This week's topic is…

Open

Since I was melting (aka…tired) last week, my brain was not helping me think of a topic.  So l decided to leave it open.  Blog about whatever is on your heart in regards to your weight loss journey.  I hope you'll join me!

Whew!  The last week was a whirlwind for me!  Our family (and my mother-in-law) took a 3 day cruise to Nassau, Bahamas.  Then we spent Mother's Day at Epcot in Walt Disney World.  Since it was my son's 15th birthday on Monday.  It was a double celebration trip.

I have to confess that as far as dieting goes, I did nothing right on this vacation.  I ate too much.  I had dessert at almost every meal and a croissant for breakfast every morning.  To top it all off, I hardly exercised at all. 

And you know what?

I don't feel a bit guilty about it.  And I do not regret the 1.6 lb gain that I saw on the scale as a result of it. 

Why?

Because I enjoyed every minute of it.

When we left for vacation I thought that I would try to eat healthy.  I wanted to minimize any weight gain.  But once I got there, I changed my mind.  I made a conscious decision to eat what I wanted knowing I would have to get on the scale today.

Since I started this weight loss journey, I have tried to keep up my healthy eating habits whenever I was away from home.  I don't regret those times.  But this weekend, I realized something new. 

Just because I splurge on vacation, doesn't mean I am ruining my diet.  Instead it means that I am making my diet part of my life.  It's not every day that my family goes on vacation.  It's not every day that we celebrate Mother's Day and my son's birthday all in one trip.  And it's not every day that I eat without regard to my waistline.

When I made the decision to not watch what I ate on our vacation, I knew that I could return to my healthy eating habits when I got home.  I am in control of my diet…not the other way around.  So now that I am home and I have faced my gain at the scale, I can get back on track. 

This morning I met my neighbor at 5:30 to walk/run.  Tomorrow I will do an hour of Pilates.  Afterward I will take time to create my meal plan for the next week.  Then I will go to the grocery store and load up on fresh fruits and veggies. 

My friends, losing weight is about making your diet work with your life.  You don't have to let a vacation or a celebration stop you.  Life happens.  You can't change that.  But you can change your attitude. 

Don't let those situations defeat you.   Realize they are a part of your life.  This weight loss journey is about making healthy eating a part of your life.  It's not realistic to think you will never have chocolate cake or croissants again.  That will only leave you feeling deprived.

Instead enjoy the moment for what it is…whether it's a birthday or Mother's Day or just a special memory with your family.  Those moments pass quickly.  There will be plenty of time to get back on track. 

The goal is to keep working towards a healthier you…both physically and emotionally.  Enjoying moments with your family is part of that.  Don't neglect it and don't feel guilty about it.  Remember, life is more than a number on a scale!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is….Fruits & Veggies.

Is there a new fruit or veggie that you have tried recently?  Or did you discover a new way to cook an old favorite?  Since I am trying to eat more fruits and veggies, I hope you'll join me.  I need all the help I can get!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

This week's topic is…

Goals

What are your goals right now?  Do you have a short term goal you are trying to reach?  Is it a certain weight you are trying to reach?  Or are you pushing yourself to exercise a certain amount?  Whatever your goal is I hope you share it with us.  Then we can all cheer you on as you work towards that goal.

Hello!

Remember me?

I've been absent so much lately that I feel like I need to reintroduce myself.  Wow!  This last month was busy!  There were a couple of moments when I was beginning to wonder if I was going to make it. 

That's why I love this week's topic….goals.  It's important in the busy seasons of life to not lose sight of those goals.

This weekend was a perfect example for me.  We volunteered at the GHEA Conference all day Friday and Saturday.  There was barely enough time for a lunch break.  Plus the meal options available at the convention center were not the healthiest options.

Knowing my goals, though, helped me to stay on track.  I bought a side salad at the concession stand and topped it with the salad trimmings that I packed in my cooler.  I also brought fruit for snacks and extra water to drink. 

Through this weight loss journey, I am learning a lot about goals.  I am learning the importance of setting them, how to set realistic goals, and how to reach them.

After this week's weigh in where I lost .4 lbs, I still have 6.2 lbs until I reach goal.  In addition to my weight loss goal, I also have a fitness goal.  I am working towards being able to run a 5K in late June.

