I DID IT!!!

I lost my first five pounds!! I weighed in Saturday morning at 192 pounds, which is a 5.4 pound loss in one week!  I am so excited and so proud!!  It's hard work but it's worth it!

I keep envisioning what I will feel like and look like when I get to my goal weight.  I keep reminding myself how healthy I will be and how healthier I am getting each and every day.  I'm seeing so much change in my body now from going to the gym every day and losing even just that 5.4 pounds!

My struggles this past week were:

1.  Last night our youth at church went bowling and we have bowling, pizza and soda while we bowl.  I went bowling, ordered a chef salad without dressing and croutons and brought my own water bottle full of water and a slice of lemon.  I was so proud of myself for not grabbing a slice of pizza because it smelled soooooooooo YUMMY!!!! BUT.. I went home feeling great and woke up feeling even greater by knowing that I have stayed on track and have eaten clean and healthy!  

So far that's the ONLY struggle I had this week, and it really wasn't a struggle for me - just a test of what I will have to face on a day to day basis and I passed the test! I went to Planet Fitness every single day this week except for yesterday, Sunday, but I bowled for about 3 hours Sunday night, so I got in my exercise! 

My goal is to lose 5 pounds a week.  My goal is to get a 5 pound star each and every week for as long as I can, which is hopefully for at least 8 weeks.  Wouldn't that be nice? Yes, Lisa.  That would be nice!!  I am on my way!!

A Weight Watchers Tool

I'm still on track with Weight Watchers! Yay me!!!  And I am so excited and and motivated and dedicated and feel confident that this time it WILL work for me because I have to WORK for it!  

I have been using my iphone to track and I LOVE IT!!  Weight Watchers has a mobile app that allows you to enter foods, or scan items and it enters it for you, enter activities and then it actually keeps up with my points for me!  I absolutely LOVE this tool and feel that it will be the most helpful of anything that I've ever used.  Even if I go out to a restaurant I can look up food points value before I get there or when I get there to make sure I stay on track.  If I can't get my points value then I can take a photo of what I ate and calculate the points later. Win Win Win!! 

I WILL SUCCEED THIS TIME!

I started Weight Watchers Saturday morning March 15, 2014, by attending my first class and getting everything started.  I weighed in Friday afternoon.  I want to be totally accountable and truthful so I am just going to put my weight out there. I'm also going to journal using my blog along the way.  I'm not fooling anyone, not even myself, with my weight issue! I've been on Weight Watchers before.  I think this makes my fourth time starting Weight Watchers.  The plan has changed since I last joined.  I hope the difference this time when I DO SUCCEED this time is that I opted to do the monthly pass.  Each month my card is charged $42.95 from Weight Watchers.  This means that each month I will be automatically paying to lose weight.  I'm hoping that by sticking to the program, no matter what, will be the key to my success!  I'm hoping that I put my money where my mouth is.. or putting my money where what goes in my mouth... you know the saying! ha! Money does motivate!! 

I'm also going to do a marble jar that I saw on Pinterest.  A jar labeled "Pounds to Lose" is filled with the number of marbles representing the number of pounds you want to lose.  As you lose a pound a marble goes into another jar titled "Pounds Lost".  It's visual and sometimes I need visual!  

I'm also going to continue going to Planet Fitness every day.  I usually do 30-45 minutes of cardio by either getting on the treadmill, elliptical or bike and then I finish with 30-45 minutes of weight lifting.  I LOVE going to the gym! I LOVE Planet Fitness! 

Between the gym and Weight Watchers I am putting my faith that with those two tools I will reach my goal weight one day soon!  I'm going to take one day at a time!  My first day was this past Saturday, March 15th.  I stayed within my 26 points, even with going out to eat with the family.  I stayed within my 26 points yesterday, too.  I will stay within my points today!  I'm doing more meal prep, planning, praying and pen and paper, mobile apps and everything I can get my hands on to help me be accountable.  I am so tired of being fat!!  

So, without further ado... my weigh in on Friday was.....

197.4

And I will NEVER EVER EVER be that weight again!  My first goal is to lose 5% of that.  I can do this!  

I have never told anyone my weight except my husband, and one day my oldest son, and one day my youngest son...because I wanted them to know that I was struggling with my weight and that even though my weight doesn't define me, it does control my emotions and feelings because I'm miserable.  I want to be fit, healthy and happy with myself!  I am going to do this! One pound at a time. One week at a time. One day at a time. One meal at a time. 

I NEED A NEW ME!! I WILL GET A NEW ME!!

Today I joined/signed up online for a monthly pass to Weight Watchers!! 

• Each and every month it will renew. 
• Each week I will go in and weigh. 
• Each week and numerous times during the week I will attend Weight Watchers meetings.  
• Each day I will track what I eat.
• Each day I will be accountable for what goes in my mouth and how much sweat comes out of my body from exercising.
• Each day I will be forming a new me. 
• Each day I will treat myself to being the best that I can be to my body, my soul and my spirit.
• Each day I will put myself first. 

