Weight loss journey

Those that are my friends on Facebook know that I am working hard on loosing my excess weight.  I have not always been overweight.  My true struggled started after the birth of my daughter Rachel, my third child.  Yes, I gained and lost with all my children, but the weight just didn't come off after her.  It was totally myself that was the cause....3 kids, my husband started Pharmacy school when she was barely 4 years old, and life stresses.  I've lost weight since her birth, most recently was 3-4 years ago with Weight Watchers.  It worked great!  But I found myself cooking meals that only I could eat and separate meals for my family.  As my kids have gotten older, they need more food!  Can you say 3 teenagers, 2 being boys, and 2 being very athletic??!!  I had to make lots of food just to get them full and yes, it wasn't sometimes the best of foods that I cooked.  Pizza, hamburgers, etc...even though there was always vegetables and fruits that I served as well.  After gaining it all back, I decided...what is the use!!??!! I am just going to be heavy as a middle aged woman!  Until Christmas 2011...I had been praying to God about my weight.  I hated who I had become.... overweight, stressed, unorganized, burning my candle at both ends.  I decided I needed a change!!

God laid it on my heart that I had to make life changes!!  Being that it was Christmas, I thought, January 1 is just around the corner.  It will be 2013 and the start of my new life.  I can't explain it but God was speaking to me about Weight Watchers.  He was telling me...it works for you...but you can't stay with it.  It is too hard for you to stay on any "diet" and continue with your love of cooking and supplying food for your family that they need.  It was laid on my heart to cut all breads....that means rolls, biscuits  sandwich bread, breaded food, hush puppies, stuffing....ugh!  This has been the hardest.  But I can say after 40 days, I don't miss it any more.  My family had rolls at our lunch at Pioneer, an area restaurant, today and I didn't even want one!  YEAH!  Progress!!  The next  thing was to give up pastas and rice.  I'm not a big pasta fan...I like it but I know some who have pasta for ever meal.  This hasn't been as much of a challenge as the bread.  I do allow myself to have sugar on occasion and Splenda in my tea and coffee.  Once a week, I allow myself an indulgent item such as a piece of cake, ice cream, or something I've made to treat my family. If you totally cut out all enjoyable things, I don't think you will be successful!  I do continue to cook potatoes, pastas, rice...I just make sure a vegetable is cooked as well for all of us and I don't eat those items.

Now to get to what I DO get to eat.  Lots and lots of fresh fruit and veggies.  Veggies are almost always steamed and seasoned well.  Occasionally I saute them in cooking spray.  Lean meats are a must for me.  I am a meat eater.  I can't imagine not being able to eat a steak, but I feel everyone should pray about these decisions and God will lead you to what is best for your journey.  Smoothies are a must for me....for breakfast and/or snack.  I almost always have a banana, with one other fruit (LOVE BLUEBERRIES), 1 8oz cup of fat free yogurt of whatever I have (plain, vanilla, cherry, etc.), a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 cup of Fat Free Lactose-free milk (only because I get an upset stomach with regular fat free milk) and 6 or so ice cubes.....blended together.  Makes about 16 oz and super yummy.  If I am having it as a meal like breakfast, I add 5 almonds.  But as a snack, I leave the almonds out.  Use strawberries (3), 1 banana, strawberry fat free yogurt some time....it is such a great strawberry banana smoothie!!  Snacks other than smoothies are a handful of cashews or almonds or just a piece of fruit.  One treat I allow myself is chips and salsa.  Yes, corn tortilla chips at a restaurant with salsa.  I don't pig out...but I do have about 10-15 chips with salsa when we dine out....or if I serve Mexican food at home.

Since January 1, I have lost 17 lbs.  My goal is to reach my goal weight by my birthday in September.  I plan on doing this all my life.  Never to eat bread again.....seems sad...but I feel it is what the Lord decided for me to do in this journey!

Now one last thing is my devotion time.  I bought a book my wonderful friend Janet Brown wrote and I LOVE IT!  Every day, I read her devotion and pray what the Lord wants me to get out of the reading.  If you need a devotion to help you in your weight loss journey, pick up Divine Dining!  Just start on the date you get it and continue until you finish the book.  I think this will probably be a book I read many, many years to come.

You can buy it at Hastings if you live in Wichita Falls.  Or if you live out of town, go to the link below to buy this amazing book!  You will love to read her journey on weight loss and what the Lord spoke to her.
 
http://pen-l.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=7

I pray God touches you all in your journey to be a healthier YOU.  God loves you and if it is your desire to be thinner, then He can help you!

Isaiah 43-19 "forget the former things;"