These are reachable goals…as long as I keep them in focus.  I can't allow myself to get side tracked.  I have to keep trying.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

Ok, I'm sorry.  Please forgive me.  But I am cutting this post short.  After getting up at 4:15 to prepare to go running this morning and then running errands all day, this snowflake is melting fast.  I am hoping that next week my schedule will ease up some.  I should then have more time for blogging.  So please hang in there with me for a little while longer.

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is….Open.

Since I am melting, my brain is not helping me think of a topic for next week.  So I'll leave it open.  Blog about whatever is on your heart in regards to your weight loss journey.  I hope you'll join me!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

This week's topic is…

Motivation

What keeps you going when you want to give up?  Is it a phrase, or a scripture, or a person, or a thing?  What is that one thing that motivates you to keep working towards your goal?  I hope you'll join us.  You never know…your motivation may help inspire someone else to keep going.

As my son practiced the piano Monday evening, I heard sounds of frustration coming from him.  He is not a kid to get easily frustrated.  So I asked him what was wrong.  He was having trouble with the piece he was playing.  He was afraid that he was never going to be able to get it right. 

I told him not to focus on what he couldn’t do, but to focus on what he could do.

Did you get that?

I told him to focus on what he could do, not what he couldn’t do.

As soon as I said it, I knew the same is true for losing weight.

Losing weight can seem overwhelming.  We think we have to change our whole life.  All we can see are all the changes we can’t make.  We get so bogged down in those changes that we give up or don’t start at all.

We need a change of focus.  Instead of focusing on what we can’t do, we need to focus on what we can do.

I’ve started running in the mornings with my neighbor.  Well actually it’s more of a walk/run, with the emphasis on walk.  We’re following the Couch to 5k program.

A year ago that wasn't possible.  I couldn't run at all.  I could barely walk the hills in my neighborhood. 

It’s an example of focusing on what I can do instead of what I can’t.  I’m not ready to run a marathon.  I can’t even run for two minutes straight.  But that’s not important.  What is important is that I am starting somewhere. 

The same is true for my diet.  I eat things now that I wouldn’t eat when I started my weight loss journey.  Instead of taking sandwiches for lunch, I take salads.  But that didn’t happen overnight.  I slowly made changes that I could handle.

I believe that is the key to successful weight loss…making little changes over time.  Too much change can leave you feeling deprived.  Then you think you can’t handle it and eventually quit.

But we all know my motivation…

Quitting is NOT an option.

So instead of thinking about an overall change of diet, think about small changes you can make.  Maybe the first one is eating a healthy breakfast.  Or cutting down the number of sodas you drink in a day.  Or substituting frozen yogurt for your nightly bowl of ice cream.

Then once you have mastered that change, you can try something else.  Maybe the next step is to redo some of your family favorites.  You could find a healthier meatloaf recipe or making your own pizza instead of ordering take out.

Are you ready to add in some exercise to your regimen?  Don’t think you have to do it all at once.  If you haven’t exercised in a while (or at all), start small.  Try to walk for 20 minutes 3 times a week.  If you would like to start strength training, do only as much as you feel comfortable doing.  Then as you begin to feel stronger, you can work out longer.

Those small changes add up over time.  Before you know it, the scale will begin to show the results.  At that point the weight loss itself will become a motivator.  You will find that you want to make more changes to reach your goals.  And that’s when true life change begins to happen.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is….Goals.

What are your goals right now?  Do you have a short term goal you are trying to reach?  Is it a certain weight you are trying to reach?  Or are you pushing yourself to exercise a certain amount?  Whatever your goal is I hope you share it with us.  Then we can all cheer you on as you work towards that goal. 

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

This week's topic is…

Eating Healthy on the Run

Back when I suggested topics, Wani suggested how to eat healthy on the go.  Since this describes my life at the moment, I think we'll go with it.  Healthy eating and fast food are two things that don't normally go together.  How do you eat healthy during busy seasons of life?  What are your go to meals when you are short on time?  I hope you'll join me next week and share.  It's ok to be honest.  That's why we're here…to support and encourage.  I think you'll be a little surprised at one of mine

Today is one of those days.  You know one of those days when you leave the house with a litany of errands unsure when you'll return.  Yep, one of those days.

