When good food goes bad.

I am starting to realize more and more that the battle I'm facing is not about the food I eat or how much I weigh. It's an issue of the heart. The food I choose to eat, whether healthy or not, can bring me closer to God or it can get in the way of my relationship with God.

 

I started to really think about this one day last week after lunch. I've been working really hard to learn to eat smaller portions and to stop eating when I don't feel hungry anymore, not necessarily when I feel "full". I've been filling in the places where I would have eaten sweets after my meal or as a snack with fruits and veggies instead. Sounds like a good plan, right? I mean, that's what all the diet plans say. You can have as many veggies as you want.

 

So, I had finished lunch that day-a small bowl of leftover spaghetti and a good sized salad. I sat my bowl down and I thought to myself, "Wow, I can't believe how much that filled me up! I must be doing something right." No problems, so far. I'm full, I'm going to stop. Go me!

 

The next thing I thought, however, was a little different. I thought, "I need something sweet to follow that up. Wonder if we have any bananas left I can have for dessert."

 

And that's when the red flag went up in my heart. I didn't want a banana because my stomach needed to be filled. I wanted it because my sweet tooth needed to be filled. I had already had a meal to take care of my hunger and I felt full, but I did not feel SATISFIED. I was not content with what I already had. I wanted something more.

 

Once again, I was looking to food to fill a space in my life it was never designed to fill. When I try to find my satisfaction and contentment in the food I put in my mouth, I will soon find myself hungry again. The only way I can find lasting satisfaction is by looking to Jesus. He will fill me in way that will sustain me not matter what is or isn't on the plate in front of me.

 

So instead of having a banana for dessert that day, I enjoyed a heaping helping of thankfulness for what God had provided to nourish my body and for what he had revealed to me to nourish my spirit. Days later, guess which one is still filling me up?

 

 

 

 

Checking in

I'm happy to say that things have been going well for me so far on this journey. I'm finding the battle with food a lot easier than I expected it to be and a lot easier than it's ever been before. I am so thankful for the support I've received from family and friends! You guys are the best!

 

And, I am already seeing some results! Are you ready????

 

When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was thrilled to see

304.5!

That's nearly 10 pounds!

 

My monthly goal is 10 pounds, and I have almost reached that already!

 

I'm going to start using a new tool to help me this week. It's called My Fitness Pal. I have used it in the past and it has been a big help to me. I love that all I have to do is enter the my food and exercise for the day and it does all the calculations for me! Check it out!

I'd love to hear from some of you! How has the past week been for you? Are you starting to see results yet?

 

Baby steps...

Thursday morning, I faced one of my first challenges on this journey. My older kids were signed up to help run the concession stand at the Jr. Livestock Show for FOUR HOURS, and I had to stay with them. A whole morning surrounded by all those yummy treats that I love but need to avoid-nachos, hot dogs, candy, cookies, chips...all calling my name and within easy reach for the whole morning. Not something I was looking forward to, for sure.

But, much to my surprise, I made it through the whole morning and didn't get a single thing to eat (I did have a diet soda, but that doesn't really count). I was so proud of myself! I passed the test!

 

We came home to have some lunch before we had to head into town for the kids' Tae Kwon Do class. We were pressed for time, the kids were not being especially nice to one another, and I had a lot of things on my agenda that needed to get done. Not a good combination.

 

 

I was standing at the kitchen counter, making my sandwich for lunch, when I noticed the container of chocolate chips the kids had left out from breakfast. Without thinking, I reached in, grabbed a handful, and popped them in my mouth. I let the sweet, chocolatey goodness fill my taste buds and my heart. For a moment, I felt a sense of peace from the issues of the day. For a moment...

 

 

But, as quick as the chocolate melted, the stress returned and I reached for another handful. That's when God spoke to my heart. I realized that I was looking for peace in a place I was never meant to. I can find temporary peace from food, but lasting peace will only come from God.

 

 

So, I dropped the chocolate, finished making my sandwich, and thanked God for showing me that I don't have to settle for the temporary peace that comes from something that tastes good. Instead, I can have lasting peace that will stay in my heart, but not on my body!

 

 



Taking the first steps...

So, I'm not really sure what this blog is going to look like. I know that I don't want some boring list of what I ate for the day, what exercise I got, my weight and measurements, etc. I'm not a big recipe person, so I probably won't post a lot of that stuff.  And I am definitely not any sort of weight loss expert, so I don't want to give a bunch of advice.

 

I think mostly, I just want to share my real-life journey-my goals, my successes, my failures, my inspiration. I just want to be real and hopefully help someone else who is walking this same road. Because doing it together is so much better than trying to walk it alone.

 

I was trying to find a verse or a quote for this post and was having trouble thinking of one. Then I remembered this one

 

I like plans and I like schedules. So, when I think of taking a journey, I think of getting out the map, planning the route, figuring out how long it will take to get there, and the stops along the way. Then, once everything is mapped out and prepared, you can head out with assurance that you are going the right direction and will end up where you were wanting to go.

 

So, I started looking for a cute little picture with that quote on it. But, before I found one, God sent me this instead

 

 

This journey that I'm beginning now isn't going to be easily mapped out and planned ahead. I know some of the things that I need to do to help me along the way, but honestly, I don't really know where I'm headed. And that is SO SCARY for me! The fear of the unknown has held me back for so long from beginning this journey. But, no more!

 

I may not be able to see the whole staircase or even where it leads, but I do know the One who made the stairs. And as He shows me each new step, I will follow Him.

"In all your ways submit to him,    and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6

The Elephant in the Room?

     314

There, I said it. The number that I have never wanted to tell anyone. The number that pierces my heart when I see it-in the morning before I take a shower, on my chart at the doctor's office, typed out in bold at the top of a post for a brand new blog. It's been my "elephant in the room" for years.

It's the thing that people wonder but don't ask. It's the reason I can't or don't so many of the things I'd like to do, but never the reason I give for not doing it. It's the thing that most holds me back from fully living the life that God has given me. And, it's time for it to go.

When I was a teacher, I had a principal who used to ask, "How do you eat an elephant?" The response was "One bite at a time." Well, in my case, you that was literal. I reached 314 pounds, one bite at a time. I didn't get to where I am today quickly. It has taken many years and many bad choices.

So I know, that it's also not going to change all at once. It is going to take a long time and a lot of good choices. To get rid of the elephant in the room, I'm going to have to follow the same process in reverse, and I'm going to have to do it one bite at a time.

Would you care to join me in my journey? It's not going to be fast and it's not going to be painless, but I know in the end it will be worth it. And soon, if there happens to be an elephant in the room, it won't be me!