Category Archives: exercise

Nov11

The Contest is Over…

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The Contest is Over…

The weight loss contest is finally over.  I am happy and sad.  I will miss the check-in’s and conference call updates, but then I’m glad I don’t have to check in or be on the phone for an hour every week.  Sigh.  Last night was the big finale.  All 20 of us got to dress up and share totals with everyone, in front of our friends and families.  We also waited with baited breath, for the announcing of the winners.  Third, Second and First place.  Obviously, I didn’t win, or the first sentence of this post would have been I WON!!…  Which, technically, I did win, in that I lost weight, inches, and dropped 2 sizes.  I learned healthy eating habits and found a surprising love of exercise.  Cash and prizes would have been a nice end to this training, but not everyone gets a prize in this world, and that’s OK…  I was truly happy for those that did win a prize, and I was blessed to have even been in the company of each contestant.

I will continue on this healthy journey, because I still have more to lose, and I just feel so much better!  I love not getting winded while climbing stairs, and there’s much more of a selection of cute clothes in the smaller sizes.  I feel better about myself when I eat healthy, but I will still visit a pizza buffet on occasion. It’s my personal belief that there’s one of those in Heaven anyway. Really.

Thank you to those that prayed for me.  Thank you to all of my friends, that pushed me and walked with me.  Changing life long habits is not an easy thing to do.  It does take willpower, and discipline, but it also takes support  and encouragement from those that care about you.

If you want to lose weight or just be healthier, and don’t know how to start, let me offer some advice.

  •  First, ask God for strength and self control.  Realize your very breath comes from Him and He cares about your health.
  • Consult with your doctor.
  • Get an accountability partner, or group.  Someone that you can share your measurements and weight with…weekly, and your struggles, daily.  The company that sponsored the contest I was in is www.startwiththeinside.com
  • Clean out your pantry of all junk food.  If it’s there, you will eat it.
  • I highly recommend keeping a food journal for a few weeks.  There are many great, free, web sites that will calculate your foods for you.  You will be shocked at what you eat!  I used www.fitday.com
  • Start walking.  Go for 1 lap around the block, then work up to 2 and so on… Cardio baby.
  • Start lifting weights.  I started with 2 pounds and worked up to 10.  There are lots of online resources for your weight training as well.
  • Get enough rest!  Sleep is very important to a healthy body.
  • Drink lots of water!  Avoid soda (even diet) and sugar.
  • White breads are not your friend… go all wheat or go home.
  • If you use food for comfort, stop.  You must re-direct that need.  Food is not lasting comfort anyway!  My suggestion is to find comfort in Christ.  He really can fill that need, if you just believe, and let Him.

After a few weeks of this, you will be surprised at what a difference it will make.  If you can stick with it for 12 weeks, you will have really developed some new habits.  If you do this, and then have a bad day, or a bad meal, don’t quit!  Every day is a new day and a new beginning.  Praise the Lord…

Don’t try another diet.  If you can’t do something regularly for the rest of your life, it’s a waste of time and money.  Weight loss is about life change, not dieting.

I know you already know all of this.  Most people do.  Taking the knowledge and turning it into action, is where we all struggle.  I can testify to you though, that the effort will be worth it, and if I can do it… Anyone can.  Really.

To read the beginning and middle of this journey visit – http://motmob.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/losing-weight and then see http://motmob.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/still-in-the-competition …. OR just click on the “weight loss” link on the left, under “blog topics”… 🙂

Are you struggling with weight loss?  Tell me about it… I would love to encourage and pray for you!

Sep6

Still in the Competition…

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Still in the Competition…

I blogged a few weeks back that I had entered a weight loss competition in my community.  I’m still going strong, and I am not about to quit, but it’s been a rough start so far.  This week I will be checking in with our coach and getting my “new” measurements, and some new routines for my workouts.  I know the scale is not the only way to measure how you are doing, and I thank God for that, cause the scale is definitely not my friend yet.  I have a fantastic support system, in the group I’m doing this with, but also with my friends… I have almost daily invitations to walk, and one friend can’t wait to get me to her gym.  My husband and son’s have walked with me and even helped me with my weight training.  Eating healthy hasn’t been as hard as I thought, and I am already used to eating smaller portions. So, how am I doing in the competition?  I have been asked many times, so I thought I would give you all the top ten reasons why I think I might not be in the running, but I am still in the game!

Top ten ways you know you might not be winning a weight loss competition…

  1. You don’t loose any weight the first week.
  2. You miss your first mandatory conference call.
  3. You have oral surgery the first week…pain meds are not conducive to exercise.
  4. You’re the last one up the hill at a group exercise event.
  5. You’re the last one down the hill at a group exercise event.
  6. You run into your trainer at a dessert table.
  7. You already have unchangeable plans, and will miss the biggest group boot camp of the competition.
  8. You exercised with a fellow contestant and you had to lay on a bench while she did extra laps.
  9. When your trainer asked you if you could start taking your coffee black, you responded with, “I’d rather die”.
  10. After you lost 4 pounds, you gain a pound and a half right back

So there you have it.  I’m only 4 weeks in to this 12 week competition.  Despite my rocky start,  I am still motivated – I’ve also come to the conclusion that even though I would love to win this thing, I want to loose weight for myself even more, and I know I can, no matter what.  Really.