Being that it's long past Christmas, I'm starting a new blog for 2008, consistent with what I'm trying to accomplish this year. Take a look, here!
I'm in the home stretch and this will be the year that I cross the finish line (literally, as well as figuratively!) and enjoy the wonders of being at a healthy weight. How wonderful will that be?
Please come over and take a look, share your tips & struggles, and we'll walk through this 'eating thing' together. Lose ALL the weight - 2008!
Signing off,
A Much Lighter Karen
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A Long Walk in the Same Direction
It's been said that discipleship is a long walk in the same direction. I would have to say that weight loss is the same thing. It's not a sprint or a jog. It's more like a meandering! Progress is slow, but it's still progress. While God is pleased with us steadfastly following Him even if we falter in our ignorance sometimes, I need to be happy that I have been steadfast in my commitment to eat a healthy diet, regardless of the scale. That being said, I did lose poundage this week! Yeah!
My sink is clean, the dishwasher has been divested of its clean contents, this morning's laundry has been washed, dried, folded, and--more importantly-- PUT AWAY! Load #2 will be popped into the dryer soon. I hereby promise that it will be folded and returned to its proper places while it still retains some of the warmth from the dryer!
After Load#2 goes into said dryer, dinner will get started. Wednesday is generally 'crockpot night' because I take Carrie to gymnastics and then soccer, usually arriving at the homestead about the time when Jim is getting home from work. Having a hot dinner waiting makes us all happy!
I need to get back to my other blog soon. Homeschooling has kept me very busy. I forgot how teacher-intensive those primary years are.....especially when it involves more than just my own daughter. I'm getting into the pattern and rhythm of it once again.
My sink is clean, the dishwasher has been divested of its clean contents, this morning's laundry has been washed, dried, folded, and--more importantly-- PUT AWAY! Load #2 will be popped into the dryer soon. I hereby promise that it will be folded and returned to its proper places while it still retains some of the warmth from the dryer!
After Load#2 goes into said dryer, dinner will get started. Wednesday is generally 'crockpot night' because I take Carrie to gymnastics and then soccer, usually arriving at the homestead about the time when Jim is getting home from work. Having a hot dinner waiting makes us all happy!
I need to get back to my other blog soon. Homeschooling has kept me very busy. I forgot how teacher-intensive those primary years are.....especially when it involves more than just my own daughter. I'm getting into the pattern and rhythm of it once again.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Progress
I'm looking forward to my weigh-in tomorrow. I'm acting like I go somewhere to weigh in, but I just weigh myself at home like I do 10 times a day, it's just 'official' on Wednesday....the one I record at the Weight Watchers site. I seem to be going in the right direction. This week is particularly exciting because I will hit a weight I haven't seen in a good long time. Wahooooooo!
My sink is spotless. My bed is made. I already did two loads of laundry and put them away this morning. Life is good.
Right now I'm paying attention to the last three minutes of an ebay auction because I bid on an old copy of a book that I quoted in a post for my other blog, http://allthingsnerak.blogspot.com/search/label/family%20history . I have a recent reprint under another title, but this is the real deal from 1914. Hey, I just won the auction! It's coming from England. My dad was offered an original copy of the book by my great uncle but refused it because he wanted him to give it to his own son. My dad found out after he died that he REALLY had wanted him to have it and that his son wasn't all that interested. The book just got passed off to someone else. Could THIS be THAT copy? Ah, the mystery. In the description on EBAY it says there is a light signature on the first page. Wouldn't that be awesome if it was my great-grandfather's? Oh, I'm getting all carried away here. I'm just so excited that it will be on it's way to me. What a treasure.
I've STUNK at getting all my exercise in, but I have been pretty good at getting the house under increasingly more control. I probably should have made those two consecutive challenges rather than concurrent ones but I'm not going to give up. I have been active, just not as much as I'd like.
I need to get over and post on my other blog. I haven't wanted to take the time to sit down and post when I've had a lot to do around here. I'll probably get to it later today or tomorrow.
Off to do the last-minute preparations for another day of schooling.
