Tips on Achieving Goals

New milestone today! Here is what I hit and some of the journey it took for me to get there (as people are asking)

*********I have now lost over 60 lbs. The most I had lost was 60, so to make over 60 is great!*********As of this morning, I am the lowest I've been since I can ever remember weighing! Honestly, I know I weighed more in 6th grade than I do this morning! I was very excited. What a great way to start a Monday morning.

Tips: (the above pictures were taken about 15 pounds under my highest weight back in May of 2003 and the other one was taken this past Thanksgiving about 3 lbs ago.)

1. Realize why you are eating. For me, when I overeat, it is usually more of a compensation or a comfort, or stress eating. Like today, I wasn't hungry this afternoon, and its not even cold, but due to some stressful things, I went and made myself a mocha. It was free - why not? I threw half of it away. I didn't need it.

2. Don't eat food just because its free. When you live on a seminary-staff budget, you always want to eat the free food. Don't! Most of it isn't good for you (baked treats, pizza, chikfila chicken sandwiches, chips, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, fried stuff). Just say no. Or, when I have to eat the Chikfila lunches - I eat the chicken, take off the bread, and then when I get back to my office I eat some fruit or veggies that I brought to work.

3. Exercise. I love exercising. I feel lazy when I don't. God made our bodies to move. We are not being good stewards of our bodies if we just sit on the couch all day - or the office chair - or watch tv all day when we are physically able to get up and move (if we are).

4. Eat healthy stuff. I'm not saying you have to go to Whole Foods all the time or buy all organic. I don't. I mean - stick to veggies, fruits (not fried okra), greens, eat lots of salads with healthy proteins, legumes, chicken (not fried or smothered in bacon, cheese, and cream), lean beef. These are good. Now does that mean you can't have the occasional burger? No! God made all food for our enjoyment for our good. That means - we can enjoy a burger from Red Robin (for my bday coming up in 3 weeks) and it will give me nourishment - but not a Red Robin burger every day. All in moderation.

5. You have to be willing and able to take a little smack. Meaning - people are going to ask you why you don't eat all the junk at the holiday parties or at family get togethers. You have to know your answer. I fill my plate with good and healthy things - not the carbs and fatty stuff like I used to. I bypass the bacon topped mac and cheese. Not because I don't like it anymore - it is such amazing food - but I just didn't need it. You'll have to learn to deal with it. Many people ask me "why aren't you eating". Sometimes I'll say, I've already eaten, or I'm not hungry. Most of the time that is true. You don't have to say - there really isn't anything healthy here to eat. Don't be rude about it.

6. Drink plenty of water. Don't typically drink your calories. Lately I've been having hot chocolate or a mocha (80 calories) at work - I can deal with that. But, some people drink 100 calories a day - between Bux and non-diet drinks. Drink water, unsweet tea - these are good for you.

7. Make goals for yourself! Someone asked me today what my new goals would be. I said I still had a little more to lose - she couldn't believe it. Make healthy, attainable goals - and reward yourself (even with a jump in the bathroom when you step on the scale and a cheer) when you make it. You don't have to eat your reward and you don't have to spend a lot of money on your reward.

8. One saying that I really like right now is: "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels". Now, I'll never be thin - but you get the moral of the story.

9. One Scripture thought I like - everything is fleeting, there is nothing new under the sun. Meaning - I don't need to stuff myself with food just because I can - that is sin. There will be food tomorrow. God made it all and I need to trust Him. He is MORE THAN ENOUGH for me.

I hope these things help!

Guest Blogger: KP on her Healthy Journey

KP is a good friend of mine from our church back in Durham where we served on college ministry staff together. I love that she and her family are serving God in another part of the world! Her kids are so adorable.

For all of you that need inspiration - here is her story. She graciously let me post it here.

If you are reading this and think you can't get baby weight off, or you think that cooking for a family and losing weight is hard, be encouraged!

Keep up the amazing work KP - and find your strength only in Him!

The past 6+ months I have been really working on losing some weight and getting healthy. Lately people have been asking me if I have lost weight and what I am doing to lose it so I thought it was time for a blog about it all. I have lost 34 lbs since the beginning of April. It hasn't always been easy but it has left me feeling so much better about myself and I know that my body is healthier. I have so much more energy and have made exercise a part of my day that I really look forward to each morning (or sometimes afternoon, depending on the day.) I have 12 more lbs to reach my first big goal and then I would like to lose another 15 more after that. I have averaged a little more than a lb a week since I started...sometimes more, sometimes less.

