also allow me to not only plan things like weekly menus and the girls lesson plans, but it will also help me to have the time to execute those plans without having the distractions of clearing this old clutter out of the way any longer.

2- Sign up for Weight Watchers once again.  I'm hoping they run a "Free Registration" sale before the first of the year, so I'm kind of holding off on this particular step for a bit and waiting patiently :)  I plan on doing the program online rather than meetings right now.  Winter in the midwest along with children at home, can combine to make it difficult to commit to weekly meetings.  If I begin to fail at attending meetings, I find it easy to just give up on the entire program.  Online doesn't have the same exact accountability as a public-private weigh in, but I'm less likely to get discouraged because of missing meetings and actually stick to the program for the long haul.

3- Get a new ActiveLink right away and begin from day one tracking all my sleep and activity.  It's a great way to challenge myself and to also keep me on track.

4- PLAN!  Plan weekly menus.  Plan my exercise routine along with a regular time to workout on a daily basis.  Plan housework.  Plan lessons for the girls for the next semester.  Plan my Bible Study, Prayer, and Devotion time daily.  Plan family time.  Plan time with friends.

5- Set goals and milestones.  Small milestones.  Reward myself (non-food of course) for reaching each one.  Take selfies to record any loses that may not be showing on the scale, so that I can see the small achievements and be encouraged to continue on.

6- Determine myself to stick with my plans :)  Keep my sight set on my goal.  Remind myself that God is in control and my number one priority is to bring Him glory through all of this.  And, have faith that He will be right alongside of me each step of the way, encouraging me to the finishing line.

Jeremiah 29:11

Still At The Starting Line....

Yes, I'm still here, shifting foot to foot, knowing the starting shot was already fired yet stuck at the starting line, seemingly unable to take more than a first tentative step.  Hmmmm....

Yes, this is about losing weight and feeling better about how I look; but it's also about much more than that.  It's about a healthier life, gaining control over my emotions as well as my health issues, giving my family better choices for what they fuel their bodies with and keeping them healthy, empowering my family to lead active and healthy lives without feeling the pull of junk food to fill their emotional needs..... It's about going where God is leading.

Over the past several months I had been seeing something called Trim Healthy Mama continually popping up in my FB newsfeed.  Yummy looking recipes, friends posting about losing weight and improving their overall health, etc.  I decided to do a little research and see what THM was all about. I tend to be skeptical about fads and I am realistic enough to know that I will never stick with anything that is too strict and involved (requiring too much work and telling me I can not have chocolate;), nor will I stick with anything that makes me give up the foods I like and only eat things I don't.  I'm sure you all know exactly what I mean :)

Well, I gotta tell you, I've been very impressed with what I found.  My initial concern was that it was going to be all about fake sweeteners, low/no fat, processed and refined foods that are expensive and really (once you get past the "lose weight fast" thought) not healthy in the long run, blah blah blah.  WRONG!  THM is all about real food and real life.  Food your husband will love and your pickiest kids will inhale.  Food with real fat in it as well as real nutritional value.  Food as well as an eating style that will actually satisfy you and still allow you to enjoy better health along with weight loss.

After nine years of living with a T1 Diabetic child and educating myself on how food fuels our bodies, I was shocked to find a book that actually makes sense and teaches the truth about things but is still very mommy (and family/child) friendly.  The basis of the book is that we should only feed our bodies one fuel source at a time (fat or carbs) to avoid overloading our system, causing much of what we are eating to be put into storage for use later on, only to end up parking it there for good.  Our bodies can not utilize the fuel we feed it when we are on the standard american diet, because it's too much of everything.  What we consider as a modern day nutritionally balanced diet is actually to heavy in starchy carbs which turn to sugar in our system; combine that with the high fat content in our food choices and our bodies go into overload mode.  Our system just can not burn it all as fuel simultaneously.  THM teaches how to have a new kind of nutritionally balanced mentality..... get in all the good things we need, but do it in a way that fuels our bodies with only one fuel at a time and balance it out over time.  For example, if I choose to have carbs be my fuel to start my day, I won't mix in fats.  Then about 3 hours later, when I'm ready for lunch, my body has had a chance to burn those carbs and I may choose fat as my fuel source for lunch, which will keep me satisfied throughout the afternoon.  THM also teaches that protein is vital in helping our body transport and burn the fuel we give it, therefore it should be enjoyed at each meal/snack for the most effective nutritional benefits.  By eating in this way, you are no longer depriving your body of anything, nor are you overloading it and causing it to breakdown.

I'm still getting the hang of the THM lifestyle.... breaking a lifetime of bad habits (ahem... not eating breakfast for example) and learning how to make smart choices.  It's surprisingly difficult to let go of some of the lies we've been told about healthy nutrition, because they are so ingrained into us and it's just as hard to enjoy a newfound freedom to enjoy REAL food in all it's healthy splendor.  Yes, I'm still heading down this path.... at a turtles pace.  I'll get there eventually; and I keep reminding myself that every little change brings with it a lifetime of benefit.  Journey on friends, there is joy to be found in it all :)

Seriously?????

Boy oh boy, do I have a stubborn heart.  I so want to give God control of my entire life, yet I seem to stubbornly hold this particular part out and I honestly don't know why.  I continue to try doing it all "my way," thinking I know best.  You'd think I'd have learned better by now :(

The fact is, I know what I should do.  I know what I need to do.  I know what I MUST do.  And.... I know that I need to stop digging my heels in and begin to allow God to do the work in me that He has planned.  I continue to let all the distractions around me get in the way.  That needs to stop.  The only way to stop that is to begin each and every day with God ~ in prayer and scripture.  I need to give Him my day and pray for His guidance and His blessing in everything, rather than giving Him my agenda for the day and asking Him to make my plan work out smoothly.  It's a heart change before a body change.

I know that God loves me just the way I am, but I also know that I'm allowing my health and weight issues to come between He and I.  I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, severe asthma, joint pain, even brain fog.  All of these things are complicated and exaggerated by the added weight I'm carrying.  I know that physically I will feel so much better as I lose weight and finally get to my proper weight.  I also know that emotionally and mentally I'll feel better and more prepared to continue the work God calls me to.

Am I still finding joy in this journey?  Actually.... yes, I am.  Why?  Because honestly, it's when I'm stuck in "the desert" that I seek out God for my refuge, my solace, my contentment, my worth.  It's out here in this desert that I feel Him draw me near, wrapping me in His loving embrace, and can hear Him whisper His love for me.  So, I will continue to seek Him as I continue consciously to make better choices for the food I eat and determine to get some exercise on a daily basis.  I Choose God over my lazy habits.

