Thursday, December 30, 2010

We have been at this for 17 weeks! The scales said we gained 5 pounds this week!

We Have Both Gained Weight This Week...HELP!

This is Dave's Water Dispenser! It is already set up with ice cold water and super hot water!  He is going to use it a lot I know it!  This is what he needs to get his water intake better!
It is time to weigh in again.  We were not sure what to expect.  There were days over Christmas that we "indulged" in a few things...We had a couple of cookies, Dave ate a lot more and I ate a piece of fudge.  We kept up with the work out, but we just knew that we were gaining something.  We were not to excited about checking in today.  This is what we found.   I had gained a pound.   At first I was like, " It only one pound, that is not bad!" But I needed to know what I gained.  I gained three pounds of muscle and lost two pounds of fat.  To me that is a perfect week!  Dave had a five pound weight gain...the same weight he keeps gaining and loosing these last few weeks.  He gained 3.2 pounds of muscle, but he also gained 1.7 pounds of fat.  That was his weigh gain.  His water was much better!  He is enjoying his Christmas gift.  I got him a water dispenser that has ice cold, hot and lukewarm water at his finger tips at any time of the day!

Here are the stats for this week:
                      Negatives
* Dave and I both gained weight
*Dave gained not only muscle, but fat too- first time since we started
*It was a tough week with it being the first Christmas without mom
*I ate sweets for the first time since starting this journey
                        Positives
* We both gained a lot of muscle this week
* We got a water machine for the house
*The kids are doing a free week at the gym
* I have been exercising every day
* I am right back on track with the meal plan this week

Our stats for the week
Dave Starting weight-- 380
Dave's starting weight with fawn- 330
Dave's weight last week 280
Dave's weight today- 274
Weight loss for the week- 5 pound gain
Total weight loss with Fawn- 56 pounds
Total weight loss- 106 pounds!!!
Kathleen's Starting weight-- 270
Kathleen's starting weight with fawn-260
Kathleen's weight last week 218
Kathleen's weight today-216
Weight loss for the week- 0 pounds
Total weight loss with Fawn- 44 pounds
Total weight loss-54 pounds!!!  YEAH!!!!

Total weight loss of Dave and Kathleen- 160 pounds- In 10 months
Total weight loss with fawn- 100 pounds! 

This was a tough week.  We got through and really did not have that bad of a gain, considering most of what we gained was muscle.  I am telling you since my kids have joined us it has made me want to put my all into it again. They are breathing life into us.  We were growing stagnant.  Not any more. We have been at the gym doing weight MWF and cardio on T Th S .  I can't wait to step on the scale next week.  Although I am not losing a lot of weight...I know I am changing my body for the better.  Can't wait till next week.  We are becoming stronger, healthier, and happier every day!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

New Years Resolution time....are you going to get healthy this year???

New Years Resolution Time.  Are You going to Get Healthy This Year?

Each year people wait until New Years for the time to change their life.  They make New Years Resolutions and keep them for a week or two, and then feel like a failure.  Why not get a head start on your New Years Resolution and start today taking steps to change your life.  If you are not a part of a gym....join one. If you don't have a support group to help you...find one. If you want to start eating healthy...Clean out your cupboards and empty all of the unhealthy food out.  If you want to start exercising...do it.  It only takes getting to a point in your life that you know you need to make a change.  You have to want it bad.  Don't do it for other people...do it for yourself. You deserve it.

