What a week! I had a run in with a nasty tummy virus last week and felt just awful. I STILL worked out!! That’s usually the first thing to go when I lose my drive & intensity. I stop working out regularly, I stop thinking about what I’m eating and eventually, I’m back to my old ways. So I was really concerned this week about falling back into my old patterns. I’ve been listening to a set of audios called “Self Talk for Weight Loss” by Shad Helmstetter. What a motivational boost! I listen to the first 2 tapes (they have it on CD, too) every morning. The first is called “Believing in Incredible You.” Helps get me ready to face the day and motivates me to be my best.
I’ve been trying to eat healthy and watch my portions but the nausea was awful during that virus so I haven’t eaten very balanced all week. I’m getting back on track after my call with my life coach, Brian Osher. Let me stress the importance of a life coach – they’re amazing to work with. If I didn’t have the accountability and motivation that my life coach provides, I would’ve been done with this “journey” before the end of January. He helps me clearly establish the vision, find the direction and pave the path to get there. He also has threatened to kick my rear end anytime I may need it so that fear is always there, too!! 😉 Thank goodness he lives in California! hehe!
My sponsor, Terri has been amazing. She’s very uplifting and is constantly sending me new healthy recipes. If you’re thinking about doing this, working with a life coach is a very important tool in your toolbox. I think having a sponsor is also extremely vital. Be sure to choose someone who has already fought this fight and has come out on top of it. Terri is a great friend who has fought this battle for 5 years. She checks in with me and is there day or night when I’m having cravings or emotional issues that drive me to want to eat the entire kitchen…. literally. Just like the old saying: “Don’t take financial advice from poor people.” I say “Don’t take weight loss advice from overweight people.”
I’ve made a few changes this week – I’ve increased the workouts to 20 minutes each day but I have decided not to work out on Sunday. Sunday is my “free day” to not work out or watch too closely what I’m eating. I’ve been working out every day but recently, on Sundays, I’m finding myself working out at 11:30 p.m. just to get it in. So I removed that stress from my life and gave myself a “relax” day in there. I’ve also decided to only weigh in every 2 weeks (yes, in part because I can tell I have probably gained and didn’t want to face the scale this week… just being honest) and I had a friend tell me that he only had a “breakthrough” on the scale about once every 10 – 14 days. Weighing in every 2 weeks gives me more time and will help me not get as discouraged if I’m not seeing much change week to week. I took my measurements so I can see the physical changes even if there may not be much change with the numbers on the scale. I’ve also made another change… I have been hearing about the positive health benefits of fasting one day a week. This week, it seemed that statistics and stories about it showed up on the radio, in the book I’m reading and in my devotional time, so what’s God trying to tell me? 🙂 So I did it. I fasted one day this week (not the entire day, just from midnight to about 6:00 p.m.). Wow – I’m amazed at how focused I was and how it helped me renew my committment to this journey. I’m committing to making this a once a week practice. It was very hard but I think it was very beneficial to my physical self as well as my spiritual self. I challenge you to look into it and try it. If you keep doing the things you’ve always done, you’re going to get the results you’ve always gotten. So why not try a change? There are ways to fast even if you have special dietary needs, etc… Look for a way you CAN do it instead of making excuses as to why you can’t. Maybe just fast from certain foods… but do something different. It moved me completely out of my comfort zone.
I’ve been “sober” now for 26 days – the thought of overeating is gross… 🙂 If you’re doing this with me or you want to make that committment, click the “Yep, sign me up” button on the right hand side at the top of this page. Send me a message sharing your story (totally confidential) and we’ll go through this together. It’s amazing what a community of support and encouragement does for someone in a fight like this one.
I leave you with these words of encouargement from this morning’s devotion: God had plans for the Israelites beyond their comprehension when all they had on their minds was survival. The promise was clear and strong, but the path to deliverance would not be easy. God’s great promises often involve great challlenges to test our faith in and our loyalty to Him. I must reflect on His greatness and remember how He worked in the lives of men and women who trusted Him with their lives, their hopes, and their futures. Proverbs 4:25 says “Keep your eyes straight ahead, avoid sideshow distractions.” Write that verse down on an index card & put it in your pocket, on your fridge, on the bathroom mirror… God will bring that verse to mind when you are tempted. Thanks for listening to my babbling for one more week… 🙂 You guys are blessings in my life.
Tammy Lanham Images 