  

God's Path

I've been a complete failure at this journey so far.  I'd lost a few pounds the first couple of weeks, then promptly gained most of them back.  Here's the problem: I have a rebellious heart and a lazy spirit when it comes to my health.  I want to eat what I want with no regard to it's benefit or lack there of.  I don't want to actually feel the need to work out daily.  Hhhhhmmmm...... Gee, do you think I've actually handed this all over to God?  Um, yeah... I'd have to go with NO.

As I've been doing a little cleaning out and packing up, I ran across all my Weigh Down Workshop things.  Fabulous Bible study approach to growing closer to God, filling the void with His Spirit, and only eating when I'm physically hungry.  I've pulled it out, dusted it off, charged up my portable DVD player, and want to start the "program" today.  I'm looking forward to it, because when I've done it in the past, my relationship with God was so close and personal.  Yes, I lost weight in the past through WDW, but the important thing was how amazing my relationship with God was.  That is what I want back more than anything.  Yes, I love God.  He is the center of my life.  But the closeness I crave with Him, I've allowed to slip away some by letting life get in the way and distract me from Him.

I'm all in today :)

Protein... The Power Ingredient

I'm still stuck :(  I know why (I've lost all my steam) and I know what I need to do to get back on track (eat less, move more). But knowing and doing are very different things. 

Doing a little research, I discovered that I really need to increase my protein. Protein keeps you feeling full and stops the mind fog that comes from low calorie choices. It seems that a good place to start is setting a goal of 20 grams at each meal and 10 grams for snacks. Sounds easy enough. 

Thank God for Pinterest :)  A treasure trove of ideas and recipes. 

A New Week and Hitting The Re~Start Button

There is nothing quite like a clean slate and that is what Wednesday mornings are for me when it comes to WW.  Everything resets and I get a new shot at getting it right.... giving up my selfish desires and working towards getting healthier.

I'm going to try something new this week... I'm going to try using the Simple Start method.  I usually stick with counting points, which I like to do and feel that I can get more creative with, finding things that work for the entire family and not just myself.  Simple Start is eating from a list of foods and not veering from it.  I'm sure there's ways to be creative with it as well, but I just need to wrap my mind around it and play with it, I guess.

I'm off to the grocery store to stock up on the power foods on my list..... wish me luck for a great WW week :)

Off to a determined start

It's Monday and I'm determined to get back on track.  I want to bring God glory through this, so I need to focus on not grumbling and whining about not getting my way through all this.  I mean, it's only food, right?

So.... this morning I made french toast for breakfast.  I have an abundance of eggs to use up and it seemed like a great way to use a few; plus the girls LOVE french toast :)  I had two pieces for my breakfast and used 6 points I also made sure to get it down onto my tracker.  It was a yummy start to a rainy, stormy day ;)  I also determined to get back on track with Plexus Slim and Accelerator.  As I've said before, that is my safety net and keeps me from over eating by controlling my appetite.  All in all, it's been a pretty good start to my day.  Now on to cleaning and reorganizing the kitchen to try and get it to be more functional.  

Mother's Day

I'm so off "the wagon" at this point that the wagon train has gone on without me and I can't even see the dust from their wheels any more :(  Today is Mother's Day and I'd hoped to be down 15 pounds by now; but fact is, I'm only down a few (no where near the 15 I had hoped for).  Being this far off track, I decided to go ahead and just enjoy the special holiday weekend.  I didn't go over board, I just didn't worry about anything, nor did I even bother to think about points or what I was eating.  Yet again, tomorrow, being Monday and all, is a fresh start.  I'm praying that God totally focuses my heart on Him and His journey for me, not on what I perceive I'm missing out on.  I'm laying it all at His feet yet again.  I refuse to let my own failures define who I am in Christ.

Well......

Yesterday went ok.... in so far that I lost a little weight, but not sure exactly how I did that.  Ugh!  Gotta say that I'm frustrated right now; with myself not WW.  I know God put me here on this path for a reason, yet in classic form, once the excitement wore off, I've been bucking Him every step of the way.  I really do want to lose weight but the problem is, "I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT" not see what God is wanting to show me through this journey.  I've got to just turn it all over to Him and let Him do with me what He wants, molding my life to His will.... that is so hard for me; I know in my heart and soul it's what is good and right, yet my human nature fights it and wants to control all of this.  I want to lose weight and have a frappe' every day.  I want to lose weight and enjoy the foods I want to enjoy, not worrying about their nutritional value or the long term effects it will have on my life.  I want to eat like a six year old and still be skinny.  I want.  I want. I want....

But it's not about what I want.  It's about what God is wanting to do in and through me.  I should feel blessed having so much of His attention right now... instead, I'm feeling deprived and upset because I can't have my own way.

Heavenly Father,  Please forgive my stubborn heart and behavior.  Please soften my heart and bend it toward you and your will.  Give me a willing spirit; one that desires to live only for you at the expense of my own selfish desires.  Give me your strength and allow me to lean on you when I'm weak.  Keep my eyes trained on your glory and my heart tightly bound to you.  Guide my thoughts, my words, and my actions, so that my focus is completely on you and you alone.  And, above all Father, thank you for never ever giving up on me through all my tantrums and failings.  Amen

Monday...

Am I ever going to get out of this vicious cycle of lose a pound or two, then gain it back the next day?  It's my own bad choices that is keeping me where I am.  I declare that I'm going to eat well, track my food, give up pop, get in some exercise....... then the realities of life come at me and I crumble.  Well, it's Monday and a brand new week (mid-week point for WW) and I'd like to try to be down to where I was at my last weigh in.  That means working at staying on track for the next couple of days to try to get a good start on getting back on track.  I LOVE pop and the more I try to give it up, the stronger the tug, so maybe I should allow myself some diet pop for a bit and focus on not crumbling to "stress" eating.  Here I go again....

Why?

Why am I having such a difficult time getting back on track?  My first week or two on this journey was amazing!  Now.... ugh

By late afternoon, I seem to fall off the wagon.  Today is a new day with a clean slate.  I began the day right with berries and greek yogurt for breakfast.  Lunch will probably be chicken noodle soup and veggies.  Dinner I'm planning on making Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli.  Sounds like a solid plan... let's see if I can stick with it for at least a day and get back on track.

Also, today I REFUSE to drink any soda pop (that is a huge slippery slope for me; one sip and it's all over)

First Day Of A New Week

I love a fresh start, and a brand new WW week is just that...a clean slate :)

I went to my WW meeting this morning and just as I suspected, I was up a hair more than a pound but that's still OK after traveling. I determined this morning to make good food choices and to be diligent about tracking. I began my day with a banana and a piece of toast along with my plexus slim. A decent start to the day :).  My WW meeting gave me encouragement and inspiration for this new week... Something greatly needed and appreciated. I made the choice to not hit drive thru and go home to make a healthy, filling lunch. After being off track for a couple weeks, it's actually nice to be back to making healthy choices, rather than lazy ones. 

