Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, it's warming up to be another hot day here. On the news last night, they were saying that we have had 17 days so far in September that have been over 90 degrees! Yesterday we were 10 degrees above average, and we are going to be about the same today. Record setting temperatures. Bummer. Went you want fall to arrive so badly, it's no fun when it's taking it's dear sweet time. They were joking about us having to rake leaves at Christmas! I didn't find it so funny.. :-<>


Okay, enough whining! So, some of you might have been wondering where my weight loss Wednesday posts have gone. I just couldn't get back to it after getting home from our trip. So much has happened since we got home, it's just been a whirlwind. It would take me all day to write it out, and you don't have all day to read it, so we'll not get into it all! (you can thank me later!) But I will say, that my health took a turn for the worse. A really bad turn, down a long hill. Weight loss has been the last thing on my mind. Just getting through the day is the goal. I am starting to feel better though, and I have good news! It looks like I might be able to see new doctors on the 12th of October to begin the process of getting an official diagnosis! Wouldn't that be great?! Like my husband said, "just knowing what you're up against, is half the battle!" So, please pray with me about getting the testing and treatment that I need. It looks like we are looking at a MS, or Fibromyalgia diagnosis, but they will probably test for a couple other things as well. I just want the Lord's will, whatever it may be! No matter what my ailment, I need to be eating healthy and losing weight! So, I will press on.



I've gained some weight back since the trip, and I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I'm thankful and praising God that I didn't gain it all back! So, we will start from where I'm at and press forward! I've already lost a couple pounds over the last few days, so I'm off to a good start! Part of losing weight and being healthy, is learning how to deal with slip ups and getting back on track! So, that's exactly what I see this as, is a learning opportunity. Not a defeat like it's been in the past!



I will try next week to get some recipes back up! I am trying out some new one's and loving how much better I feel when I eat good foods, verses how weighed down and sluggish I feel when I eat bad, highly processed foods and too many simple sugars (bad carbohydrates) I have also made a commitment to take my supplements everyday! They really help my symptoms. I take a multi-vitamin, B-Complex, Probiotic Pearl, Omega 3-6-9, and heart healthy acidophilus. On the days that I don't eat enough natural fiber, I take a fiber chew as well. It's a lot to keep up with, but I can really tell a difference when I faithfully take them!

Weight Loss Wednesday

When I talk to moms who want to lose weight I hear one very common question..."What about the kids and their sweets? They shouldn't have to suffer just because I'm on a diet, should they?" My answer..yes and no! The truth is that your children don't need the high levels of sugar, fats and preservatives either. Just because they may burn of enough calories to not get fat, doesn't mean it's okay for them. Their little bodies are growing so rapidly and there is so much going on with them on a cellular level. Unhealthy food does not help their body to make healthy cells. However, I do think that having desserts occasionally and teaching them how to have a balanced diet is a VERY GOOD thing! They will have to make their own food choices when they move out of the house and if they are taught well, they should succeed with making their own wonderful food choices, and keeping that balance. So, here's a couple of my favorite kid friendly desserts that won't hurt your diet or healthy lifestyle either!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

3/4 cup granular sugar substitute
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup creamy trans-fat-free peanut butter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar-free jam, any flavor

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar substitute, egg, and vanilla together with an electric mixer on low for 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and baking soda. Mix on medium until dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Form dough into 24 (2 teaspoon) balls and place on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Gently press your thumb into the center of each to make an indentation. Fill each indentation with 1/2 tsp jam. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

There are 2 cookies per serving, and each serving has only 140 calories, 11 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of dietary fiber and only 210mg of sodium! So easy, so cheap and so yummy!

Now, we use natural peanut butter for sandwiches and such, but I haven't tried it for this yet. I intend to soon, because I don't like buying regular peanut butter, but I'm just not sure how the natural with do with this. If you are a stickler about it, try it and see! Otherwise, just use your normal brand making sure that it doesn't contain any trans fat.


Mexican-Style Chocolate Bananas

1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 medium bananas, peeled and cut into 8 pieces each

Heat chocolate in a small skillet over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and stir to combine. Holding 1 piece of banana by the end, dip it into the chocolate mixture to coat the other end. Place it, chocolate end up, on a clean plate. Repeat with remaining banana pieces, coating the pointed ends of the four "tip" pieces (gently reheat chocolate if necessary). Serve or place in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.