 Starting today! Starting NOW!

 I'm 47 and fat.  The end.

Nope.

The beginning!!! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

What a wild and crazy year 2013 was!  I am so thankful for all of the many blessings that the Lord has graciously given me and my family.  Even in the pain and hurt that occurs in our lives there are still blessings.  Still reminders that God loves us and wants the best for us.  God never leaves us.  I am reminding myself of that this new year.  I am intentionally being reminded every day because my New Year Resolution (actually, it's a goal, too!) is to read thru the entire Bible in a year.  From beginning to end. Front to back.  The garden to eternity.  Today is January 2nd and I have stayed on track.  Pray for me and my family to stay on track in our Bible reading. 

My two Resolutions I posted on my facebook page is:  1. To read the Bible in its entirety this year. 2. To do everything the Bible tells me to do.  That's it!!  Those are my two most important ones!

Of course, I have some that carry over year to year, too.  I hope this year is the last year I carry over the "Lose Weight" Resolution.  I'm so over it!!  BUT, I know I'm fat.  I know my weight is NOT healthy.  BUT - I have been going to the gym every day since November 1st so I can honestly say that I am on my way to being healthier in 2014.  I just want to be the best that I can be - physically, spiritually, financially - all of the things that I should be every day and I don't need to make that Resolution on the first of the year because it should be on my list every day - and it is. 

2014 is the year that I turn 47. Yikes!!  I turn 47, hubby turns 51, oldest son turns 21 and youngest son turns 18 and graduates from high school.  It's a year of change - a year of growth - a year of new beginnings, endings and everything in between. 

Whatever the year brings, I will live it with God being the center of my life.  I have realized that I have lived a very full and mainly STRESSED life.  I have been majorly over-committed!  I've done lots of soul searching in the last few months and after putting things down on paper I realized that I have spent more time serving the church than I have serving others. I have a blurred line on putting God first/Church first....   I have no free time.  I can't quit my job or fall below full time because I have a mortgage and one (soon to be two) son in college and retirement to continue to fund, if there will ever be such a thing in my life.  My drive to work is 30 minutes away so I do spend an hour a day going to and from.  I've just added in the gym and I get up at 4:15 every morning so that I can go to the gym and leave directly from the gym and head to work because my office is two stoplights from the gym.  I wish I had a full time job at home that would save me wear and tear on my car and gas money!  That would be nice!  I at first felt a little selfish by going to the gym, but my health really needs it. It makes me feel better. So I'm putting GOD first, FAMILY AND ME second and everything else is just going to have to get in line and wait. 

2014 here we go!!

28 Ways To Simplify Your Life

Have you ever noticed how busy life has gotten? It seems like whenever there is available time, the world finds a way to fill it. The only way to manage it is to take an active stance against the “life clutter.” Here are some tips for simplifying your day. It is amazing how much stress you can get rid of by employing just a few of these strategies. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!

1. Start everyday with your most important task, leaving other ones undone
2. Do what you said you will do first
3. Say no when you are already committed and asked to take on more
4. Ask others for help whenever you need it
5. Finish things completely, don’t leave it only to have to come back again and again
6. Pick one thing at a time to do and focus on it
7. Make the most time for your passions and purposeful work
8. Leave spare time for yourself unscheduled and uncommitted
9. Prioritize your todo list
10. Keep one todo list and keep it short (only the most important things should be on it at any time)
11. Take time to be in solitude
12. Take time to pray and meditate
13. Make wasteful actions (like TV watching or pointless internet surfing) more difficult to do to help avoid them.
14. Find and eliminate other wasteful actions in your life
15. Develop habits and daily routines to practice important actions
16. Read every single day
17. Plan your week and all major tasks for that week
18. Review your accomplishments each week
19. Be grateful for what you have, what you can do, and for everything in your life
20. Turn off your cell phone
21. Turn off all notifications on your computer from IM, email or other popups
22. Eat simple meals and don’t cook things that don’t need to be cooked
23. Eat less, which lets you also prepare less and cleanup less and store less
24. Automate any bills, payments, and money transactions that you can
25. Ignore distractions from media
26. Commute by bicycle or public transit instead of the busy freeway
27. Use commuting time wisely by reading or listening to books
28. Consider a career or job change to reduce stress
29. Find and maintain routines for day to day things

48 Ways To Get Your Life In Order

This is an article by guest writer Mark Foo, author of The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People.
There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of chaos in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, “Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don’t avoid them. Keep in mind the following 48 tips and you’ll be able to streamline your life and get back on track moving forward.

