WOW I pushed myself today... this morning I was debating whether or not I had the energy to work out and I realized, OF COURSE I DO!!!!!!!!!!! I ate sooo much, way too much yesterday and I feel like crap not because I have NO energy, but because I have TOO MUCH energy...
So I worked out to Cardio Party 3, left off the weighted gloves today so I could focus on learning the moves, and I really really enjoyed it... I sweat bullets, real bullets, lol :-) After that I did the Turbo Twenty (as I like to call it :-) WITH weighted gloves, then I walked the 2 mile power walk from Walk Away Your Hips and Thighs with 1 lb hand weights...
Tomorrow, I'm going to strength train!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
December 11
ODB today is about the dangers of calling yourself a Nobody as a Christian...
"There’s a downside to insisting that we are “nobody” if it is to avoid doing what God commands (Ex. 4:1-17). Our motives make us into somebody who resists the loving purposes of God. We may treat ourselves and others as having no worth. But remember, God doesn’t make nobodies. Like Moses, if we surrender to God, we can do anything God wants us to do—in His strength."
Also...
"Without God we won’t accomplish anything of lasting value."
That is soooooo true :-) looking back, everything I tried to "build" by myself eventually came toppling down... cuz I didn't build it on the rock! The Lord literally empowers us if we are in His will... anything we put our minds to, for His glory if He'll have it, God will give us all the strength we need to succeed in it.
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Well yesterday I ate WAY too much I think; my mom made cookies and I had too many of those... my Danish students' mom made cookies and I ate those, plus I went out to dinner with a friend to Urban Flats and probably ate too much there, too. My tummy hurt last night. And this morning, I ate cookies for breakfast. UGH!!! Its also 8am, and I got up 15 minutes ago, after having gone to bed at 10pm... good grief. I NEED to exercise today. I need to burn off some of this crap. Not like I have anything else to do today, lol... Tutoring at 4pm, chiropractic appt, more tutoring at 7... but before that? Nothing. Might as well work my butt off :-) Literally. haha
"There’s a downside to insisting that we are “nobody” if it is to avoid doing what God commands (Ex. 4:1-17). Our motives make us into somebody who resists the loving purposes of God. We may treat ourselves and others as having no worth. But remember, God doesn’t make nobodies. Like Moses, if we surrender to God, we can do anything God wants us to do—in His strength."
Also...
"Without God we won’t accomplish anything of lasting value."
That is soooooo true :-) looking back, everything I tried to "build" by myself eventually came toppling down... cuz I didn't build it on the rock! The Lord literally empowers us if we are in His will... anything we put our minds to, for His glory if He'll have it, God will give us all the strength we need to succeed in it.
___________________________________
Well yesterday I ate WAY too much I think; my mom made cookies and I had too many of those... my Danish students' mom made cookies and I ate those, plus I went out to dinner with a friend to Urban Flats and probably ate too much there, too. My tummy hurt last night. And this morning, I ate cookies for breakfast. UGH!!! Its also 8am, and I got up 15 minutes ago, after having gone to bed at 10pm... good grief. I NEED to exercise today. I need to burn off some of this crap. Not like I have anything else to do today, lol... Tutoring at 4pm, chiropractic appt, more tutoring at 7... but before that? Nothing. Might as well work my butt off :-) Literally. haha
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
December 9
Here is some food for thought today.
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Well yesterday I made a chocolate cake, it was AWESOME!! Used sugar free hot cocoa mix instead of regular and it turned out just amazing; I was very surprised.
I also walked an extra mile yesterday... hopped in on the last one my dad was doing.
This morning I cranked out Punch, Kick, & Jam again, man I love that workout. After that I stretched my soooore hamstrings, did a 12 minute mile, and stretched again.
Today I gotta study for two exams... everything I do is a conscious effort to avoid studying... ya know, when you know you know enough to get a good grade, its hard to want to even bother studying, lol...
This morning I made my first ever quesadilla!! I chopped up half a chicken breast, added some salsa, mexican blend cheese, and put it on half of a tortilla and put it in a skillet... it turned out great! I ate it with fat free sour cream. Sooo yummy!
K well I better go study...
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Well yesterday I made a chocolate cake, it was AWESOME!! Used sugar free hot cocoa mix instead of regular and it turned out just amazing; I was very surprised.
I also walked an extra mile yesterday... hopped in on the last one my dad was doing.
This morning I cranked out Punch, Kick, & Jam again, man I love that workout. After that I stretched my soooore hamstrings, did a 12 minute mile, and stretched again.
Today I gotta study for two exams... everything I do is a conscious effort to avoid studying... ya know, when you know you know enough to get a good grade, its hard to want to even bother studying, lol...
This morning I made my first ever quesadilla!! I chopped up half a chicken breast, added some salsa, mexican blend cheese, and put it on half of a tortilla and put it in a skillet... it turned out great! I ate it with fat free sour cream. Sooo yummy!
K well I better go study...
Monday, December 8, 2008
December 8 -- Thoughts on Capital Punishment
Today's ODB was about confessing sin... a story from Joshua was mentioned in which some guy had stolen some things, and God "ratted" on him to Joshua, who in turn decided to stone him and his entire family...
I used to actually be in favor of the death penalty... I thought that whoever could kill someone else should have that done right back to them... blame it on my upbringing ;-). However now, I don't see it that way...
Firstly it's a commandment of God not to kill people. Yes, the person being executed may have killed someone, but it doesn't FIX anything or make anything truly better to kill them in return. It seems just to our human minds to repay people who do harm. But the system sucks... it's not fair at all... a lot of people who kill other people "get off", according to us, with a couple of life sentences (I've never understood the point of more than one life sentence...). I don't believe God wants us to repay evil (sin) with evil (sin)...
No sin is weighted more than another in God's eyes. That's another thing we have a hard time grasping. There is also no unforgivable sin. Even if you break one, or heck, ALL of the 10 commandments, dude, that's Old Testament, and Jesus died for ALL sins, and if you [honestly] ask Him to He'll always forgive you and take you back if you screw up... yep, even if, in a fitful rage, you kill someone. The consequences of you killing someone may mean life in prison or, even worse in this country, the death penalty... and the people that administer the lethal injection or turn on Old Sparky? It still counts as killing, man... there's no way to sugar coat it.