I'm hoping to get caught up around our home so that I have an easier time of planning and executing those plans, such as being more active and preparing low point meals. For now, I'll leave you so I can enjoy my yummy lunch :)

Feeling Better About It All....

Tomorrow is my weekly weigh in and after a week on vacation and 2 twelve hour road trips I'm expecting to see a slight gain on that scale.  That said, I weighed this morning on my scale and am down a pound from when I returned from Arkansas.  Heading back in the right direction :)
Back to eating lots of fresh foods and not living on "treats" makes all the difference.  That said, we are heading out to a movie today which means movie popcorn;)  It's called life and I've got to learn how to live within the bounds of God's permission not what the world offers as "OK".

Getting Back On The Band Wagon

After such a terrific start on this journey, I've managed to lose sight of the goals and I seem to have forgotten that God himself called me to this.  I've been having a tough time getting my head back into the game.  But then... God cut me some slack and gave me a much needed break from my daily routine so that I can gain a new focus on Him and His plans for me and my family.  I was blessed to go visit my very best friend in Arkansas and surprise her for her birthday.  I loaded the girls up in the truck and headed south.  Along the way, I was conscious of my food choices and my portion sizes.  I did allow myself treats, but within [what I felt was] reason.  We enjoyed southern home cooking as well as eating out and I managed to stay on my daily medicines as well as enjoyed the benefits of Juice Plus+ daily.  The road trip home was a bit tough and I "needed" more to keep me awake and alert (Dr Pepper, a frappe, and a little more munching).  All in all, however, best I can tell I only gained a pound.

Now, onto looking forward.....

What am I going to do to get my head back into the game?  Well, for starters, I determined to start off the day right.  I had a WW friendly breakfast and tracked it.  A bowl of berries with nuts, a little chocolate granola, and coconut milk.  I'm planning on a healthy lunch (probably a big salad with protein on top) and a home cooked dinner.  I know for a fact that eating at home keeps my points in range.  Planning ahead also makes a HUGE difference in my staying on track and I know that it helps my family to eat healthier as well.  This week is going to be a busy one and to be honest, I'm not prepared for it when it comes to my WW plan.  I've not planned ahead, I've not shopped to stock up on healthy food choices, and I've not fully engaged my heart back into "the goal".  That said, I'm keeping my heart totally focused on God, I'm determined to follow His guidance in all areas but especially in this particular area.  I truly feel that He is using WW to teach me to be more disciplined in all areas of my life.  This week is also about cleaning out the clutter in my life by cleaning out the house to get ready for a yard sale this coming weekend.  I believe that if I can declutter my home, I can declutter my mind and heart as well, making more room for the Holy Spirit to fill me.

Please pray for me this week as I focus on getting back on track in my WW journey as well as my home management skills.    

It's A New Day :)

It may be Friday, but it's the first day of my restart.  I jumped on my scale this morning and am down a pound from the past couple of days... that's a great encouragement to stay on track.  I made my favorite 2 point smoothie for breakfast (recipe below) and am looking forward to a day of spring cleaning and living well.  It's a good start to a great, rainy weekend... perfect for staying home and cleaning out (which also happens to be a great way of getting extra activity points).

Smoothie Recipe:

Berries of choice about 1-1 1/3 cup
individual carton of Dannon Light and Fit Greek yogurt - Strawberry (all other flavors are 2 points)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon of ground flax seed
crushed ice

Blend and enjoy :)

Life has a way of just getting in the way sometimes....

I determined yesterday to get back on track with WW, and am really trying, however it just seems that life is also determined to get in the way.  Both yesterday and today I started out ok... good even; then as the days progressed, I ended up getting off plan.  Yes, I have my extra "indulgence" points to use each week, but I really don't like catching myself using them up due to my own lack of planning. This haphazard way I have is what's causing me to continue to stumble and it's also one thing I strongly feel God is working on.

Tomorrow is another clean slate; another chance to "get it right".  I plan to eat at home tomorrow and for the next several days, and I plan to get back to my planning, as well as living by my plan.  It truly is the desire of my heart to glorify God every step of the way along this journey.... continuing to have a stubborn heart that turns to food to fill emotional voids and calm stressful moments is NOT glorifying Him.  Turning to Him to give me the comfort and support I need will glorify Him and hopefully bring me closer to my physical goals.

Jeremiah 29:11-14a "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you", declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity",

I Faced My Giant Today.....

Knowing I'd done nothing but eat out and not made the wisest of choices over the past week, I still chose to face my weekly weigh in.  Yes, I've officially gained back half the weight I'd initially lost.  That said, It's a brand new week with a totally clean slate.  I've prayerfully determined to get back on track as of this morning, and will admit to turning to God many times already for strength and direction (and it's not even noon yet;)

God is the architect of this journey He chose to place me on.  He knows when/where/how I'll stumble and fall.  I am clinging to His promise that He will see me thru everything that comes along the way.  God Designed my life at the beginning of time; I'm just trying to find the plans He has for me and stop getting in the way of everything He is doing in my life.  I'm so very thankful that my God loves me so much that He has never (nor will He ever) given up on me, even when I've given up on myself.

UGH!

After gaining a pound at my last weigh-in, I had the best of intentions of getting right back on track and watching the scale go down again.  Well, it's been one of THOSE weeks.  You know the kind.  The kind that get completely away from you without you even knowing where it went.  It's those type of weeks that get me into trouble because we end up eating out all the time.  

Tomorrow is my weigh-in day and I'm expecting to see another gain.  Gracie heard me talking to my mom about it and said, "Just don't go tomorrow, Mom".  No way!  I'm going to face my giant at that scale, accept the consequences of my poor choices, and determine to start fresh and get right back on track.  I'm not going to continue down this spiral of eating to fill my emotions, then feeling like "Oh well, I've been bad all day, so it doesn't matter anymore; I'll forget about it and just continue to eat what I want, when I want it."  My desire is to glorify God in this journey, so I'm going to allow Him to pick me back up, dust me off, and set me back straight on my path.  

Be Still and Know I Am...

It's been rather stressful around our home recently and yesterday sent me over the edge.  I turned back to my old habit of turning to food for comfort.