My sink is spotless. My bed is made. I already did two loads of laundry and put them away this morning. Life is good.
Right now I'm paying attention to the last three minutes of an ebay auction because I bid on an old copy of a book that I quoted in a post for my other blog, http://allthingsnerak.blogspot.com/search/label/family%20history . I have a recent reprint under another title, but this is the real deal from 1914. Hey, I just won the auction! It's coming from England. My dad was offered an original copy of the book by my great uncle but refused it because he wanted him to give it to his own son. My dad found out after he died that he REALLY had wanted him to have it and that his son wasn't all that interested. The book just got passed off to someone else. Could THIS be THAT copy? Ah, the mystery. In the description on EBAY it says there is a light signature on the first page. Wouldn't that be awesome if it was my great-grandfather's? Oh, I'm getting all carried away here. I'm just so excited that it will be on it's way to me. What a treasure.
I've STUNK at getting all my exercise in, but I have been pretty good at getting the house under increasingly more control. I probably should have made those two consecutive challenges rather than concurrent ones but I'm not going to give up. I have been active, just not as much as I'd like.
I need to get over and post on my other blog. I haven't wanted to take the time to sit down and post when I've had a lot to do around here. I'll probably get to it later today or tomorrow.
Off to do the last-minute preparations for another day of schooling.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Hormones, Shmormones
It just so happens that the beginning of "that time" of the month was yesterday. All I wanted to eat was chocolate. I didn't give in to that temptation even one bit. I didn't even have anything sweet. Even though I have been diet faithful, I am completely bloated (gross, sorry!) I had homemade soup for dinner that was way too salty (kill the cook! .... Oh wait, that's me!?!) I need to drink gallons of water today to get it out of my system. I will weigh in tomorrow morning instead of today. Don't worry, I'm not cheating the plan.....next week I will only have 6 days between weigh-ins to make up for it.
My sink is clean & shiny. My sheets are getting washed. I'm going to do my ab exercises while the girls are having their physical activity for the day.
Yesterday was a fairly awful day as days go. My across-the-street neighbor passed away. She just didn't wake up in the morning. She was less than 10 years older than me, a nice lady who was the backbone of her family. I didn't know her very well, we were at different stages of our lives. I don't know what her relationship with the Lord was. The neighborhood is just floored.
Her death also served as a reminder to do the best for my health. She was, unfortunately, overweight, had heart problems and diabetes. I think a lot of her health problems had much to do with her genes. My genes are pretty good......I shouldn't squander what I've been given healthwise. I need to be around to see Carrie well into adulthood. She doesn't need a couch potato mom. I have choices. I CAN exercise, I CAN eat healthy foods, I CAN watch my portions. I CAN still celebrate, live life, and enjoy food without it controlling me.
Have a great day! I'm off to take care of some laundry and some learning.
P.S. Anyone out there from the Raleigh, NC area? My husband is going down there in November for some training and Carrie and I will be tagging along. I'm looking for some fun stuff to do in the area, cheap or particularly good restaurants (Jim's meals will be paid for, ours will not), or fun parks. There is an awesome looking park near the airport so if you know anything about it, please speak up!
My sink is clean & shiny. My sheets are getting washed. I'm going to do my ab exercises while the girls are having their physical activity for the day.
Yesterday was a fairly awful day as days go. My across-the-street neighbor passed away. She just didn't wake up in the morning. She was less than 10 years older than me, a nice lady who was the backbone of her family. I didn't know her very well, we were at different stages of our lives. I don't know what her relationship with the Lord was. The neighborhood is just floored.
Her death also served as a reminder to do the best for my health. She was, unfortunately, overweight, had heart problems and diabetes. I think a lot of her health problems had much to do with her genes. My genes are pretty good......I shouldn't squander what I've been given healthwise. I need to be around to see Carrie well into adulthood. She doesn't need a couch potato mom. I have choices. I CAN exercise, I CAN eat healthy foods, I CAN watch my portions. I CAN still celebrate, live life, and enjoy food without it controlling me.