Aug 2010 I looked in the mirror and was shocked.  I did not even recognize the person who looked back at me.  I was so covered with fat that I lost the person I was...almost.  It was that day that I realized I needed to make a change.  I needed to reach out to someone for help.  My life has never been the same since.  I was in size 24-26 clothes.  XXL were starting to get small on me.  I had to come to the point where I said,  "Enough is enough!"   If you are at that point...please realize that underneath all that fat and blubber is a beautiful person, just waiting to emerge.  You are being held hostage by your eating habits, and your fat.  I convinced myself that I was big boned and that it was the accident not the fat that was holding me back.  That I was getting older so I could not do as much as I had done in the past! STOP!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES!  Look in the mirror and say, "I am fat, unhealthy and if I do not loose weight I will eventually eat myself to death!"  I know this sounds harsh...it is not meant to offend you.  It is meant to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT!  If  I can do it...then so can you!  I know you can.  My biggest excuse was: "I have lost weight before, and gained it all back. .I am not going through that again!"  I was too lazy and discouraged  to make a change for the better.  I really had lost all hope of ever getting skinny again.  It took coming to a that point for me to make the change.  I had to see that people really could loose weight and keep it off.  Once I saw that I saw hope!  I felt my hardened heart break and I said..."Lord help me!  I can't do it alone!"
I pray that this new year is one of change for each of you.  That if  you feel no hope...you will realize you can do it.  You are worth it. You are a Holy, Righteous Creation of Father God.  He wants you to be healthy, happy, and lead a blessed life.  You owe it to yourself to do it.

Here are a few steps that will help you:
1. Look in the mirror and see yourself for what you really are...over weight!
2. Look yourself in the eye and tell yourself..."I can do this!"
3.  Look at food shopping list and clean out kitchen of anything that is not on that list
4.  Fill your kitchen with healthy foods
5.  Start exercising daily. If you can afford a gym, join and go.  It has changed our life,  But if you can't afford a gym membership, remember Dave lost 50 pounds just doing exercises at home with things he found on freecycle!
6.  Keep track of your weight loss.  Blog, use a note book, or something to keep track of how you are doing.
7. Spend time with your father God who loves you so very much.  HE will be your encourager...
8.  Please let me know you are joining me on our journey...I would love to pray for you!
9.  Wait and see how much your life changes!

I hope this post shows you there is hope...you can do it!  We, Dave and I, have lost over 179 pounds in the last 10 months!  If we can do it...You can do it.  You will not believe the difference in your life. You will not believe how amazing it is to be able to use your body to get healthy the way it is designed!  I pray that this year will be the year that you will open up your eyes and decide enough is enough!  I know you can do it. I pray blessings upon you and your family this year.!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Brandon Is joining us in our weight loss journey

Brandon is Joining us on Our Weight Loss Journey!
 
 
This is a year of change!  Brandon has decided that since he changed his major, he will be coming home and going to a state school.  That way he can recieve state aid and everything.  Well, that means the whole dynamic of our house will be changing again.  Yesturday he came to the gym with us...did Dave's work out..and he will be following us in or weight loss journey!  I am excited for him.  I am also thankful that when we walked in, one of his friends from high school was there working out.  It made it even more fun!  We will see how things go
Starting weight for Brandon: 285
% of fat.....42%
He is in better shape then Dave was when he started at the gym 3 months ago!  I am excited for him.  Please pray that he will get a job that he loves and will be able to get into school here to.  God has a reason for everything.  I was so nervous about him getting so into debt with college (he would have owed $90,000 when he got out of school)..but he wanted to go to the best one he could find for his major.  It was a good learning time for him in Pittsburgh. He learned how to live without money, how to cook, do laundry and make it on his own.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for him.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

No Cookies for Santa this year!!!

No Cookies For Santa This Year!

This year is different than any other year, as far as food goes.  We usually have cookies and candy all over the house. We usually wake up to sweet rolls covered in yummy frosting.  We usually have ham covered in brown sugar and pineapple, with mash potatoes, gravy, candy, cookies, pies and more food then you can ever imagine. This year we are eating healthy.  We are still having ham...but a small ham (small portions) and sweet potatoes, salad, beans, and butternut squash.  The Jello is made with sugar free Jello and fat free cool whip and low fat cottage cheese.  That and rice pudding (fat free cool whip and sugar free pudding and brown rice) will be our deserts! Santa is getting a different treat this year...Carrots, a hard boiled egg and nuts. this is the note my kids wrote to Santa:



This is what Becca wrote!
The problem was Santa...The kids always put out cookies and milk for Santa...When Dave suggested it, they looked at each other and smiled and ran out to the kitchen.  They came back with a plate of 2 carrots, an egg and flax seed!  and wrote the above notes!  They had so much fun.
Once they went to bed "Santa" wrote the following note "Santa does not eat carrots and eggs! I found your secret stash of cookies...next year make some chocolate chip.. not those flax seed ones.  Santa.  PS. I am not fat I am just big boned!"
This is the answer the kids got the next morning!!!!

