Friday Check In

It's Friday! That was the day most of us agreed to weigh in and sound off. So, how did you do?

I was not excited to weigh in. I honestly felt that I had not done well this week - I was warding off a migraine that was trying to take me down for a couple days and then yesterday was ... well, it was just a bust. SO, I only got one REAL workout in all week. I got mini stuff in and was careful about food and drank more water than I had in WEEKS ... and it paid off. I lost 3 pounds this week, bringing the grand total to 32 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so my goals for this next week are as follows:

*KICK IT in the workout department! I need to just get up and do it!

*Step it up in the water department (although I did MUCH better this week, I still have a long way to go!)

*REALLY step it up in the food department! I'm gonna let you in on a secret and tell you that one of my major goals here is to have healthy food in the house for my HUSBAND to choose from as well as myself. He is having some major back pain lately and I know it's because he has gained some weight lately. (Now, do not get me wrong - I still think he is hot stuff, I just want him around for as long as possible!) I think we BOTH need to surround ourselves with better choices so that those are easier to make than the wrong ones! PLUS, I need to make the choices available for my sweet girls. Teach 'em right early!

OK, so let us know how YOU did and what your goals are!

We are in this together, remember? Let's love, encourage and carry each other through!

Back On The Train

Hey there friends! I've decided it's time to get this baby back up and running. I don't know about you but I REALLY need to get serious about this fitness thing. I had been doing GREAT - and then the move happened and I lost my mojo. I even gained two pounds ... BUT, I did lose those two again, so I am back to where I was before the Nashville/Atlanta extravaganza!

So! Today I declare a new beginning! I have reset the scale and am starting fresh.

Who wants to join me?

Many of us did this together last spring and then, slowly but surely, we all kinda fell off. There is safety - and accountability - in numbers, we all know that. So, let's use it to our advantage. I say we stand together against the flab!

Here is what I propose:

*Weigh in ONCE a week - (I KNOW this is a tough one, but I have learned that weighing in only once a week takes a lot of stress off.) We all fluctuate a bit here and there, so by weighing once a week - at the same time each week and wearing the same thing (I choose first thing in the AM and buck nekked!! - TMI?) we get a true picture of what we are dealing with. I will be weighing in on Fridays - although I did weigh this morning to get a starting point set - you can pick any day of the week that you want, no pressure.

*Workout - Some kind of activity, you pick the level, at LEAST 5 times a week. Walk, run, Shred, Zumba ... whatever - you pick. Just STICK TO IT! I know, for myself, I like a little variety so I will be pulling out a DVD, hitting the treadmill or heading out the door for a walk/jog/bike ride/swim. Whatever you choose to do, just DO IT! And, stick to it!

*Share/Vent/Encourage - this works soooo much better when you don't feel like you are in it alone. I know that having Dedra counting on my texts/calls is HUGE in getting me motivated. I could NOT have come this far without her! So, pick a partner and do whatever it takes to keep yourself motivated and on track! We can even use this sight as a way to do that. We can be each other's sounding boards!!!

WATER - Drink it and drink a LOT of it! Seriously, this alone will make a difference. The minimum amount we should be drinking is 64oz per day. I have even heard that if you divide your weight in half you should be drinking THAT number of oz. (I don't know about you, but for me, that is a WHOLE lotta water!! I know some people even set a gallon as their goal. Whatever, just drink it! (Here is a trick. I am NOT a water drinker - I like a little flavor with my drink - so I fill my water bottle to just below the top and then top it off with a little crystal lite. Just enough to flavor it up - makes all the difference in the world!)

Lifestyle - do NOT think of it as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle. If you go hog wild and completely deprive yourself you are so much more likely to fail. SO, eat thoughtfully. I am not saying never have pizza or cake, I am saying do not eat like that for every meal. THINK about what you are putting in your mouth - if you want pizza have ONE piece - not ONE pizza! If you want cake, have a couple bites, just enough to enjoy it, but not so much that you will be miserable and feel guilty afterwards. And if you do fall, shake it off and jump back in. Also, compensate - you had pizza for lunch? OK, have a salad for dinner, go an extra half mile, do an extra 10 minutes on your treadmill - just make up for it. It's OK - one fall does NOT a fail make! Just get back up on the horse and ride on! One day at a time and one VICTORY at a time!

