Saturday

Hmmmm.  I think we may be dealing with pink eye here.  My sweet Havilah has gotten goopy eyes and one of them is really blood shot.  I've also been really congested and had a sore throat so not much has happened around here.  I did get in one mile this morning though!

So far, 8 out of 10 miles
No tea today
No more dancing
Everything else good

Ready to curl up and watch Courageous with my husband now.  Goodnight all!!!

Friday (and Thursday!)

About thirty seconds after I opened my eyes this morning it hit me, " I never updated yesterday!!!!!".  Turns out I didn't drink my green tea either so I'll have to wait for a different week to earn my new dvd.  That's okay.  I wont let it discourage me!

So far I've walked 6 out of 10 miles
Done 2 out of 4 dancing times
Made breakfast every morning

Please pray for my husband and I as we have been thrown into the mediator role with some dear friends going through some serious issues.  We want to bring wisdom and God's heart to the situation, but sometimes it is such a struggle to know what is best! 

I'm so thankful for you ladies and how you are continuing on, even when it gets hard!

Wednesday

I'm very tired and ready for bed, but I had to update first!!!

3 miles walked (out of 10 )
2 dance workouts (out of 4)
Green Tea~ check!
Breakfast for Hubby~ check!

Doing good so far!!!

Every now and then I get this giddy feeling of, "I really CAN do this!!!!".  I'm so excited!!!

Well........

As you may have deduced by my long silence, this past week did NOT go as planned.  I tried to "improvise" the best that I could, but since I didn't get on here and admit my changes, I still felt slightly guilty!

By Wednesday I decided that I was going to have to throw out the "no sugar week".   This past week was full of getting together with THREE of our dear friends (two of which are siblings!) who are starting some very exciting relationships, one friend who is grieving, friends who are struggling with a legal vs. Christian attitude situation and one of my best friends who is moving across the country.  Plus two birthday parties.  Our life is not normally like this and I feel like I've been grasping for sanity!

I really felt like it was the wise decision to not add more burden to myself and I still tremendously felt the inspiration of all of you ladies and felt like the Lord was giving me the strength the be wise in the midst of it all.

I got in 4 out of 6 TTapp times but only walked 2 miles.  I also only got my water in four days.

Now here I am at day two of Week 3 already!  I weighed myself this morning and it said 165.7 which considering my past week, I was THRILLED with!

My goals this week are,

Walk 10 miles (2 done)
Dance exercise 4 times (for AT LEAST 15 min.)
Sweets ONLY with my husband
Drink Green Tea daily
Serve my husband breakfast EVERY day!!!
Update here DAILY for one week

This may not sound too extreme but I want a week that will get me "back on the wagon".

If I meet all of these goals this week I'm going to reward myself by ordering a new Walk Away the Pounds dvd.  I've used the same one for two years now.  What are your favorites?

Still Here!!!

Sorry to be so scare this week!  My husband has had some time off of work so while it's WONDERFUL to have him around, it kind of throws off "normal".

Yesterday was our sweet Ella's second birthday so I used up two of my sugar passes.

So far I've gotten my water in each day and have done TTapp every day too.  No miles walked yet though.  Hoping to be around more as the week goes on!

Week 2

So last week ended pretty well.  I only got in 12 of my 15 miles and I took a small sip of Mountain Dew on Sunday (which actually tasted bad to me!).  Over all I feel really good about the changes I have been able to stick to and I'm so thankful for the grace that the Lord continues to pour on me daily.

So I weighed in this morning and my official weight for week two is...... 166.8.

That's exactly two pounds less than last week so I'm very encouraged!  I'm not quite sure how I'm going to make 159 by March, but for no I'm going to plug along at my goals and just see what each week brings.

My goals for this week are~

<> Drink 64 oz. water daily
<> Walk 6 miles
<> Do TTapp 6 times
<> No sugar except I'm going to give myself four "sugar passes".  Not four times of "giving in", but four times of choosing that it is an appropriate time to eat some sugar.

Please continue to pray for me this week.  Specifically pray against burn out please! 

Day Seven

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement!  Friday ended well and we were able to just relax together.  It doesn't appear that there is any damage to the bathroom so we are sooooo thankful!

Yesterday went well, but again I only got in one mile of walking which brings me to eleven total.

We FINALLY have snow here (only about three inches) so we are SUPER excited!  Not sure if we are heading out to church because I would have to drive our van and I'm very inexperienced driving in snow.  Either way I am anticipating a wonderful day with my family, marveling in the beauty of the Lord.

I'm very excited to weigh in tomorrow and start a new week with new goals.  This week has gone better than I would have imagined.  I never really thought I could do without sugar so "easily".

I'm praying for you all!  My computer time is limited at times so even if I'm not commenting, know that I'm thinking of you and praying for you on your journey!

Day Five

Well......  Today has been a little discouraging. 

My sweet Ella ( 2 next week) somehow managed to almost completely flood our bathroom this morning and all I had a chance to do was throw as many towels down as I could before my oldest (6) somehow accidently locked the bathroom door.  I've been trying to get the door opened all day, but no luck thus far! 

We were planning out for a dinner and a movie date tonight, but my sister forgot she was going to watch the girls so we had to cancel.

I haven't walked at all today and I've REALLY wanted sugar again.

I know I can get through today though!  The girls and I are trying to plan a fun evening at home and I'm just trying to have a relaxed and joyful attitude even though deep down I feel like crying, eating or sleeping.

Praying for a new day tomorrow!