Have a great day! I'm off to take care of some laundry and some learning.
P.S. Anyone out there from the Raleigh, NC area? My husband is going down there in November for some training and Carrie and I will be tagging along. I'm looking for some fun stuff to do in the area, cheap or particularly good restaurants (Jim's meals will be paid for, ours will not), or fun parks. There is an awesome looking park near the airport so if you know anything about it, please speak up!
Monday, October 8, 2007
It's a Process, Isn't It?
I'm here to report that I have been completely faithful to the eating plan now for 68 days! It feels great. I am also here to report that I still haven't gotten this exercise thing worked into my routine. I haven't been a couch potato and son#4 has been good with challenging me to do a few ab exercises here and there but it is still not a regular part of my routine......I cannot lie to my blog friends. As I become more organized, I am reworking my schedule to accomodate that measly 30 active minutes. Jim and I were going to walk last night but he had a very stressful week last week and ended up sound asleep by around 9:00. He needed it and I don't begrudge it, but I need to somehow get that stuff in earlier so I'm not dependent on someone else. I have plans with one of my friends to start walking in the morning but she has obligations early for the next few days. I'll get there. I promise. I guess I should tell you how I plan to get my exercise today....then you can hold me accountable tomorrow! I will get my 30 minutes in today right at 5:00. The Y is nearly empty then and Carrie can actually come for 30 minutes of Kid's Club for free. I know the people there and it's fun for her. The Y is usually a great option because I tend to end up doing 45 minutes to an hour. I also usually push myself to run nearly half of it. You would laugh if you saw me. I am the lamest runner EVER! I can't go more than a tenth of a mile before I'm ready to pass out, so I alternate walking and running every tenth mile.
Just so you know that I haven't been a complete couch slouch, Carrie implored me to go outside and rake leaves yesterday. Somehow that activity loses some ambience and romanticism when it's 84degrees out. No nip in the air here. It did make it more of a workout and Carrie was thrilled that we did that together. We then made chalk drawings of fall leaves all over the driveway!
My laundry is done and put away although I still don't have a good answer with what to do with all those 'single' socks that inevitably show up at the bottom of the basket. How DOES that happen? My sink is clean and bleached! The dishwasher is running. My bed is made. I will start another load of wash in a minute. Then school will start.
Thanks to my formerly unfit blogging buddies who are now keeping me 'honest' in my quest for fat loss and fitness and encouraging me by example. Hopefully I can encourage some that are struggling as well. This weekend I wanted nothing more than to stuff my face with a greasy grilled cheese sandwich and a brownie sundae but I knew I'd have to answer to this blog and I'd have to tell the truth. Thanks! I survived unscathed. A few months ago, I would have said, "Nuts to it, I'll start the diet again tomorrow, bring on the fatty foods." Now those temptations are fleeting thoughts and I'm able to stick with it so much better.
Have a great day. Stick to your goals. Someone is depending on you!
Just so you know that I haven't been a complete couch slouch, Carrie implored me to go outside and rake leaves yesterday. Somehow that activity loses some ambience and romanticism when it's 84degrees out. No nip in the air here. It did make it more of a workout and Carrie was thrilled that we did that together. We then made chalk drawings of fall leaves all over the driveway!
My laundry is done and put away although I still don't have a good answer with what to do with all those 'single' socks that inevitably show up at the bottom of the basket. How DOES that happen? My sink is clean and bleached! The dishwasher is running. My bed is made. I will start another load of wash in a minute. Then school will start.
Thanks to my formerly unfit blogging buddies who are now keeping me 'honest' in my quest for fat loss and fitness and encouraging me by example. Hopefully I can encourage some that are struggling as well. This weekend I wanted nothing more than to stuff my face with a greasy grilled cheese sandwich and a brownie sundae but I knew I'd have to answer to this blog and I'd have to tell the truth. Thanks! I survived unscathed. A few months ago, I would have said, "Nuts to it, I'll start the diet again tomorrow, bring on the fatty foods." Now those temptations are fleeting thoughts and I'm able to stick with it so much better.