I think it is awesome that we have changed so much that the kids would think of something like this...instead of complaining that we made no cookies they made it fun!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

We have been at this 4 months...we have lost a total of 175 pounds!

We Have Been at This for Four Months.  We have lost 175 Pounds!

I can not believe how much your life can change in just a few short month!  Fawn came into our life Aug 17, our 20 year anniversary!  Look at all that we have accomplished in that time.  Not only have we lost weight, but we also have grown and changed soo much!  I look at our sedentary life we used to live and am amazed at all we do now!  If you would have told me 5 months ago that I would be lifting weights 3-4 days a week at a gym, I would have laughed in your face!  Never in my life would I have thought the gym would be such a big part of my life.  I also never would have believed Dave and I would look and feel so young.  It is like we found the fountain of  youth.  It is easy, get your life in order, get your relationship with God in order, and start exercising and eating healthy. You just need to come to a point in your life when you stop making excuses and start taking action.  If you do those things, you will look and feel better.

Our stats for the week
Dave Starting weight-- 380
Dave's starting weight with fawn- 330
Dave's weight last week 280
Dave's weight today- 269
Weight loss for the week- 11 pound loss
Total weight loss with Fawn- 61 pounds
Total weight loss- 111 pounds!!!
Kathleen's Starting weight-- 270
Kathleen's starting weight with fawn-260
Kathleen's weight last week 218
Kathleen's weight today-216
Weight loss for the week- 2 pounds
Total weight loss with Fawn- 44 pounds
Total weight loss-54 pounds!!!  YEAH!!!!


Total weight loss of Dave and Kathleen- 165 pounds- In 10 months
Total weight loss with fawn- 105 pounds! 

Good things
*Even at Christmas we are able to resist the sweets and eat right
*We are able to go out to dinner and get a healthy meal
*We were sick this week and still able to keep loosing weight


Negitives
* I can't think of any!!!! Besides Dave being sick this week!


I know it is hard to loose weight around the holidays!  You can do it!  We can do it together.  When you get descouraged and feel like giving up, stop, sit down, and ask God to give you the strength to keep going.  IF you  mess up, just get right back up and start again...easy on, easy off!  I know I make it sound easy, but it can be, if you are determined to make a life change.
Thank you for all of your love and support!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Isn't Chistmas a time to celebrate...Don't feel like celebrating!

Isn't Christmas a Time to Celebrate? I don't Feel Like Celebrating.

NO this is not my house...I have no decorations out this year!!!
This Christmas Season has been different than any other we have ever had.  We are attending Hamburg Wesleyan, but we have not had time to get involved in a small group.  The past three years, while Dave was the children's director,  I was in charge of the Christmas Play, the giving Tree, and attending lots of holiday Celebrations.  This year we are not a part of anything.  I feel like we are missing out of a whole part of Christmas.  We also are dealing with the loss of my  mom.  As I sat in church this Sunday singing the beautiful Christmas songs, I longed for my mom.  She always spent Christmas with us, went to Christmas Eve Service with us and was there to make sweet rolls, read the Christmas story, and open gift with us.  Since Dave's mom died she has made it a habit  of coming to our house...so we would not be too lonely.  I think it was the reading of Luke 2 during the service that it hit me.  I could hear mom saying the verses from memory, just as if she was saying it as Brandon read it.  I could hear her singing the Christmas Carols with us.  I thought, Wow, mom would have loved this!  I started to cry.  I closed my eyes and the voices around me sounded so beautiful, so full of worship and love...then it hit me.  I am wishing her back.  It was almost as if she said to me, "Honey, I know you miss me, but I have such a wonderful day ahead of me. You think you know how to celebrate Christmas!  What an awesome  celebration we will have up in Heaven, on the most wonderful day of the year!"  I looked around and realized it was true.  Mom is going to have the best Christmas ever!  She gets to celebrate Jesus' Birth with Jesus himself....WOW!  That is amazing. I know my heart will miss her sooo much.  There will be many tears shed this year but there will also be the knowing that mom is in such a better place...that she is going to have her huge smile on her face, and singing her heart out for her Lord and Savior on this wonderful Birthday Party up in heaven.

