Insanity!

So, I have these sons that wanted the work out DVD's Insanity by Beachbodies for Christmas. Of course my husband and I got it for them...then they started saying "WE" need to start doing this together and "WE" will start on Jan. 9. I was amused and thought to myself, 'yeah right! I can't do that! It is way over my fat body's level'. Well, my wonderful sons didn't let me cop out and have held me to it. This is the fourth day and wow am I sore. There are a few exercises that I can't do, but I jog in place or modify it to fit my body, but I keep moving. It will be worth it in the end. We even took before pictures and plan to take after photos as well. I will post the two week results when they come. The work out reminds me of a saying I recently read - 'Sweat is fat crying'. My fat has cried A LOT lately!!! :D

God is so faithful because with His help, my eating is much more under control and I am following the plan. It hasn't been easy. Getting off of sugar the second time is difficult. I believe it might be more difficult than the first time. It doesn't help that I can't go outside right now (snowing) to get out of the house where the food is. However, I try to get into the word for my daily bread.

I am rereading the book Made to Crave and am getting more inspiration. I love this book. I am starting a Bible study in my home on Tuesdays using this book. I am excited about it. I know there are a lot of people who need this, like me.

The stress of life can knock me off course and shake things up every now and then, but God is my one Constant. There are a lot of things going on right now that have made we want to eat junk to stuff it all away. Food addiction really is like alcoholism. You think that it satisfying but truthfully, it lasts for only a moment and your stresses are still there, so you cram more stuff down your throat. If you are in this mode, please stop! It won't help. I know I have been there. The only thing gorging yourself will do is make you very fat and very unhealthy...cause let's face it, you never pig-out on carrot stick or celery! Oh no, it is that chocolate cake, cookies, ice cream, or whatever sugary delight you can find, that is going into your mouth. Stop the madness and go throw it away!  I know you paid good money for it. I know it would be a waste. But it will only adds to your waist!

Seriously, you were made for more! You are worth more! I tell this to myself every morning. Sometime there are tears...sometime there is confidence, but I know that I know, God has plans for me, and right now, I know getting healthy is my #1 priority. He loves me enough to help me through this, and He loves you enough to help you also. Trust Him. Rely on the God who created you and knows your weaknesses to get you through this. He never promised it would be easy, but He did promise He would be there with you. Please do not let go...I promise you there's hope. There is Victory! His Grace is Sufficient for today.

You may think you are alone in this battle, but you aren't. I am in that same boat with you. Let's get through today making healthier choices. You can do it, I believe in you!

Forever Relying on God's Grace,
Judi

New Year, New Attitude

It is a new year and that calls for a clean slate! If I have made a new resolution this year it is to GO FOR IT! I need to forget the past failures and press on to my goal. Also, while I am going for it, I WILL keep a good attitude! Remain in JOY! I have a tendency to get stuck in a rut of muck and mire and lose hope. Not this time. I am going to keep my focus on CHRIST and let him help me achieve my goal.
Too often I take things into my own hands and try to run with them. It amounts to the equivalent of a cripple running with scissors; I don't get very far and I seem to always end up hurt and worse off than when I started.

So if you are ready to press on for the prize with me, let me know! We can keep each other accountable.

My prize is to reach 80 pounds lost this year. I lost 40 last year and want to step it up a bit and really and truly practice what I know to be true and right. Which is Eat Healthy, Be Healthy and Move!

You should join me! Isn't it time for you to be all that Christ has called you to be? I know it won't be easy ~2011 proved that!~ but it is so worth it!

So to start the year off right - eat a salad for supper! ~don't pour on the dressing! Don't pour on the cheese and croutons! Do fill it with raw spinach, green leafy lettuce, carrots and cucumbers.~
And add 4oz of lean meat.

~TIP~

You have heard the saying, "You aren't supposed to wear white after Labor Day". Well, my nutritionalist has told me, "Don't EAT white after labor's done (when I get off work)". White being sugar, flour, and starches; basically all white carbs are out after 4:30 for me. Carbs from fruits and vegetables are limited.

Here is to a Happy, Healthy, Productive and Prosperous 2012!

In Christ,

Judi

Merry Christmas

Well, it is a little late, but since no one reads this anyway it won't matter.

