Woot woot to weight-loss

A fellow Phi Mu sister and several friends asked if I would blog my story of how I'm losing and why....so here we go!!

Since we started trying for a baby (before Shelby came along) I was never really worried with my weight (I was 130) but after fertility drugs and the stress that came with month after month of no baby I gained a good 15 lbs and then gained, *gasp*, 40 lbs while pregnant. After having Shelby I lost 30 lbs from breast feeding in 7 weeks and then once again, gained it back because I became depressed and also could not breast feed any longer, aiding in my depression....I'm gonna say what I weighed because I've gotta let it go and get it out.... May 31 I weighed 177 lbs ( the day I went in to be induced to have Shelby 3 years ago I weighed 180 and that was a huge gut puncher but to weigh so close to that and NOT BE pregnant kicked the breath out of me!!) I let the devil in and he destroyed my self-esteem, walk with God, my view as a mother and wife and my overall health.

Shelby is now 3 and I had enough at the end of May and decided to seriously become myself again and focus on the Lord again like He's called me to and get out of the funk of depression and move forward for my family and their future!! This is not about how I look, it's about how I should be for my husband and family as a wife and mother. We are to treat our bodies as temples for the Lord. If He dwells in your heart, then you should be the best for Him as you can be and I believe filling my body with "trash" was destroying His temple and it wasn't effective for Him to live in. It made it hard for Him to teach me and guide me when He's blocked by sins of the world. See, food became a crutch and a hindrance on EVERY PART of my life. I made eating an event, an activity and something to cover up my feelings when in fact eating was causing the feelings I was trying to hide and destroy! I felt convicted one night at one of CrossPoint's worship services that if I was truly to become who God wanted me to be, then I needed to lay down the sin that was holding me back and that sin was food and what I was putting in my body! I'm not gonna lie, it was hard at first but such a revelation as to what all was holding me back! I was broken with pain from all that I DID to hinder God's work FULLY in my life. My lifestyle is not a diet or whatever to lose weight so I look good, yes that's a perk from eating and living how I am now, but it's not why I'm doing it, as much as it feels good to see myself transform. The physical aspect isn't important. The spiritual, mental & emotional transition is what's important to me. Now living healthy is vital to me!! I'm no longer tied down to food and have realized the RIGHT mindset is to eat to nourish your body ONLY! Not a social hour, event, something you plan your day around or seek healing and comfort from.

Since living this way, just a little less than 2 months, I feel better, ACT better, sleep better, look better, have more energy and daily drive, and don't feel like I'm in a fog and pitiful darkness. I feel more connected with God and my TRUE self. I feel like I'm a TRUE witness for God now and not just playin the part. Now, I've still got a personal goal of 30 more total pounds to lose but as of yesterday (July 16, 2012) I've lost 18.6 lbs and 12.5 overall inches! I started my life change May 31, 2012 and my first goal is to lose 20 lbs by the last day of July. I'm just 2 weeks and 2 lbs from that goal and I WILL meet it! My next goal is to lose at least 15 lbs by the end of Sept. and then to lose 15 more lbs by our 8th anniversary, Dec. 11, 2012. That's a total of 30 more pounds to total up to 50 pounds I will lose in about 9 months. That may sound nuts to you, but to me, it's a goal I will reach!!

Ok, so how am I doing this? Well, first off, I can only begin to do this through my Lord and Savior's daily Word, Holy Spirit guiding and holding my hand and the Love and support of my family and friends, which I've had unconditionally! Second, I'm following First Fitness Nutrition with the AMAZING help, love and support of my friend and consultant, Renee. You can contact her via office phone: 870-234-6226 or by email: ibelieveinffn@gmail.com

If you're my Facebook friend you can find her through my wall as well!  First Fitness Nutrition is THE BEST nutritional guide and lifestyle WAKE UP CALL I've ever used or tried.  FFN focuses on YOUR HEALTH and not your looks....that's what I like because I'm about getting healthy and seeing results to my health, not just looks.  Your looks DO CHANGE though, don't get me wrong! :) FFN's products are sooo great and make your wellness journey soooooo effective and CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  If you just do the meal plan that I mention, you WON'T GET the same results that you would by adding the FFN products to the healthy menu guide they give you. They focus on getting your body healthy, leaning your muscle and taking the fat away! My colon was SOOOO unhealthy, it wasn't even funny!  The menu alone is not enough, but with FFN's all natural supplements, AND eating clean,  ANYONE can do what I'm doing!