Although to our brains, killing in exchange for killing may SEEM like a proper way to punish someone who has committed the "ultimate" sin, but I gotta think about what Jesus would do... no one is without sin, so why should we cast stones, administer lethal injections, or flip the switch? Should we do it merely because we think their sin is unforgivable and deserving of death? .... Don't we all deserve death?
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Wow!
I really kicked my own butt today lol... I did the cardio portion of of the Turbo Jam Kickin' Core workout, which ends right after a two minute Turbo, man it was tough. I like that workout though... I usually skip the stability ball part. After that, I did a round of Booty Sculpt... I hadn't done that in at least 10 days, I think, because I had been using the sculpt segment at the end of one of my walk DVDs for some different muscle targeting... I also used the fit cuff instead of the firm band for the thigh work on Booty Sculpt... talk about a burn! The fit cuff is way more comfortable than the stretchie and it doesn't slide, pinch, or pull on my leg. The abs part on Booty Sculpt was also on fire, man... I can tell my abs have gotten significantly stronger because I can lift my legs off of the ground on some of the moves to make them more challenging and-- because I'm using my abs to hold myself stable-- I don't fall backwards like I used to! Yay! And even though there's no crazy cardio in that workout, my heartrate was up the entire time.
Yesterday I wasn't sure if I was going to work out or not, but I got out of bed and willingly did Cardio Party Remix before church. It was great :-) I also made a bunch of skinny candied almonds, but I ate too many cuz they were so good, hence the tough workout today, lol...
Today I gotta study for my two exams tomorrow... and drink lots and lots of water. Also need to get better on my greens, those are really lacking lately.
I used to actually be in favor of the death penalty... I thought that whoever could kill someone else should have that done right back to them... blame it on my upbringing ;-). However now, I don't see it that way...
Firstly it's a commandment of God not to kill people. Yes, the person being executed may have killed someone, but it doesn't FIX anything or make anything truly better to kill them in return. It seems just to our human minds to repay people who do harm. But the system sucks... it's not fair at all... a lot of people who kill other people "get off", according to us, with a couple of life sentences (I've never understood the point of more than one life sentence...). I don't believe God wants us to repay evil (sin) with evil (sin)...
No sin is weighted more than another in God's eyes. That's another thing we have a hard time grasping. There is also no unforgivable sin. Even if you break one, or heck, ALL of the 10 commandments, dude, that's Old Testament, and Jesus died for ALL sins, and if you [honestly] ask Him to He'll always forgive you and take you back if you screw up... yep, even if, in a fitful rage, you kill someone. The consequences of you killing someone may mean life in prison or, even worse in this country, the death penalty... and the people that administer the lethal injection or turn on Old Sparky? It still counts as killing, man... there's no way to sugar coat it.
Although to our brains, killing in exchange for killing may SEEM like a proper way to punish someone who has committed the "ultimate" sin, but I gotta think about what Jesus would do... no one is without sin, so why should we cast stones, administer lethal injections, or flip the switch? Should we do it merely because we think their sin is unforgivable and deserving of death? .... Don't we all deserve death?
_____________________________________________
Wow!
I really kicked my own butt today lol... I did the cardio portion of of the Turbo Jam Kickin' Core workout, which ends right after a two minute Turbo, man it was tough. I like that workout though... I usually skip the stability ball part. After that, I did a round of Booty Sculpt... I hadn't done that in at least 10 days, I think, because I had been using the sculpt segment at the end of one of my walk DVDs for some different muscle targeting... I also used the fit cuff instead of the firm band for the thigh work on Booty Sculpt... talk about a burn! The fit cuff is way more comfortable than the stretchie and it doesn't slide, pinch, or pull on my leg. The abs part on Booty Sculpt was also on fire, man... I can tell my abs have gotten significantly stronger because I can lift my legs off of the ground on some of the moves to make them more challenging and-- because I'm using my abs to hold myself stable-- I don't fall backwards like I used to! Yay! And even though there's no crazy cardio in that workout, my heartrate was up the entire time.
Yesterday I wasn't sure if I was going to work out or not, but I got out of bed and willingly did Cardio Party Remix before church. It was great :-) I also made a bunch of skinny candied almonds, but I ate too many cuz they were so good, hence the tough workout today, lol...
Today I gotta study for my two exams tomorrow... and drink lots and lots of water. Also need to get better on my greens, those are really lacking lately.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
December 6
So, yesterday was a great day off. I actually walked an easy two miles just so I could make sure my metabolism was going. It did my body very, very well though to take it that easy :-) Sometimes I feel like when I take a day off, thats when my body has time to make its latest transformations... yesterday, for example, I not only looked at my abs and saw definition, even more than before, I also ran my hands over them and FELT the "chisel" so to speak. I haven't seen my stomach this flat in YEARS... and when it was, I didn't have sculpted abs... I've never been one to work my abs and like it, but now I'm getting to a point where I really enjoy feeling that burn... seeing my results over the last four months has been a constant reminder that the burn is my body CHANGING, and without it, it will stay the same...
OH, and, got on the scale today again, expected to see a higher number than the day before yesterday since I had taken yesterday off... and it said 131.6 !!!!!!! Better than I ever could have expected!!! That means LESS than 1 kg left (1 kg is 2.2 lb) ... I can't wait to suit up for my "after" pics when I hit 130!!
I was thinking to myself the other day, it feels good to walk around knowing you're carrying the right amount of weight for you. When I was at 148, I felt like I had to waddle. I know even 148 isn't overweight for my stature, but it wasn't my "happy weight". I can move better and faster like this and feel overall more efficient when I simply take up less space. I'm still the same person, just more compact :-)
So, to recap: since August 17, 2008, I've lost 16.4 lbs and have gone from a sometimes-tight size 8 to a comfortable size 4. Some are even too loose. I've also built tons of muscle and I have no idea what my body fat percentage is, but I don't care either, really, I just know I've put a lot on :-)
So, only 1.6 lbs til goal, then I'm posting new pics... of me and my (still really white) new bod in a bikini. Yep, I said it, a bikini. In fact, I may post all my pics from the last four months on Facebook. But I'm not going to do that until the scale says 130 lbs!