A serving size is a half a banana, 4 pieces. Each serving has 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram protein, 2 grams dietary fiber, and NO sodium!

Of course having 4 children, I have to double this recipe, but it's a favorite! Once again, very affordable and very quick for a homemade dessert!

Now please, I would like your input..what kind of recipes would you like to see next week. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, desserts...let me know!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Here it is Wednesday again...boy the days are just flying by aren't they?! I'm not going to complain right now though. I want the days to fly by right out of this heat we're having! I've never tolerated the heat well. I don't know if it's just how God made me, or if growing up in Colorado where your body has to be cold tolerant and not heat tolerant, is to blame. I know our bodies adapt to our environment, but when you hide in the air-conditioning, it hinders that process I think! lol

Well moving on, I've lost 3.8 pounds this week! Yes, a very successful week indeed! I think there is one main thing that helped me this week. Focus. I stayed focused on the goal this week. Not just the numbers, but the whole idea that I want to be healthy and I want to look good. Over eating, not exercising or eating the wrong foods is not going to get me to that goal or keep me there either. I do think that was the main difference from the last not so great two weeks that I had. I also found a new food item that has really helped me this week, so I'm going to share that with you....

I made a delicious veggie tray and kept it in the fridge. When I emptied one section, I got out more from the drawer and cut it up and put it in the tray. This way, I always had fresh veggies at my fingertips. Quick and tasty! If I was hungry, I'd get it out and eat a few. Sweet tooth, got this out and ate some until my craving went away. Broccoli is my favorite, so I had to refill it quite often! This is so handy though, because I'm not one to have to wash, cut and prepare broccoli every time I'm hungry. Normally, I'd just find something else to eat, and I assure you it wouldn't be as healthy! A couple times this week, I also got out this tray and snacked a little before dinner. It kept me from eating too much of the dinner. I was pretty full before I even had dinner done.

I love having ranch dressing with my veggies and salads, and I've never been able to give that up. I've tried all other kinds, and I can't find anything else that even compares for me, so you can imagine how happy I was to find this! A lot of the store bought light ranch dressings, or fat free are not healthy at all. Some are even worse than regular ranch dressing...sometimes it's better to take the high fat and calories than the junk they put in it to reduce those things. But this...oh, this is good stuff! Half the fat and calories than regular dressings, but no high-fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, gluten free and no MSG! Plus, it has probiotics. How many, I don't know. But it's better than anything else I've found so far! I found this at our local Ingles in the produce department. It was above the packaged salads. It has to be kept cold, so you won't find it on the regular salad dressing shelves.

Have a wonderful week, grab a glass of ice cold water, and have a drink to good health!

Weight Loss Wednesday...on a Thursday

This week I lost exactly 1 pound and little as it may be, it allowed me to reach another goal. I have now lost...

Isn't that exciting! I am very happy to have reached this point. It gives me great confidence for reaching my next goal, which is my halfway point of 25 pounds. I'd like to lose 10 more pounds before we leave for our trip, but we'll see. That may be too tall of an order for the way my life has been going lately. It is certainly obtainable though, so time will tell. We leave for our trip in 4 weeks and two days...Lord Willing. If there's anything I've learned in life, it is that the Lord will ALWAYS have the last say!

I thought about whether I should have a tip or a recipe today, and I decided to have a recipe. So here goes. Today's recipes come from the "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living Cookbook." Snacks are important and can keep us from overeating at meals. They also keep the metabolism rolling...waiting more than 3 hours between meals can slow it down. Here's a healthy snack and low in calories when consumed in moderation. It can also be wrapped up and kept in a purse for those emergency times when you can't get home and don't want to stop at the drive-through!

Granola Bars-makes 9 bars

Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 cups granola (homemade or store bought)

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, etc)

1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients-

2 eggs

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup (honey is better)

2tbs extra virgin olive oil

1)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously oil an 8x8 inch baking pan.

2)Chop the walnuts or nuts of your choice and add to a large bowl.