It wasn't major.... I started the day ok other than running late and skipping breakfast; but as the day progressed and the stress began to spiral downward, so did my eating.  After seeing I'd gained a pound at my WW weigh in (wasn't a surprise - I'd stayed well within my points for the week but I knew I'd enjoyed too much sugar last week), I was determined to immediately get back on track.  I came home and made a healthy lunch choice of a salad and zucchini pizza bites.  4 points total for my day to that point.  That was the last good moment of my day food-wise.

Through the afternoon, as the stress began to mount, I started turning to food.  It started out as a bowl full of berries with the hope of whipped topping (zero point snack) only to find the can of whipped topping empty.  Yes, I ate the berries, but with a grumbling heart.  Soon I found myself turning to the red licorice I found in my backpack, which soon turned to munching on bagel chips while making dinner for the kids.  My true intention of making myself a healthy low point dinner, ended in me deciding to take the kids to church, then hit McDonald's.  Yes, I made the conscious poor choice of drowning my stress in a quarter pounder, fries, and a Dr Pepper.  Did it make me feel any better?  Nope.  It just added a bit of guilt on top of everything else.  Now, don't get me wrong, deciding to enjoy a fast food meal once in awhile isn't wrong at all.  The problem for me was that I chose to turn to food for comfort rather than turning to God and waiting on Him for counsel, blessings, answers, and even permission.

Today is a new day, a clean slate, a fresh start.  The stress that was there yesterday is still here today.  It's not going away too soon.  But I've chosen to hand it to God rather than to try burying it in "comfort food".  I chose to start my day with a good breakfast of shredded wheat cereal with sliced strawberries and milk.  I will stick to the plan God has laid on my heart in the beginning of this journey.  I realize I will still stumble along the way, but I also know that God is right there beside me, to pick me back up and set me straight again.
 

My Tip For The Day....

This goes along with my personal challenge :)  I've decided to start my days with 5-10 minutes on the treadmill to kind-of kick start my mind in the activity process.  AND... I'm a big multi-tasker.  So, I've started doing it after my shower when my hair is wrapped in a towel.  It's not enough time to get hot and sweaty, nullifying my shower, but it is enough time for the towel to help pull out some of the water from my hair, cutting down on the drying time.  It also gets me moving to start my day.  So far, so good :)  Now, it's time for breakfast and to get on with my day.  Blessings to you all :)

Mandisa "Good Morning"

Challenging Myself

My ActiveLink assessment is finished and my 12 week challenge begins on Wednesday.  There were no great surprises other than I'm not quite the couch potato I thought I was ;)  On average I reach my basal activity minimum by late afternoon and earn 1-2 activity points most days.  The days that I got involved in some sewing I didn't earn any activity points.... keeping busy does not equal keeping active.

I've decided to challenge myself to do a couple of things: 1) determine to be active for at least 5 minutes every couple of hours throughout my day and 2) reach my basal activity minimum by no later than 1 o'clock on school days and lunch time on non school days.  These are pretty practical goals, but like I've said before, I tend to get lost in my days and not think about things like this, then I find I'm playing catch up at the end of the day.

I started this morning by walking 1/4 mile first thing.  If I can get 1/8-1/4 mile in every couple hours throughout my day, it will add up quickly to my other long term goals.  There is joy in the treadmill too.... as it's time that I can chat with God, memorize scripture, and reflect on the blessings He rains down on me :)

The Weekend....

Nicole C. Mullen "Call On Jesus"

This weekend I've had time to reflect on many things about this journey and I've got to say that I'm thankful God chose to work on me even though I'd given up on some things myself.  He is ever faithful and I'm ever thankful.  He chose to set me on this path when I was sick and not able to breathe without working at every breath.  He saw fit to place the desire in my heart of hearts to be all that He created me to be and to bring Him glory each and every step of the way, even in my weakest moments.  He has blessed me with silly little gifts that keep me going and He is continuing to heal my body each and every day.  It's God who's showing me things to find joy in along the way, whether it be big things or tiny things that I'd normally overlook.  So as this weekend comes to an end, I want to just take a moment and thank my Heavenly Father for taking me by the hand and walking this path right alongside me; encouraging me, blessing me, keeping me from giving up, and taking the time to comfort me when I need it most.  I truly am looking forward to the new week, knowing that He is right beside me.  

Planning Ahead...

I'm meeting a friend for lunch today, and as I've quickly learned, eating out consumes more WW points than eating at home.  I already have 3 options in mind for what to choose for lunch, but there is still no question that the points value is a bit more than I'd normally use by that point in my day.  To help this situation, I opted for a 1 point breakfast of berries, yogurt, and just a little crunch by adding a sprinkle of chopped pecans, sliced almonds, and coconut.  I am getting 2 full servings of fruit and a full serving of dairy in my breakfast for the bargain price of 1 point.  By planning ahead, I won't be left this evening to either try skimping by without using extra points and feeling deprived, or feeling guilty because I've used a bunch of those extra points for no good reason.

Finding joy in this journey is also about learning to live with the lifestyle changes God is making in me.... longterm.  It's not just about losing 50+ pounds and calling it good.  Right now, I'm learning to rely on Him for His strength to make it through this.  I am asking Him for permission each time I want to eat.  I'm listening to His lead on my activity.  Eventually, this will all be second nature again, like He designed it in the beginning (natural feelings of hunger and full), but until such time I'm so thankful that He loves me enough to walk this path beside me, guiding me all along the way.

Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Broccoli and Sausage Casserole Recipe

Tonight's dinner was a recipe off the WW website and it's another keeper :). I tweaked the instructions a bit to suit my more haphazard cooking style and I used mozzarella cheese rather than sharp cheddar because 1) I'm feeding kids and they prefer a more mild flavor and 2) I had mozzarella on hand. Here goes...

12oz loaf (bakery style) unsliced Italian bread

2 cloves garlic (I used the "fresh" minced in the jar kind

Onion powder

Minced onion

16 oz bag of frozen broccoli

12 oz sweet Italian turkey sausage (I used three links and just removed the meat from the casings)

1/2 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup shredded cheese

Cut loaf in half, lengthwise and lay cut side up on sprayed baking sheet. Rub each half with garlic and sprinkle with onion powder. Bake in a 350 degree oven until toasted, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. 

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a medium skillet. Once almost all browned add broccoli and minced onion (I just sprinkle some on). Allow to cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. As the sausage and broccoli are cooking, tear up toasted bread into pieces. 

Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Layer half the torn up bread in bottom of baking pan, top with half the sausage-broccoli mixture, then sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour chicken broth over top of casserole. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm. 

Serves 8. 