Cough, Cough, sniffle, sniffle, COUGH...

Cough, Cough, Sniffle, Sniffle...COUGH!
 
 
 That's been my story lately here in sunny Buffalo, NY. I've been battling a cold. It's slowed me down some. I had to take a couple of days off from my regular exercising routine. I did not think the others at the gym would appreciate me coughing and hacking all over them while they worked out. I've been weak and not feeling well this past week, so it's not been a real good time in general.
  
Today I plan on going back to the gym and working out. I really miss it. You'll find as your body gets use to your exercise routine that it will actually miss it. That's right your body likes to exercise. We were designed to be active. It's all the bad food choices and lack of exercise over the years that dulls us down so that were tired all the time...

I have been working out in my own way even though I've been sick. I have been shopping at the mall. I've been pushing and shoving in line, "self preservation" and lifting those heavy bags. It's been a really busy Holiday season for us. Many of you know that my wife and I are professional entertainers. We offer children's programming all over our area. We have been at a whole lot of Holiday parties this December. Even though I do not feel like it, I have been keeping active.

So, I encourage you to stick with the plan of getting into shape. It has helped me a whole lot during this sick spell I've been going through. Even though I'm not feeling great, I use to get a lot sicker when I was heavier and out of shape. Everything is harder when your body is not working at 100%. Eating the right foods and exercising helps your body in times of sickness. You're just that much stronger to fight it off. It's just one of the many benefits of taking care of yourself.

Well, I'll see you on the skinny side of life

Dave

Friday, December 17, 2010

To gain is to lose...

  To Gain is to Lose..by Dave

This was a tough week for me personally. I felt sick most of it, just not myself at all. I could feel that I gained weight, I just knew it. Sure enough weigh in day came at the gym and I was up 5 pounds. I was really discouraged and really did not feel like working out, but I did. We finished our workout just as Gary, the owner of the gym came in. He could tell we were not happy at all.
  
He looked at our read-outs.  We had weighed ourselves on a special machine that can tell you just about everything that's going on in your body. He looked at the numbers and compared them to last week and smiled! He said, "Remember, when I told you that the scale lies sometimes? You gained 7 pounds of muscle and lost one pound of fat. This is a tremendous change for the good."  He asked what I was doing different. It turned out to be a combination of extra cardio and weight lifting at home coupled with FINALLY the proper amount of hydration. This really turned everything on for me!  Kathleen also had a 10 pound change all for the good!

   So, stay off the scale and get working out and eating properly! The scale is not your friend. In fact a common home scale is no help at all. It flat out lies to you. You need to know what kind of weight loss or gain your experiencing. You need the percentage of muscle to fat weight as well as other information or your really in the dark. Get to a gym that has a accurate way to measure your results. For about 30-40 per month you can see real results in a short amount of time as long as your eating right.

 Well fellow fat haters, that's it for now. See you on the skinny side of life.

Dave

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Scales lie - Don't believe a word they say!!!!

Scales Lie. Don't believe a Word they Say!
 
 
Today was weigh in day.  We were so disappointed!  The scale said Dave gained 5 pounds, and that all I lost was half a pound.  We were so discouraged...We almost did not go to the gym today.  We had upped our cardio, and were thinking we did well. We were totally bummed.  Gary, the owner of our gym we go to, was not in when we got there.  We were leaving that gym with a weight gain for the first time since August. 

