Weekend Woes or Weekend Wahoos?

Have you ever finished a week and by Friday night you're ready to just chill out, change the pace, or even cheat eat? For the entire weekend! It's good to have rest but don't let your body and mind deceive you into "chilling" with the habits you are creating in E&E: exercise and eating.

This past weekend was a pretty big mental struggle for me. I had a big event on Friday night and by the time I got home I said to myself, 'I'm just going to stay in all day Saturday and recoup'. That's dangerous to my plan. I work so hard Monday through Friday to have structure in my new healthy lifestyle by planning my meals and getting to the gym, and I know that if I don't have a plan, I will munch on food all day and (choose to) forget about the exercise. So for me, Saturday was a bust. But by the time Sunday rolled around, I was refreshed by God's word at church and headed straight for the gym for a great workout. I planned my meals for the week and made two recipes ahead for the week out of my favorite Hungry Girl cookbook.

I had to remind myself that "messing" up by not eating right or not exercising isn't the end of the world, and we all know that it happens, but is that the kind of lifestyle I want to live-- where I can "mess up" on the weekends? I don't think so. I choose to stay strong and enjoy every day just as much as the one before. I want a Wahoo! weekend:)

"Just Water, Please"

Have you ever found yourself out with friends or family at a restaurant and everyone is ordering drinks? And when the server comes to you, he or she asks, "What would you like to drink?". You answer, "Just water, please."

I found myself answering this way this past weekend. Then I began to wonder, why is it that I put the word 'just' in front of water? Do I use that phrase when I order a soda or another drink? "I'd like just coke please. Or just iced tea with lemon."

Water is the most important liquid our bodies rely on daily! Don't belittle it by 'just' ordering it. Be proud that you are first of all, making the wise decision to hydrate and second of all, not putting unnecessary calories and sugar into your body by choosing a different drink.

The next time you are out and about, order 'Water, please'.

Quick Quote of the Day

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." -----Aristotle

Super Sister!

I received a phone call from my sister today. The first words out of her mouth were, "You didn't text me your gym workout yesterday." (I actually did, but she needs a new phone because she doesn't always get texts and messages) Even though my sister lives over 500 miles away, she is still willing to call and check in on me. I could lie and say i've been to the gym when I haven't, but that is only hurting me. There is no point. I'm thankful for her accountability and encouragement!

"It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps..." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a

My New BFF

Today was my weigh in day and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I lost 2 pounds since my last weigh in. (which is a total of 4 pounds) It wasn't all that easy. I felt like most of the days I chose to eat well, but over the weekend I munched a little more than I should have. I am proud to say that I did do well on the consistency of my workouts. (which, if you know me, is very close to a miracle)

Since that time, i've come across a new best (online) friend! If you haven't checked out My Fitness Pal you need to stop reading this and click on over there! (when you're there, 'friend' me! kelhchap) Don't get stressed, it's not all about exercise. It's like a facebook for individuals who want to change their lifestyle by loosing weight and exercising more. You can link it up to twitter or facebook if you desire and get the app for your iphone or android. The best part about this site? IT'S FREE!

As you probably know and as I am continuing to learn, accountability is key in this journey and the free, online program is one additional way to stay accountable. Check it out! Let me know if you join and i'd love to be virtual accountability partners:)

Happy Mother's Day!

Today I continued to build my resistance muscle by fighting my urge to take a "break" from exercise because it was Mother's Day. I had no excuse in all honesty. I'm not a mom (yet) and my own mom lives out of state. So with a little encouragement from the Holy Spirit, I headed to the gym after church and got on that elliptical. When I was done, it felt good. My resistance muscle is starting to bulk up!

On another note, I wanted to share some thoughts from the sermon today. If you'd like to hear Pastor Chilly's sermon podcast click here. The topic was very sensitive and not what you'd expect on a "Mother's Day" Sunday, but it was needed and Christ centered. The points that Pastor Chilly gave stood out to me as something I can apply to my life where food is involved. His main points were:

1. Make a pact with your eyes.
2. Smash sinful thoughts.
3. Run from all temptation.

1. Make a pact with your eyes. We all know the saying "my eyes were bigger than my stomach". But I think that if we let our eyes eat whatever we see, our stomach will be bigger than our eyes. We need self control. (a fruit of the Spirit-Galatians 5:22-23) Don't let your eyes be in control of what you eat.

2. Smash sinful thoughts. Food is not going to fill any void. Only the Holy Spirit will fill the void in your heart. Don't feel sorry for yourself when you "deny" yourself food you think you deserve. Keep Christ at the forefront of your mind and actions.

3. Run from all temptations. Plan ahead when it comes to eating and cooking and grocery shopping. Don't let those grocery aisles get the best of you. As God for strength as you push that cart right past those cookies. If you don't purchase the junk at the store, you have eliminated so much temptation in your home.

Although these sermon points were focused on a totally different topic, the Lord used them to speak to me in a different way and I'll be holding to them!

I hope you had a GREAT Mother's Day and got in some good exercise as well!

My Resistance Muscle

I just finished reading chapter 2 in Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure book. There were two points that stood out to me.

1. Resistance Muscle
2. Why?

When I was younger, I remember adults commenting on how disciplined I was in different areas of my life. When I got old enough to understand what they were saying, I was proud of that. Then somewhere around college, my discipline started to waver. Not in all areas of my life, mainly in food. I went to food for comfort, pleasure, friendship and many other reasons. My discipline went down the drain. As Candace would say, my resistance muscle became dormant.(pg. 14) I never though of resistance as a muscle before. It's something I need to train. It needs to be used daily. Today I have made the decision to get my resistance muscle back in shape and use it daily.

In the book, Candace shares ways to strengthen my resistance muscle. I've added some things I do in regards to these great tips.

• Passing on the junk food aisle in the grocery store. ( I try to go after I have had a healthy meal so I'm not hungry. I also do my best to stay on the outside perimeter of the store. That's where the fresh food and healthier food is i've found.)
  
• Making a healthy choice when eating out.(I look up the menu online before I go somewhere. Most restaurants have the calories and fat listed. If you want an "all inclusive" list of restaurants go to Dotties Weight Loss Zone.)
  
• Passing on the goodies at group meetings.(I bring something to a meeting that I know I can eat and share without feeling guilty about eating it.)
  
• Taking one trip to a buffet instead of two or more.(I try to avoid buffets, but if I do go to one, I always start with a large salad. I find this gets me full faster and I tend to eat a smaller portion of other foods.)
  
• Eating until you're satisfied rather than stuffed. (I weigh my foods or pre-package them in zip locks so I know exactly how much i'm putting into my body. Also, wait 20 minutes before getting seconds or adding something else. You'll be surprised at the loss of hunger after that amount of time.)
  
• Limiting treats to once or twice a week rather than daily.(Look for low fat, sugar free options as well. I agree on this one!)
  

The second point that stood out in this chapter was the question "Why?". Why do I desire to change my ways and loose weight? I had to think about it for a moment. Of course, I want to wear cute clothes and feel more comfortable in my skin. But in all honesty, I want to do this because this lifestyle has been controlling me for too long. It has become a sinful way of living in my opinion and I don't want it any more. I want to live my life freely in Jesus and this is the area that I need to work on. That is why!

Over the next 65 days, I desire to loose weight, grow in my personal relationship with Christ and develop healthier eating and exercise habits. What about you?