10/08: Weight Loss Update
I feel like I'm in a horror movie and my thunder thighs are screaming, "WE'RE BA-ACK!" Ok, I see you down there, with your friends, love handles and Michelin Tire waist! I have been FULL of excuses lately! We have had several people over for dinner, been invited out to dinner, and have eaten way too much dinner!
Why do we always feel the need to have the FULL course meals? And if the food is sitting right there, of course you feel you MUST eat it! Because after all, in this economy wasting food would be a crime! So last week our guests brought brownies and ice cream for dessert. Saturday night there was an entire table loaded with deadly dreamy delicacies. And Monday night we had pumpkin nut cake with butter pecan ice cream for our guests.
My heart does aerobics in my chest after the sugar hits my organs. It is as if they are all rebelling wildly.
So why do I cave? I think often back on my friend Helen's comments about her mom gaining 5-10 pounds a year and soon was massively overweight. We discount a pound here or there, but they add up!
And the older I get the more difficult it is to lose it once it finds a home on my hips!
I went to a luncheon (salad was served ; > ) and met the new owner of our local Curves. Does anyone know about the programs there? She offered me a week free to try them out. I am seriously considering it. Get this body movin'!
Have you heard of them and if so, tell me what you know. And I am open for advice on not feeling obligated to fix the deadly desserts. Share, please!
Why do we always feel the need to have the FULL course meals? And if the food is sitting right there, of course you feel you MUST eat it! Because after all, in this economy wasting food would be a crime! So last week our guests brought brownies and ice cream for dessert. Saturday night there was an entire table loaded with deadly dreamy delicacies. And Monday night we had pumpkin nut cake with butter pecan ice cream for our guests.
My heart does aerobics in my chest after the sugar hits my organs. It is as if they are all rebelling wildly.
So why do I cave? I think often back on my friend Helen's comments about her mom gaining 5-10 pounds a year and soon was massively overweight. We discount a pound here or there, but they add up!
And the older I get the more difficult it is to lose it once it finds a home on my hips!
I went to a luncheon (salad was served ; > ) and met the new owner of our local Curves. Does anyone know about the programs there? She offered me a week free to try them out. I am seriously considering it. Get this body movin'!
Have you heard of them and if so, tell me what you know. And I am open for advice on not feeling obligated to fix the deadly desserts. Share, please!
06/30: Where Are We on Weight?
How appropriate! You are NOT going to believe the devotional today from My Utmost for His Highest! Do It Now! Let me share it, then read on for encouragement for my buds who are on the weight loss journey with me!
Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do - now. Do it quickly. If you don't, an inevitable process will begin to work 'till you have paid the last penny.' in pain, agony, and distress.' God's laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being!
Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ's standpoint? Do it quickly - bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience.
Ouch! I insisted on partaking in the cheesecake when the film crew was here. It was the 'polite' thing to do. Hogwash! It was my flesh, getting bigger! Disobedience is disobedience. Period. If God has called me to shed my excess in order for Him to fill me with His abundance, then anything I do that is contrary to that, is blocking God's work in me!
Ok, all my weight-watchin' buddies! You know who you are...Brenda, Micca, Cheryl, Connie, Tracey, Teresa, Paula, Phyllis, Rachel and now welcome Sandy! I must admit, my 10 lb. loss has eeked back to only 9 lbs! But today is a new day! No more deadly cheesecake (MaryKay); no more sitting when I should be moving; no more eating the bread that came with the meal. God is doing something new in us today! So let's refresh our memory. The items we CAN eat! I like to focus on the I CANs instead of the I can'ts. Here they are for those of you who suffer with senior moments like me:
On the core plan you can have all the vegetables, fruits, non-creamy soups, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, and grains, high fiber cereals without sugar, lean meats, poultry, fish and eggs, fat-free milk products, healthy oils (olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed), coffee, tea, sugar-free beverages and at least 6 glasses of water a day. You can also have herbs, mustard, ketchup, cocktail sauce, lemon juice, spices, teriyaki sauce, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, taco sauce, sugar substitutes, soy sauce and salsa.
Now ladies, seriously, if we can't get full on those items we are just not trying!