3)Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl and mix to incorporate.

4)In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients and mix to incorporate.

5)Pour the egg mixture into the granola mixture and stir until all the ingredients are coated. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

6)Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light brown.

7)While the pan is still warm, cut into 9 squares.

*Experiment with other dried fruit, such as chopped apricots, dates or plums.

*Experiment with different nuts, such as pecans, almonds or peanuts.

*For a dessert, increase the honey to 1/2 to 2/3 cup...and for a real dessert, crumble the granola bars on top of Honey-Glazed Pears*

Honey Glazed Pears-makes 4 servings

4 unpeeled pears(any variety)

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1)Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2)Cut the pears into bite-sized chunks and place them into an 8x8 inch backing pan.

3)Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the pears.

4)Cover the pears and bake for 20 minutes.

5)Remove the cover and baste the pears with the pan juices. Bake, uncovered for an additional 25 minutes, or until the pears are tender.

6)Serve the pears warm or at room temperature.

*Variation-use 4 bananas instead of pears. Peel the bananas and leave whole. Bake, covered for 20 minutes, basting once during cooking.

I have found that making an occasional healthy dessert really helps keep me from wanting to binge on unhealthy desserts. It took a while for me to accept fruit as a dessert, but my body LOVES it. When I do eat cake, or donuts, it almost makes me feel sick. It's hard to believe I used to shove so much of that into my body. If we would just listen to our bodies, very carefully, they will tell us what is good for them!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Today's post is a little late, sorry. We had another appointment with the specialist today to do a breathing test for Mr. Pure at Heart. It turned out well, and they have put him back on the Advair. They changed him to Flovent last Thursday and his cough got worse and worse ever since. Out of all 5 medicines they've tried, the Flonase and Advair together are the best. I'm hoping the lapse in the Advair won't be a big setback. I had to pull him out of church again Sunday because the cough was so bad, and last night he had a hard time getting to sleep. I'm hoping that he will quickly return to how well he was doing over the last month...well, until last Thursday. My prayer is that this will work well again, and he we won't have to schedule any more appointments between now and the one he already has set in September.

As for my weight...I lost 1 pound this week. I'd like to be excited about it, but I'm not. It should have been more. I didn't go to the gym one night, and I made some really bad food choices at home. I tried giving myself a little break and made some cookies with the kids one day, but that just led to several other indulgences on several other days. It just shows that I'm not yet over my old habits. It's something I'll have to keep working on. It's crunch time now...we will be leaving for Kansas in 5 weeks. (hopefully) So, I need to get in gear and quit skipping my gym days. I still had a loss, and I'm thankful for that. If this were any other time, I wouldn't beat myself up so much, but I want to look good for our trip, and I feel like I waisted a whole week. Plus, I did push the limit on some of my choices, and that's not healthy. That's not part of a healthy lifestyle, weight loss aside. But, hooray for my 1 pound, I guess!

So, since I'm running so late on this post, and my day, I will just give a quick tip to you all. I had it posted before, but some may not have seen it, so I'm going to add it again, because it is very helpful. When you eat out, or go to a friends house for dinner, and can't count calories, and do know what to do...here's a general guideline that you can follow. Just divide your plate into 3 sections. You should fill one half of your plate with vegetables...preferably, no salt, butter, creams, etc. Then one quarter of the plate should be your proteins...either beans, or meat or whatever your protein source is. A good way to portion your meat, is it shouldn't be bigger than the palm of your hand. Fatty cuts of steak, pork and shrimp are not the healthiest meat choices, but if that's what your being served, by all means, eat it. Just keep that portion down. The other quarter of your plate should be your starch or complex carbohydrates...rice, potatoes, slice of bread..etc. Obviously again, as plain as you get it, but don't be rude to your hostesses either. If you stick to these portions and don't over indulge in dessert, you can eat just about anything you're being served, just be smart about it. If the food is not the healthiest, get a small plate, or don't fill up the entire thing! Here's my picture below of what your plate should look like...my circle is having a bad day, but you get the idea!

