It's time to send out my weekly check in. I didn't lose or gain any weight this week. I was able to get back on the wagon with my exercise but not with my eating. While I was sick I craved very salty, junky foods and that continued on until yesterday. I had to get the cravings out of my system so have tried very hard the last few days to stay away from sugary snacks and trashy carbs. After a few days of this the cravings really go away for me so I hope that means a loss again next week.

As I must be honest I have to tell you how ridiculous I sometimes am now. Clearly this is because of my changed thinking. I weighed myself yesterday, as usual, and was up about 5 lbs. Now I know some would say that I shouldn't weigh every day or that we can fluctuate that much and I shouldn't worry about it but...let me say this. I like weighing every day. I like knowing that I weigh 2 lbs more before bedtime than I do in the morning or that I often weigh more right after exercise than when I started. In doing this I don't typically get freaked out about fluctuation. I have learned the rhythms of my body and it's journey by doing a daily weigh in and sometimes more than once a day and I can assure you that in the last 19 weeks I have never fluctuated like this. Of course I freaked out. Aliens must surely have taken over my body because I exercised an hour in the morning and then walked 3 miles in the evening. Well...I ended up being right back down to my norm the next day. LOL! What did I learn from this.....I AM NOW ANAL!! I must not take myself so seriously. However, I will still defend my habit of weighing often...it is the successes that have propelled me forward. If they start pushing me down I might consider a changs.

Anyway...this is the first time in 19 weeks that I haven't experienced some sort of loss. That bothers me a little but I recognize that it is completely within my power to change it by making better decisions for myself. Remember last week....I will NOT be oppressed by food. Many times this week I have thought of those words I so boldly blogged and do not want to find myself eating not only the oppressing food but my words as well. LOL!!

God must be my strength this week and always because my will is very weak on its own. Unless of course it is my "will to sabotage"....that always seems to find its own strength. YIKES!!! I hope you all did well this week and at the very least you learned something about the Lord and yourself.

Question: How long before starting your daily exercise should you eat? If you choose to eat after exercise how long should you wait? Answers appreciated.

Let me get started

Well...I created this blog to share my journey through weight-loss. At this time I have been traveling along for18 weeks and have lost 34.2 lbs. *whew* I'm not going to go back and try to catch you up on all that has happened but will just share a few milestones I have already experienced along the way.

I'm down two dress sizes
My ankles rarely swell up anymore (this was a daily issue)
I am not nearly as tired as I have been over the last 10 years.
My kneecaps are starting to emerge as the weight around them evaporates.
I'm sure there are more....maybe I'll remember soon.



I lost 2.5 lbs this week. That was a surprise for me because we had snacks soo often during VBS and in the week leading up to it I was eating out a lot. I have been sickly for the last 5 days so haven't had a chance to exercise and have worried that this will knock me off my great run at the goal. Someone said to me recently that we CHOOSE our oppressors. While they made this comment in a political conversation I understood it in a totally different way. How often have I let food be my oppressor?! I am determined to deny it any rights to my life anymore. No longer do I want to skip that bike ride with my kids, high school reunion, mission trip or any other activity because I have allowed food (weight-gain) to be my oppressor. I cannot live life that way. Christ says we are to do all things to His glory. Well...this time I am losing the weight that He would be glorified for freeing me from one of my oppressors. That I would be more able and willing to go out and make diciples because I am no longer burdened nor embarrased by that which keeps me captive.Amen and AMEN!! May God be glorified!!