As we were getting our coats on to leave, Gary came in.  I looked at Dave and said, "Do you want him to go over our weights?". He looks down and says, "I don't care!".  Every weigh in day Gary goes over all of our stats, and explains how we are doing.  This time he looked and said, "WOW, Did you guys change your diet this week?"  We were thinking it was because we did so bad but it wasn't. He explained this is a perfect example of how the scales lie. He looked at Dave's first. See the scale said Dave gained 5 pounds.  What it did not say is that Dave gained 6 pounds of muscle and lost one pound of fat.  That is positive weight change of 7 pounds.  Dave also went from 36.3%  of total body fat from when he started to 32.5%.  He said it was an awesome week.   Then it was my turn...All week everything I tried on was to big on me...my pj's  bottoms are literally falling off me.  I was very disappointed when I had only lost 1/2 a pound.  He got a big smile on his face when he looked at mine. He said you did amazing.  This is an even better example of how the scale doesn't show you what is really going on.  I gained 4 pounds of muscle and lost 6 1/2 pounds of fat.  My % of body fat went from 55.7% when I started, to 46.8% now!  He explained I had a positive weight change of over 10 pounds...which he says is unbelievable in one week!

I was so glad Gary came in when he did...that was a God thing.  If he would not have came in when he did, we would have walked out of the gym feeling like total failures.  BUT we know it is not what the scale says, it is how our whole body mass has changed.
If you are not loosing as quickly as you think you should, remember this story.  If you are exercising and following the plan the way you are supposed to, I can guarantee you your body is changing for the better.  Don't give up.  If we did not have the high tech machine that shows our total water weight, muscle weight and bone density, we would have never realized this!  Please realize that your doing the right thing.  Just keep it up.  If Dave and I can do it...so can you!

Monday, December 13, 2010

We did something we said we would never do.....we got a dog!

We Did Something We Said we Would Never do, We Got a Dog!
 
From the time the kids were little I always said... "No Dogs!".  I told them the only dog I would ever have is a rust colored cocker spaniel, thinking that would never happen.  Well...this week on Freecycle they had an add for a dog.  Once I saw the picture...I could not resist!  He was so cute and had the biggest puppy dog eyes you have ever seen.  We contacted the owner and were able to get him, all the toys, leash, dishes, food, everything for free.  I must say he is the best tempered, cutest dog that I have every had the privilege of knowing. Carson has added joy to our life, and everyone has enjoyed him.  I got up at 5 to take him for a walk and go down to the duck pond and pray...and it was pitch dark!! Will have to wait on that one. But He loves walks, so I know he will help encourage me to exercise even more.  I now own a dog! YES!  I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

It is Weigh in time! Dave and I have lost a total of 158 pounds!!! 8 pounds this week!!!


It is Weigh in Time and Dave and I have Lost a Total of 158 Pounds!

 You wanted pictures you got it! It has been a good week for both of us. Here are our new pictures!!!




Merry Christmas everyone! Dave and I have lost a total of 158 pounds!  We have a lot to be thankful for!
 
Dave has gone from a size 46-48 pants to a 40
I can fit into jean sizes I have not fit in since 14 years ago!


We are determined to stick with it and finish the fight. God has amazing things planned for us! We are waiting to see what they are. Please pray that when the time comes we will know it and be ready!


Negatives this week:
*This was a tough week felt like we were under spiritual warfare all week. 
*Saturday I slipped on the ice and fell- I was laid up till Wed
Positives
*Dave and I are both down sizes in jeans and shirts... most of our clothes look huge on us
*People are noticing our weight loss and asking what is going on
*God is blessing us in many ways!
* I feel like I accomplished a lot since I am now in the teens!!! (218)


Dave Starting weight-- 380
Dave's starting weight with fawn- 330
Dave's weight last week 280
Dave's weight today- 274
Weight loss for the week- 6 pound loss
Total weight loss with Fawn- 56 pounds
Total weight loss- 106 pounds!!!




Kathleen's Starting weight-- 270
Kathleen's starting weight with fawn-260
Kathleen's weight last week 220
Kathleen's weight today-218
Weight loss for the week- 2 pounds
Total weight loss with Fawn- 42 pounds
Total weight loss-52 pounds!!!  YEAH!!!!


Total weight loss of Dave and Kathleen- 156 pounds- In 9 months
Total weight loss with fawn- 96 pounds!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

It's on BABY ....!!!