I hope this can help somebody! You all have a wonderful Wednesday! I hope to be able to tell you next week, that I have smashed the 20 pound mark, and am close to my half way mark of 25 pounds!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Oh, goodness. Where do I start? I wanted to share something informational for you guys like I used to on my old weight loss Wednesday posts that I deleted a while back....but it may have to wait until next week to keep this post from being too long. I have some other great news to share today! Let's start simple...I lost 1.4 pounds this week for a total loss of 18 pounds! Wow. That in itself is just amazing. I wanted more than the 1.4 of course, but that's not bad for being so sick this week. I made sure to eat every few hours, even if it was just a bite. I was on the couch a lot, but got my workouts in still. Drank as much fluids as I could.

The next great thing...I fit into my first goal skirt today. I bought it at the start of this journey and I can finally wear it comfortably! I have been waiting for the money to buy a shirt to go with it, and things just weren't working out for me there. I pulled out some totes from the closet a couple days ago, to see if I could fit into any of the smaller clothes I had stored in there. Sure enough, I was able to wear several things, and one of them just happened to be a nice white Coldwater Creek shirt with lace trim, that will go perfectly with my first goal skirt! Thank you Lord! So, I already know what I will be wearing to church!

I have lost a total of 17 inches off my body! 2 1/2 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my torso, more than an inch off of each thigh and 2 inches from my hips! I've even lost almost an inch around my neck! I'll spare you all the measurements, but how exciting to see the changes in so many different ways! The numbers on the scale, the numbers on the tape measure, how my clothes fit, what I see in the mirror, and lastly and most importantly....in my health!

Which brings me to my last exciting thing for today. I went to the gym to turn in my key card and thank them for my free month. After talking for a minute about my progress, the manager offered me another month and a half free! That way I could wait until August to start paying for my membership, after we're done saving for our trip! How great is that? She didn't want to see me lose the progress that I had made. How wonderful! Thank you Lord, again! So, I'm still going every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I even went this Saturday and yesterday when I was sick...(don't worry, we disinfect the machines after we use them anyway..club rules!)...and boy was I glad I went last night. Something amazing happened last night! I started out with a mile on the stationary bike like always, and then I moved on to all the weight lifting machines I use, then I went on to the elliptical to finish it out. My sinuses were clear, for the first time in days and I felt good. I decided to hop on the treadmill and see if I could run for a couple minutes. I am NOT a runner. I have exercise indused(however you spell that word) asthma and can't really run outside, and still have trouble running inside. Plus, I have a really bad left knee from a motorcycle wreck when I was a teenager. Even when we ran 3 miles a day for volleyball back in Jr. High, I often had to wear a knee brace and use my inhaler. Well, I don't have a doctor here, and I don't have a knee brace. So the most I can do, is run for a minute, and then walk for a couple minutes, and then run for another minute, and so on. I'm usually done after 2-3 times of running. Well, I got on the treadmill and started running right off the bat. I began thinking, what if I could run a quarter mile? Then at the quarter mile mark, I thought, I wonder if I could make it to a half a mile? I haven't done that in 2 years. As I neared the half mile, I thought, you know what? I'm going to run a whole mile. How great would it be to be able to say that I ran a whole mile?! I'm sure I'll have to stop at 3/4 of a mile, but how awesome would it be to run a mile...that would be so much better to say than "I ran for 3/4 of a mile." It wasn't until I reached about .83 of the mile, that I realized I really could do it. It was amazing! For years I've watched people run and wished that I could do that. I've tried so many times over the years to run that mile. I've wanted to so bad. I can lose weight, I've done it time and time again, but to run a mile, that's been unobtainable. You know how this is going to end! I ran the WHOLE MILE! Never stopped once, controlled my breathing, and my thoughts. Ran as gracefully as I could, to not do too much damage to my knee. I just couldn't believe it. Do you know how long it's been since I ran a mile? 13 years! The weight loss is great, but I've done that before. I'm stronger than most women I know, I've always had a lot of muscle, that's nothing new. But yesterday, I ran a whole mile and I haven't done that since I was 15. I reached the unobtainable! Plus, I did it at the end of my 2 hour workout, and while I was sick!