One Sunday morning during the very end of March I heard an amazing Sermon (click on the link to download or listen) from my pastor, J.D. Greear about self-control and discipline. I realized then that my eating was really out of control. It wasn't that I was eating everything in sight it was just that I wasn't giving much thought to it and was not having control over my body and its desires. I realized then that I had to make some changes in my life and lose some of the weight that I had put on before and after having Keane and Gracie (unfortunately I can't really attribute my weight to baby weight because I weighed 5 lbs LESS after having Keane and Gracie than I did when I got pregnant with them). I talked to Ryan about it first. I have been on many "diets" in the past but they have all been temporary and lasted a few weeks or days or months and then once the "diet" was over I just went back to old habits of eating and living and put the weight (and often more) right back on. So, I decided that this time whatever I was going to do to lose this weight was going to have to be more about a lifestyle change and less about a "diet". I realized I needed to learn about the foods I was eating and learn how to make small changes and better choices in my life about food and exercise in order to make this change lasting.

I found a GREAT (free) calorie counting website where I could keep an online journal of what I was eating and how many calories I was consuming. It also allowed me to put in my height and my weight and it calculated the amount of calories my body needed each day to MAINTAIN my weight and it showed me how many calories I needed to eat each day in order to lose the weight I wanted to by my goal date. It REALLY helped me get started and learn about the food I was eating. I began to make small changes like saying no to mayonnaise and cheese and ordering foods grilled instead of fried or ordering light dressings on the side of my salad instead of regular on top. I knew that this wasn't something that was going to happen overnight. I knew it would take time and for the first time in my life, I was OK with that. I would rather give a whole year to trying to get to my goal weight and in the process change the way I think about food and learn to eat better than to spend the rest of my life on "quick fix" yo-yo diets, stressed out and self conscious about my weight. When you think about it that way...a year doesn't seem like a long time at all.

When we were in America for our stateside time it was very easy to count calories and keep very strict track of it all since EVERYTHING has calorie information on the labels including restaurant items (you can look up most menu items online and I did. When people would invite us to go out to eat (or when we wanted to ourselves) I would ask which restaurant they were thinking and I would go to the restaurants website and look at the calorie information for each item. Then I would make my decision then and there before stepping foot into the restaurant and when we arrived at the restaurant I wouldn't even look at the menu to tempt myself. I would just order what I had decided beforehand (what I knew was the best calorie choice and fit into my food needs for the day) and by the time everyone had gotten their food and we had all eaten I felt just as satisfied as if I would have ordered the cheesy, fried item that probably would have caught my attention if I hadn't already made my decision. I often felt more satisfied knowing what I ate was SO much healthier for me and I was one decision closer to my goal weight!).

Once we returned back to Nepal things got a bit harder to really keep exact track of (because nothing has calorie info on it here) but by that time I was two months into it and I had learned so much about the foods I was eating and how to make good choices. I knew how many calories were in a cup of rice or a piece of bread (if you don't that is where the calorie counting website will really help!) I learned it is all about balance and smaller portions. There is no magic diet out there and there is really no simple quick easy fix. Believe me, if there was the world would be skinny. It all boils down to: calories in, calories out. If you eat more calories than you body needs each day to live then you will gain weight. If you eat less calories (or burn them off with exercise) than your body needs each day to live then you will lose weight. It really is that simple. If you eat more calories in carrots than your body needs each day (that is a lot of carrots) than you will gain weight. It is not so much about the kinds of food that we are eating but the amount of food that we are eating. The healthier (and fresher and greener) the foods we choose the more of them we get to eat. I love chocolate and I have eaten something chocolate everyday since I started this new "lifestyle". I knew I had to. I had tried to completely cut it out of my diet before but once I stopped the diet then I just binged on it and ate it all the time. This way, nothing is off limits. It is just the amount that I am concerned about. If I eat a big piece of chocolate cake for my friends birthday then I just eat a very, very light lunch or dinner that day. Like I mentioned earlier, it has been all about balance for me. With God's help, I have gained control over my body and its desires for food (I know this will be a lifetime battle that I will always have to be conscious about). I have learned how to know when I am full and when to stop eating. I have learned to say no to second portions when I know I have already eaten enough. I have learned to take only a bite of something and let the rest pass by. My pastor has also said, "Sacrifice is giving up something you love for something you love more." That has been my motto throughout this entire process. I love food (especially sweets) but I love the thought of being thin and healthy and in shape much, much more than the temporary pleasure that the taste of that food on my mouth brings.