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Tried Cardio Party 3 for the first time today, it was really sweaty!!! I used my weighted gloves, and I have to say its definitely the hardest Jam there is... I got confused a little bit sometimes, since this one is more dance-y than the others, but I kept going. I think CP2 is still my all-time fave, though :-) It was cool to get pushed to my max, though, wow!! It's definitely a workout I'll do again when I really wanna sweat and get my heartrate up.
Followed up with half of the firming segment from Walk Away Your Hips and Thighs, then I did a few extra exercises on my own... I didn't feel like getting on the floor today, lol ...
OH, and, got on the scale today again, expected to see a higher number than the day before yesterday since I had taken yesterday off... and it said 131.6 !!!!!!! Better than I ever could have expected!!! That means LESS than 1 kg left (1 kg is 2.2 lb) ... I can't wait to suit up for my "after" pics when I hit 130!!
I was thinking to myself the other day, it feels good to walk around knowing you're carrying the right amount of weight for you. When I was at 148, I felt like I had to waddle. I know even 148 isn't overweight for my stature, but it wasn't my "happy weight". I can move better and faster like this and feel overall more efficient when I simply take up less space. I'm still the same person, just more compact :-)
So, to recap: since August 17, 2008, I've lost 16.4 lbs and have gone from a sometimes-tight size 8 to a comfortable size 4. Some are even too loose. I've also built tons of muscle and I have no idea what my body fat percentage is, but I don't care either, really, I just know I've put a lot on :-)
So, only 1.6 lbs til goal, then I'm posting new pics... of me and my (still really white) new bod in a bikini. Yep, I said it, a bikini. In fact, I may post all my pics from the last four months on Facebook. But I'm not going to do that until the scale says 130 lbs!
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Tried Cardio Party 3 for the first time today, it was really sweaty!!! I used my weighted gloves, and I have to say its definitely the hardest Jam there is... I got confused a little bit sometimes, since this one is more dance-y than the others, but I kept going. I think CP2 is still my all-time fave, though :-) It was cool to get pushed to my max, though, wow!! It's definitely a workout I'll do again when I really wanna sweat and get my heartrate up.
Followed up with half of the firming segment from Walk Away Your Hips and Thighs, then I did a few extra exercises on my own... I didn't feel like getting on the floor today, lol ...
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Review of new DVD!
Well, I did the new 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk today, WHAT A WORKOUT!!!!
There are five 12 minute miles: they all seem to start off kinda slow, but you pick up the pace quick, and before you know it, you're halfway done with the mile... then, after about 4 minutes more, you jog for two minutes, and then the miles over!!! The first and last miles are with Leslie and no one else, while the middle three miles have cast members walking. The middle mile was my favorite. I walked the whole thing with 1 lb hand weights... I might try twos next time. I cranked up the intensity big time and got my heart rate up. I think this kind of walk is a great idea when you want to get in a long, but not super intense workout...
I haven't had a day off since last Friday... so I've exercised 6 days in a row as of today... I think I should take tomorrow off... on the other hand, I REALLY REALLY want to try Cardio Party 3... maybe I will save it for Saturday, though... I really do need to study for my exams on Tuesday, lol... plus I think all the pounding has made my hip joints a teeny bit sore, so I think I'd better cool it for a day. As much as that pains me to say, I need to take a break, lol :-) Who knew I'd be this excited to work out that I'd have to look for an excuse NOT to! Ha!
There are five 12 minute miles: they all seem to start off kinda slow, but you pick up the pace quick, and before you know it, you're halfway done with the mile... then, after about 4 minutes more, you jog for two minutes, and then the miles over!!! The first and last miles are with Leslie and no one else, while the middle three miles have cast members walking. The middle mile was my favorite. I walked the whole thing with 1 lb hand weights... I might try twos next time. I cranked up the intensity big time and got my heart rate up. I think this kind of walk is a great idea when you want to get in a long, but not super intense workout...
I haven't had a day off since last Friday... so I've exercised 6 days in a row as of today... I think I should take tomorrow off... on the other hand, I REALLY REALLY want to try Cardio Party 3... maybe I will save it for Saturday, though... I really do need to study for my exams on Tuesday, lol... plus I think all the pounding has made my hip joints a teeny bit sore, so I think I'd better cool it for a day. As much as that pains me to say, I need to take a break, lol :-) Who knew I'd be this excited to work out that I'd have to look for an excuse NOT to! Ha!
December 4 -- number dropping!!
Woohoo!!! My weight is down, 132.8!! Less than 3 lbs to go till I reach goal :-)
Today I am postponing my workout until Dad gets home, because I got the new Leslie Sansone walk in the mail yesterday and I want to try it!!! Five miles in ONE hour! I'll post back with my comments!
Today I am postponing my workout until Dad gets home, because I got the new Leslie Sansone walk in the mail yesterday and I want to try it!!! Five miles in ONE hour! I'll post back with my comments!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
December 3
Well, I hope today will be the day I receive my new DVDs... I'm getting a little antsy, lol :-)
This morning was Turbo Jam Fat Blaster for 30 minutes of cardio, then 3T with the resistance bands AND 1 lb wrist weights, OUCH. What a burn. I needed some sweaty strength training, though. It was great.
This morning was Turbo Jam Fat Blaster for 30 minutes of cardio, then 3T with the resistance bands AND 1 lb wrist weights, OUCH. What a burn. I needed some sweaty strength training, though. It was great.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
December 2
Hi!
Well I just got a fabulous deal on Venus razor blades online, MAN I'm a good shopper :-D I got 16 blades for $24, free shipping... doesn't get any better I don't think, unless you steal them :-D Mom said I could buy them with her credit card for Christmas :-D razor blades are something you can really always stock up on; in fact, today I think I will change my razor blade and shave my legs to celebrate.