I had to call my dad right when I left, and tell him. When I got home, and told hubby, I started crying. He thinks I'm silly, but I just can't express into words what that mile meant to me. I am finally getting my health back at a time where I feel like I have little control over it. I have all these health issues that I can't go see a doctor for, and it really stresses me out sometimes and concerns me to no end. But amongst all those, I reached a health goal that I have so longed for, for quite sometime! So, there you have it. That's my great news for today! I'll try to have a health tip, or recipe up next week, but I just had to share this today!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I am happy to report a 3.4 pound loss for the week! That is just marvelous news because it means...

Yes! I have reached my second weight loss goal of being under 200 pounds. My weight now begins with a 1 instead of a 2! That is just so exciting! And with 16 pounds lost now, I really feel like I am accomplishing something! I am about a third of the way to my goal weight. I have a large frame and am by no means a short person. I also have A LOT of muscle and so a healthy weight for me would be between 150-170 pounds. That's a size 8-12 for me. I don't have a set weight that I want to be. I want to stop when I feel healthy, and my husband is pleased with how I look. He doesn't want me getting too small....like that's going to be a problem?! lol

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, hello again! I'm sorry I've been off the radar for the past few days. We've had so much going on, and I've been struggling to juggle it all. Remember my post a while back on our 40,000 thoughts a day? Well, I have failed to keep all of mine positive this past week, and it really affected me. I let financial and physical stress get the better of me. The good news in it all though...this time, I did not turn to food for the answer! YAY! That's what I've always done and that's why I've been so heavy at times, or gained back weight that I had lost. I'm so thankful that I'm finally beginning to learn some life lessons here. This truly is more than a diet...it is a lifestyle change. It took me more days than it should have, but I finally turned to God, and read my bible searching for answers and peace to my stress, instead of Little Debbie! I ate good all week and it lead to a loss for the week of 1.4 pounds!

I know that number isn't staggering, but I had actually gained 2 pounds that were unexplainable over the last two weeks. My one pound loss last week was frustrating because I had weighed less a few days before, and then Thursday after my last post, my weight went up another pound! For seemingly no reason. I don't know if it was just too much sodium, so I was retaining more water, or what? So, I have actually lost three pounds from this past Friday. That makes me happy! One of my dear friends sent me an article that talks about how it's actually good to weigh yourself everyday to keep in tune with what your body is doing. (which is good because that's what I've done for years!) But, it says that you will fluctuate based on what you eat, exercise, stress, water intake, so on and so on. However, you should gradually notice over time that you are going down weight wise. So, one shouldn't be alarmed about weight being a little higher one week as long as you are eating and exercising properly and you should notice a decrease in weight over all as time goes on. That is definitely me! I have lost a grand total now of 13 pounds! And I have actually lost almost 2 dress sizes! So, praise the Lord for that, and Praise Him for my new life changing skills, and I will press on.

Today is my last week for the gym membership and I don't even know if I'll make it at all. Hopefully I will Saturday, but Thursday I have a baby shower to go to. I'm very saddened that the membership is coming to an end, and right now it looks as though we will not be renewing it. I just hope it gave me the jumpstart that I needed, and I can find ways to successfully work out at home now.

Weight Loss Wendesday

Well, I am frustrated to report that my weight loss for the week was only 1 pound. It really fluctuated this week and I was lighter than I am today, twice in the last week! I'm sure it has something to do with water, and blah blah blah, because I have a skirt that I tried on last Wednesday, and I tried it on today, and it fits much better. So my body shape is saying that I lost more than 1 pound! It was just so frustrating to see that number this morning, after all the hard work I've put in at the gym. I'm not too discouraged though, just frustrated. I'm looking on the positive side and focusing on all the good changes I see in my figure and my overall health. Hopefully, the scale will be nicer to me next week!

Weight Loss Wednesday~Wait For It...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

That's right! I finally reached my first goal of 10 pounds lost! I'm so happy! I lost 5 pounds this week! I had lost 8, but then gained back 3. So instead of losing 13 pounds, I'm only counting ten. I'm not going to count weight I had to lose twice. Maybe now, even when injured or busy, I will try harder not to gain any back! Anyhow, I am pleased and am excited for my next goal of 16 total pounds lost, because it has special meaning. I am focusing on how much I have lost, and NOT how far I have to go...must think positive!

