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!!