Ummmm... today I did Cardio Party Mix 2 which has proved itself time and time again to be the most fun workout EVER. I used my weighted gloves. My back is a little bit sore from the intense punching I did yesterday, so I said no to my planned upper body strength training for today. I find that if I punch intensely during my workouts, I give my upper body a great workout as it is. After that I did the 20 minute lower body segment with resistance from one of Leslie's newest workouts... the NEWEST of which comes out today; I ordered it from Amazon for $10 along with the last Turbo DVD that I don't have yet (Cardio Party 3!!) and I should be getting both of those today, it's going to be like CHRISTMAS! Already! I am looking so forward to it! After that segment (BURN) I did 9 minutes of straight abs, ouch. They're getting ripped, though, each week I see more definition.
Today's Our Daily Bread focused on living out our God-given passions, whatever they may be, for Christ and not ourselves... the text for today came out of 1 Corinthians... some of my favorite verses!
"So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (5:16-17)
I needed that reminder. I need it every day! Each day is a new battle for me against my old self. All those little reminders of what I've done, how I used to think of people, myself, and Jesus... from a human point of view, they still haunt me.
Like in verse 16, when I stopped evaluating others from a human point of view, EVERYTHING CHANGED. That which attracted me before appears to me like flowers that have been crushed into the earth. Once beautiful to me, but not anymore. "How differently we know him now!" Boy I tell you what, it's like I took off my rose-colored glasses.
I guess its kind of like weight loss and fitness... you have to find what works for you, something you will stick to. I have found an exercise form I LOVE and look forward to, and it's keeping me strong. Likewise, to keep those wicked memories of my old life at bay, I gotta stick to what works: staying in the Word.
I try to start and end each day with it. Mornings obviously go better than evenings, but before I go to bed at night, I like to open up that nice (not dusty, for once) book and just read.
Last night I read Song of Songs. I just felt like crying about it... the love expressed in those pages is so... genuine. Mutual... the Beloved and her Lover want to be with each other so badly, so earnestly, so purely. It just really struck me. They had nothing but loving words to say to one another and they clearly considered each other to be the most beautiful and perfect creature. I feel like that is how God sees us, the most beautiful and perfect creature that ever walked the planet, he wants to be with us all the time. In my ponderings about relationships and what I should be on the lookout for, I've come to the conclusion that God could only want for us the kind of love that most closely mirrors His love for us. Therefore, my Mr. Right is someone I see through God's eyes before I see him through my own. I want to love that man like the Beloved loves her Lover in the Song of Songs. And you can bet your bottom dollar he's going to feel the same way about me.
No, this isn't asking too much. It isn't unrealistic to expect someone to think you are THE most beautiful woman on the face of the earth, inside and out. Someone is out there really gets me. Someone that is wonderful just the way God created them. How could I ever settle for anything less?
Well I just got a fabulous deal on Venus razor blades online, MAN I'm a good shopper :-D I got 16 blades for $24, free shipping... doesn't get any better I don't think, unless you steal them :-D Mom said I could buy them with her credit card for Christmas :-D razor blades are something you can really always stock up on; in fact, today I think I will change my razor blade and shave my legs to celebrate.
Ummmm... today I did Cardio Party Mix 2 which has proved itself time and time again to be the most fun workout EVER. I used my weighted gloves. My back is a little bit sore from the intense punching I did yesterday, so I said no to my planned upper body strength training for today. I find that if I punch intensely during my workouts, I give my upper body a great workout as it is. After that I did the 20 minute lower body segment with resistance from one of Leslie's newest workouts... the NEWEST of which comes out today; I ordered it from Amazon for $10 along with the last Turbo DVD that I don't have yet (Cardio Party 3!!) and I should be getting both of those today, it's going to be like CHRISTMAS! Already! I am looking so forward to it! After that segment (BURN) I did 9 minutes of straight abs, ouch. They're getting ripped, though, each week I see more definition.
Today's Our Daily Bread focused on living out our God-given passions, whatever they may be, for Christ and not ourselves... the text for today came out of 1 Corinthians... some of my favorite verses!
"So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (5:16-17)
I needed that reminder. I need it every day! Each day is a new battle for me against my old self. All those little reminders of what I've done, how I used to think of people, myself, and Jesus... from a human point of view, they still haunt me.
Like in verse 16, when I stopped evaluating others from a human point of view, EVERYTHING CHANGED. That which attracted me before appears to me like flowers that have been crushed into the earth. Once beautiful to me, but not anymore. "How differently we know him now!" Boy I tell you what, it's like I took off my rose-colored glasses.
I guess its kind of like weight loss and fitness... you have to find what works for you, something you will stick to. I have found an exercise form I LOVE and look forward to, and it's keeping me strong. Likewise, to keep those wicked memories of my old life at bay, I gotta stick to what works: staying in the Word.
I try to start and end each day with it. Mornings obviously go better than evenings, but before I go to bed at night, I like to open up that nice (not dusty, for once) book and just read.
Last night I read Song of Songs. I just felt like crying about it... the love expressed in those pages is so... genuine. Mutual... the Beloved and her Lover want to be with each other so badly, so earnestly, so purely. It just really struck me. They had nothing but loving words to say to one another and they clearly considered each other to be the most beautiful and perfect creature. I feel like that is how God sees us, the most beautiful and perfect creature that ever walked the planet, he wants to be with us all the time. In my ponderings about relationships and what I should be on the lookout for, I've come to the conclusion that God could only want for us the kind of love that most closely mirrors His love for us. Therefore, my Mr. Right is someone I see through God's eyes before I see him through my own. I want to love that man like the Beloved loves her Lover in the Song of Songs. And you can bet your bottom dollar he's going to feel the same way about me.
No, this isn't asking too much. It isn't unrealistic to expect someone to think you are THE most beautiful woman on the face of the earth, inside and out. Someone is out there really gets me. Someone that is wonderful just the way God created them. How could I ever settle for anything less?
Monday, December 1, 2008
December 1
Took a week off. It did me good, I think. I was starting to feel a little resentment about blogging, I guess, so I didn't plan this short hiatus, it just sort of happened.