Have a great day. Stick to your goals. Someone is depending on you!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Weigh-in Wednesday
Well, weigh-in was less than exciting but I did go down a pound. It's not a lot but , hey, I'll take what I can get. What's important is that I was disciplined and did the right thing.
I did my workout yesterday. My fourth was kibbitzing the whole time, giving me exercise tips. Of course he was right on everything he said and has the muscles to prove it so I had to swallow my pride and listen. He was a real taskmaster. I was glad he stepped in to keep me going. I do think my triceps might not like him so much this afternoon when they will more than likely be screaming in pain.
My bed is made, my sink is clean and empty, and I have exercised planned for later in the day. I confess that I have a load of laundry sitting in the dryer which I plan to go get and fold AND PUT AWAY!!!!!!!!! in just a few minutes. I'm blogging while the girls are doing their math. I've already taught the lesson, they're just doing some seatwork.
Like I mentioned to Connie, I am taking baby steps. I've got this eating thing down pat now, but the bad housework habits I've gotten into the past few years will take some real work. I am up for the challenge.
By the way, our kitten - Shirley, is doing much better. The vet sent me home with an antibiotic, an antihistamine (she could barely breathe), and nosedrops. Shirley thinks they are all torture. I feel like the bad guy cramming pills and medicine down her throat and drops in her nose, but hey, after raising 5 kids I can take it.
This is a great day to accomplish all our goals! Go for it!
I did my workout yesterday. My fourth was kibbitzing the whole time, giving me exercise tips. Of course he was right on everything he said and has the muscles to prove it so I had to swallow my pride and listen. He was a real taskmaster. I was glad he stepped in to keep me going. I do think my triceps might not like him so much this afternoon when they will more than likely be screaming in pain.
My bed is made, my sink is clean and empty, and I have exercised planned for later in the day. I confess that I have a load of laundry sitting in the dryer which I plan to go get and fold AND PUT AWAY!!!!!!!!! in just a few minutes. I'm blogging while the girls are doing their math. I've already taught the lesson, they're just doing some seatwork.
Like I mentioned to Connie, I am taking baby steps. I've got this eating thing down pat now, but the bad housework habits I've gotten into the past few years will take some real work. I am up for the challenge.
By the way, our kitten - Shirley, is doing much better. The vet sent me home with an antibiotic, an antihistamine (she could barely breathe), and nosedrops. Shirley thinks they are all torture. I feel like the bad guy cramming pills and medicine down her throat and drops in her nose, but hey, after raising 5 kids I can take it.
This is a great day to accomplish all our goals! Go for it!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Joining Jen's 40 day Challenge
Jen at http://jensmakeover.blogspot.com is just completing 40 days of breaking the habit of eating chips. She has been successful and is about to change another habit for the next 40 days. I plan on doing the same. I don't know what hers will be yet, but I've decided that mine will be a dual-sided challenge for those 40 days. The first will be a commitment to 30 minutes(minimum) of exercise per day, whether at home or the Y. I will not come in on my weight target by Christmastime if I don't add consistent exercise.
The next part of my self-challenge is not fat-related. It is something that causes me as much shame as my weight. I have trouble keeping my housework under control. I am not naturally one of those extremely organized people so I have had to struggle against this my whole life. I am not lazy, just scattered, busy, and needing to put my 'system' to work for me. I have had some success in this area with some real analyzing and work, but, like with the weight, it's time to conquer it completely. So, I have refined my plan to 'keep it together'. I will post my 'messie's manifesto' tomorrow as a way to make myself accountable via this blog.
On a positive note, I was just enjoying the fact that I have gotten rid of the equivalent of 4 three-pound cans of crisco from my carcass! That is pretty exciting. Kind of gross to think that a month and a half ago all that fat was hanging on me. Good riddance! I'm going to a wedding on Sunday and I'm very thankful I don't have to carry all that lard on my bones. Very unbecoming.
Four cans down, ten to go.