Also, since I came back to Nepal and it was harder to know exactly how many calories I was eating each day (although I always have an idea), especially since often we are eating at friends house and have to eat what they give us, I really increased the amount that I was exercising. I exercise 5-6 days a week for about 45 minutes - 1 hour everyday (on top of the normal walking I do around my community). For me, it works best to get up before Keane and Gracie do (at about 6:15 am) and do an exercise video in my living room (I love Tae-bo and Jillian Michaels work out DVD's). We also have a membership to a gym near our home so sometimes I go there as well to swim or run on the treadmill. I can honestly say that I love exercise now. It is not a chore. I feel so much better after a great workout than I did before one. Lately, I have been turning the volume off on my exercise DVD's (once you have done them a few times the commentary gets OLD and BORING and in my mind is a waste of time) and listen to a sermon while I am exercising. Most sermons are about the same amount of time (45 minutes) as many workout DVD's and listening to the sermon makes the time exercising seem to go by so much faster and I feel so refreshed from hearing the Word of God taught while I exercise. It becomes a wonderful 45 minutes for my mind, body, heart and soul.

I pray that you will be encouraged by my story. Believe me, if I can get control of this in my busy life than you can too. It is not too late and it is easier than you think. Just take one step at a time. I am still working on reaching my goals so I am right there with you. Also, maybe it is not food that "controls" you. Maybe you are not overweight but your life is "out of control" in other areas. The sermon I mentioned earlier in this post is a WONDERFUL one for anyone to listen to. As Christians we must NOT let our bodies have control over us. With God's help and strength we can overcome the things that hold us back from being the person that God intends for us to be. We don't have to do it alone and it might take some time but it is worth it!

Lifetime Member at Weight Watchers!

Whoohoo! Today is a milestone: Lifetime with Weight Watchers as of 8/28/09!
Ok - for those of you who don't know what all that lingo means - here you go:
1. Mom doesn't have to pay anymore! My Mom has graciously been paying for this (39$/mth) since April 2008. So, now, as long as I don't go 2 lbs over my goal weight - I stay free for life!
2. Lifetime means I have met my chosen goal and maintained it for 6 weeks - without going 2 lbs over. I have lost over 4+ beyond my goal weight.
3. I still want to lose another 10%. I don't know if that is attainable for me, but I will try it nonetheless.
4. Weight Watchers is good on a number of levels:
a. I think it is the best weight loss company out there.
b. There are no X foods. Most weight loss companies limit you on your food or make you eat their foords or say you can't have this or that. Not with WW. WW is all about choices, being smart in how you eat, accountability with meetings/weighing in, and exercising. Simple isn't it!
5. I also bring in the spiritual aspect into my eating. Eating is not comfort. Eating will not make me feel better. Eating too much is a sin. My body is not my own.
6. Encouragement and accountability is so important. I have many friends who have gotten a text from me every week for the past 16 months saying how much I had lost or gained. They are faithful in encouraging me - even when I gained. Some know the way I feel about myself, some know more details than they probably want to know. But - these are great friends!
7. Just because I have lost this weight (again) doesn't mean that I will automatically get married or get the dream ministry job. This is what I have thought in the past. That when I lose this weight and am thinner - than someone will like me - because all the pretty thin girls get married. God has definitely shown me the error of that thinking. But, I still need to be pleasing to God in how I take care of my body.
8. I really love fashion a lot more (but not the high prices) when I weigh less. So, I take better care of how I look, how I present myself to the outside world, office at work, etc.
9. This isn't easy - but it is about choices.
10. And you know - I still love food. I still love cooking for people and baking and everything. But, I also give food away more, learn self control (gift of the Holy Spirit, thank you), exercise more, drink more water, and make wise(r) choices!