I had my free consultation with a personal trainer last night, and that went well. He showed me a 30-40 minute routine I can do without weights. So that way, if I can't make it to the gym, I have something very effective that I can do at home, or anywhere. That was nice. He also let me know my exact target heartrate range for my age. I know where I need to keep my heartrate to concentrate on fat burn or cardio. (focusing on fat burn!) So, now it's up to me. Personal training is not in the budget! Hehe Although, he did say that if I got stuck in a month or wanted a new routine, I could pay for just one session and I bet that would really be helpful. So, I had a great week, I'm really enjoying the gym, as I knew I would...I've always loved gyms....and I'm looking forward to another great week!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, this week isn't really a weight loss Wednesday, it's a weight gain Wednesday. I gained almost 2 pounds this week. Although, I'm not surprised, and I'm not upset. I've been so busy painting these rooms, moving furniture, putting in new flooring. We've been eating a lot of prepackaged foods instead of me making healthy meals. I should have disciplined myself and managed my time better. I could have thawed out things and used the crockpot, but I didn't. Staying up until 3:30 in the morning, and past 1:00 most other nights, doesn't sit well with the body either. So, I need to get these rooms done and get back on track. I'm not upset though, I know it will come right back off.

I got a phone call Monday letting me know that I won a free one month membership to Anytime Fitness, so I'm excited about that! I just hope we can somehow afford to renew it after the month is over. I don't know how much I'll be able to do right away because of my back, but I can walk on the treadmills, ride the bikes, and do lots of strength training exercises that don't call on my lower back muscles! So, I'm really, really, excited about it. I'm working on a schedule that won't interfere with my job here as a mommy, teacher, wife & homemaker. I don't want my family to suffer for my wanting to be at the gym. I am really looking forward to it though. The last time I had a gym membership here in town, I lost 31 pounds and was still losing when I had to cancel the membership due to finances. So, I hope to have better news to report next week!

Weight Loss Wednesday

So, where am I on my weight loss journey? Good question. My back went out again a couple weeks ago and I have been slowly nursing it back to health. So far, I haven't had to go to the chiropractor, so that's good. But to be honest, if I would of had the money to go without sacrificing something else, I would have gone already. It's been pretty painful. I'm hopeful that it's on the mend, but with my back...we'll just have to see. Unfortunately what is for certain, is no exercise. I can walk. Oh can I walk, so I will. But no strenuous aerobics, no core training (right now) none of the really good stuff that takes weight off! So, I've been frustrated. But I'm maintained my weight loss and not put it back on, so I'm grateful for that. Being stuck rejoicing in 8 pounds lost, is much better than being back where I started! Can someone give me an AMEN for that?! That's better than what I would have done in the past. In the past, I've always focused on the negative, gave up, and put it all back on.

So, my goals are to: 1)walk any chance I can get. 2)Drink LOTS of water to keep my metabolism up as high as I can. 3)Eat small, portioned and healthy meals ALL throughout the day, to keep metabolism up. 4)Not be sedentary during the day. My back is helping me with this, because in my normal day, the worst thing I can do for my lower back is sit! So that gives me motivation to stay on my feet which will burn calories over the course of a day!

So there you have it. I'm trying to keep a positive outlook and quit feeling sorry for myself. This is all about being healthy and changing my lifestyle anyway, the weight loss is just a product of those things. But in all honesty, if we do make this trip in August, it would be nice to be able to see our friends and family without all the weight I've put on since we saw them last! ((smile))

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I hate to dissapoint all of you, but I will not be standing on the scale today. We have been having Revival services this week at church, (hence the silence on the blog) and God has asked me to focus on my heart and spirit this week, and not my weight. Great and wonderful things have been happening in the services so far, and I am so excited to continue. God has spoken through these Preachers, and the Spirit has MOVED! Praise God! I am still just so excited about tonight's sermon, especially. I REALLY needed this right now, and I am being blessed! So, I will report back in next week, or as the Lord leads. I am still eating healthy and walking as I can, but what I weigh is not of importance this week. I hope you all have a great week. I'm going to try and do a Thankful Thursday post about the meetings, and what's been going on in my heart, as time leads!

