Losing It

 This summer Tom and I decided that we needed to make some healthier choices in our lives.  I can’t tell you exactly what prompted this decision, but I do know that it was about time.  As we were thinking about how we could make that work, we decided to make a few small changes for the summer and build a healthy habit that we could continue throughout the school year.  Here are a few of the small changes that we decided were doable financially and would fit into our lifestyle without a drastic change to where we wouldn’t currently meet our goals.

I love finding Bible verses to help me meet my goals.  I've scattered a few throughout this post for encouragement.  I really need to blow them up and scatter them around my house when temptation hits.

Small Changes:
1.  The first thing we decided to do was to join the YMCA.  Living where we do, we have so many different options for the Y, that this was one of the easier decisions we had to make.  We made a pro and con list (which we rarely do), prayed about it, and decided that it would benefit our whole family and not just Tom and me.  So, one change done.

2.  We added more fruits and veggies into our diet.  I recently discovered My Fitness Pal, and began tracking my calories.  This was an eye opener.  At first I just started by tracking everything I ate.  To my surprise, I was taking in a whole lot more calories than I was burning off.  So I found new ways to cook veggies and add them to our meals instead of the more starchy variety of veggies like potatoes.  I also found ways to use fruit as a dessert or special treat for the day.

3.  Get Moving.  We both set goals for ourselves to exercise at least 3 times per week.  I have been loving Zumba, and try to attend at least 1 class every week, if not more.  The other days, I have been working out on several different cardio machines that the Y has to offer.  We have also been trying to do more active things after dinner than we used to.  After dinner is mainly a time for us to hang out with the kids and unwind.  We’ve been trying to be creative about things we can do now that it’s so HOT to be active after dinner.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

4.  Sugar.  I have this love/ hate relationship with sugar.  I love that it adds to my food, but I hate what it does to my body, and how hyper it tends to make my daughter.  So Tom and I tried to take a sugar break.  Now when I say that I don’t mean that we excluded it completely.  Remember, we are not into extremes, since they only make us feel powerless when we fail.  We decided that we would do good to exclude pop from our diets.  That is one area where there are a lot of calories and sugar that just isn’t needed at all.  So we set a goal to avoid it for a week, and we made lots of tea with natural sweetener like honey or agave nectar.  I know it is still sugar, but not nearly as much and not the refined sugar.  I must say that we have done very well with this until the last couple of weeks.  I guess we need to set a goal again. 

5.  Books and Goals:  The last thing or should I say the first thing I did was found a very encouraging book that shares a lot about the struggles with losing weight and getting healthy in this fast food world of ours.  The book that I’ve been reading is called Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure.  She shares very honestly her struggles with her weight while she was in front of the world on TV, and where she gets her strength and motivation to stick with things.  She also shares her plan for healthy eating.  I really appreciate her Bible verses she shares to help in staying motivated while on this journey.  She share very practical plans and tips for losing weight.  Losing weight isn’t easy, and it requires small changes gradually over time.  I have to keep telling myself that.

 

So there you have it.  My start to getting healthier and making better choices.  I want to be a mom to my kids who has the energy to keep up with them and to be able to do active things with them.  I already feel so old with the two of them most of the time, but I’m determined to not let it get me down.
Goals:

·         Lose 50 lbs. by the end of May 2015

·         Exercise at least 3 times a week

·         Avoid pop

·         Limit breads and pastas

·         Take a bootcamp class before the end of the year

·         Train and run a 5K by May 2015

Results So Far:  (Since considering a healthy lifestyle change at the end of May and joining the Y in June)

v  Pounds  lost = 1

v  Waist = loss of 6 inches

v  Hips = loss of 2 inches

v  Exercise = 3 times or more each week except for the week Miles was in the hospital

v  Limit bread from lunch and added lettuce wraps

I guess I’m well on my way.  I’m a little embarrassed to share any pictures and to even say that I struggle in their area of my life, but I need the accountability when I feel like giving up.  My weight issues stem from several things that have happened in my life in the past few years where I turned to food for comfort without even realizing it, but I know that I struggle and I need to start somewhere.  I will post updates and maybe even a picture if I get brave.

 

Mira