The next part of my self-challenge is not fat-related. It is something that causes me as much shame as my weight. I have trouble keeping my housework under control. I am not naturally one of those extremely organized people so I have had to struggle against this my whole life. I am not lazy, just scattered, busy, and needing to put my 'system' to work for me. I have had some success in this area with some real analyzing and work, but, like with the weight, it's time to conquer it completely. So, I have refined my plan to 'keep it together'. I will post my 'messie's manifesto' tomorrow as a way to make myself accountable via this blog.
On a positive note, I was just enjoying the fact that I have gotten rid of the equivalent of 4 three-pound cans of crisco from my carcass! That is pretty exciting. Kind of gross to think that a month and a half ago all that fat was hanging on me. Good riddance! I'm going to a wedding on Sunday and I'm very thankful I don't have to carry all that lard on my bones. Very unbecoming.
Four cans down, ten to go.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Weigh-in Wahoo!
Well, the numbers travelled in the right direction this week. I lost my 'quota' for this week plus a part of last week's. That took some patience. I was doing all the right things but to have a week where I went up instead of down was pretty disheartening.
A kind of weird thing happened yesterday. My husband just started a new position about a month ago. Yesterday someone approached him in the hallway and said, "I recognize your last name, but I'm not sure from where." We have a last name that is a little unique. Every phone number listed across the country for our last name belongs to someone who is a close relative. I believe I have only found one exception to that, so if someone recognizes our name, they know someone who is related. Anyway, they started talking about where he could possibly know the name from and finally pinpointed that he knew me from UP Bible Camp back in my high school days and must have heard the name from someone when we got married.
I must say that I was mortified thinking that I might run into this guy while at my husbands' office for something. Why? Because I was so skinny back then that he probably wouldn't even recognize me now. Don't get me wrong, this isn't someone I'm trying to impress.....the only one I need to impress is my dear husband. I am just humiliated and embarrassed that I let myself get this much heavier. Oh well. Maybe things like this will keep me going when I'm getting impatient and want to quit. Sheer embarrassment works wonders I guess :-D !
Since this morning was weigh-in, all my extra points reset today so I will bake that apple pie for sure. Son#3 has threatened to bake it himself but I kind of want to enjoy the process. He can bake all he wants....we've got a whole bushel!
I've been at this a month and a half now. I'm a third of the way there, timewise, and just under a third of the way to my weight goal. This just hasn't been that horrible and I'm enjoying staying focused. I hope you are, too!
A kind of weird thing happened yesterday. My husband just started a new position about a month ago. Yesterday someone approached him in the hallway and said, "I recognize your last name, but I'm not sure from where." We have a last name that is a little unique. Every phone number listed across the country for our last name belongs to someone who is a close relative. I believe I have only found one exception to that, so if someone recognizes our name, they know someone who is related. Anyway, they started talking about where he could possibly know the name from and finally pinpointed that he knew me from UP Bible Camp back in my high school days and must have heard the name from someone when we got married.
I must say that I was mortified thinking that I might run into this guy while at my husbands' office for something. Why? Because I was so skinny back then that he probably wouldn't even recognize me now. Don't get me wrong, this isn't someone I'm trying to impress.....the only one I need to impress is my dear husband. I am just humiliated and embarrassed that I let myself get this much heavier. Oh well. Maybe things like this will keep me going when I'm getting impatient and want to quit. Sheer embarrassment works wonders I guess :-D !
Since this morning was weigh-in, all my extra points reset today so I will bake that apple pie for sure. Son#3 has threatened to bake it himself but I kind of want to enjoy the process. He can bake all he wants....we've got a whole bushel!
I've been at this a month and a half now. I'm a third of the way there, timewise, and just under a third of the way to my weight goal. This just hasn't been that horrible and I'm enjoying staying focused. I hope you are, too!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Success Tips
Although everyone is different, it is sometimes helpful to know what has helped someone be successful at what they're doing.
Here are some things that help me.
Be Prepared. When I get up in the morning, I have an idea of what I'll be eating that day. If I've got an event that poses a big problem, I plan for it. If it means cutting up a few bags of veggies so that I have some 'munchies' to eat while the kids or my husband are eating chips, then I've got it covered.