Rethink "Victory" - Does victory, in your mind, mean reaching the goal weight? Well, that is - for some of us - a LOOOONNNGGG way off. So, rethink your victory - make them small and think of it as one day at a time. For example - you passed on the fudge covered oreos? VICTORY! You made it through the Shred and only cursed once? VICTORY! You got ALL your water in today? VICTORY! It is all in the way ya look at it. SO LOOK HARD if you have to, but find your victory today!!

OK, who is in? Let me know and let's do this together! Accountability ladies!!!

I love you tons and we can do this thing!

Here we GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Reality

Can we just all say that now that we are shredding together that 30 days is FOREVAH LONG?

That's it.

Pressing in....sore, tired muscles and all.

And, I know that some of you know this already....but, level 2 is ridiculous.

I will survive. We will survive.

Hugs...
Fran

We can do this thing...

We won't grow weary with "the Shred." No we won't. :)

It was hard over the weekend because we were out of town and so busy and I couldn't workout Saturday or Sunday. Bleh. A hotel room and a bunch of kids is tough when it comes to the workout scenario. But, no condemnation here.

It's ok if we don't get our 30 days in 30 days.

Press on sisters! We will always support one another.

Love you girls,
Fran

Whole Heart Faith

Hey friends! I'm going to take a break for the next few days and wanted to tell you about it. So I decided rather than "reinvent the wheel" I would repost something I wrote for my own blog over at Your Word is Life this morning.

I'm praying for you all and can't wait to hear all about how God is working and moving in each of our lives as we seek His Face and encourage one another with what He says to each of our hearts!

Blessings,
Dori

WHOLE HEART FAITH, WEEK 1
by Dori Cook

I know that on yesterday's post I said I would be taking a break from online activity. And I guess by writing this I may be breaking that fast. But the truth is that I have agreed with my friend, Leigh, to participate in her Whole Heart Faith Challenge. And her Whole Heart Faith Challenge and my Whole Heart Faith Thing goes along with this computer fast that God has called me to this week. And so after I hit "publish" on this post, my aim is to walk in obedience to the fast that God has called me to for this week.

I told Leigh this morning that my Whole Heart Faith "Thing" was going to be the idleness that I have experienced for some time that has turned into "idolness." Now, I'm not sure that "idolness" is a word, but work with me here.

The idolness of idleness is a contributing factor to every other form of idolatry in our lives. Think about it.

When I'm idle...

...I watch too much tv.
...Spend too much time on the computer.
...Spend too much money.
...Ignore important things that need to be done around the house.
...Eat too much.
...Exercise too little.
...Ignore important relationships that need nurturing.
...Miss opportunities to follow where God is working.
...Dwell on negative attitudes and thought patterns.

The list goes on, but the most important thing that suffers when I'm idle is...

...I don't spend enough time in prayer and Bible study.

And I feel it. So over the next few days, weeks and perhaps months. I'm going to seek God's face like never before and ask Him to make me useful, productive and on task for Him. Laying aside the idolness of idleness, I'm believing God for a radical change in my heart and in my life.

I opened up my e-mail inbox this morning to make sure there were no pressing work-related items there and I saw a post from Proverbs 31 Ministries. It reminded me of this passage in Numbers:

"…Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord..." Numbers 15: 38b & 39a (NLT)

Just like Leigh decided that she would show you her scales so you could see how much her idol weighs, I want to have a tangible, visible reminder of this walk of Whole Heart Faith. When I read the scripture above I was reminded of the little blue cords that we wore around our wrists during the Believing God study by Beth Moore. I'm tying mine on today to remind me of the benefits of being busy for God and the hurtful results of idleness or "idolness."

Will you join me? What is something that God is calling you to have a Whole Heart Faith over? Pop over to Leigh's blog to read her heart on the matter. You can read her introduction HERE and read her Whole Heart Faith, Week 1 post HERE.

Just like I told a friend a moment ago in an e-mail, the times are precarious. Everywhere I turn, my faith is being challenged by a world that wants to discount the power that our Creator God has over His very own creation. I need all of the reminders I can get to be radical, sold-out, whole heartedly steeped in, drenched in an "if I perish, I perish" kind of faith!