Maybe your struggle is in another area today. Is God calling you to get intentional about your prayer life? Is He whispering to your heart, "Offer forgiveness; put the love back into your marriage; seek me first?" What new thing is God doing in you?
Listen to the whisper, 'Do it now' before he uses a thunderous boom to get your attention.
Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do - now. Do it quickly. If you don't, an inevitable process will begin to work 'till you have paid the last penny.' in pain, agony, and distress.' God's laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being!
Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ's standpoint? Do it quickly - bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience.
Ouch! I insisted on partaking in the cheesecake when the film crew was here. It was the 'polite' thing to do. Hogwash! It was my flesh, getting bigger! Disobedience is disobedience. Period. If God has called me to shed my excess in order for Him to fill me with His abundance, then anything I do that is contrary to that, is blocking God's work in me!
Ok, all my weight-watchin' buddies! You know who you are...Brenda, Micca, Cheryl, Connie, Tracey, Teresa, Paula, Phyllis, Rachel and now welcome Sandy! I must admit, my 10 lb. loss has eeked back to only 9 lbs! But today is a new day! No more deadly cheesecake (MaryKay); no more sitting when I should be moving; no more eating the bread that came with the meal. God is doing something new in us today! So let's refresh our memory. The items we CAN eat! I like to focus on the I CANs instead of the I can'ts. Here they are for those of you who suffer with senior moments like me:
On the core plan you can have all the vegetables, fruits, non-creamy soups, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, and grains, high fiber cereals without sugar, lean meats, poultry, fish and eggs, fat-free milk products, healthy oils (olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, flaxseed), coffee, tea, sugar-free beverages and at least 6 glasses of water a day. You can also have herbs, mustard, ketchup, cocktail sauce, lemon juice, spices, teriyaki sauce, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, taco sauce, sugar substitutes, soy sauce and salsa.
Now ladies, seriously, if we can't get full on those items we are just not trying!
Maybe your struggle is in another area today. Is God calling you to get intentional about your prayer life? Is He whispering to your heart, "Offer forgiveness; put the love back into your marriage; seek me first?" What new thing is God doing in you?
Listen to the whisper, 'Do it now' before he uses a thunderous boom to get your attention.
06/05: Weighing DOWN!
Woo Hoo! I took a break today and decided to get on the scales at lunch time. I'm down 10 lbs from when we started this journey! That motivates me to stay away from the Hershey's kisses that are sitting in a bowl at work; to just say no to the warm chocolate chip cookies waiting for me to stick in the oven; to turn my back on turnovers from Arby's. Yes, 10 lbs. makes me want to celebrate with a Weight Watcher's ice cream bar!
How are you doing? Are you moving more and eating less?
Let me know your tips.
:0) Luann
How are you doing? Are you moving more and eating less?
Let me know your tips.
:0) Luann
06/03: Weight Inspiration
Girls, if you don't know my friend Karen, I must share her weight loss story! She is on our speaker team and she lost a TON of weight a few years ago. Her simple motto is, "Move more, eat less" - says easy, does hard.
Please check out her interview on the 700 Club and be blessed.
So how is your journey for weight loss? What tips can you give the group?
Love ya,
Luann
Please check out her interview on the 700 Club and be blessed.
So how is your journey for weight loss? What tips can you give the group?
Love ya,
Luann
05/27: Wat -er We Thinking?!
When I travel I am a complete weakling! I admit it, I had a Frosty...desserts at my mother-in-laws...and a Chick-fil-A milkshake! Arghhh! Is there any hope for me? Yes, thank the Lord. When I stepped on the scales at my mother-in-laws they said I am still down 6 pounds! (I wonder if they are correct, but I am going with it!!)
So today I started just cleansing my system with H2O. A wrap of tuna and greens for lunch and that is it. I read some info on the importance of water. You won't believe what happens to our poor bodies when we try to substitute God's perfect liquid with sorry stand-ins (like coffee, tea, soda).
What water does for you:
Moistens tissues such as those in the mouth, eyes and nose.
Regulates body temperature.
Protects body organs and tissues.
Lubricates joints.
Helps prevent constipation.
Lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste.
Helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body.
Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:
Dry, sticky mouth
Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
Thirst
Decreased urine output — fewer than six wet diapers a day for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
Few or no tears when crying
Muscle weakness
Headache
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:
Extreme thirst
Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
Lack of sweating
Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
Sunken eyes
Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
Low blood pressure
Rapid heartbeat
Fever
In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older adults. A better barometer is the color of your urine: clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration.
So my question is simple...wat-er we thinking when we don't drink enough water?!
Yikes! Go get a drink!
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."
So today I started just cleansing my system with H2O. A wrap of tuna and greens for lunch and that is it. I read some info on the importance of water. You won't believe what happens to our poor bodies when we try to substitute God's perfect liquid with sorry stand-ins (like coffee, tea, soda).
What water does for you:
Moistens tissues such as those in the mouth, eyes and nose.
Regulates body temperature.
Protects body organs and tissues.
Lubricates joints.
Helps prevent constipation.
Lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste.
Helps dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body.
Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.
Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:
Dry, sticky mouth
Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
Thirst
Decreased urine output — fewer than six wet diapers a day for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
Few or no tears when crying
Muscle weakness
Headache
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:
Extreme thirst
Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
Lack of sweating
Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
Sunken eyes
Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
Low blood pressure
Rapid heartbeat
Fever
In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older adults. A better barometer is the color of your urine: clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber color usually signals dehydration.
So my question is simple...wat-er we thinking when we don't drink enough water?!
Yikes! Go get a drink!
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."
05/15: Waiting on the Weight Loss
Well, not only did I fall off the wagon...I'm not sure where the wagon is!!!! For the past 3 1/2 weeks I have had grandchildren and extended family descend in my home for vacations, graduation and reunion time. I loved it! Unfortunately, in these situations I feel the need to prepare food....lots of food. It must be a genetic thing, because I don't just prepare single portions...no, I make sure the 83rd Airborn Division will have plenty if they decide to stop by. Needless to say, every morsle had to be test driven by my taste buds...so the wagon left the station and hasn't been seen since.
So today is a new day and I won't cry over the warm chocolate chip cookies that grace my thighs. I will once again prepare my table with salads and veggies and fish, oh my!
How about you? Did you find my wagon or did you slip as well?
So today is a new day and I won't cry over the warm chocolate chip cookies that grace my thighs. I will once again prepare my table with salads and veggies and fish, oh my!
How about you? Did you find my wagon or did you slip as well?
04/26: Weight Update
How is our commitment to wait for weight loss? God is certainly giving me the strength to do it. I have been too busy to eat lunch a couple of days and by 2 o'clock I have been ready to chew on an old shoe! I try to keep grapes and carrots near by to eat on, but one day I didn't have any and couldn't get any...that was the toughest day. Drinking water when I am hungry seems to help me get through the rough spots. However yesterday, for some silly reason I didn't stop to drink much and I got sooooo tired!
Last night I stopped and got a rotisserie chicken and fixed a baked potato...yum! It was just what I needed. Then for a snack later we had a Weight Watchers Ice Cream Sandwich! I felt so bad, but was only 2 points!
My daugher, her husband and two of my wonderful grandsons arrived late last night (1:40). So today I have been out on the lake paddling around with them while my husband and Paul went fishing. Now my legs feel like jelly! It is a 95 acre lake and we went all the way to the other end!
Paul just came in for lunch and showed us pictures of his 9 lb. bass! What a beautiful blessed day. My sweet boys are in the basement playing with me and at the moment are taking a break listening to the old story records that my kids had when they were small. They love them. The Three Little Pigs is their favorite. They follow along in the book.
After church in the morning, we leave for the beach for a week with the three grandsons (picking up another one on the way). No parents allowed. This may make it difficult to stay in touch, but I promise to stay on track. Can you all touch base with one another in my absence? I will try to get online somewhere, but not sure I will be able to.
Love you all so much and I am having fun knowing I'm not doing this alone.
Last night I stopped and got a rotisserie chicken and fixed a baked potato...yum! It was just what I needed. Then for a snack later we had a Weight Watchers Ice Cream Sandwich! I felt so bad, but was only 2 points!
My daugher, her husband and two of my wonderful grandsons arrived late last night (1:40). So today I have been out on the lake paddling around with them while my husband and Paul went fishing. Now my legs feel like jelly! It is a 95 acre lake and we went all the way to the other end!