But I'm back now! Happy December.
I haven't decided whether I'm gonna continue writing exactly what I eat every day... I've developed a good feel for portion control and besiiiiiiiides, its the holidays, so if I want to eat cookies for dinner occasionally, it's cool, man.
This Thanksgiving was probably the best Thanksgiving ever. It's the first Thanksgiving I can remember in which I am taking care of myself, body and soul, and it feels so good to radiate this kind of energy, a kind I don't think I've had before. I guess it's a result of this big awakening and a number of major life realizations... mainly that God really does work all things for good [just in HIS timing, yo], and that God answers prayers!!!!!! There is REAL power in words we speak to God, you just have to REALLY MEAN THEM. Perhaps that was my problem before, I'd utter a string of words but not *really* expect God to act.
So there are sooo many things I'm thankful for... first of all that God woke me up. He changed my life YET AGAIN. It took a while, but it happened. I'm thankful for all the tears and heartache, all the sweat and aching muscles, too :-) I'm thankful for all of my wonderful friends here in Florida, Australia, Germany, Japan, ... and all my cyber buddies all over the world from the Walk Club! Thanks for tuning into my blogs. I'm thankful for all the relationships with people I've been able to hold on to, renew, or begin. Even for the ones I have lost, I am thankful.
I suppose I could attempt to compose more words to describe everything else I'm thankful for, but I don't think I can.
It's baffling how long it has taken me to really settle back in... but to be honest, I don't think I'm ever going to REALLY settle back in. My heart is in two places, and it's hard to be completely comfortable someplace else. I have itchy feet, and big, God-given dreams that I feel compelled to follow.
__________________________
I'm also thankful for having found out about Turbo Jam, MAN I love those workouts so stinking much. I do them over and over again week after week and they never get old! Today I did Punch, Kick, & Jam and really amped up my intensity with shockingly high kicks, really fast speed bag, the whole nine yards. It was an amazing workout!!
But I'm back now! Happy December.
I haven't decided whether I'm gonna continue writing exactly what I eat every day... I've developed a good feel for portion control and besiiiiiiiides, its the holidays, so if I want to eat cookies for dinner occasionally, it's cool, man.
This Thanksgiving was probably the best Thanksgiving ever. It's the first Thanksgiving I can remember in which I am taking care of myself, body and soul, and it feels so good to radiate this kind of energy, a kind I don't think I've had before. I guess it's a result of this big awakening and a number of major life realizations... mainly that God really does work all things for good [just in HIS timing, yo], and that God answers prayers!!!!!! There is REAL power in words we speak to God, you just have to REALLY MEAN THEM. Perhaps that was my problem before, I'd utter a string of words but not *really* expect God to act.
So there are sooo many things I'm thankful for... first of all that God woke me up. He changed my life YET AGAIN. It took a while, but it happened. I'm thankful for all the tears and heartache, all the sweat and aching muscles, too :-) I'm thankful for all of my wonderful friends here in Florida, Australia, Germany, Japan, ... and all my cyber buddies all over the world from the Walk Club! Thanks for tuning into my blogs. I'm thankful for all the relationships with people I've been able to hold on to, renew, or begin. Even for the ones I have lost, I am thankful.
I suppose I could attempt to compose more words to describe everything else I'm thankful for, but I don't think I can.
It's baffling how long it has taken me to really settle back in... but to be honest, I don't think I'm ever going to REALLY settle back in. My heart is in two places, and it's hard to be completely comfortable someplace else. I have itchy feet, and big, God-given dreams that I feel compelled to follow.
__________________________
I'm also thankful for having found out about Turbo Jam, MAN I love those workouts so stinking much. I do them over and over again week after week and they never get old! Today I did Punch, Kick, & Jam and really amped up my intensity with shockingly high kicks, really fast speed bag, the whole nine yards. It was an amazing workout!!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Nov. 24
Crap, I haven't blogged in two days. It's the first time I've ever skipped since I started, and not even just 1 day at that, TWO days!! Oh well. I didn't exercise on Saturday and ate too much... Sunday was a crazy day too, but I attempted CP2... my tummy hurt, though, and the light was beaming through the window into my face which made the entire experience unpleasant, so after about 10 minutes, I quit, lol...
Today's Workouts: Turbo Total Body Blast (60 minutes)
Breakfast: homemade (and sugar-free!) pancakes!!
Lunch:
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks:
Water:
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Breakfast: homemade (and sugar-free!) pancakes!!
Lunch:
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks:
Water:
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Friday, November 21, 2008
Nov. 21 --
Hello!
Well, the scale said 133.4 today, the number is continuing to drop! I am also very sore today... normally the scale goes UP around this TOM... interesting. And I even ate a snickers bar, lol. Thing is, when I eat something like that, I work it into my calories. If I choose to eat a Snickers for dinner, I suffer the consequences.
Today, the consequences were waking up an hour later than usual, after having slept more than the recommended amount of sleep... I was so tired I went to bed early, around 9pm!! AND I MISSED THE OFFICE!!!!!! I realized this morning that I completely forgot to watch it. Ah, well, I will watch it online today.
Seeing more fine definition in the abs lately, it's getting me pumped!! I just got a new Ab DVD "Blast off the Belly Fat"... it has five 10-minute ab workouts on it. I haven't tried it yet. I'm scared, lol.
As soon as the scale reads 130, I will post new pictures. Including pics of my abs, lol :-)
__________________________________
Today's Workouts: Punch, Kick, & Jam with weighted gloves... everything except the 4-minute band portion.
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout, 1 small chicken breast with olive tomato sauce, a smidge ricotta, a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, and three turkey meatballs.
Lunch: big spinach leaf salad with southwestern dressing. four dark chocolate brownies. ouch. i know.
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast: ice cream sandwich... e.d. chocolate stick
Water: sooo hard to drink when its cold out, dude
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Well, the scale said 133.4 today, the number is continuing to drop! I am also very sore today... normally the scale goes UP around this TOM... interesting. And I even ate a snickers bar, lol. Thing is, when I eat something like that, I work it into my calories. If I choose to eat a Snickers for dinner, I suffer the consequences.