Weigt Loss Wednesday

Well, I type this post this morning with mixed feelings. I'm sad, because the scale is only showing a .08 loss for the week. That's 2 tenths from being a pound....it's still a loss, but it's not what I want it to say, and it's not accurate. I'm optimistic though, because I know it's only reading that because of water weight. I stepped up my exercise into high gear, from almost no gear, and that's going to make your body temporarily hold onto water. As soon as my body gets used to the exercise and the water I'm drinking, it will let go of the excess water, and that number on the scale will go way down, and my loss number will go way up!

This week is going to be a challenge! I have to lose 3 pounds by next Wednesday to meet the goal that I had set for the month. That's more than I've lost in any given week so far this month. But, I think I can do it. I'm going to have to stay focused, and keep my eye and mind on the goal, but I really think I can reach it. I think I'm holding at least half that in water weight right now, so if my body will let go of that soon, I'll just have a pound and a half to lose. Plus, I am on a good exercise routine now and even though I'm not specifically counting calories, I am paying attention to about how many are in each meal and snack that I eat. Along with that, I have now set low, moderate, and high caloric intake days. This keeps my body guessing as to how many calories it needs to burn, so it won't shut down my metabolism. I've been very successful with this in the past! So, here's to 3 pounds and an awesome post next week!!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I lost another 2 pounds this week! YAY!

I am so proud of the choices I have made this week, and with every good choice, comes the motivation to make the next one! We had a church dinner this week, and ate out once this week, and I ate good foods, and had just a teeny tiny portion of a dessert. The results speak for themselves! I am finally starting to feel like I may actually achieve this goal that I've had for so long now. I am going to start taking a weight loss supplement, and am anxious to see how much that will help me! It's not what you think...it's a healthy supplement full of vitamins that is intended to replace lunch everyday. It's from the company Reliv and I am now a distributor for the company. I really had to be, in order to afford it for our family. We all have our own health issues, and they have something that will help each one of them. From arthritis, to allergies, to hormone and weight issues, all of it.

My aunt has been in the business for 3 years now, and takes the supplements herself. They have given her increased energy at 50 something, and gotten rid of all her joint pain. My mother has been taking the supplements now, at 3 times the dosage, and it has drastically improved her MS. She is walking better, has more energy than she has in years, and she just got an MRI done, and there is no changes in the disease right now! Praise GOD! So, I am excited to see what these supplements will do for our family. I am starting off with the Slimplicity for myself, and the Kids Reliv, and Innergize for my least healthiest son. (The one whose going to the allergy specialist tomorrow) Then, when money allows, we will move on to hubby's joints. I will certainly share with you how we do on our health journey, just as I always have! And do please pray for Mr. Pure at Heart's appointment tomorrow.

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I have lost another pound, so that officially brings my total loss so far to 5 POUNDS!!

I have so far to go still, but I am rejoicing in my first milestone! The spring air is definitely helping me to keep upbeat and stay motivated. My spring projects have kept me busy and have deterred me from raiding the kitchen as well! That's always helpful. lol

I am starting a small business adventure, which I don't really like to call a business adventure...I like to call it a health adventure. I really feel the Lord lead me into it, and I'm starting to get really excited about it! I think it will bring great help to myself and my family, as well as people across the nation! I can't wait to share more about it with you. Probably next Wednesday, I'll fill you all in on it! For now, I just encourage all of you to enjoy your day, and make the most of this beautiful weather that is slowly rolling in!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I was expecting to be very disappointed when I stepped on the scale this morning. I haven't hardly even walked in the last week, let alone exercise. We have had most of our meals from fast food restaurants, or grabbed something from the grocery store that could be microwaved or thrown in the oven. I tried very hard to watch my portion size, and I ate the healthiest of what was available. (Except the night we had Dominos pizza, and I ate one Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake! But, once again, I didn't eat near the amount of pizza I normally would! The results:

I lost one pound this past week!