To walk it with friends -- both those down the street and those here on the internet -- is precious! Let's do this and let's encourage one another!

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Waiting on Him,
Dori

In Response ...

I started this out as a comment on Teri's post, but it got long and I wanted to share it with all of you too. So, here ya go:

I know it is discouraging - I have so been there. Starving myself and working hard and getting nothing in return ... I was there in November! But then I saw on Biggest Loser where Bob's team was just not losing so he looked at their food diaries and saw that they were actually eating too little. Yes, eat healthy foods, but give your body something to burn or it will start to store it up.

I know it SEEMS like that would be counterproductive but it isn't. Your body burns the "fresh" stuff first and then goes for the stored stuff. If it doesn't have enough fresh it just stores. You need protein and complex carbs to fuel your body as well as nourish it.

I am taking that lesson to heart this time and it is working. The LA Weightloss stuff I am doing uses real food that I buy at the store and prepare myself, the portions are measured out and proportioned correctly (with a food diary to keep track) and they satisfy without leaving me stuffed. Even working out it is just enough! I would be more than happy to share - I can make copies of everything and get them to anyone who wants them.

Teri, measure yourself and keep that track that way - it can be a truer test than the scale. I do both, because even if I hit a plateau with the weight the measurements remind me that I am losing.

I hope that this is helpful and not preachy.

I love y'all and we are in this together ... that is why we have this blog - to lift each other up and help each other carry on!

I don't know about y'all, but I know I NEED this!

I NEED YOU!!!

A Tad Bit Discouraged

So, this morning I got up at 6:00 for my daily trek on the treadmill and it felt SO good!  Then I opted to just wash up a little instead of showering so I could SHRED after going to pick up the girls I babysit.  (For those of you who don't know me, I work as a childcare giver two days a week for two cute little blonde hair, blue eyed girls!  They belong to my dear friend Meeghan, who is a teacher and works two and a half days a week because she job shares with another teacher.) While I was at Meeghans house this morning I decided to jump on her scale to see how it compared to my scale, because my scale said I haven't lost a single pound.  Much to my surprise, my scale was wrong.  I am actually ten pounds heavier than I thought. So, not only did I NOT lose weight, I'm also starting ten pounds heavier.  I wanted to cry.  (Just so you know, I went out and purchased a new scale which confirmed what Meeghan's scale read.)  

Meeghan is an amazingly thoughtful friend and she blessed me with a gift card for Target as a "YAY!  You did it!  You made it through your freshmen year!" gift!  (I know. She is amazing, truly.)  So instead of purchasing more fat clothes, or my favorite trail mix only available at Target, I picked up a Dancing With the Stars Latin dance exercise DVD.  

I will not let the scale discourage me again.  I know I am moving my body more everyday than I have in the last nine months.  30 minutes on the tread mill, 20 minute SHRED and 40 minute Latin dancing.  I am eating all the right things.  My portions are small.  My snacking is planned out every day and it is all really good stuff.  

I know I am doing everything I can possibly do to get this weight off, and if it seems as if I am a little obsessed about this thing, I am.  I'll admit it.  You can't know how discouraging it feels to be up 35 lbs in a year.  It is just not good.  All of my summer clothes are at a size I am comfortable in, and I am going to get back to that size.  I am determined to live a different lifestyle.

I have a theory as to why I packed the weight on.  This time last year I was VERY stressed.  (Remember Frannie?)  I had a ton of really intense heart stuff going on and I think I was just really down.  After I decided to go to school I think the stress abated some but then as soon as school started I have been on high speed, going pretty much non-stop.  Sleeping about 4-5 hours a night, running around like nuts all the time. Trying to balance my school life with my main priority--my family.  I don't have a house keeper, nannie or a chef! (Haha!)  I powered through all of this year and I think that even though I loved it, there was still an underlying level of stress that sort of never went away.  

I feel like I am coming down from it now, and I am really glad to be creating new habits, because they can only help me next school year!  

The true benefits of fueling my body with good nutrients and working out are that I am sleeping better at night, I have more energy and I am finding it easier to turn my brain off at night.  (Something that has plagued me for forever!)

So I'm sticking with it! (And staying off the scale until I start to feel my clothes feeling different!)

Well, that's all!