I'm actually writing this post while my son is in his tenor saxophone lesson.  Then we will drive to my Weight Watchers meeting before his trumpet lesson.  We'll end the day with a piano recital.  Whew!  I'm tired just thinking about it.

Days like these wreak havoc with my weight loss plans.  It's hard to eat healthy when I have five places to be and not enough time to get there.  But even in the midst of the busyness, I am determined not to lose sight of my weight loss goals.

Knowing I would be gone for two meals today, I decided to compromise on lunch.  My son & I fixed sandwiches that we then ate in the car.  I'm not sure what we'll do for dinner tonight.  But I've learned how to eat out and still eat healthy.  It isn't easy, but it can be done.

I try to look for salads that aren't loaded down with fattening additions.  Yes, I love candied pecans.  But they are a treat and not a necessity on a salad.  I also make changes to salad dressings.  I don't get ranch.  Instead I ask for low-fat options.  Sometimes I even just ask for the oil and vinegar.  Then I only put the vinegar on my salad.

Many restaurants now have a section on their menu dedicated to healthier options.  Still you have to be careful.  Applebees has a great Weight Watchers menu.  But when an entree is 12 points and I only have 26 points for the day, it's not worth it. 

I usually try to stick with either grilled chicken, pork chops, or a lean steak and a side of grilled vegetables.  My husband and I will often split meals too, saving us both from overeating.

I have learned to ask how food is prepared.  Many times restaurants can easily comply by using non-stick spray.  I have noticed when I ask, the waitresses are more than willing to comply.  Most will go out of their way to help.

I do have a confession, though.  I still love the Golden Arches.  But now I don't get a loaded down huge burger.  Instead I get a simple cheeseburger.  And I split the fries with my son eating just enough to satisfy my tastebuds.

Unfortunately our schedule is still going to be busy over the next month.  But the reality is I don't have to let it ruin my weight loss goals.  I can still lose weight despite the obstacles.  The choice is up to me.

And it's up to you too my friend!  You can have control over food.  It doesn't have to control you.  Remember the words of Paul…

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:13

Yes, you can do this.  You are worth the fight.  And you will thank yourself for taking the time to reclaim your health.

I feel like I owe you sweet ladies an apology.  The last two weeks have been super busy.  As a result I was not able to visit everyone's posts or reply to your comments…again.  I'm sorry.  I plan to do better this week.  I hope you'll still love me anyway

BTW, The scale showed me down another .4 lbs this week for a total of 46.2 lbs lost.  I'm reevaluating my goal weight.  I want to make sure it's something I can maintain. 

Today I officially set my WW goal weight, which left me only 7.8 lbs to lose.  I'm not sure if that will actually be my final weight.  It might be a little lower.  Either way, I'm not going to quit taking care of me once I reach that number.  I've worked too hard to get here. 

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is….Motivation.

What keeps you going when you want to give up?  Is it a phrase, or a scripture, or a person, or a thing?  What is that one thing that motivates you to keep working towards your goal?  I hope you'll join us.  You never know…your motivation may help inspire someone else to keep going.

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

One of my favorite things to do is talk about homeschooling.  So I am excited to host tonight's Twitter Party, Celebrate Freedom, on behalf of the GHEA Conference & Curriculum Fair with Kathy from Kathy's Cluttered Mind and Tricia from Hodgepodge.

The Twitter Party will be this evening 8:00 EST.  The GHEA Conference Twitter handle is @GHEA_Conf and the hashtag is #gheaconf.  We'll be discussing state homeschool laws, conventions, and curriculums.  We'll also be giving away great prizes from Apologia.  I hope you'll join us!

If you're in Georgia or the surrounding states, don't forget early registration for the GHEA Conference ends this Wednesday, April 25th.  After that date you will have to wait and register at the door in addition to paying $5 more. 

This is a great event that always leaves me encouraged and ready for another year of homeschooling.  Plus this year we're organizing a Blogger's Meetup.  I'll have more details soon.  I hope to see you there!

For more information about GHEA and the conference, please visit the following posts.