It's On Baby from Dave

I finally started losing weight again. I've been frozen at 285 for a long time now. Today I checked the old scale and it said 276! I wasn't even expecting anything good. It has been awhile since I've had a nice drop in weight. I have been staying consistent with my exercise and eating the right foods. It proves you just have to keep on keeping on. This is a weight loss journey.

I did change up my workout routine a little. Recently the gym has been more crowded so I can't always follow my routine exactly according to the order I'm use to. This has proven to be a good thing. Many times a little change can shock your body into resuming it's weight loss. The body is very smart and becomes use to your workout quickly. Make sure to change your routine once in awhile and see what happens.

Fawn has done a great job keeping us on track during this weight loss journey. She calls and encourages us and sends us emails all the time to see what's up. This journey is boring some times you know. We all know that eating right and working out really helps us in every way. Every once in a while however it gets monotonous. She is a great motivator and encourager.

     To those of you that have been struggling lately, don't quit! Unless you like being fat and unhealthy. Be honest with yourself and picture your new in shape body. Picture yourself healthy and trim and it will happen. Imagine how different your life will be when you reach your weight loss goals! Imagine how strong you will be. In order to get there keep feeding your mind with the goals you have. See yourself shopping for clothes where all the real people do, right there on the rack with all the normal sizes. No more XX, XXX, XXXX Large SIZES !!! I can get into a XL large size now, I almost made it into the large size. It's been a long, long, long time since I've been able to do that.... It's a great feeling.

     My size 42 jeans I just bought a few weeks ago are way to big for me! I'm headed for 40 real soon, that will be a real victory my friends. I have friends who are wearing size 40 and I'll soon be one of them!!! People comment now on how skinny I look, they don't recognize me anymore. This all a new experience to me, I'm liking it a whole lot. I look 20 years younger. I can't wait until I reach my goal weight of 230-240. It's coming up faster than I ever hoped it would.

     Keep on the journey my friends and we'll all be new people very soon. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. Keep your eyes on the prize, your health and well being and nothing will stand in your way.

I'll see you on the skinny side of life ~ Dave

Help!! I have fallen and I can't get up!!!

Help! I have Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
 
There is nothing as scary after a major back surgery then falling...and having the same symptoms as you did when you had your accident.  I hurt worse then I have hurt in the past seven years.  My back hurt, my neck hurt, my right side was going numb, and I was talking weird. The worst part was the fog..in my head. I felt like I could not think or comprehend anything.  That was the thing I remember the most after my accident.  It was scary.  All I could think of is "Not now God...I have come so far!"  For the past year anyone seeing me would have had trouble telling I was in an accident, and that I have a  plate and screws in my neck.  I have been living my life like a normal person. It has been wonderful.  Since starting this journey, I have felt even better then ever. I have had more energy, less pain, and enjoyed life to it's fullest...until Saturday night. As I started experiencing the same symptoms that I did after my accident,  I curled up in my bed and did not want to talk to anyone.  All I could think of is, "I can't do this again Lord!"  The pain did not get better as I prayed...if anything it got worse.  I was scared....terrified that I would go back to what I was like after the accident.  After my accident, for six months, I could do nothing.  Mom had to come over and help me with the kids and laundry. Dave had to help me dress and fix me meals.  I could not work, play, homeschool my children or do anything that resembled a normal life.  After finding life so fully lately, I was terrified that I would go back to that. I had to double up on pain pills just to keep from crying out in pain.  I was silent and did not want to talk to anyone.  It has been a hard few days in my house. Dave insisted I go to the chiropractors first thing Monday morning.  After looking at me he said,  "What did you do to yourself?"  As he began to work on my I started to pray.  He was able to put me back in place.  I felt the fog lift from my head, and I felt better!  Not completely pain free...but better. I thank the Lord for healing hands.  I thank the Lord for providing shows that we had the money to pay for his services.  I thank the Lord that I am getting better.   My back is still hurting...and I am still scared, but I know that God is in control.  He will take the bad that comes in my life and make good come of it.  Not sure how, or when...but He will.  As long as the "Fog" is lifted and I can think normally, I will be able to continue serving Him and living my life to the fullest.  I will see what I do at he gym today...and how I can handle it.  Please pray for complete healing for me.  I have to much to do, to much to offer the world to spend time laid up.  Please know I love all of you, my readers...You are very special to me, and it is because of Him and you that I keep doing what I am doing.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Something is happening...I have been tucking in my shirts for the past week!!!

