55 X 55 Challenge: First Quarter

55 X 55 Challenge: First Quarter: Well, it's the first quarter. Three months into my personal goal of lose 55 by 55. I've only lost three pounds. One pound a month. N...

First Quarter

Well, it's the first quarter. Three months into my personal goal of lose 55 by 55. I've only lost three pounds. One pound a month. Not getting anywhere...fast! At least I'm losing. I'm not giving up! I may not lose 55 pounds by my 55th birthday, but I'm still going to meet that goal by the end of 2015. I have to, my health depends on it.

Some fun, see the pic below. It's kind of blurry, but that's because I was having some fun posing. :)

See how long my hair is? Today is a new day! I'm starting off fresh! I have my new water bottle and yoga mat and hair cut! 55 by 55 here I come! (only 52 more to go! lol) See below...

55 X 55 Challenge: Itsy Bitsy Baby Steps

55 X 55 Challenge: Itsy Bitsy Baby Steps: Still losing! Yep! So far I've lost a total of 4.8 pounds. Not a landslide, but consitantly going in the right direction. Just wanted to...

Itsy Bitsy Baby Steps

Still losing! Yep! So far I've lost a total of 4.8 pounds. Not a landslide, but consitantly going in the right direction. Just wanted to post an update. I did start a food journal, but not ready to post one yet. Haha, too personal. Not ready for the public to see my main food group...chocolate! :) Heading that direction soon enough. More to come...

55 X 55 Challenge: Still going forward

55 X 55 Challenge: Still going forward: So, I was going to post this blog weekly and name them by week numbers. Well, I don't have to tell you that didn't happen. However,...

Still going forward

So, I was going to post this blog weekly and name them by week numbers. Well, I don't have to tell you that didn't happen. However, I have continued to lose weight. Not a lot, but so far I've lost 3 pounds. It's so much better than the other way, and 55 by 55 is still a healthy goal. Going forward, thoughts of how to make this more interesting, challenging, attainable, and to be more accountable consume my thoughts. The one idea that might make a début in a few weeks is to post a food journal. While still playing with the idea, I think it’s a winner. The mere act of writing down everything that is taken in by mouth is an eye opener in itself. Getting into the habit of it takes a little extra kick in the tush, but publicizing this to all of you will surely keep me accountable. I asked my daughter how this blog can reach more people. I want to hide it away and not post on my FaceBook page, but she quickly corrected me. Since I'm wanting to be accountable, and wanting some encouragement and prayer for this journey, the best way is to post these blog posts on FaceBook. So, move forward I will. Maybe by my next blog I'll have decided if the publicized food journal is a go.

Week 4

So far I’ve lost a whopping pound! As I said before, at least it’s going in the right direction. I have started a couple of routines as far as exercise goes. We do have some exercise equipment and videos, but the best motivator I’ve found is my phone. My daughter put an app on my phone for yoga. These routines are great for stretching and balance and core strength, just what I need. It’s sad that I use to be able to do all of these type exercises to the max when I was younger and 80 pounds lighter. It’s funny though, I didn’t even know it was called yoga. After about a 20 minute yoga routine I bring up a Zumba routine on YouTube. I’m only making it through one song for now. I know Zumba isn’t for everybody, but for right now it’s my favorite. What is your favorite exercise? Have you started any new routines? I’d love to hear about them. They say that exercise only contributes about 20% to the weight loss, but it helps in so many ways. And I don’t know about you, but I feel so much better after a good exercise! That’s all for now. Next week I’ll try to get a new picture up.