My post, GHEA:  Protecting Your Freedoms

Kathy @ Kathy's Cluttered Mind, HaveYou Heard About the GHEA Conference and GHEA Speaker Diane Craft,

Tricia @ HodgePodge, Continuing Education at Your State Homeschool Convention

Lara @ The Glam Mom's Guide, Georgia Home Education Conference Speaker – Rachel Carman

Disclosure:  GHEA is giving me a free conference pass in exchange for my post.  But the opinions stated within the post are my own.  I really do LOVE GHEA and the work they are doing.

This week's topic is…

Stress

Stress can be a big deterrent to weight loss.  It causes us to lose sight of our weight loss goals and focus on the momentary problem.  How do you handle that?  How do you stick to your determination and not give into temptation?  I hope you'll link up and share. 

I feel like I owe you sweet ladies an apology.  I was not feeling well last week.  As a result I was not able to visit everyone's posts or reply to your comments.  So I'm sorry.  Hopefully this week will be better!

Actually last week is the reason for this week's topic.  In addition to not feeling well, I also felt incredibly stressed.  My plate felt like it was running over.  I usually have 15 things going on at one time and I'm not bothered by it.  But for some reason I felt like I was going to crack last week.  Let's just say I'm glad it's over.

It really made me stop and think about how differently I handle stress now.  I was never one to eat because of stress.  Instead I would be less careful about what I ate.  I would think about all that I had to worry about and not want to also have to worry about what I ate.  As a result, I would make unhealthy food choices.

I am happy to report that didn't happen last week.  To be more accurate…I didn't even think about it.  Instead I stuck to my healthy eating.  Because I wasn't feeling well, I wasn't able to exercise.  So I was even more convicted to make sure I ate well.

But how did I do it?

My mindset has changed. 

I no longer think it is a bother to eat healthy.  Now it's just the way I eat.  It is a way of life.  I keep plenty of healthy goodies stocked in my cabinets and refrigerator.  So when I want something a little more comforting, I have choices.  Like right now, I am snacking on non-fat yogurt w/mini chocolate chips.  Yummy!

To be honest, I'm not really sure I ever thought I would get here.  Food controlled my life for so long.  I felt helpless.  I didn't imagine it could change.  I'm amazed that it has.  But I am also aware that I could revert.  So I am working hard to stay diligent about my food choices.

I had another really good week on the scale.  I lost 2.8 lbs putting me at a total of 45.6 lbs lost.  I also realized this week that my total figures were wrong.  I was estimating that number.  Now that I am closer, I realize I only have 13.2 lbs to lose to be at goal.  Since I want to reach that in 10 weeks, that's 1.32 lbs a week.  That feels doable. 

I can hardly believe I lost that much weight this week.  That is an unusually high number for me.  It puts all those dismal weight loss weeks in perspective….reminding me that it really is about the long haul.

The same is true for you, my friend. 

Don't judge your overall success/failure by one weigh in.  It takes more than one weigh in to see overall change.  It takes time.  I've been at this now for 14 months.  Realistically that's a long time to only lose 45.6 lbs.  But I have lost 45.6 lbs.  And that's what's important….not the amount of time it's taken me to get here.

Keep up the good work!  You can do this! 

Remember…one foot in front of the other…one change at a time…one pound at a time.

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is eating healthy on the run.

Back when I suggested topics, Wani suggested how to eat healthy on the go.  Since this describes my life at the moment, I think we'll go with it.  Healthy eating and fast food are two things that don't normally go together.  How do you eat healthy during busy seasons of life?  What are your go to meals when you are short on time?  I hope you'll join me next week and share.  It's ok to be honest.  That's why we're here…to support and encourage.  I think you'll be a little surprised at one of mine

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

I feel incredibly blessed to homeschool our son.  It is one of the best decisions we ever made for our family.  He is able to learn and grow at his own pace and explore his own interests.  But I realize this would not be possible if it weren’t for the pioneers of the homeschool movement.

These pioneers stepped out in faith to do something no one was doing.  They risked persecution and prosecution to follow their beliefs.  Because of them, my son can finish his schoolwork while sitting at the dining room table and I don’t have to worry about a police officer or a social worker showing up at our front door.