When you are trying to lose weight, the holidays are hard! I can't even tell you how hard it is to deny temptations, when they are bombarding you all day, every minute, every single second of the day! I can say the more you say NO, the more empowered you get. But then Fudge comes along and totally melts your resolve!

I love fudge. It is smooth, creamy, chocolaty and full of delicious savory flavors that satisfy my very happy taste buds!! I feel it from my head to my toes. A good creamy dark chocolate pecan fudge can make my toes curl. I am drooling as I type this and I have had enough to sink a ship!!

Oh fudge! How I Love/Hate thee! My hips scream out thy name! My scale curses thy presence!

To top it off, typing this blog has been the most exercise my body has gotten this whole week off! Well, that isn't exactly true, but very close.

Enough is enough! Time to get going. Time to stop sitting and watching LMN movies and get moving. But what should I do? It is way too cold outside to do anything outdoors. Isn't it? Well maybe not. I could bundle up! I also have an elliptical downstairs...in the cold,dark, dank basement.

Okay, if I can do it, (and I will!) then you can do it!  I will lose at least a pound before the end of the year! Not just water weight either! lol, cause that would be too easy.

Well here is too a happy, healthy and adventurous new year!

Turkey Sliders

I made these last night and everyone loved them! They were quite scrumptious, if I do say so myself. I wouldn’t have put the ingredients together, but they were quite good and my boys ate them up! Philip said he didn’t mind eating healthy as long as it tastes good like this did. I took that as a complement.
So enjoy!

Turkey Sliders
Topping

    * 1 cucumber, diced
    * 1/2 cup crumbled mozzerella
    * 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    * 1 teaspoon fresh mint leaves, minced
    * 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    * Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix all together and chill while making burgers.


 Burgers

    * 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
    * 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    * 1 teaspoon onion powder
    * salt & pepper
    * Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls or Whole wheat flat bread (100 calories)

Cut rolls in half to make the buns and set aside. Mix ingredients with the turkey. Take little chunks at a time a press into small slider patties. Cook in a pan or on the GF grill until done. I spray the pan with olive oil first. When burgers are cook place on the buns and add the topping.


Makes about 18 sliders.

New Recipe

Okay I know this might sound sickening to some of you, but I have a new recipe for Turkey Sliders! It involves Hummus and Cucumbers. They are low in fat and calories, so it is good for me to eat. And who knows, I might just like them. Which would be a plus since I have not been making smart choices lately. Not that I am eating bad for me foods, just not eating food period because I don't know what to eat that will satisfy my silly stubborn tastebuds! 

Oh and I have decided that laying off of chocolate for two weeks (oh my gosh!!!!!!) will be the best thing for me. I just need to stay away from sugar period to get my flavor savors in check and cleansed.

Will be walking tonight hopefully and maybe some elliptical. Need to start whipping up on my fat! If it don't like it, it can just leave! (please let it leave!!!)

Anyway, if the Sliders work out I will post the recipe.  Stay tuned...

What If....

Let's begin with my list of "What ifs":

1.    What if I can't do it?

2.    What if it hurts?

3.    What if it requires more than I have?

4.    What if I fall and embarrass myself?

5.    What if others see my failure and stop liking me?

6.    What if I FAIL?

The list could go on and on, but those listed were my biggest "What Ifs". They were the heart of everything I thought; therefore, they were what I allowed to direct my life. By living and allowing the "What Ifs" to guide my life, I stopped living. I stopped trying and started thinking I can't, so why even try. Things became impossible to me. I permitted the "What Ifs" to cripple my progress in almost every aspect of my life.

I am sure I am not alone. What “What Ifs” have you permitted, tolerated and deemed acceptable, to lead your life? Get a pen and write this down:

I have allowed the following to rule my life:

What if…

1.    _________________________________________________

2.    I ________________________________________________

3.    It _______________________________________________

4.    _________________________________________________

5.    _________________________________________________

Are you accepting the fact that you have not been doing what you know you are supposed to be doing because of fear? I realize I have been.

So here are some “What Ifs” I have found worth trying (Trust me, I have to review these often!)

- What if we turn our “What ifs” around and restated them.