I couldn't believe it! It just goes to show how important portion control is! I've always known that you can loose weight without exercise, it just isn't as healthy for you...your body NEEDS as much exercise as you can give it. Obviously, with my back, good exercise is still a ways off, but I will start making baby steps. I will also note, that I wasn't running to the kitchen for snacks all day long either! That makes a HUGE difference. Ideally, the body should only be eating a small meal or snack every 3 hours or so. Any more, and you are overeating. I am looking forward to next week, and hoping I can get some walking in to help aid the weight loss, but it will have to be one step at a time, I do not want to be bed ridden again. I'm excited though, I know that getting all this extra weight off will help my back tremendously. This past week really made it apparent, just how important it is that I get the weight off and take better care of myself.

Now I have to try and prepare my house for company tomorrow without overdoing it! It will be a challenge!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well I lost another pound this week!

I'll take anything at this point. I know the thyroid problem I think I have is really hindering my weight loss. I have been reading up on it, and trying to find things I can do to help it that don't require seeing a doctor and getting a prescription, since that isn't possible. So far, I've learned that foods with high fat content can be harmful, so I'm trying to avoid those. I've also started taking Probiotic Pearls supplements recommended for thyroid sufferers and learned that it's very important that I remember to take the omega 3,6,9 supplement that I've been taking. I've started back up on my multi-vitamin which I hadn't been taking in months, and read that it's important to get enough zinc and selenium, so the next vitamin I buy will need to have more of those in it.

I can already tell a difference. I have more energy and have been accomplishing more each day. That makes me soooo happy! My emotions are more stable, and that makes EVERYONE happy! I want to be healthy so bad. I truly hope I am on the right road to a happier and healthier me! I want to enjoy ALL my days instead of just trying to get through some. Sometimes my energy is so low, I can barely get dinner cooked, and I DON'T get it cleaned up. It is still much better than it was before I changed my diet. 6 months ago, I would just cry in the middle of the day and pray and tell God that I was so tired of being tired and being unable to take care of my home and family properly. I'm so thankful that He is answering my prayers and beginning to heal my body through diet change and these new supplements. As soon as my weight is down a little more (so I won't throw my lower back out) I intend to add exercise back in. I know that will help my health even more. Exercise does so much for the body and mind...a whole lot more than just helping to shed pounds. That's really just the icing on the cake. I still hope to be able to see a doctor one day, and get some tests ran for my numerous health issues, but I'm thankful for the changes that I can make and the wisdom that God has given me to do so.

I'm looking forward to next weeks weigh-in! (I have a beautiful skirt I'm waiting to fit into, and I'm not far away!)

Weight Loss Wednesday

I lost 2 pounds since last week!

I'm so happy to be going down on that scale instead of up! I have so much I wanted to post about today, but we have two broke down vans in our driveway and no way to get to church tonight, so I'm going to help hubby in any way I can, and ask that you would just pray for us and our vans please! We have no other vehicles. He has his company work van, and we have our family van. I will post more about it tomorrow since I have something to be very thankful for, even though they are broke down in the driveway!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well, I don't have good news to report this week. I gained one pound. I'm not surprised at all, so I'm not to upset about it. We had a lot of running around last week and we ate out for a few meals. What we did eat at home, wasn't very healthy...it was just quick and easy. It shows how unprepared I am for interruptions in my schedule. I am fixing that right now!

We bought a small deep freezer and I'm going to have it stocked with frozen vegetables and turkey burgers that can be cooked easily from frozen. This will also give me room in my regular freezer for my frozen onions, celery, broth, and other things that I need for cooking healthy meals from scratch. I'm so excited and thankful that we were able to get the small freezer. We got a great deal on it too, only $154 for a 5 cf GE freezer. One year warranty. I'll have to get a picture up on here for you of the new microwave we bought with the freezer. It's just beautiful! For the first time ever, I have all matching appliances, and they are all stainless steel! God is so good to us. He blesses us so much more than we could ever deserve! Now, I just need to use these material blessings to help myself and my family to eat much healthier this year!

I hope to have better news to report next week. It's amazing the impact on our bodies that food makes. I felt slow and sluggish all week. I couldn't think as clearly and my stomach wasn't feeling so great some of those days. Within just one day of eating healthy again, I feel better...I woke up ready to start the day, I'm thinking more clearly and my body almost feels like itself again. It is truly nice to know and be able to feel the difference that good food makes for the body! All the more motivation to make sure I put it in my mouth, instead of junk!