It's sooo important to have a "coach" and Renee is THE BEST person in the world to coach you through your lifestyle change! This is NOT A DIET but a lifestyle change! You MUST get your mind set in the right direction to change your life.  It's not a half-way thing...."balls to the wall"(pardon the motto but it is what it is!) is what our little joking motto has been between me and Renee because I've tried it ALL! It is vital I take my supplements when I'm supposed to and follow the menu guide. I've always been a great "Rule-follower." Give me rules and I will follow them! :)

I'm asked, "well what CAN you eat?". First off, it's not about what you can or can't eat it about what you DO eat! I eat absolutely NO fried foods, battered foods, sugar, starches (unless whole grain and only a 1/2 - 1 cup a day if I do, but I don't)! Extremely LOW sodium and NO SODAS!! I drink HALF of my body weight, usually over that, in water a day, sugar free lemonade and unsweetened tea with equal and sweeten low. I eat NO red meats, personal choice, TONS of veggies and fruits as well as Light (NOT FAT FREE) dressings, in moderation.

So, here's my meals for one day....

Breakfast

 

 

I drink a perfect meal replacement shake with a cup of fruit added for breakfast. If I know I'm going somewhere and there's nothing I can have or want I take my little former formula dispenser and have a meal replacement shake. All I need is 8oz of water and some ice and I'm ready!! It fits perfectly in my Coach purse! Hahah. This has rarely happened but I like having a better option if I don't want what we have at a restaurant or wherever!! With us traveling almost every weekend, I've had to become creative with my packing of foods and such. I love blueberries in my breakfast shake so I buy the frozen blueberries and keep them in the hotel fridge or sometimes stop at farmers markets on the way!! Preparation is key!

Snack

A shake Popsicle! I mix 8oz of chocolate shake mix to make all these and I can have one a day if I choose...I sometimes don't snack at all...

Lunch

 

Since I eat no red meats I eat a lot of fish and ground turkey and today is seared Tilapia and a salad with Low Fat(NOT FAT FREE) 1000 island. Tip: at lunch I eat a salad OR veggies and at dinner I eat a salad AND veggies. My FIL makes amazing seasoning that none of us know exactly how he makes but it's low sodium and the amount I use is VERY SMALL but it's an all seasoning mix for anything!!

Dinner

 

 

tonight I ate with my parents at Red Lobster so this is what I ate there...

This WAS a salad with Low Fat (NOT FAT FREE) 1000island....lol no I didn't add sweet n low in it lol...

Baked tilapia WITH The cheese taken off! Hate when they do that!! It's sooo good and grilled!! Asparagus and broccoli. Mmmmm I only ate one fillet because the salad filled me up. I love RL salads!!!

And DRINK TONS OF WATER and Crystal Lite Pink Lemonade

I take my owl cup EVERYWHERE I go!!!! It's ALWAYS with me! Since you're supposed to drink half your weight in ounces a day of water, I can fill this up and it's 16oz, so 2 glasses in one!!! NO Dessert or sweets!!!!!

That's what I ate today.... And I'm satisfied and was FULL! I cook Sooooo much now and I have to cook 3 different meals each time because Josh and Shelby eat differently but it's worth it!!!!

This is a lot different than I've been used to because I'm doing as Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)" I am NOT conforming to this world any longer! But I'm renewing my mind, heart and body in Christ Jesus!!

I weigh in every Monday as well as measure. I've not been disappointed but once and it was silly for me to do so since it was during my period. I didn't gain but I didn't lose. That one second I let the devil in and he ruined that day from there on out. Spent my evening in prayer to myself and repented. In an instance your focus can get off and the devil will take full advantage of that! The next day, I realized how silly that was because all my measurements and weight stayed the same even during my period!! That's NEVER happened and is phenomenal!!

Please don't give up on yourself! I almost did! I'm doing all I can to prevent the diseases of my ancestors as well as be the fit wife and mother God called me to be. It's not a slacker-job, it is a daily commitment to do God's will for my life and strengthen myself in mind, body and spirit. 

 

Special SPECIAL thanks to Renee and Carina for always encouraging me and believing in me through this journey!! I couldn't do it without you both! Love you....