Beware of salty snacks. I love these so I had to find a substitute. Baked Lays Chips, Baked Doritos, Baked Scoops are all great. EXPENSIVE, but great. It's worth it if you're the only one eating them. One caution. Don't sit down with the bag next to you. Count out 1 serving and put it in the bowl and put the bag AWAY. Get some salsa that you like or make some fresh stuff and use it generously. By the way, Sam's club is about the cheapest place to get these...about half the price of the grocery stores.
Get rid of stuff that you just can't resist. For me it's Cheetos, donuts, and believe it or not, boxed macaroni and cheese. If you can't handle it don't have it in the house.
Don't eat stuff you don't like. It doesn't satisfy you at all and you're more likely to make bad food choices later.
Don't expect to lose the weight quickly. If you do, you'll get discouraged and quit and gain everything back plus a few more pounds for good measure. Losing at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week is painfully slow but then your eating habits will change and the pounds will stay off for the most part with a little self-control. See how your weight loss works....if you tend to lose a pound per week, see how long it will take you to get to your goal weight and make that a red letter day on your calendar....even if it's two years from now. Look forward to that day. When you're struggling to stay on target, tell yourself, "If I keep on target, I will get to my goal by that date". The time will pass anyway, you might as well have lost some weight in the process.
Us frugal moms HATE to waste food. Unfortunately sometimes we forget that when we finish up what our five-year-old left behind on his/her plate, it is wasting it just as much as if we threw it away. Our bodies don't need it. To feed myself what I don't need is wasting it. Get over it....throw it out. Better to waste it than to 'waist' it.
Portion control. Portion control. Portion control. Those serving sizes mean something. Use a smaller plate! No seconds. You won't wither up and die.
Thou shalt not lie. I think we need to recognize that we are very capable of lying to ourselves about food and how much we eat. This dishonesty is not pleasing to the Lord or the scale. Our bodies are not fooled.
Find a program that works for YOU and stick to it. If you can' afford a program, keep a food journal and write everything down. I use Weight Watchers online. I like it because I'm not a Rah Rah! meeting kind of person (maybe you are and that's great). I also like the simplicity. It calculates everything for me --I just type in what I eat. It has me losing at the right pace. No foods are off limits, I just have to stay within my point allowance. I LOVE this program.
Rely on the Lord. He knows you and your struggle. He knows what we're made of. He knows temptation. He can give you the strength to do the task at hand. Think what a fantastic testimony this can be for someone struggling with other addictions.
Remember that you can discipline yourself to do pretty much anything for just 24 hours, so take this thing ONE day at a time. Control yourself TODAY. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Find some new favorite foods and make sure they're always in your house. I have discovered oat bran and I love it. I also love Brownberry's Double Fiber 100% whole wheat bread. Seedless raspberry jam of the Smuckers variety. Summer fruits! Tomatoes! Fresh salsa with baked chips! Grilled chicken salad with lowfat dressing!
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Here are some things that help me.
Be Prepared. When I get up in the morning, I have an idea of what I'll be eating that day. If I've got an event that poses a big problem, I plan for it. If it means cutting up a few bags of veggies so that I have some 'munchies' to eat while the kids or my husband are eating chips, then I've got it covered.
Beware of salty snacks. I love these so I had to find a substitute. Baked Lays Chips, Baked Doritos, Baked Scoops are all great. EXPENSIVE, but great. It's worth it if you're the only one eating them. One caution. Don't sit down with the bag next to you. Count out 1 serving and put it in the bowl and put the bag AWAY. Get some salsa that you like or make some fresh stuff and use it generously. By the way, Sam's club is about the cheapest place to get these...about half the price of the grocery stores.
Get rid of stuff that you just can't resist. For me it's Cheetos, donuts, and believe it or not, boxed macaroni and cheese. If you can't handle it don't have it in the house.
Don't eat stuff you don't like. It doesn't satisfy you at all and you're more likely to make bad food choices later.