Although homeschooling is now legal and more socially accepted, we can't rest on our laurels. We must be diligent about protecting our freedoms.  Every year there are new threats to the rights of homeschooling.  In Georgia, local counties frequently overstep their boundaries with the annual Intent to Homeschool forms.  It can make filing these required forms more than a little nervewracking.

That’s why groups like the Georgia Home Educators Association (GHEA) are important.  My husband and I have been doing some volunteer work for GHEA.  But I am afraid there message isn’t getting out there.  So I have agreed to help with their social media efforts.

Here is a snippet of what GHEA does…

GHEA is a 501(c)(3), non-profit Christian organization that provides information and resources to all families involved in home-based, parent-directed, privately-funded education in Georgia.  They are committed to the advancement of home education and to protecting every family’s right to home educate their children and considers it part of its mission to help families across Georgia involved in this alternative education choice.

Basically that means GHEA is dedicated to helping homeschool families in Georgia and the surrounding region.  They provide families with information about homeschooling…including the legal requirements, curriculum options, and where to find local support groups/classes.  They also work behind the scenes with state officials protecting the freedoms of homeschool parents.

One of their biggest outreach events is coming up in just a few weeks…the GHEA Conference & Curriculum Fair, May 3^rd - 5^th.  This year's theme, Celebrate Freedom, will be featured throughout the 3 days of great teaching by nationally recognized speakers with topics ranging from about the nuts & bolts of homeschooling to teaching methods to parenting encouragement & discipleship.  There is even a children’s program and a teen track.

Along with the great sessions, there is a huge vendor hall filled with a wide range of homeschool curriculum and supplies.  I almost love the vendor hall more than the sessions…at least that’s what my wallet says.  But I also love the used book sale on Friday.  What’s not to love about a book sale?  That’s two of my favorite things combined.

So what can you do?

1.  Become a member.  Your $25 membership fee will help GHEA help homeschool families.  In return, you will receive their quarterly magazine and a discount for the annual conference.  You will also be eligible for a $15 discount to join HSLDA, which is another great organization that helps homeschoolers.

2.  Attend the conference.  For $50 your whole family can enjoy the conference.  You must register by April 25th to get this special rate.  Otherwise, you'll have to wait and register at the door for an extra $5.  While I highly recommend the children & teen tracks, there is plenty more there for the kids to do.  My son loves seeing all the cool things the vendors are selling.  And there’s always a game of chess being played.

3.  Volunteer at the conference.  It takes a lot of people to make a conference run smoothly.  In return, you will get a voucher for a free CD for every 3 hours you work.  Plus you'll get early access to the Used Book Sale…which is totally worth it.

4.  Tell your friends.  GHEA almost solely advertises via word of mouth.  Tell your friends about them…about their mission and their conference.  They also have a Facebook page and a Twitter account.  Follow them there & share with your friends.  The more, the merrier!

5.  Join us for a Twitter party.  Kathy @ Kathy's Cluttered Mind and I will be hosting a Twitter party on Monday, April 23rd at 8:00 EST.  The hashtag is #gheaconf.  We'll be celebrating our freedom to homeschool and giving away some fun prizes from the vendors.

As GHEA is stronger, homeschooling in Georgia is stronger.  It takes all of us working together to provide a safe environment for our children to learn and grow at their own pace free from government interference.  By doing so, we can protect the freedom of future generations making sure they also have the opportunity to educate their children at home.

I hope you'll also take a few minutes to visit these great bloggers who are also featuring GHEA today:

Kathy @ Kathy's Cluttered Mind, HaveYou Heard About the GHEA Conference and GHEA Speaker Diane Craft,

Tricia @ HodgePodge, Continuing Education at Your State Homeschool Convention

Lara @ The Glam Mom's Guide, Georgia Home Education Conference Speaker – Rachel Carman

Disclosure:  GHEA is giving me a free conference pass in exchange for my post.  But the opinions stated within the post are my own.  I really do LOVE GHEA and the work they are doing.

This week's topic is…

Children & Snacks

What healthy snacks do you fix for your children?  What are some of their favorites?  With a hungry 14 yr old to feed, I'm always up for ideas.  So I hope you'll join us!

