Monday, January 12, 2015

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone!! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. Like most of you, I indulged myself during the time-frame of mid-November (cruise time!) through Christmas. The end result was a weight regain of 7 lbs. The old me would have been very distressed about this, but I now take these things in stride. EVERYONE gains some weight around the holidays. The true test is what happens afterwards.

At the end of December, I began my low-carb eating again, and I’m happy to report that I’ve lost 3 lbs since then. It wasn’t easy, but I never really gave up my low-carb mentality (even when I was eating more carbs during the holidays). I’ve remained true to my turkey bacon-and-cheese breakfasts the whole way through. My husband said I was to blame if there were not enough turkeys for everyone else for Thanksgiving and Christmas! 

I’ve had my struggles over the last few days and wanted to “stress eat” very badly. I actually prayed while driving home one evening, after a particularly stressful day, for the Lord to help me not to turn into McDonalds for an ice cream cone. He came through, of course. The line at McDonald’s was LONG, so I drove by easily. 

I also asked the Lord to provide me with a sign that He was with me now, and especially over the next few days as we have an upcoming bariatric Center of Excellence survey. I returned to my office after lunch to find a note on my desk with a header of “Jesus Calling.” A Hug From Heaven! Can you believe that? It contained a beautiful verse announcing “Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever-present Help.” I was so moved, I actually had tears. Thank you Lord for the reminder. 

Whether my struggle is with weight regain or just the day-to-day operations of the office, God is with me. He is with you as well. Turn to Him, lean on Him, let Him guide you and help you remain at peace. As I begin 2015, I know all will be well. I will continue to keep you informed of my progress and my tips along the way as I continue my weight-loss journey. I ask that you keep me in your prayers, because we all need prayer.