Day Four

So far, so good!  Thanks for your prayers last night.  I was victorious!!!

I'm truly finding it easier and easier which just blows me away.  I even tried plain milk in my coffee this morning and really enjoyed it!

Tonight we are having a sweet young lady over for dinner and she offered to bring dessert so as much as I really don't want to cheat, I may break my "no sugar week" just slightly.

10 out of 15 miles walked.

Praying for you all today!!!  One decision at a time we can glorify God with our bodies!!!

Day Three

I'm doing pretty well today.  We were up quite a bit last night with our sweet Ella throwing up (seems fine today and no one else is sick so I'm not sure what was up!) so we were all pretty wiped out.

Only got one mile in today, but still doing good with the "no sugar" week.  It was actually easier for me today!

Yesterday I thought I would sign back up for myfooddiary.com which I've tried in the past off and on.  It costs $9 a month and is really good at breaking down what you're eating and letting you know what you need more or less of.  By the end of the day though I was stressing out!  It hit me then that I knew there was no way I was going to be able to stick with it for long.  So I quite right then and there.

Usually in the past I would have pushed on for a few more days before crashing and burning so bad that I probably would have burned out on all of this.  It felt so good to take a step back and look at what I really CAN handle and what was just going to over burden me.  I know with the Lord's help and your encouragement I CAN stick with my weekly goals and ALREADY I'm feeling healthier and less dependant on sugar!

Tonight is my evening alone while my husband works with youth.  This is a big pitfall for me so please pray that I can prevail!!!

(8 out 15 miles walked so far this week!)

Peaceful Craziness!

Here I am on day two and I feeling almost giddy.  Yesterday was a total mixture of desperate prayers, huge blessings, and painstaking awareness of my actions.

I knew I was addicted to sugar, but I never quite realized how dependant I was.  At almost any given moment I find myself gravitating towards the pantry. Some chocolate chips, a random piece of candy, some chocolate milk.  It calls to me..... It calls to meeeee!!!  It keep hearing Angie's voice in my head reminding me, "It's one choice at a time."

Yesterday I was taking Esther in to be weighed and decided to stop by the store for some healthy options to keep me on track and I was soooo blessed at the different things I found on sale.  I was really hoping to pick up some ready to cook chicken breasts for a quick, lean lunch option.  They just "happened" to be on sale for the lowest price I have ever seen them!  Lean ground turkey was also on a super sale.  I was so blessed!

The later part of yesterday was spent putting sugar OUT of my head.  Praise the Lord that while I may not have been successful in getting it out of my head, I didn't eat any!  The only exception I've decided to make is my cup of coffee with creamer that I have with my husband.  This is a special time for us and I'm not ready to cut that out!

This morning I was amazed at the peace that I felt.  It still feels scary, but I know that the Lord can accomplish anything in my life!

May you all feel the peace of the Lord today, and make each choice in HIS strength!

Day One......

Here I am.  Day One.  I'm feeling......

Excited....... Because I truly believe that the Lord is working on some key areas of my life and that He has the power to change me.  I know that He can help me have self-control and to live my life in a disciplined way.

Discouraged........ Because this morning I weigh 168.8.  Hmmmm.  Not how I was hoping to start out my week.

Trepidatious........  Because I'm great about getting excited about things for a short time and then not carrying through.

Encouraged........  Because I never imagined what it would be like for you ladies to come along side me.  Each of you fuel my fire in your own ways.


I think (at least for this month!)  I am going to work from weekly goals.  This week my goals are...

1.  Walk 15 miles this week.  (1 down!)
2.  Have a sugar free week.

That may not sound like too much, but I am shaking in my boots here!!!  Right now, sugar feels like my life blood so PLEASE pray for me as I go through this week!

My first weight goal is to hit 159 by February 6.  That felt much less daunting when it was only seven pounds.  9.8 pounds doesn't sound quite so easy.  Please pray for my heart during this time, that I will stay focused on honoring the Lord and not on selfish motives.  And please also pray against discouragement for me.  It's a constant enemy of mine!

Praying this will forever be "Before"

Ughh.  That's how I feel about posting this picture.  Yes.  I really am standing next to the toilet.  Yes.  I'm really still in my sweats and it's almost noon.  Yes.  I'm slightly sucking in my pooching stomach.  But for better or worse, here is my official "Before" picture. 

I know I don't have 100 pounds to lose.  And I really don't want to come across flippant.  But I come from a LONG line of beautiful women who have struggled with weight their entire adult lives.  I'm not in my fifties, my forties or even my thirties.  I'm right here in my "young adult" years and already I'm battling. 

Thanks so much to those of you who are coming along side me and encouraging me in my journey!  It means the WORLD to me!!!

(See my face in my "About Me" picture?  That's the face I'm working towards!  I love chubby faces on my kissable babies, but on me?  Not so much!)

Getting Started!!!!

Here I go!  I'm starting this blog because my dear friend Angie has once again motivated me to.  I tell you this girl could motivate me to do ANYTHING!!!  She's just that kind of person!

While there are MANY areas of self-discipline I need to work on and many I hope to address here, the one that I'm focused on right now is of course, weight loss (it's new year's after all!).

My sweet Esther is seven months old and who knows how long before another sweet one will come along.  This is my chance to shed these extremely sticky pounds!

Right now I weight 166 pounds.  My dream weight would be 130.  For now my goal weight is 140.  That's 26 pounds that need to hit the road!

I'll return soon with a more detailed plan of attack, but for now, here I am, out in the open!  Hopefully this will boost me to stick with it!