6 points per serving

Breakfast

As someone who's never been a big breakfast eater, unless there were donuts involved, I've learned an often preached lesson that really is true....a good breakfast can set the tone for your day. I take a fair amount of different medicines in the morning and had become immune to the side effects, like getting jittery, from taking them on an empty tummy. Since starting WW and committing to a good breakfast each morning, I've been pleasantly surprised at how much better I feel. Breakfast isn't fancy, it's just filling and packed with power foods to help me make it to lunch. Gone are the donuts and in are the whole grains and fruit :)  A simple bowl of Cheerios (1 cup) with berries and half a cup of milk is only 4 points and will offer enough fuel for everything my morning tosses my way.

Indulgence....

In THOSE moments. There's just gonna be those days; you know the ones I'm talking about. For whatever reason, you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed, frustrated, or maybe even a bit angry. If you're like me, the natural tendency is to turn to food for a little comfort and down time. Problem is, this journey is about making healthy changes, so where exactly does that leave you?

First and foremost, turn to God. Honestly, only He can fill the void you're feeling in those moments. Meet Him with hands open for Him to fill, rather than balled up or worse yet grabbing, trying to fill them yourself. If there's still a desire for your "comfort food" be reasonable about it. 

Today was a bit on the stressful side; no particular reason, just "one of those days". Normally, I'd run away to Starbucks for a venti mocha java chip frappucino made with whole milk and smothered in whipped cream with extra chips and drizzle. I could've made that choice again today, using my weekly indulgence points, but.... God is changing me right?  Therefore, even tho I could've done it, I had to ask myself, "should I do it?"  1 Corinthians 10:23 tells us "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive."  

If there's joy to be found in this journey, even during the stressful times, we need to look to God to find it. After dinner tonight, I still had 3 points left that I'd normally save for my bedtime snack or my evening vanilla bean latte'. Tonight however, I REALLY REALLY wanted a frappe'. I did a little searching and discovered that, praise The Lord, Starbucks actually has a light java chip frappe' and it's only 4 points for a tall. Yes, I had to sacrifice the whipped cream and drizzle, but I think I can live with that as I continue to seek God on this path to health and find joy in the gift He chose to offer me tonight, wrapped in a classic Starbucks cup:)

Weigh In Day...

I'm thrilled to report that I lost 7.4 pounds my first week.  Yes, yes, I know that I won't be doing that every week, but what a great way to start off :)  It encouraged me to make the healthy decision of coming home to make my lunch rather than celebrating with lunch out.  I'm enjoying a big salad with zucchini "pizza" bites :)

Baked Chicken Recipe

Tonight for dinner I tried a recipe I found on the WW site and I was impressed.  Easy and yummy :)

I served the baked chicken with brown rice, corn, and a loaf of homemade garlic basil bread.  Easy meal with comfort food flair.

Baked Chicken (3 points per serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly coat a small, shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.  Season both sides of boneless skinless chicken (about a pound or so) with salt and pepper.  Transfer chicken to the prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with lemon juice (I just squeezed half a lemon lightly over the chicken), rosemary, and parsley.  Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth around chicken to coat the bottom of the pan.  Bake until chicken is cooked through, about half an hour.  Garnish with fresh lemon if desired.

This is a definite make again around our home:)

Note: I prefer dark meat, so I used boneless skinless thighs rather than breast meat.  It worked well and the portions were perfectly sized.

An Unforeseen Benefit of Weight Watchers...

I owned up to this early on... I tend to take the easy way out, hence hitting drive thru so often.  Not only did that bad habit help me gain weight, but it was also instilling horrible eating habits and expectations in my daughters.  I honestly attempt to feed my family well, but like everyone else, by the end of the day I'm flat out tired and just don't want to deal with it.... then it's "Hello McDonalds"

Well, thanks to my new WW way of making decisions (I always ask myself if something is "point worthy":), and my determination to follow God on this journey He's placed me on, my family is eating better as well.  We are eating at home and I make most things either homemade or at the very least semi-homemade.  It's causing me to actually stick to the plan I set out with (I'm famous for coming up with plans and not seeing them thru) and I'm finding our days are running smoother than ever.  I know what meals are planned for the week, I've gone to the grocery store and made sure I have all the ingredients to make everything on the list, and each morning I look to see what's up for the day and get a jump start on things.  Tonight's dinner calls for some homemade bread which is baking as I type.

All in all, I'm finding great joy in watching God work thru so many little things as He pushes me along this WW path.  He's simplifying my life in ways I'd not anticipated, but am so thankful for.  Feeding my family better and teaching my daughters to fuel their bodies with good fuel not junk, is only just the surface :)

Power Lunch

My day seemed to have started before me today, and consequently I've been playing catch up. My wonderful husband made me a 3 pts berry breakfast at 5:30 while my eyes were still trying to open, but by 11 I was starving. I opted for my version of a harvest chicken salad wrap with a side salad. YUMMY!!!  Lunch was ten points, but it's power packed and will see me thru quite awhile.

To make my wrap sandwich: mix 1/2 cup canned chicken packed in water with 1/2 tbs miracle whip. Add a few sliced grapes, some chopped apple, a tsp of crushed pecans, a dash of celery seed, and some alfalfa sprouts. Spoon onto a whole wheat tortilla and attempt to wrap;). As usual, my side salad has feta crumbles, raw sunflower seeds, and balsamic dressing. 

My New Little Gadget

I decided I wanted a pretty complete picture of my fitness, so I went ahead and got ActiveLink. It's a little device you wear all day and it tracks all your activity based on you movement. After finding your baseline, it helps you reach your personal goals by setting challenges for you which you can adjust if you feel you need to. ActiveLink is directly linked to my WW account/phone, so I can see if I need to bump things up to reach my goals. 

I'm in my assessment period still (the first week is assessing your NORMAL activities. You're not to suddenly decide to sign up for Zumba when you've spent months doing nothing more than toting laundry baskets from room to room), but each night I get a little picture of what's going on when I plug into my computer. I've been pleasantly surprised to find I'm not as much of a couch potatoe as I thought. I'm reaching my minimum activity level by the afternoon and earning activity points based on the rest of my activities for the day. So far, doing just my normal things, I'm earning 2 activity points each day. I'm looking forward to seeing the full report by the end of the month and to see the first 12 week challenge ActiveLink sets up for me. 

I love gadgets, I love rewards, I love to reach personal goals... ActiveLink seems to be the perfect little tool to help dangle carrots in front of my nose as I journey down this path God has me on. 

Power Lunch

I'm starving!  We spent the morning on schoolwork, then Gracie and I did the grocery shopping for the week. Normally, I'd just grab a pizza from the pizza kitchen at the store and head home to eat it with the girls. There's no way I was wasting points on that today, though. CHOICES... It's a beautiful thing to embrace when you're making the right ones. So... I made a power salad for lunch. It has feta crumbles, peppered turkey, raw sunflower seeds and pecans, and my favorite balsamic dressing. For a little added "crunch" I chose a serving of bagel chips on the side. See why I'm never hungry?  All this, along with peach iced tea for only 8 points :)

What's Monday mean?