Don't expect to lose the weight quickly. If you do, you'll get discouraged and quit and gain everything back plus a few more pounds for good measure. Losing at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week is painfully slow but then your eating habits will change and the pounds will stay off for the most part with a little self-control. See how your weight loss works....if you tend to lose a pound per week, see how long it will take you to get to your goal weight and make that a red letter day on your calendar....even if it's two years from now. Look forward to that day. When you're struggling to stay on target, tell yourself, "If I keep on target, I will get to my goal by that date". The time will pass anyway, you might as well have lost some weight in the process.
Us frugal moms HATE to waste food. Unfortunately sometimes we forget that when we finish up what our five-year-old left behind on his/her plate, it is wasting it just as much as if we threw it away. Our bodies don't need it. To feed myself what I don't need is wasting it. Get over it....throw it out. Better to waste it than to 'waist' it.
Portion control. Portion control. Portion control. Those serving sizes mean something. Use a smaller plate! No seconds. You won't wither up and die.
Thou shalt not lie. I think we need to recognize that we are very capable of lying to ourselves about food and how much we eat. This dishonesty is not pleasing to the Lord or the scale. Our bodies are not fooled.
Find a program that works for YOU and stick to it. If you can' afford a program, keep a food journal and write everything down. I use Weight Watchers online. I like it because I'm not a Rah Rah! meeting kind of person (maybe you are and that's great). I also like the simplicity. It calculates everything for me --I just type in what I eat. It has me losing at the right pace. No foods are off limits, I just have to stay within my point allowance. I LOVE this program.
Rely on the Lord. He knows you and your struggle. He knows what we're made of. He knows temptation. He can give you the strength to do the task at hand. Think what a fantastic testimony this can be for someone struggling with other addictions.
Remember that you can discipline yourself to do pretty much anything for just 24 hours, so take this thing ONE day at a time. Control yourself TODAY. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.
Find some new favorite foods and make sure they're always in your house. I have discovered oat bran and I love it. I also love Brownberry's Double Fiber 100% whole wheat bread. Seedless raspberry jam of the Smuckers variety. Summer fruits! Tomatoes! Fresh salsa with baked chips! Grilled chicken salad with lowfat dressing!
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Not an OCCASION to give in to TEMPTATION!
Today begins the festival that our town has every year called Milford Memories. It's a nice craft show, fair, sidewalk sale, food, music, and fun outing and it lasts three days. We are close enough that we just walk from home every year.
In order to avoid the temptation that awaits there (can you say 'elephant ears', 'cinnamon almonds', and 'Italian sausage and peppers'?) , I'll have to be diligent by eating before we go. Taking along a few bagged snacks so that I have something to eat while my 5-yr-old eats the treats should do the trick.
I'm well past a week now and haven't eaten one thing that I didn't document and every mouthful was within my daily and weekly point allowance. I will stay on track until Christmas eve. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Truer words have not been spoken in the diet realm. Maybe I'll have it carved into a sign over my fridge and pantry.
P.S. I've already divested myself of a whole can of Crisco. How about you?
In order to avoid the temptation that awaits there (can you say 'elephant ears', 'cinnamon almonds', and 'Italian sausage and peppers'?) , I'll have to be diligent by eating before we go. Taking along a few bagged snacks so that I have something to eat while my 5-yr-old eats the treats should do the trick.
I'm well past a week now and haven't eaten one thing that I didn't document and every mouthful was within my daily and weekly point allowance. I will stay on track until Christmas eve. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Truer words have not been spoken in the diet realm. Maybe I'll have it carved into a sign over my fridge and pantry.
P.S. I've already divested myself of a whole can of Crisco. How about you?
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
What THEY'RE Having...
I think this is the toughest part of dieting for me. The rest of the family. Right now I'm going to go downstairs and make them pancakes drenched in butter and syrup. If I take one little taste, I'm done. So I ate a good, filling 3.5 point breakfast and a LOT of tea to make me feel full. I will be able to respect myself an hour from now. I will be be that much closer to my goal weight because I stuck it out for the 15 minutes it takes to make those pancakes.
