Daily Reminders

I’m back with another update on my journey. The last time I told everyone about the lower carbohydrate and low sugar diet I was following. Well…..it works! I’m down 11 pounds in 5 weeks. I’m still exercising daily…either in my pool or on my recumbent bicycle. I try to do at least 20 minutes per day. Some days I break it up and am able to do 30-40 minutes. The main thing is to be consistent. 

I went to Everman’s to see if I could find less expensive lower carb products. I did find soybean pasta….have not cooked it yet. I will report back on it after I get in the mood for spaghetti. The bagels I could not find at Everman’s. Nor could I find the blueberry muffins and brownies that I like. So, I will continue to order from Linda Diet Delites website as I mentioned in a previous blog. The bagels are only 50 calories (for ½ bagel); the blueberry muffins are 40 calories each; and the brownies are 45 calories each. All are low in carbohydrates which make them perfect for snacks. The muffins are heavier than regular muffins but that’s because they have 8 grams of fiber.

Throughout this journey, there are some things that I remind myself on a daily basis:

1. Nobody is perfect. God did not create us to be perfect. He created us to be whole. Slip ups are bound to happen.
2. Position myself for good things to happen --- surround myself with positive people; products that help me stay on course; learning more about how the body processes foods, etc.
3. Be flexible with my goals --- I don’t need to be a specific size. I just need to be healthy and happy. Healthy is reflected through good lab results and overall radiance. Happy is reflected in my mind and through my spirit. I truly believe happiness is a choice. We can’t move forward if we are always looking back and dwelling on past failures. God doesn’t dwell in the past. He is God of our present and of our future.
4. Dream big, but focus small ---  I know that losing 40 lbs will keep me healthy as I continue to age but that number can seem overwhelming. I break it down into 5 pound increments.  Small steps in the right direction will achieve a goal just the same as a large leap….plus I get more positive feelings along the way just from achieving my smaller goals. 
5. Be patient but persistent --- I didn’t regain the weight overnight and it won’t come off overnight. The main thing is to not be discouraged on the weeks that weight loss does not show up despite doing everything right.
6. Be grateful ---  Every morning I thank God that I’m awake, I’m alive, and I have another chance to help others and fulfill my own goals (i.e. personal goals and professional work goals). I always try to remember that someone, somewhere, passed away the night before and would love to be in my shoes. That puts my day in perspective pretty darn quickly.
7. Make “my mess my message”. I heard that quote from ABC news anchor woman, Robin Roberts (she is currently battling cancer).  I am doing that with this blog….I just never thought of putting it like that. My struggle (or mess) has become my message to others.
8. And finally, God has 3 answers for prayer: yes; no; and I have something even better in mind. Despite my weight struggles, I believe the best is yet to come. God’s dreams for me are so much more than this….but this struggle is preparing me for his future plans. 

So until my next posting, I hope everyone is dreaming big dreams but achieving their goals one small step at a time! Stay positive; choose happiness; and stay in faith. Until next time….

Diet and Exercise Challenges

I can’t believe 2 weeks have gone by and it’s time for another update on my progress. So far, I have lost 6 lbs since I began this journey.  It feels slow but I have made very positive changes in my diet. I have decreased my carbs to 135-140 grams per day; I have kept my diet to no more than 1500 calories per day; I have added more fiber and calcium to my diet; and I have decreased my night time snacking. When I was younger, this would have been at least a 10 lb weight loss but alas, age does take a toll on the metabolism...so I remain patient and continue to manage my food intake.

Food is my addiction and I recognize it for what it is & how I use it...and as with any addiction, it can be left alone or I can choose to challenge the addiction by changing my behavior. I believe that striving to heal an addiction is striving to achieve one of the highest goals in life. It’s an obstacle that requires commitment and faith to challenge on a daily basis. God has promised that if we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. I have complete faith in God’s ability to help me move this particular mountain. My addiction is not stronger than the person that I’m becoming. I believe God is using this particular challenge to help me become a better version of myself so that I might continue on the path he has laid out for me.

The next challenge I face is adding exercise to my daily routine. Now anyone who knows me understands that I dislike exercise. I have never felt any endorphins when I exercise although I accept this as a medical fact. The only time I feel anything close to an endorphin release is when I first bite into a warm Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. There is a rush of satisfaction and pleasure so intense that my whole brain must light up (if I could view it on a PET scan at that particular moment)! Thank goodness I don’t live near a Krispy Kreme. It might be the only time I would want to exercise….walking to and from Temptation Island! 

As much as I dislike it, I recognize that exercise is necessary if I want to remain fit as I age and also to help speed up my metabolism. I have a recumbent bike that I can ride while watching my HGTV shows. If the pounds go slowly then maybe the inches will go a bit quicker. Anyway, I’ll let you know how it goes in the next posting. Until then, here’s hoping we all see beautiful warm days and lovely spring breezes. J