A banana split for breakfast of course:). Only 3 points and packed with power foods. Slice a banana, top with 1/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chopped pecans, 30 semi-sweet chocolate chips, and shredded coconut. Now this is a great start to a new week:)

OOPS! I forgot the picture :)

Menu For The Upcoming Week...

I'm completely committed to making the changes I need to make on this journey to a healthier and simpler life.  One of those changes is to be diligent about menu planning; It will keep me from getting caught short and falling back into bad habits.

The first thing I did was look at my calendar for the week to see all the activities going on and build a menu around it all.  I tried to make sure I planned meals that work for the entire family, not just my WW needs.  I also spent a little time on the WW site looking for some recipe ideas, just to try a few new meals.  Beyond just planning the meals for the week, I also looked at how I wanted to incorporate activity into my days.  I'm still very much in the recovery phase, so I'm taking it really slow where my activity goals are concerned.  I am more than a bit excited about wearing my new ActiveLink as it does my personal assessment over this coming week.  Everything I've read about it makes it sound like it's the perfect little technological gem to help me reach my goals in a reasonable way.

OK... onto this week's menu;)  (keep in mind that my WW weeks start on Tuesdays and end on Mondays)

Tuesday 3/18 - Lunch - Cobb Salad with 2 Schwan's Bavarian Soft Pretzel Sticks (10pts)
                         Dinner - Baked Chicken with Brown Rice and Veggies (7 pts)
Wednesday 3/19 - Lunch out with a friend.  Thinking Red Robin and will get a kids chicken          
                              sandwich with a side salad (8 pts)
                              Dinner - BLT and a Salad with Balsamic Dressing (10 pts)
Thursday 3/20 - Lunch - Progresso Lite Clam Chowder, Schwan's Bavarian Soft Pretzel Sticks, and a
                          Salad with Feta and Balsamic Dressing (8 pts)
                          Dinner - Broccoli & Sausage Casserole, Carrot Mini Muffins, Jello (10 pts)
Friday 3/21 - Lunch - Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup, Salad (9 pts)
                      Dinner - Tacos (2) and Refried Beans (10 pts)
Saturday 3/22 - Lunch - Sandwich, Apple, Pretzel Slims (11 pts)
                          Dinner - Toast, Egg, Bacon, Fruit with Yogurt (6 pts)
Sunday 3/23 - Lunch - Eat out (12 pts est)
                       Dinner - Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce and Salad with Cheese and Balsamic Dressing
                                      (9 pts)
Monday 3/24 - Lunch - Chicken Salad Wrap, Chicken Noodle Soup, Veggies and Dressing (8 pts)
                         Dinner - Garlic Chicken Broccoli over Noodles (7 pts)

Breakfast for me is pretty consistent... cereal with fruit and coconut milk or skim milk (4 pts), mixed berries with raw nuts, sprinkled with shredded coconut and a dash of coconut milk (1pt), or oatmeal with a tablespoon of brown sugar and a splash of milk (6 pts)

I've left snacks open so I can go along with my mood, but I already know how many points I have available for them.  Of course I have all my weeks worth of PointsPlus points to work with as well.  I tend to use them on the days we eat out and end up needing a few extra points to make it thru.  I love to unwind with my latte' (2 pts) each evening after the kids are in bed and will use my PointsPlus if needed on things like that :)

Alright, my plan is in place, the shopping list is made of the few things I need to pick up, and I'm excited to begin week number 2 on this Joyful Journey.  To God be all the glory as He directs my steps and continues to give me a peaceful heart and good attitude about this :)

My Favorite Snack....

You know you're gonna just have those times when you're starving and about ready to devour everything in the kitchen cupboards.  Be prepared for that.  You really don't want to waste points out of a sudden desperation.

I've discovered an amazing snack and it's only 1 point.  Choose a fresh fruit, slice or chop it up into a cereal bowl.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chopped raw pecans, 1 teaspoon sliced almonds, and if you like coconut like I do, 1 teaspoon of coconut over your fruit.  Then empty a single carton of Dannon Light & Fit Greek style strawberry yogurt over the top.  You literally have a yummy, to die for snack that will take you through the afternoon and give you the energy you need to accomplish all your activities.

Philippians 3:14

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

As I've shared  a few days ago, I jumped into my new journey as I was in the beginning stages of recovering from a severe asthma episode just a few days before.  It's been a week full of mega doses of steroids, antibiotics, and doctor visits, a week of me struggling for every breath I inhale.  Thankfully, I'm finally feeling my body begin to recover and today I felt good for the first time all week.  God chose this week to send me in this new direction He has for me, when I had more than enough justifiable reasons to just stay in bed.  I don't know why, but I do know I've learned a few things over the past few days.

God ALWAYS calls us where and how we are; it's not about what we have to offer Him, it's about what He is doing in and thru us.  You see, it's not about us at all.  I've had to rely on God, His direction, and His strength for every single thing this week.  Thankfully He's provided me a wonderful family willing to help every way they can.  He's also given me an unusual desire to follow His direction in all of this without digging my heals in and trying to tweak things to suit my way.

By calling me while I was down, it gave me the time to focus on the changes I need to make, being realistic about where I'm truly starting from.  I couldn't pretend I am in better physical shape than I am and chance setting the beginning bar too high... this week, I completely understood how foolish that would be for me to do and that if I did that, I'd just get frustrated and quit within a week or two.

Another reason I feel God chose this week to send me back to WW was that I wasn't strong enough to be running around town and then hitting drive-thru all the time... it forced me to eat at home.  I realized how much more I enjoy the food at home and that it actually doesn't take any more time to fix lunch at home than it does to go out.  I had the time to do a mental inventory of my fridge and pantry and to make a shopping list of things I wanted that work well with the WW plan.

Our local WW is encouraging activity clubs this year.  Being accountable to a small group of others who attend your meeting time and enjoy the same activity as you, committing to participating at whatever level you are capable of, and in the end, earning a charm for your keychain.  Ironic, that my first week back I can barely breathe while I walk and this is the week that the clubs formed.  God gave me a gentle shove to join the walking club aka WOW (Walking On Wednesdays:).  It was more than a bit humbling to only be able to commit to half an hour of walking/3 days a week, when most of the ladies in this club are at least 20-25 years older than I and were committing to an hour a day, every day:)  I was humbled again when I faced my treadmill for the first time on Thursday.  In the past, I've always hopped on, turned it to 3 mph to do a warm up lap, then gradually increased it to 4.2-4.6 mph by the time I was at my first mile; then I'd chug along doing 2-3 miles.  This use to be my daily routine.  Well, it's been months since I've been on my treadmill to begin with, and now I stood facing it, barely breathing.  Almost immediately I discovered that I was unable to go faster than 2 mph AND I was only able to do 1/4 mile, then I had to rest up for awhile before facing it again to do the other 1/4 mile.