I read somewhere that brushing your teeth right before you know you're going to have to face a major food temptation helps a little bit. The peppermint and just-brushed freshness and all:-)
I think I'll try it.
How is YOUR day going?
BTW----I was down 2 pounds this morning. It's nice to get results when you're working hard.
I read somewhere that brushing your teeth right before you know you're going to have to face a major food temptation helps a little bit. The peppermint and just-brushed freshness and all:-)
I think I'll try it.
How is YOUR day going?
BTW----I was down 2 pounds this morning. It's nice to get results when you're working hard.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
G'day Mate
Day is done. I made it through Outback with no damage. I didn't touch the Ominous Onion of Obesity. I ordered only what I planned, ate a WW candy while they were all eating dessert and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I even passed up the half a bowl of ice cream with hot fudge that my daughter left on the table. Food going to waste is tough for me to pass up, but if I look at it as though it will be going to my WAIST if I eat it, I can leave it alone!
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things....
12.....I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
I, unlike the apostle Paul, haven't come to the point where I am completely content in every situation, but with the grace of God I'm learning. When I overeat, I'm not being content with the amount of food it takes to keep my body healthy. I want to enjoy the delicious food He provides with joy and thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things....
12.....I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
I, unlike the apostle Paul, haven't come to the point where I am completely content in every situation, but with the grace of God I'm learning. When I overeat, I'm not being content with the amount of food it takes to keep my body healthy. I want to enjoy the delicious food He provides with joy and thanksgiving.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Still on the Wagon
Yesterday and today were both good days food-wise! Stuck to my points like glue! I enjoyed a Mr. Pita Ultra Lite Chicken Caesar for lunch.
Only 143 more days to go.
Only 143 more days to go.
Friday, August 3, 2007
What the Challenge is All About
In my other blog, I put out a bit of a challenge to myself, but I'm hoping to get a few others to tag along. While doing Weight Watchers a couple years ago, I noticed that when you lost a few pounds, they'd congratulate you with things like, "Be proud---you lost the equivalent of four sticks of butter" or a gallon of milk or something like that. Well, I can't think of a fat that is much grosser than Crisco (okay, well maybe whale blubber but it doesn't come in premeasured cans)so I'm using that as my weight-loss yardstick.
If I lose weight too quickly on a very restrictive diet (Atkins, low-carb, etc) I just pile the pounds back on with all their cellulite-packed little friends. Weight Watchers worked nicely for me before. I haven't gained the majority of my weight back that I had lost, I just need to finish the job once and for all. What I need to lose is 14 cans of Crisco (they're 3 pounds each) If we all lose two pounds per week between now and Christmas, we can be down 42 pounds by Christmas. Merry Christmas to us!
The rules are only these. Lose weight safely...no starving yourself or taking ridiculous pills. Always tell yourself the truth about what you've eaten. Use any reasonable plan that works for you. Be nice to everyone else on the blog:-)
I will report every day on how I did with my eating. I'm looking for others who want to check in frequently to report on how they're doing. We can keep each other going. Will you help me on this? How many cans of Crisco do YOU need to lose?
If I lose weight too quickly on a very restrictive diet (Atkins, low-carb, etc) I just pile the pounds back on with all their cellulite-packed little friends. Weight Watchers worked nicely for me before. I haven't gained the majority of my weight back that I had lost, I just need to finish the job once and for all. What I need to lose is 14 cans of Crisco (they're 3 pounds each) If we all lose two pounds per week between now and Christmas, we can be down 42 pounds by Christmas. Merry Christmas to us!
The rules are only these. Lose weight safely...no starving yourself or taking ridiculous pills. Always tell yourself the truth about what you've eaten. Use any reasonable plan that works for you. Be nice to everyone else on the blog:-)
I will report every day on how I did with my eating. I'm looking for others who want to check in frequently to report on how they're doing. We can keep each other going. Will you help me on this? How many cans of Crisco do YOU need to lose?
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