Today, the consequences were waking up an hour later than usual, after having slept more than the recommended amount of sleep... I was so tired I went to bed early, around 9pm!! AND I MISSED THE OFFICE!!!!!! I realized this morning that I completely forgot to watch it. Ah, well, I will watch it online today.
Seeing more fine definition in the abs lately, it's getting me pumped!! I just got a new Ab DVD "Blast off the Belly Fat"... it has five 10-minute ab workouts on it. I haven't tried it yet. I'm scared, lol.
As soon as the scale reads 130, I will post new pictures. Including pics of my abs, lol :-)
__________________________________
Today's Workouts: Punch, Kick, & Jam with weighted gloves... everything except the 4-minute band portion.
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout, 1 small chicken breast with olive tomato sauce, a smidge ricotta, a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, and three turkey meatballs.
Lunch: big spinach leaf salad with southwestern dressing. four dark chocolate brownies. ouch. i know.
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast: ice cream sandwich... e.d. chocolate stick
Water: sooo hard to drink when its cold out, dude
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Thursday, November 20, 2008
"Something Beautiful"
I love love love this song... it meets me right where I am right now somehow. I'm done craving the "not good enough" and ready for something real.
I want to start it over
I want to start again
I want a new beginning
One without an end
I feel it inside
Calling out my name
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
I want to start it over
I want to start again
I want a new beginning
One without an end
I feel it inside
Calling out my name
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
Nov. 20 -- Praise be, yo
On Tuesday, (this is actually what I wanted to post yesterday but did not)...but I wanted to say that I am convinced that the Bible is ALIVE and that God really speaks to you through it if you open your heart to it... by that I mean open it EXPECTING God to talk.
Tuesday, I was kinda busy and was feeling a little disconnected and uninspired for some reason, and was feeling guilty, AGAIN, for stuff that has happened. At the end of the day I realized I hadn't picked up my Bible, as I had been, since 5:30 in the morning. So as much as I wanted to go to bed, I opened it up to 1 Peter, which is what I'm currently reading with a friend of mine in Germany, and started reading... I got bounced to Isaiah 53, but my eyes fell on the page next to it, to Isaiah 55, in which I had circled verse 3, "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life." ... I kept reading. "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," I read... "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine,"......."My ways and thoughts are higher than yours," God said to me through these verses.
This means a lot... in recent weeks I have slowly been realizing that I have spent a significant amount of time expecting God to bless me in a specific way... but I expected him to bless me in the way I had pictured in my head... BLIND, I was, indeed. I spend so much time searching for something specific, messing around, doing the wrong things, that I COMPLETELY MISS the gift God had set in front of me. This is relevant in many areas of my life right now; I can't even begin to list them! So my prayer lately has been that God help me think like Him better, instead of like I would like to think. My past essentially proves that I stink at thinking on my own, lol... I want to see people through His eyes, shed my old expectations and pre-programmed agendas and focus instead on what HE would want to bless me with, not what I find for myself, which, let's face it, hasn't been good stuff.
Now, though I feel like I'm getting yet another chance to do things the right way. Praise be, yo.
My eyes continued to drift... Isaiah 54:4.. "Fear not, you will no longer live in shame. Don't be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth."
_______________________________________
Weight loss news: I am down to a solid 134! Only 4 more lbs to go!!!
_______________________________________
Today's Workouts: CP remix w/ gloves + booty sculpt/abs w/ 8 & 5 lb weights
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout pita pizza with sundried tomato pesto (which has a lot of salt, i noticed today... better cut back!), part-skim ricotta, 4 small pepperonis, 5-6 sliced cherry tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, oregano, garlic + spinach leaf salad w/ light Italian
Lunch: MAN i hate terribly today... the dentist visit depressed me a little... I couldn't eat my sandwich, so I had a box of Barnum's circus animal crackers instead... 240 calories
Dinner: the sandwich, once the numbness finally wore off... two thin slices salami, one whole wheat bagel (180 cal), 1 wedge laughing cow cheese with herbs, 1 slice havarti cheese (we're out of Gouda, dude-a)
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast, strawberry ice cream sandwich, and an entire snickers bar..... AHHHHHHHHH!
Water: so far so good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Tuesday, I was kinda busy and was feeling a little disconnected and uninspired for some reason, and was feeling guilty, AGAIN, for stuff that has happened. At the end of the day I realized I hadn't picked up my Bible, as I had been, since 5:30 in the morning. So as much as I wanted to go to bed, I opened it up to 1 Peter, which is what I'm currently reading with a friend of mine in Germany, and started reading... I got bounced to Isaiah 53, but my eyes fell on the page next to it, to Isaiah 55, in which I had circled verse 3, "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life." ... I kept reading. "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," I read... "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine,"......."My ways and thoughts are higher than yours," God said to me through these verses.
This means a lot... in recent weeks I have slowly been realizing that I have spent a significant amount of time expecting God to bless me in a specific way... but I expected him to bless me in the way I had pictured in my head... BLIND, I was, indeed. I spend so much time searching for something specific, messing around, doing the wrong things, that I COMPLETELY MISS the gift God had set in front of me. This is relevant in many areas of my life right now; I can't even begin to list them! So my prayer lately has been that God help me think like Him better, instead of like I would like to think. My past essentially proves that I stink at thinking on my own, lol... I want to see people through His eyes, shed my old expectations and pre-programmed agendas and focus instead on what HE would want to bless me with, not what I find for myself, which, let's face it, hasn't been good stuff.
Now, though I feel like I'm getting yet another chance to do things the right way. Praise be, yo.
My eyes continued to drift... Isaiah 54:4.. "Fear not, you will no longer live in shame. Don't be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth."
_______________________________________
Weight loss news: I am down to a solid 134! Only 4 more lbs to go!!!