Why am I sharing all this?  Because I've found joy in the fact that God scooped me up in my weakest state, saw my worth, and proved yet again that He won't ever give up on me and the plans He has for me.  Yes, the charms I look forward to earning for my WW keychain are a fun enticement, but earning the ultimate prize of bringing God glory through my journey and seeing His approving smile as I stand before Him in Heaven someday is what this is really all about :)  Allow God to call you right where and how you are.  You don't need to "get it right" before He can use you; matter of fact, it's impossible to ever "get it right" without Him at all.  If you feel Him tugging you in a certain direction, just go ahead and follow His lead.  I promise, you won't ever regret it.

Lunch Time...

Score one for Mom!  The girls and I had a spontaneous Saturday morning out. I wanted to stop by Weight Watchers to pick up an ActiveLink (another story for another post) and "since we are over this way, Mom, can we just go to..."  Well, after a full morning in Michaels (one if my happy places;) they were starving and begging for McDonalds. I did oblige them, but I had determined to eat at home. There was nothing on a McDonalds menu worthy of using up my points on;). 

Once home, I prepared a great lunch; one that will take me thru the afternoon. Full of power foods. A Greek style salad, complete with feta and sunflower seed along with balsamic dressing, and little zucchini pizzas made with a bit of prego marinara and mozzarella cheese. My entire yummy lunch is a whopping 3 points :). Yeah baby!  Now that's what I call exciting :)

Happy Saturday... Now Let's Get Up And Move :)

Even though I've been severely compromised from my asthma attack last weekend, I'm taking steps to try to get moving in the right direction.  I ate a good breakfast, packed with power foods (multi-grain english muffin with 1 Tbs all natural jam, 4 points, along with mixed berries and raw nuts with coconut milk, 1 point).  Now it's time to get going for the day.  I leave you with my Grandmother's favorite verse that she use to make me recite every morning...

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

You've Dipped Your Toes In... Now What?

First off, smile and feel good about this new adventure.  Is it going to take some hard work?  Absolutely!  But anything valuable is worth the sacrifice.  We are only talking about changing some of our food choices and getting more active to begin to take care of our bodies.  God sent His Only Son to die on a cross, so that we can have eternal salvation; our bodies belong to Him... He did the hard part; we only have to be better stewards of His temple :)

So, if you haven't already, make a list of "healthy" foods you actually enjoy.  Spend some time evaluating your eating style, your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weaknesses, and be sure to note things that can throw you off track.  For example, I'm a snacker more than a meal person.  I LOVE berries and nuts, apples and bananas, and I think peanut butter goes on just about anything :)  I only like real cheese and dairy and would rather have a small amount of the real food than large amounts of the low/no fat stuff.  I tend to lose track of time which can easily through a wrench in the works for meals around our home, causing me to opt for the easy way out of drive thru.  Understand, you're on a lifelong journey; don't feel you need to go 100% cold turkey on everything and get it all 100% right, straight out of the gate.  Allow God to reveal things to you along the way; trust me, He knows you by far better than you know yourself :)

Since I've chosen Weight Watchers as my path to losing weight, the first thing I did was go sign up :) Then, I came home and spent some time really getting to know the new plan (and getting excited about it too).  Jump right in... don't pull the "I'll wait till tomorrow" card.  When I signed up, I'd already had an apple fritter for breakfast before heading over to WW... that was ok, I just worked the plan for the rest of the day and managed to still not even use up all my daily points :)  Make a list of foods that are "free" or low points that you really, really like and can be your go to choices.  Then, think about a few "meals" that would work well for you to begin with.  Let's face it, for most of us, breakfast is a no brainer; we usually eat pretty much the same thing every day.  For lunch, you really want to pack in some protein and power foods to keep you running throughout the day.  Dinner is where most of us like to have a little more variety.  Find snacks that will give you energy and keep you going without using a lot of points ~ personally, I think that's where most people end up getting stuck... 5 points may not sound like much for a snack, but that is probably more than half the points of your lunch.  Don't nickel and dime your points away.

Time to head off to the market.  If you have a smartphone, put it to use.  Weight Watchers has a great app with a bar scanner.  You can quickly decide what are good choices and what are indulgences.  I always head straight to produce.  We are not exotic eaters, so my cart starts filling with basics... lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, bananas, watermelon, corn, potatoes, raw pecans, raw almonds, raw sliced almonds, raw sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, etc.  I then head to the deli department for feta cheese ~ my favorite touch on a salad that doesn't add points when used in a small amount (2 tsp).  Everything in my cart to this point I can eat without using any points at all :)  I love balsamic oil dressing for my salads or occasionally real ranch dressing; neither add more than a couple points when used in moderation.  In the dairy department, I've found Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt; only 1-2 points for a 5 ounce container and super yummy.  I still use real butter and only regular cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream.  Yes, they are higher in points value, but I'd rather enjoy a smaller amount than eat something that, to me, tastes like plastic.  See?  It's all about choices ;)  Don't forget the eggs!  They are a great source of protein and you can enjoy whole eggs now rather than just the whites like we were taught in decades past.  When it comes to milk, don't be afraid to try some of the different nut and soy milks available.  Personally, I LOVE coconut milk and use it on most everything ~ on my cereal, over my berries and nuts, in my coffee... you name it, I'll put coconut milk on it :)  Next up, grains and meats.  Keep in mind that I have young children at home and frankly, they are not fans of whole grain pasta, so for me, personally, I still buy the regular kind.  We have, however switched to brown rice (thankfully minute rice has a brown rice version now:) and we enjoy couscous as well.  Breads can get sticky at times.  You don't want something that taste like a sponge, but you want to keep your points down.  I've found that Sarah Lee has good options at only 2 points a slice and I use multi grain english muffins as well at only 3 points each.  As yummy as a bagel is, they are a high point option, so I typically stay away from them.  At the meat counter, stick with what you enjoy and try to keep it as lean as possible.  Finally, it's time to choose a few "indulgence" items.  Don't let the name fool you, you don't want to just throw caution to the wind and load up on Little Debbies.  Look for choices that will taste like a treat, fill you up, and allow you to find the "joy in this journey".  I Love pretzel thins (11 pretzels for 3 points), popcorn with a little butter and salt (3 points), chai or vanilla spice lattes (2 points).  Another good TRUE indulgence to keep on hand, is a small amount of chocolate.  Let's face it, we want that smooth sweet taste melting on our tongue every once in awhile.  Do yourself a favor and don't buy the Costco size variety bag; get one of those individual bags of the bite size version of your favorite in the checkout aisle.  One or two pieces and you'll be a happy camper; then tuck the bag away in your hiding spot so the kids can't find them and it's there the next time you want to really indulge.  

