Battle of the Bulge Continues

I gained 5 pounds on our trip to Kentucky and am suffering.  UGH!

I have been motivated by a few different things to get back on the fronts of the battle line!  

I was inspired by an article in the paper which quoted a local food store owner saying people don't connect what they eat with how they feel.  If you eat the wrong thing, you feel like garbage.  (not a direct quote).  Then I was inspired by my sister Terry who is cutting out white sugar in her diet.  Then Saturday Drew's sister was like the icing on the cake (no pun intended :-)) to start fighting again.  She had read "Mindless Eating".  She reminded me of my own words to her some time ago. . . There is such a peace in being in control of what you are eating.  There is freedom in knowing you can have a piece of cake because you have been making wise and careful choices during the day.

Here are a few of the pieces of wisdom from the book she read. . .  

Use small plates, antique dealers will tell you dinner plates used 100+ years ago were the size of our salad plates.  You obviously take less food if you have a smaller plate.  

I forget the % but your plate should have LOTS of vegetables on it.

If you eat 100-200 extra calories per day over the course of a year you will gain about 10 pounds, conversely, if you eat 100-200 calories less per day you will loose that weight over a years time without feeling deprived.

For me the overeating continues to be a spiritual battle.  I eat to escape.  I overindulge - gluttony.  I know the Lord will give me victory as I call out to Him for help!  Here I go again!!!!!  I am SO thankful God is patient, longsuffering, gentle, merciful.  What a SAVIOR.

Like salvation, this  isn't a one time I trusted and now I am home free. It is a continual trusting, calling out, falling and getting up to call out for more grace, more mercy, memorizing scripture, meditating on scripture, engaging my mind and emotions on things that please the Lord.

Tennis Tournament

In the spring Drew and I were thinking and praying about what if anything to sign the kids up for this summer.  Cob did t-ball last year but Drew suggested tennis for this year.  So Mary, Cob and Abi took tennis lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  At the end of the session there was an optional tournament they could participate in.  Mary had her games on Monday, Cob and Abi's were on Tuesday.  Unfortunately I forgot the camera Monday.  All three did such a great job.  They each lost their first game.  They each opted to play a second.  Mary and Cob each won their second game.  Abi had so much fun she wanted to and did play a third.  We have gone several times since then to play tennis.  What a nice sport. Besides getting an excellent work out you only need two people to play and even us older folks can participate :-)

Goals Renewed

Keeping my baby fat off has been harder than I expected.  I was hoping this post would be all about how successfully I got down to my goal weight and have been maintaining ever since.  I don't know what I thought, a life time of sinful indulgence would zip out of my life struggle free!  I reached my goal weight after a gull bladder attack (which involved vomiting), but didn't stay there long.  I gained four pounds back and maintained that weight for two and a half months.  Since then I have steadily gained a pound a week.  Doesn't sound like much?  It IS!  Especially if this keeps up.  I am reviewing what I did to lose my original forty-five pounds in order to get back down there!  Here goes.  

I journaled every bite - that's right, I wrote every food I ate down in an effort to keep my calories to what sparkpeople recommended.  

I prayed when feeling tempted to overindulge.  (I prayed a lot!  Prayer is awesome)

I did not deny myself treats - even daily treats - as long as I wrote them down and kept in my calorie goal.

I strove to eat more fresh vegetables.

I drank a quart of water for every fifty pounds of body weight.

KEY - I weighed myself every Friday morning at as close to 7:30 as possible and recorded my weight on the calendar.  (I just wrote the number and for the most part nobody even noticed it there despite the orange marker I chose as a writing utencil).

I have worked out on and off, very inconsistently but every bit helps.

I cut out late night snacks.  I tend to be a late night person but I managed to NOT snack after 9 PM and I am sure it helped.

That's it.  Ah I am glad I wrote all that down.  It sounds so manageable, so why am I struggling?  Hopefully this will motivate me again!!!!!!

Benefits of Working Out

As one of my "helps" to loosing weight I started working out.
Several people over the years have recommended pilates to me. I got
a cheap DVD from Walmart (Pilates 10 minute Solutions) and have been
fitting it into my busy day. I usually work out during naps/quiet
time. Many days I only get the 10 minute stretching portion in. My
goal is to do the 10 minute total body blast, a 10 minute focus of
either arms, waist or buns/thighs, and the 10 minute stretch.

Here are some of the ways doing pilates has benefited me.

1) Decreased desire for Sweet Foods!
2) Increased Attentiveness! (is it just me or has it really helped me
to stay focused on things?)
3) Ecstatic Feelings! (when I hear Drew praise of how I look)
4) Increased Energy!
5) Weight Loss!

Photo taken by Cob

I am ashamed at how much weight I gained during my pregnancy with
Chloe. I really used the pregnancy as a license to eat whenever and
whatever I wanted. Toward the middle of my pregnancy I started
working out but never cut back on the treats. It is no wonder that
on July 1st I weighed 200 pounds! I called out to the Lord, confessed
my lack of self control and asked for grace to lose some weight. I
logged in to www.sparkpeople.com and started journalling every bite I
ate. I also started working out 10-20 minutes 3-6 days a week, increased my
water intake to 10-14 cups a day (nursing moms need lots of water)
and looked forward to honoring the Lord in my food choices. I go to
Emmaus once a week to weigh in as having a scale in the house could
be detrimental. At my weigh in last Aug. 29th I was 177! Here I am
in the outfit I purchased to celebrate. I desire to shed a few more
pounds and will give glory to God when I do!