1. Recycle old papers that are filling drawers in your house. If you’re anything like me, you have drawers overflowing with old receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself. Get rid of all of this. Invest in a paper shredder to reduce clutter and maintain privacy.
2. Mentally prepare yourself for change by visualizing your ideal self. Who do you admire the most? How do you envision yourself in the future? Who do you want to be? Visualize yourself to be that person.
3. Realize that unexpected events can be a good thing. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
4. Ask people you admire how they got where they are today. I’ve always admired my grandfather. Learning more about how he started up his business, dealt with difficulty throughout his life, and maintained grace throughout it all has helped me in my personal endeavors.
5. Cut back on alcohol, cigarettes and other vices. These can be crutches that cloud judgment. The money saved by not purchasing or cutting back on this type of material can then be put into something rewarding such as a vacation.
6. Remove elements of negativity from your life, be they people or a job you don’t want to do. If you have friends who are bringing you down, there’s no need to keep hanging out with them out of obligation. Cut your ties and cut your losses.
7. Start each day with a clear to-do list along with your cup of morning coffee. Knowing what you need to do in the day ahead helps keep you on track.
8. Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. Not only receipts, as mentioned above, but any old junk that should be donated to charity or sold in a garage sale.
9. Institute a clear filing system for your personal records. Investing in a simple filing cabinet and folders with labels is something you don’t need a personal secretary for and makes your life much easier when you are looking for a specific item.
10. Do your grocery shopping for the week on the day it’s most convenient. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money.
11. Take a career test that will help you identify your strengths. If you are unhappy with your career but don’t even know where to begin in the process of moving on, this can be a good way to identify strengths and new possibilities.
12. Meet with a professional counselor if there are issues you need to discuss. Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with professional assistance.
13. Go through cabinets and throw out expired medications or food items. The last time I did this, I found everything from 3-year-old curry powder to 5-year-old aspirin. Throw them out.
14. Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels.
15. Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders.
16. Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking. My girlfriend loves yoga, and I am a soccer enthusiast. As long as it’s active, it counts.
17. Set appointments you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels.
18. Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve overall mental capabilities.
19. Publish your own book. This is easier than ever before with Internet publishing. You can get your ideas out there and start making money from them.
20. Make a reading list and join a book club. Most people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own reading list.
21. Spend time with yourself each day. Susan Taylor states that “spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.”
22. Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress can have an overarching effect on our overall productivity levels. When stressed, I personally forget to breathe at times. Take the time to take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain.
23. Speak and act with honesty. Are you able to stand by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own words and learn to articulate your thoughts in an open, honest way. This helps eliminate mistakes down the road.
24. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Usually, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they aren’t repeated too many times, and are looked at as a learning experience, they can in fact be a good thing in the long run.
25. Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together.
26. Take up a new language or hobby.
27. Read inspirational biographies. For new ideas, find out how others got their lives in order.
28. Talk to a stranger. Unplanned conversations can be surprisingly inspiring.
29. Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away. Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the Internet and Skype at your disposal, even an online chat can help you reconnect.
30. Change your toothbrush. It can be a hotbed of bacteria.
31. Take more naps. Sleep is often sadly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and keep reaction times sharp.
32. Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up.
33. Organize your photo collection. Get both digital files and physical printouts in albums. If you’re anything like my family, your photographs could be sadly sitting tucked away in shoeboxes in the closet, taking up space.
34. Take an interest in art in your community. Visiting galleries can help introduce you to the artists in your community and help stimulate thinking.
35. Join a hobbyist club. My friend decided to learn more about building model airplanes and was so deeply into it that he recently obtained his commercial pilot’s license. You never know where a simple hobby can lead you in life.
36. Keep a calendar with commitments. Having a visual reminder in front of you can be extremely helpful. We are all different types of learners.
37. Don’t put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved.
38. Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy. If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can be beneficial to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes you happy. Work toward achieving this as much as possible.
39. Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk in the woods or climbing a mountain, at any level of difficulty, gives a sense of pride and accomplishment.
40. Attend lectures. These could be science lectures or other types, but it’s helpful to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in all aspects of your daily life.
41. Take the time to stretch muscles. Get a massage to improve muscle tone and circulation, then use this new energy and apply it to your work routine.
42. Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of your most entertaining friends for a good laugh, or simply sit back with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has been shown to expand your life span.
43. Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a child, I remember that we had “free time” scheduled into our school activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or simply staring into space if that’s what we felt like doing. What a novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease.
44. Schedule a much-needed vacation. If you don’t ever schedule it, you will always find some reason not to go.
45. Learn new tips for entertaining. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to throw a great dinner party, and learning how to be a host or hostess with minimal effort can give a big boost to your confidence levels.
46. Throw out old clothing that doesn’t fit. Too many of us are squeezing into outdated clothes that are doing us no favors. Look and feel your best with clothes that are tailored to fit.
47. Live in the present, not the past. The past is over. Move on and enjoy every moment as it occurs. Take stock of what needs to be accomplished and move forward with this information.
48. Learn from past mistakes and move forward with your life. Get your life in order by looking forward, not back.