I hope this has given you a place to start and you haven't become overwhelmed.  Never forget that each day is a brand new beginning and this journey is full of grace.  Look to God to help you find joy, even in the sacrifice.  Focus on one thing at a time, especially if you're working at giving up something really hard, like soda was for me.  And... don't forget to celebrate your success, no matter how big or small it may seem :) 

Tools for Success

I'm a firm believer in having the right tools to do a job correctly.  That holds true, even on this healthy lifestyle journey I'm on.  If all it took to lose weight was self-control, eating well, and getting physically active, none of us would have any problems, right?  Oh yeah... but there's this thing called life, and it loves to throw curve balls in our path.  Therefore, we need to find the right tools to accomplish our job as we deal with everything life throws in our path.

Health issues are a huge curveball in my life; not only my own, but also my children's.  As a severe asthmatic, I've spent my life on mega amounts of steroids to keep my airways open.  My asthma also causes me to need to be easy going when it comes to physical activity.  Overdoing can send me into a severe attack and place me out of commission for weeks.  This is not conducive to weight loss, however it's not insurmountable.  I'm learning to be realistic in my goals.  You'll notice that I've set a little activity ticker off to the side to track my goal of walking 100 miles by the time I reach my goal weight.  Ironically, I've started this journey as I'm recovering from a serious asthma incident and have another couple of weeks to go before I'm sure I'll be back to 100% :)

I'm also a mom to a child with Type 1 Diabetes; this requires me to function on very little sleep and therefore, over the past nearly 9 years since her diagnosis, I'd grown accustomed to the fast energy kick I could get from sugar and soda.  That quickly turned into an addiction of sorts for me.  I needed much more than just self-control to break those cycles.  I found Plexus Slim; a product that was actually geared toward the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.  It lowers and levels out blood glucose levels along with lowering lipids (I am not a Type 2 diabetic and my cholesterol has always been in a great range, knock on wood).  During human trials in an FDA study though, it was noted that over 85% of the trial participants were losing weight.  Upon further investigation, they reported that they no longer had food cravings and their appetites were well controlled; something that was occurring due to the Plexus Slim.  Accelerator was soon developed to work alongside of Plexus Slim to "kick start" the body into giving up the extra fat rather than storing it.  In September 2012, I began taking Plexus Slim and Accelerator and was stunned to find that nearly immediately my own cravings for sugar and soda were gone.  I no longer NEED a large Dr Pepper 3-4 times a day to make it through all my days entail, nor do I NEED the quick energy that high sugar junk food use to give me just to make it from hour to hour.  Plexus Slim has become my safety net to keep me from the bad choices that had turned into bad habits, the ones I don't want coming back.  Just another tool in my toolbox :)  If you'd like to learn more about Plexus, go to www.getslimLiveWell.com

This weekend I'll be doing some meal/menu planning.  I obviously need my personal journey to work within the daily life of raising a family.  I cannot make two separate meals three times a day ~ one for me and one for the rest of the family.  That's just impractical and plain silly.  Planning takes time in the beginning, but saves time and frustration on a daily basis.  It also allows me to really see a full picture of where I want my points to go rather than just watching them fly away thru the drive thru window.  I'll share my meal plans with you all in a few days, along with any recipes that turn out exceptionally yummy :)  I can tell you though, that here at my starting line, I am working with a points limit of 28/day.  As you all know, Weight Watchers also has 49 extra "indulgence" points to use during the week, which is an awesome way of keeping anyone from feeling deprived.  During the first half of my first week, I've remained slightly under my daily target most days and have only used 6 of my extra points on date night... and I honestly feel like all I do is eat.  It truly is all in the choices you make.

Starting Over... Yet Again

I find myself at the starting line once again, of a journey as familiar as the well worn path home.  Over the past 15 years, I've gained weight, lost weight, gained some of it back, lost it again, gained more, lost some... well, you get the drift.  Add into that constant cycle, a wonderful husband, four crazy daughters, a menagerie of animals, an out of the box "homeschool lifestyle" and a few medical conditions along the way and you suddenly find yourself wondering just how you managed to get back here, fighting this battle once again.

After throwing a few nice pity parties, crying many tears, pitching a few fits because I don't like what I see in the mirror, I began to search out a way to journey back to a healthy weight and life... for good this time.  As a God loving woman, desiring to bring Him glory in all that I do and how I do it, I automatically began looking at many of the Bible based weight loss plans.  I've done a couple in the past and loved how closely I walked with God thru those times.  However, that said, I just truly didn't feel God calling me to jump into any of these programs this time around.  I heard Him whispering "Simplicity.  Remember?  I have you on a journey to a much simpler life.  One that leads straight to my heart.  Stop complicating this."  After a few months, and a lot of frustration and feelings of failure, I finally listened to what my God was speaking to my heart.

I made the decision on March 11, 2014 to return to Weight Watchers.  As soon as I walked in, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace about things.  I was excited... yes, actually excited to begin this journey again.  I work well with the WW methods; my mind easily wraps around counting points, understanding power foods that will take me further, and I've always loved how it's all about adding in movement to your days, not pressuring you to "workout".  I also know that I NEED the accountability that the weekly meetings offer.  I've tried the program online in the past and failed miserably, it's just too easy to not write down what I didn't want to see.  And.... remember that wonderful husband, 4 daughters, and menagerie of pets I mentioned?  Well, this is a little time of renewal each week for a mom who finally realized she needs it.

It's my desire to bring God all glory as I journey to my "ideal" weight; through the ups and downs, the good days and the bad, the frustrating plateaus that are sure to come and the weeks that I totally slide and gain a pound or two.  It goes beyond my own personal body issues and image because I realize that I'm setting the example for my daughters.  I'm not wanting to get back to my teenage weight, it's not about the size on the tags of my jeans... it's about showing my daughters that God made us beautifully, uniquely, and perfectly.  He entrusted our bodies to us to care for while we are living here on this earth; it's about getting healthy and being here to watch them all grow up to be the beautiful women God created them to be.

I'm inviting you along on this well worn journey, as I begin yet again.  This time however, I'm going to be taking the time to find the joy in each step and not just focus on the destination.