Yes, I do have a 14 year old boy in my house.  And these days it seems like he is constantly eating.  He is hungry all the time.  Since he has grown 8 inches in the last year, I'm not really surprised.  He needs a lot of food to support that growth.  Plus he is one of those constantly moving kids.  His metabolism must be super high.

This leaves me in a dilemma as his mother.  It's increasingly difficult to feed him snacks that are both healthy and filling at the same time.  His braces also limit some of what he can eat.

He does love oranges.  So I try to keep them in the fruit bowl.  He loves other fruits like pineapple and watermelon, but those don't usually make good travel fruits.  He won't eat bananas or grapes.  He will eat apples.  Because of his braces, though, I try to cut those into small chunks.  I need to do a better job of making them more accessible at snack time.

He also likes cheese.  And he will eat lots of it when we're at home.  So I try to keep plenty on hand.

I am sad to say that he also eats a lot of the single serving microwavable macaroni n cheese & shells w/tomato sauce.  This is something easy and filling.  He can make these while he is doing his school work and keep going.  I know these aren't the most healthy option, but they work.  Now that I'm thinking about it, I should make a batch from scratch and keep it in the refrigerator.  Then he could just heat up a little at a time.

I do keep snack cakes in the house for him.  He doesn't eat them a lot, but probably one a day.  Oh, he also eats granola bars.  But we're not talking the healthy ones.  We're talking the ones that have chocolate chips in them.  I am ok with some things.  I don't believe in tellling a child they can never have sweets.  They need to learn balance as much as we do.

As I have tried to be healthier, I have tried to make my son's snacks healthier too.  But this hasn't always worked.  I think I will start making more of an effort, especially during the summer.  Maybe if it becomes habit during the summer, it will stick during the school year…maybe

So for today's weigh-in…

I lost .6 lbs for a total of 42.8 lbs lost.  I have 17.4 lbs left to lose and 11 weeks until my goal, which means I need to lose approximately 1.58 lbs a week.  This makes me a little nervous.  But I am not giving up.  I will make it to goal. 

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

And so will you, my friend.  You are doing amazing things for yourself.  Keep up the good work!

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is stress.

Stress can be a big deterrent to weight loss.  It causes us to lose sight of our weight loss goals and focus on the momentary problem.  How do you handle that?  How do you stick to your determination and not give into temptation?  I hope you'll join me next week and share. 

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!

PS – I am not feeling well today and I have a very long to do list.  So please forgive me if I don't reply to your comment or visit your link today.  It may take me a few days to get caught up.  Thanks for understanding!

About 12 years ago, my husband and I watched a news special about the life of Christ.  Because it was done by a well known reporter, I was very skeptical about the point he would try to make.  My skepticism was warranted.

Although he talked about the life of Christ, it was as if he was trying to disprove it.  It wasn't that he was trying to deny Jesus lived.  He admitted there was a historical person named Jesus.  It was more that the reporter was trying to downplay the significance of his life.  He couldn't admit that Jesus might be divine.

For every miracle of Christ, he had a scientific explanation for it. 

That is…until he got to the resurrection. 

The reporter could not disprove the resurrection.  There was no scientic explanation for it.  Neither could he deny it.  He admitted that there were too many eye witness accounts of people seeing Jesus to say it didn't happen. 

The show was ended with a question. 

Was Jesus really God or not?

And the question was all because of the resurrection.

You see, my friends, the resurrection is what sets us apart.  There are lots of religions out there…lots of religions that believe in lots of gods.  But ours is the only religion that believes in a risen God.

It's because of that risen God that we can have hope.  The resurrection proved that Jesus has the power over life and death.  Not only does it prove He is powerful, it also proves He will keep his promises.  He did what He said He would do. 

Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”  Matthew 20:17-19

My friends, Jesus hasn't changed.  That same kind of power is available to us today.  We don't have to walk in defeat or discouragment.  Paul tells us in Philippians 4:20 that "my God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." 

This means that no matter what…God will take care of us.  As a matter of fact, the whole Bible is God's promise to do that.  He doesn't say, "I'll take care of you as long as things are going your way."  No.  He says, "I'll take care of you…no matter what."