Paul just came in for lunch and showed us pictures of his 9 lb. bass! What a beautiful blessed day. My sweet boys are in the basement playing with me and at the moment are taking a break listening to the old story records that my kids had when they were small. They love them. The Three Little Pigs is their favorite. They follow along in the book.
After church in the morning, we leave for the beach for a week with the three grandsons (picking up another one on the way). No parents allowed. This may make it difficult to stay in touch, but I promise to stay on track. Can you all touch base with one another in my absence? I will try to get online somewhere, but not sure I will be able to.
Love you all so much and I am having fun knowing I'm not doing this alone.
04/24: God Bless Paula
I'm reminded of The Sound of Music when Maria is trying to remember everyone to pray for and she can't remember poor Curt's name so she says, "God bless what's his name." Well, in my haste this morning, I forgot to add Paula to the list of Wait/Weighters! So God bless Paula and give her the strength to stay true to this commitment. I'm so excited to be doing this with such wonderful friends!
I am talking with Tracey about doing it with us. Be in prayer about that.
Much love, Luann
I am talking with Tracey about doing it with us. Be in prayer about that.
Much love, Luann
04/24: Good Morning!
It has been 4 days now since we started this journey of eating right, and I feel really good...for the most part. Yesterday around 10:30 I thought I was going to gnaw the first thing I could grab! My stomach was growling so much. Instead I snarfed down some baby carrots and grapes. That was all I needed to curb the desire.
So there are several women who have said they are joining me on the adventure. I am going to name them so we can hold each other up in prayer as we walk this road together. Cheryl, Micca, Connie, Brenda, Teresa and others who are thinking about it but not yet committed.
Let's pray:
Father, thank you for friends who will join together to accomplish what seems impossible alone! Thank you for giving us encouragement and strength when we stand firmly on your promise of Philippians 4:3, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength." That is not just a verse to memorize, but one that you intended for us to apply to every situtation in our life, including taking care of this temple you have given us! Give us strength today to drink water when we are hungry; munch fruit when we are tempted; pray continuously to you when we are weak. Fill us with your spirit so those around us will see a new smile on our face and a spring in our step. We give you praise for walking before us and hemming us in with your protection and love. We lift this prayer in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a MARVELOUS day ladies! I love you tons!
So there are several women who have said they are joining me on the adventure. I am going to name them so we can hold each other up in prayer as we walk this road together. Cheryl, Micca, Connie, Brenda, Teresa and others who are thinking about it but not yet committed.
Let's pray:
Father, thank you for friends who will join together to accomplish what seems impossible alone! Thank you for giving us encouragement and strength when we stand firmly on your promise of Philippians 4:3, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength." That is not just a verse to memorize, but one that you intended for us to apply to every situtation in our life, including taking care of this temple you have given us! Give us strength today to drink water when we are hungry; munch fruit when we are tempted; pray continuously to you when we are weak. Fill us with your spirit so those around us will see a new smile on our face and a spring in our step. We give you praise for walking before us and hemming us in with your protection and love. We lift this prayer in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a MARVELOUS day ladies! I love you tons!
04/23: Wait/Weight Update
On day 3 of this waiting on the weight to fall plan. So far so good. My husband even likes the food choices. That was always the hardest part, finding something new and different to prepare that everyone would like. This core plan fits my free-spirited lifestyle. I like to mix things up and have something unexpected. The first night I prepared baked salmon with steamed zucchini, squash, asparagus and a baked potato. It was yummy and filling. Last night was chicken cut up and stir fried with squash, onion and bell pepper. Again, it met the approval of the taste buds. Breakfast has been somewhat boring...oatmeal and 1/2 banana. Snacks have been baby carrots, apple slices and grapes. Lunch was a whole wheat wrap of lettuce, fat-free turkey, grapes and a drizzle of mustard and fat free ranch.
So how are you all doing? If we fall away, we must help each other get back on track. Come on, today I will pick you up, if tomorrow you will carry me!
Waiting for the day my scales will say, "thank you" instead of "GET OFF ME!"
So how are you all doing? If we fall away, we must help each other get back on track. Come on, today I will pick you up, if tomorrow you will carry me!
Waiting for the day my scales will say, "thank you" instead of "GET OFF ME!"
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