_______________________________________
Today's Workouts: CP remix w/ gloves + booty sculpt/abs w/ 8 & 5 lb weights
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout pita pizza with sundried tomato pesto (which has a lot of salt, i noticed today... better cut back!), part-skim ricotta, 4 small pepperonis, 5-6 sliced cherry tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, oregano, garlic + spinach leaf salad w/ light Italian
Lunch: MAN i hate terribly today... the dentist visit depressed me a little... I couldn't eat my sandwich, so I had a box of Barnum's circus animal crackers instead... 240 calories
Dinner: the sandwich, once the numbness finally wore off... two thin slices salami, one whole wheat bagel (180 cal), 1 wedge laughing cow cheese with herbs, 1 slice havarti cheese (we're out of Gouda, dude-a)
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast, strawberry ice cream sandwich, and an entire snickers bar..... AHHHHHHHHH!
Water: so far so good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Nov. 19 -- down some...
I'M DOWN TO 134.4!!! 4.4 more lbs to 130! My original goal was to be AT 130 by December 1, but now that I see how hard it is for me to get the numbers to go down while I'm building muscle, I think I want to be there by December 31.
Today's Workouts: Kickin' Core CP (first 30 minutes) + 3T minus warmup + 20 minute workout minus warm up and cooldown + Kickin' Core fitness orb portion (last 15 minutes, minus pushups, LOL)
Breakfast: one banana before workout, after workout 1 cup black beans, 2/3 cup brown rice, pinch of shredded cheddar.
Lunch: pita pizza with sundried tomato pesto, part-skim ricotta, 5 small pepperonis, 6 sliced cherry tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, garlic and oregano
Dinner: i think i had two "dinners" ... first was at 4:30pm, ate one slice mestemacher fitness bread with 2 slices thin salami, 1 slice gouda, with chive and onion cream cheese. second dinner was at like 8pm, was one $2.44 taco from Qdoba on campus, with grilled chicken, pico de gallo, lettuce, red onions, green peppers, a smidge of light sour cream on a small soft flour tortilla. sooooooo good!
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast a piece of extra dark chocolate (60 calories)... after lunch, ice cream sandwich
Water: on my way
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: --
Today's Workouts: Kickin' Core CP (first 30 minutes) + 3T minus warmup + 20 minute workout minus warm up and cooldown + Kickin' Core fitness orb portion (last 15 minutes, minus pushups, LOL)
Breakfast: one banana before workout, after workout 1 cup black beans, 2/3 cup brown rice, pinch of shredded cheddar.
Lunch: pita pizza with sundried tomato pesto, part-skim ricotta, 5 small pepperonis, 6 sliced cherry tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, garlic and oregano
Dinner: i think i had two "dinners" ... first was at 4:30pm, ate one slice mestemacher fitness bread with 2 slices thin salami, 1 slice gouda, with chive and onion cream cheese. second dinner was at like 8pm, was one $2.44 taco from Qdoba on campus, with grilled chicken, pico de gallo, lettuce, red onions, green peppers, a smidge of light sour cream on a small soft flour tortilla. sooooooo good!
Dessert/snacks: after breakfast a piece of extra dark chocolate (60 calories)... after lunch, ice cream sandwich
Water: on my way
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: --
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Nov. 18
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."
_________________________________________
Today's Workouts: Turbo....as usual, lol... my favorite, CP2 with weighted gloves. LOVE IT!
+ 2 mile Fast Start workout with Dad
Breakfast: banana before workout... directly after workout, two sugar-free oatmeal cookies (approx. 90 calories) later, a bowl of beans with rice and a smidge cheddar
Lunch: a bowl of beans with a smidge of cheddar + spinach leaf salad
Dinner: a fresco style steak burrito (yep, forgot my dinner for school...)
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich after breakfast (hey I'd been up for 5 hours!) and probably too many reese's peanut butter chips... :::ashamed:::
+ one hot chocolate (80 cal)
Water: could have done better
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: ---
_________________________________________
Today's Workouts: Turbo....as usual, lol... my favorite, CP2 with weighted gloves. LOVE IT!
+ 2 mile Fast Start workout with Dad
Breakfast: banana before workout... directly after workout, two sugar-free oatmeal cookies (approx. 90 calories) later, a bowl of beans with rice and a smidge cheddar
Lunch: a bowl of beans with a smidge of cheddar + spinach leaf salad
Dinner: a fresco style steak burrito (yep, forgot my dinner for school...)
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich after breakfast (hey I'd been up for 5 hours!) and probably too many reese's peanut butter chips... :::ashamed:::
+ one hot chocolate (80 cal)
Water: could have done better
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: ---
Monday, November 17, 2008
Nov. 17 -- Blooming and Building My House
I have fallen in love with the following verse... its just so beautiful, inspiring, and strengthening!!!
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him." -- Colossians 2:6
I was thinking about it, and since it seems likely I'll end up in Germany again soon, it really does make the most sense to grow your roots into Jesus as opposed to the place you live or want to live. I get asked by others and myself a lot, which is your real home? Do you like Germany or Florida better? The fact of the matter is, if I refuse to let my roots grow into any place or anyone besides Jesus, it doesn't matter, because if I change locations, there is no "uprooting" of my soul. It sheds some new light on that saying, "Bloom where you are planted!" .... and it's a lot easier to bloom if you've already got your roots with you no matter where you go! Likewise, if I build my house on Him, the place I really live won't matter as much.
And now for some news on the bod, aka God's house!
Lately I haven't felt up to cranking out 90 minutes of exercise. It has seemed lately that one hour is enough, even 40 minutes. If I do 40 minutes and try really hard, I think it's just as good as doing 60 or 80 minutes when I'm already pretty tired.