Weight Loss Thoughts

I know this is an exercise blog (5k on Saturday) but it is also about living healthy - so I wanted to post some thoughts on weight loss. I've recently (again) lost almost 50 lbs. I use the Weight Watcher system, mainly because it works, you eat normal food, and you don't have to "cut out" anything. But, here are some lessons/thoughts I have learned/had this go around:
1. If you are unwilling to do without _______ the rest of your life, don't cut it out to start with. Because once you add it back into your life, most likely some of the weight will come back on.
2. Discipline. Yes - it does take more discipline to eat healthy, exercise, etc than to not.
3. Choice. Its all about choice. Would I rather go to Red Robin and clog my arteries and gain weight every Sunday after church, or go to Cafe Lou Lou and get a salad and split a hummus platter with a friend once a month? What about frying french fries or roasting 2 small new potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and some rosemary? A Cherry Coke or Sunkist or a Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea? Watching movies all day on Saturday or watching 2 movies on Saturday and having time to go for a nice long walk around the neighborhood and lifting some weights? These are the choices I am talking about.
4. The scale does not run your life. I am one of those people who weigh every day and every night if I am home. I am curious to see what different foods do for weight gain, times of eating, types of exercise, etc. I record my weight once a week. But, a friend pointed out that it was running my life. God used that little spur to get me to see I had made the scale a little g god in my life. The scale would determine how I felt about myself and how I behaved that day. Now, every time I step on the scale, I proclaim the gospel of Christ on my life, my weight, who I am, how the blood of Christ covers me, etc.
5. Encouragement. You need encouragement in this process. If most of the people around you are sabotaging your weight loss endeavors - it will be so TOUGH! I have people around me who are encouraging, who are my cheerleaders. That helps. And people will try to "not help" you. There are people who fuss at me and wonder why I'm not eating the junk food for breakfast or don't have this. You have to either have a kind response or say nothing at all. And on the flip side - encourage other people. I love being able to share with other women the journey that God has taken me throughout my whole life or weight loss/gain/loss/gain - you get the picture. It has been a journey. One that has definitely left me seeing more of Christ this go around.
6. Try new exercises. I picked up running in January - now I'm doing more yoga and kettlebells mixed with walking. Mix it up. I love hiking and biking - that will happen more in the next few months. If you get bored with exercising, you'll give it up. Find a friend or family member to do it with you.
7. I love to cook. I've learned to cook more healthfully. But, that doesn't mean I've quit cooking the stuff I love: muffins, brownies, cookies, pastas - I just cook them less and share them with others.
8. Study food. How it effects your body? How it fuels your body? Why do you need it eat it and when do you need to eat it? I've found that I eat most of my food before 6pm. I very seldom eat after then. I've learned that works for me. Everyone is different - God is a very creative God. None of us are the same.
9. Goals. Don't set goals that are so unreachable. I didn't say in April 2008 "I want to lose 68.2 lbs". But, I said, I want to lose 10%, or just get below 200 would be nice. And have other goals but scale number goals. Have a particular outfit you want to get in, or a fitness goal (5k completion, etc).
10. Remember, especially by this blog post and by this blog post that weight/eating is a spiritual issue and discipline.

Weight and Exercise: More than just a # issue

I love reading blogs. I read several where I don't even know the person who is writing it - but somewhere along the line someone I did know put something they wrote on their blog - and I linked to it as well.
This is one. I finally read it (its been in my starred items for a while now). Love it.
Exactly what I've said for a long time. That being overweight or never exercising is not just a number or food issue. It is a spiritual issue.
One book I love on this topic is Love to Eat, Hate to Eat by Elyse Fitzpatric. Good stuff.
Living life everyday in light of the gospel.

One week out to Indy

One week out!
This time next week I'll be done with my first 5k. I've checked the weather for Indianapolis and it is going to be cold, but should be in the 20s at race time. I'll just bundle up!
This week I've already run 3.6, .9, 2.0. So, today I'm going to do hopefully 10.0 and then tomorrow take a day off. I've also done a cardio class and some weight training. Yesterday, during my two miles, I finally did one time around the retention pond running. I remember going around the pond with a friend last fall and not being able to get even 1/4 of the way around it running - so improvement is always good to see.
Only lost .4 lbs though in the last two weeks - so that is kind of discouraging. But, press on - right?
Any thoughts on how to lose weight while running? I've still got at least 14 to go!

2 Upcoming Races

This is my first year ever doing races. But, I have learned that I am a goal-oriented person in most everything I do. I want to do something, press toward a goal, head toward it, keep plowing ahead. So, here are two that I am doing
My first 5k (3.1 miles) is February 21, 2009 in Indianapolis, IN. There are two reasons I chose this one. It was the end of 9 weeks of training for me (since I started running New Years). Second, they had a really cool shirt in Carolina Blue! Ok - so I'm going to be wearing several layers, a hat, and gloves - but it will get done.
My first mini marathon is the end of April - the Derby Mini is going to be a challenge - but you know, I can do it! :) I'm going to have several friends doing it with me, so that will be great as well.
And, I want to be at my Weight Watchers goal weight by Memorial Day (the same day as Daniel and Courtney's wedding).
So - those are some of my goals. Are you goal oriented? How do you stay motivated?