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “ Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

So whatever you're facing today, know that God is there in the midst of it with you.  He loves you too much to let you go.  Don't ever doubt that.  In fact, He's already proven just how much He'll do for you.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

Dear Lord, we thank You this day for your love that drove You to send your only Son to the cross.  Forgive us when we doubt your goodness, when we doubt your grace.  Thank You for setting us free.  Thank You for this day that we may praise You.  In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

How are you today, my friend? 

Are you trusting Him with your problems?

Or are you trying to carry them all on your own?

This week's topic is…

Family Exercise

A couple of weeks ago when I asked for topic ideas, both Kerri of A Simple Princess and Wani of Wani's World suggested cheap and easy outdoor family activities.  So let's talk about it.  What activities do you do with your family to promote good health?  Or do you have any ideas that you hope to implement soon?  I hope you'll join us and share.  I'm always up for a little family fun!

I love this week's topic!  It's important for families to spend time together.  And what better way to do it than through exercise?

As I've mentioned before, our family loves to walk.  We take long walks that are at least an hour.  This is saying something in our neighborhood.  We have huge hills…and that is not an exaggeration.  They feel like they take every last bit of my strength to climb.

Even our 14 year old enjoys these walks.  I recently asked him why.  He said it gives him a chance to clear his head.  He's right about that.  It gives us a great chance to talk too.  We talk about everything.  As we walk and talk, we also destress.  Now that's what I call great family time!

We enjoy hiking too.  We just don't get to do it as often.  Since that the weather is nice, hopefully we'll start hiking again soon.  We recently watched a documentary on The Appalachian Trail.  Now I don't know that we'll ever hike the entire trail.  But it is a nice goal that maybe one day we'll get to part of it.  Although my son is convinced that he'll hike the whole trail one day.  And I am sure he can do it if he puts his mind to it.

Our most recent family activity is tennis.  Our neighborhood has tennis courts and hosts lessons every Sunday evening.  Then we play doubles afterwards with those who can stay.  We also play doubles on Thursday evening.  Before a couple of weeks ago, I had never even swung a racket.  I'm not sure I'll ever be great, but at least I'm learning a new sport and having fun at the same time.

I am amazed by the level of concentration that tennis requires.  There's always 5 things to remember to hit one ball.  You should stand with your knees bent and your racket pointed a certain way.  Then you're supposed to turn your body towards the ball.  You also have to hold your arms just right to be able to hit the ball.  It's confusing!  I'm doing good if I just hit the ball.

The one piece of advice that I keep hearing over and over and over again is to keep your eye on the ball.  No matter what else you do or don't do, it's important to keep your eye on the ball.  That's the only way you'll know how to hit it.

As I was standing there trying to watch the ball, it struck me that the same is true in our weight loss journeys.  We need to keep our eye on the ball, or in this case, the goal.  If we don't keep our eye on the ball, we'll lose our focus.  We'll get blindsided by life.  We'll be tempted to quit.

By keeping our eye on the ball, we have the necessary motivation to keep going when it gets hard.  We know what we're doing and why we're doing it.  We're not as easily tempted and we're not as likey to quit.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

I want to thank you, dear sweet friends, for helping me keep my eye on the ball.  You've patiently listened to me complain about my slow weight loss and kept encouraging me to keep at going.  I knew you were right, but my heart didn't want to admit it.

I am happy to report that today's weigh-in was much better.  I lost 2.4 lbs for a total of 42.2 lbs gone.  I have 12 weeks to lose the remaining 17.8 lbs, which is approximately 1.43 lbs per week.  I'm keeping my eye on the ball, knowing I can hit it.

How are you doing with your weight loss goals my friend?  Why don't you join us for Weight Loss Wednesday and share?  Remember…we're all in this together!

It's easy.  Write a blog post about this week's topic and link back to this post.  Then register with Mr. Linky below.  Please know, though, that I reserve the right to delete any link that does not conform to the spirit of Weight Loss Wednesday.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #wlwed. 

Also please remember to visit some of the other participants as well.  It's very encouraging to know you are not alone in this journey.

Next week's topic is kids and snacking.

We're going to stay with this topic of family and switch it up a little bit.  What healthy snacks do you fix for your children?  What are some of their favorites?  With a hungry 14 yr old to feed, I'm always up for ideas.  So I hope you'll join us!

In the meantime, remember….

Quitting is not an option!