1.    What if I can do it?

2.    What if it feels good?

3.    What if it doesn’t require more than I have? Or What if it does require more than I have, but GOD provides what I am lacking?

4.    What if I stand strong?

5.    What if others see my Success and I stop needing the approval of man?

6.    What if I SUCCEED? Would that be so bad?!

- What if we started to believe Philippians 1:6 And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. [AMP]

What a confidence He has given us! He is faithful! He always has been, and always will be. The problem is we stop trusting His abilities and start trusting our own. We stop relying on Him and start counting on ourselves. Like we have any ability apart from God. Seriously?! He made us. He gave us breath. He gave us Life! I mean, really….Is there anyone who knows us better? Is there anyone more able to help us? 

The truth of the matter is, and it is one of my largest “What If” hurdles to get over, I am afraid of the #6 “What if” restatements. You know the one that says, What if I succeed?. What if I do? I will then be in unknown territory and that terrifies me. Why? Because that brings on more “What ifs”.  It seems to be a vicious cycle.

Except there again, I get my eyes off focus. I start relying and depending on my own abilities and knowledge. Oh what a foolish person I am! I need to stop fearing the unknown; stop trusting my own abilities; stop “What If”ing my way through life. I need to listen to my heavenly Father and trust His spirit to guide me, strengthen me and truly start LIVING!

The following verses are powerful to me. I hope they bring you comfort and to the same conclusion that I just stated.

Psalms 23:4 - Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. [NIV]

What does this verse speak to you? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. [NKJV]

Did you get that last part? A Sound Mind! Not a mind that is confused or fearful. But a mind that knows the will of God. A mind that has knowledge and the clarity of how to use it!

Here are some synonyms for the word sound: good, whole, sturdy, unblemished, perfect, normal, fit, and my two favorites – healthy and thorough.

In the lyrics of Walk On the Water by Brit Nicole are some powerful words:

So get out and let your fear fall to the ground

No time to waste, Don't wait, Don't you turn around and miss out on everything you were made for.  I know you're not sure, so you play it safe, Try to run away. If you take that first step into the unknown,  He won't let you go!

So what are you waiting for? What do you have to lose?

Seriously, What do you have to lose? What are you waiting for?

STOP!

If you know me well, you know I hit every RED light there is! Lights see me coming and turn yellow then red immediately.  I don't know why, it just seems I am a magnet for them. I think maybe God has a message in this for me, but what? It seems everything I do - whether it is housework, writing my book, going on a trip, helping someone, and yes even losing weight - or try to do, I run into a giant Stop sign! 

Today, my van is on it's last breath and I just needed it to take me to work and back. I literally had to stop at every light in Union. Six of them in a three mile stretch. My van tends to stop breathing and chokes on me when I come to a stop. I have to turn off the car and restart it. ANNOYING!!! On the trip home from work, I kept asking God why He was allowing the lights to turn red on me, no answer came. However, while I continued to hit red light after red light, my van never died. Which is an amazing feat all in itself.  Yet, I still whined...and whined. When I pulled into the driveway and my van coughed, but didn't stop breathing, God let me know - I made it home! 

Indeed I did. I humbly apologized for being a whinny baby and started saying Thanks. 

I have been a BIG WHINNY BABY a lot lately!  Thankful for what I have, but very discontent. Especially with where I am in my weightloss. I see the photo down below of me three months ago and 35 pounds lost. That was, again, THREE months ago. Now I am only 40 pounds down. Thats 5 pounds in 3 months! Really?! Seriously, I have busted my butt, but my butt won't come off! Neither will my gut! Stoplight! Don't get me wrong, I am not going to stop. What I am going to do is stop stressing over it. It has to come off eventually!

I have even started jogging while I walk. Stoplight! My knees are not liking it at all and you can forget about my lower back even wanting to do anything the next day. But I will prevail! I feel better - minus the knees and lower back - and know I am doing all I can to do. Really?! Am I? 

No, I should walk more. Twice a week, really doesn't cut it. I rationalize that it is now dark when I get home and that is is freezing cold in the morning. I have an elliptical downstairs I could ride anytime, but do I --NO! Why not? - I have no answer to that. Which is an answer all in itself - laziness! Not enough motivation! Really? Seriously, 275 lbs isn't enough motivation?

Well.....GO already!