Something is Happening! I Have Been Tucking in my Shirts for the Past Week!

Unless you are fat, you wont have a clue to how huge this is!  Fat people cant tuck in shirts.  They have to wear the ones that go over the pants and hang down and hide their stomach.  Lately everything I try on seems huge!  It is good, because I can see progress, but it is frustrating, because I really do not have any money to buy new clothes.  BUT  lately I have noticed that I can tuck my shirts in and they actually look good.  My belly does not stick way out!  I can not remember the last time I have been able to do that. It was many years ago... It feels good to be able to do that again.

Maybe it is just me...although I have lost 50 pounds...many times I will look in the mirror and not see the change.  I will just see that fat person I used to be.  It is frustrating. I want to feel good about myself.  I know it is a lie of Satan...He wants me to feel defeated. I have to continually remind myself, "It is not how much weight I have lost, it is how my life has changed.". When those thoughts come I need to resist the Devil, submit to God, and He (Satan...the bad thoughts....) will flee from me.  I need to daily be renewing my mind.  I need to concentrate on my relationship with God, not my relationship with the scale.

Today I was helping Rachael with delivering her Penny Saver Newspapers ( I like to walk with her and get the exercise) I slipped on the ice and fell down hard.  I am hurting real bad right now.  Please pray that there is no permanent damage (I have a fused neck and herniated discs)  I think I will just need a trip to the chiropractor, but right now my right side is numb.  I do not want anything like this to hold me back.  Please pray for a quick recovery.  Thank you all for continually cheering  me on.  Your words of encouragement mean so much to me.  If you are reading from somewhere other than the US please know that I am so excited to have you read my blog (I like the US too, but I think it is cool that people from all over the world are reading my blog)  I would love for you to comment and tell me where you are from and how you heard about me. You, the people faithfully reading my blog, are the reason why I can say no to the chocolate bars, the doughnuts...and anything else I was eating before I changed my life.  You are very precious to me!  Thank you for your support.  Let me know who you are by sending me a comment!! Thanks

Thursday, December 2, 2010

It is time to reach out...again....when will I learn that God's ways are best!

                                            It is Time to Reach out Again!

Sometimes there comes a time in your life when you say...OK God...what do you have planned now.  This week was one of those times.  I have wanted to host a weekly Bible study in my home for a while. When we switched churches...I thought, "Great, I can sign up for small group! I had it all planned out.  I filled out the paper and was about to put it in the collection plate when I felt God tell me to wait.  So I waited.  Then with all that happened with mom, I waited some more. Then I felt God leading me to start a Weight loss Bible study. See, God kept bringing all of these people into my life who needed help, and said they wanted to come to Bible study.  I was going to start it right away, but thought I had better wait till after thanksgiving. It was all set for today...I had about 5 people that were interested in coming...I was so nervous and excited at the same time.  One lady was a friend of my moms.  She was involved in Women's Aglo with her. I was excited because she told me she was definitely coming. So, I knew I would at least have one person. I put it into God's hands and told Him he was in charge.  When 9:00 came and no one was here, I was a little stressed. When 9:05 came and Jeanette came up the walk, I thanked the Lord.  I must tell you, God was in charge of this weight loss class.  We conected in a mighty way.  We talked, I showed her the website, talked some more, prayed and talked. It was 11:30 and we were still talking.  We had such a great time.  I must say God knew what each of us needed.  He knew I needed to talk about my mom and she needed to talk about the diet.  She was planning on going shopping when she left me.  Please keep Jeanette in your prayers as she starts this journey too.  It is exciting to think that God used me to work in her life.  I did not need a house full of people...I just needed one person who can pray with me and work with me.  God knows so much better than I do.