Week 3

Week three and I'm not any further along than a week ago. Haven't gained, but haven't lost either. I realize that my spiritual health is most important and I also realize that if I neglect my physical health I won't be around for my spiritual health to be of any benefit. Yes, yes...they are intertwined. If my spiritual health is as it should be my physical health will follow. My prayer life does not consist  of me asking God to lose weight, no. It does not consist of me asking God why do I have diabetes? Or why can't I lose weight like I used to be able to, no. It doesn't even consist of asking for knowledge, wisdom, exercise equipment, or time to exercise.  I already have all I need. It's me, I make the choices. I make the excuses and the justifications, I'm pretty good at making those. So, you're probably asking yourself, what do I pray for? What I need is to be constantly reminded to eat correctly, exercise regularly, and to do all this not for me, but for God.To give God the honor and Glory. Our Heavenly Father Blessed us with our bodies. We need to take care of them while on this earth. So, my prayers do consist of... Holy Heavenly Father please help me to have the proper food prepared and handy for meals and snacks. Lord please help me to know that every poor choice I make reflects on You! Precious Jesus help me to keep my eyes on You when I want chocolate sooo badly! When I want something crunchy and salty! When I'm lazy and tired and want to go to the bed instead of to the exercise room. Most of all, I pray that I will let the Holy Spirit fill me and know that it's not about me! Thank you friends and family for supporting me! Comment on this for your needs or private message me. I want to support you as well. 

Week 2

Jan 10, 2015

I'm not posting a pic this time. I think I only need to post a pic once a month. I have lost .4 pounds, less than a pound, not alot, but it's in the right direction. Some things that I've learned this past week are... A TV documentary caught my attention the other night. It was a lady who is a cancer survivor, telling her story. The interesting thing that made an impact on me was the Laughing Yoga she teaches. Laughing Yoga, I've never heard of it before. But it makes sense. We don't laugh enough for sure. Laughter has been proven to help a person in so many ways. It's no surprise that one’s physical health can be helped by laughter as well. When is the last time you've had a down deep, real, belly laugh? I had one the other day, but it's been quite a while. Instead of an apple a day keeps the doctor away, maybe it should be a laugh a day keeps the doctor away? lol 

Then there's this commercial for diet pills they advertise on TV. The commercial claims that stress causes fat to accumulate in the tummy area. So, that's why I'm fat? Too much stress and not enough laughter in my life! lol

Well, I think eating chocolate and starchy foods, sitting all day at a desk without exercise sort of helps it along. 

But, it makes sense. Although how does one get away from stress? I mean, stress is life and we all live in life, no escaping. The answer? We Can't!! We get away from the stress we can, eat healthy as we can, get proper exercise, and laugh every day. But life still catches up. This is where my prayer life comes into play. To be completely honest, my prayer life comes into play in every single area of my life. I really do not know how people live without God in their lives. No, God does not give me everything I want, although He does pretty good, better than I can myself. No, God doesn’t make my life all rosy and sweet, although when I let Him, He is there comforting me through the hard times, and even when I tend to forget Him, He's still there. No, God doesn't keep me healthy and fit in spite of my disobedience and laziness, although He keeps me healthier than I deserve to be. No, God doesn't make life go away, He makes life tolerable. He makes life joyful, peaceful, and exciting...if you let Him.

I remember an experiment I used to help youth understand life. You may have heard of this before, I think this is the best illustration. Take an egg, carrot, and coffee beans. Boil a pot of water to a high boil. Put all three of these in the boiling water at the same time and boil for 15 minutes. Take the egg and carrot and coffee beans out of the water and place on a plate. Now notice, these three all suffered the same outside circumstance for the same amount of time. The egg is hard, like the heart of those that are bitter and angry with life. The carrot is soft and mushy like those who let their surroundings control them, who give up on life. Then notice the coffee beans, they are still the same. Only notice the water left in the pot. A sweet smooth aroma of coffee. mmmmm....Like those who have faith in God and let God use them to share His Love and Comfort and Truth with all those around Him. Now, which would you like to be? 

I need you as well! IF you are reading my blog, please comment and pray. Let me know how I can pray for you. A quote I heard this past week. CS Lewis..."Prayer doesn't change God, it changes me."

week 1

Well, its been over a week and the holidays are over for the year. No, I didn't lose anything but I didn't gain either. That's the reason I started this challenge before Christmas.  I didn't want to eat like there was no tomorrow, because there is. Taking care of the body today brings us more and healthier tomorrows. As I'm writing this I'm listening to Christina cooks. She is giving a lesson on sugar. She heard a saying that eating nothing is better than eating sugar. So true. My problem is when I'm hungry there always seems to be plenty of sugar around to eat. So I eat. Hmmmm... Well here's my next pic. I wrote this Jan 3, 2015.