Plus I now own four pairs of jeans in a size 4 and so I know it can't be just a fluke that ONE brand fits me in that size. The scale said 135 today, and I feel a little bit bloated, so I'm optimistic that perhaps I'm another pound or two closer to my goal. We'll know once the TOM is over; my weight seems more stable after that. For obvious reasons, lol :-)
I really want to focus a lot on building muscle, not that I get BIG, but that muscle chases out useless, shapeless fat. I am happy with the size that I am, I just want to be tighter. Even if that means not losing a single pound more :-) I mean that! I do think I could afford to lose a teeeeeny bit more on my butt, though, and an even teenier bit more on my stomach. I see definition in my abs that I have never ever seen before so I know all of these bootcamp abs workouts are working (plus, when I try a really tough ab workout for the first time and it makes me SCREAM from pain, the second time never hurts as bad :-))
I'm just working on building my house. I gotta take care of this gift, you know? Sure, it's on loan and we'll all get new bodies eventually... but I think of this way... if I borrow a book from the library, do I destroy it by letting it gather dust or sit out in the sun? Because something's on loan (that was purchased at a very high price, might I add), that should be a reason to want to take care of it and make sure it's in proper working condition for as long as possible.
So there you have it: build your house on HIM, and take care of the "other" house that you have been blessed with. I believe God is glorified when we take joy and [the good kind of] pride in being good shepherds of the gifts He gives us.
_________________________________
Today's Workouts: everything except the cooldown on CP remix, 20 minutes of Lower Body jam (skipped floor work), then advanced Bootcamp abs (9 minutes)
walk strong w/ Dad, 2 lb weights
Breakfast: 1 banana and one oatmeal cookie before workout, after workout 3/4 cup black beans and they are so freaking delicious. 2/3 cup brown rice, 1 small sausage link + 8 oz. skim milk
Lunch: scoop of black beans, 1/2 cup brown rice, sprinkled with a pinch of shredded cheddar
Dinner: FFAF: "Food from a Friend" Hannah fed starving me a serving of beautiful bow-tie pasta with a delicious vegetable medley sauce which included zucchini, tomatoes, and I think mushrooms... very delicious!!
Dessert/snacks: 1 74% organic dark chocolate square, a few hours later a strawberry ice cream sandwich from Aldi, yummy yum and only 130 calories!!! ... after lunch (2:30pm) -- one graham cracker with a bit of reduced fat PB.
Water: man, the cold weather makes me less thirsty for some reason... i really have to FORCE myself to drink, yo
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: you know, i skipped them bc I usually just take cinnamon, gelatin for my nails, green tea, and acidopholus (for my bowels actually lol), which is the most important, but I think all the beans I ate will do a fine job :-)
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him." -- Colossians 2:6
I was thinking about it, and since it seems likely I'll end up in Germany again soon, it really does make the most sense to grow your roots into Jesus as opposed to the place you live or want to live. I get asked by others and myself a lot, which is your real home? Do you like Germany or Florida better? The fact of the matter is, if I refuse to let my roots grow into any place or anyone besides Jesus, it doesn't matter, because if I change locations, there is no "uprooting" of my soul. It sheds some new light on that saying, "Bloom where you are planted!" .... and it's a lot easier to bloom if you've already got your roots with you no matter where you go! Likewise, if I build my house on Him, the place I really live won't matter as much.
And now for some news on the bod, aka God's house!
Lately I haven't felt up to cranking out 90 minutes of exercise. It has seemed lately that one hour is enough, even 40 minutes. If I do 40 minutes and try really hard, I think it's just as good as doing 60 or 80 minutes when I'm already pretty tired.
Plus I now own four pairs of jeans in a size 4 and so I know it can't be just a fluke that ONE brand fits me in that size. The scale said 135 today, and I feel a little bit bloated, so I'm optimistic that perhaps I'm another pound or two closer to my goal. We'll know once the TOM is over; my weight seems more stable after that. For obvious reasons, lol :-)
I really want to focus a lot on building muscle, not that I get BIG, but that muscle chases out useless, shapeless fat. I am happy with the size that I am, I just want to be tighter. Even if that means not losing a single pound more :-) I mean that! I do think I could afford to lose a teeeeeny bit more on my butt, though, and an even teenier bit more on my stomach. I see definition in my abs that I have never ever seen before so I know all of these bootcamp abs workouts are working (plus, when I try a really tough ab workout for the first time and it makes me SCREAM from pain, the second time never hurts as bad :-))
I'm just working on building my house. I gotta take care of this gift, you know? Sure, it's on loan and we'll all get new bodies eventually... but I think of this way... if I borrow a book from the library, do I destroy it by letting it gather dust or sit out in the sun? Because something's on loan (that was purchased at a very high price, might I add), that should be a reason to want to take care of it and make sure it's in proper working condition for as long as possible.
So there you have it: build your house on HIM, and take care of the "other" house that you have been blessed with. I believe God is glorified when we take joy and [the good kind of] pride in being good shepherds of the gifts He gives us.
_________________________________
Today's Workouts: everything except the cooldown on CP remix, 20 minutes of Lower Body jam (skipped floor work), then advanced Bootcamp abs (9 minutes)
walk strong w/ Dad, 2 lb weights
Breakfast: 1 banana and one oatmeal cookie before workout, after workout 3/4 cup black beans and they are so freaking delicious. 2/3 cup brown rice, 1 small sausage link + 8 oz. skim milk
Lunch: scoop of black beans, 1/2 cup brown rice, sprinkled with a pinch of shredded cheddar
Dinner: FFAF: "Food from a Friend" Hannah fed starving me a serving of beautiful bow-tie pasta with a delicious vegetable medley sauce which included zucchini, tomatoes, and I think mushrooms... very delicious!!
Dessert/snacks: 1 74% organic dark chocolate square, a few hours later a strawberry ice cream sandwich from Aldi, yummy yum and only 130 calories!!! ... after lunch (2:30pm) -- one graham cracker with a bit of reduced fat PB.
Water: man, the cold weather makes me less thirsty for some reason... i really have to FORCE myself to drink, yo
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: you know, i skipped them bc I usually just take cinnamon, gelatin for my nails, green tea, and acidopholus (for my bowels actually lol), which is the most important, but I think all the beans I ate will do a fine job :-)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Nov. 16 -- "I'll take you back, always"
some lyrics...
Those words mean more to me than I can say here.
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP1 w/ weighted gloves
Breakfast: banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with sundried tomato pesto, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, a splash of EVOO, garlic, oregano
Lunch: 1 slice mestamacher fitness bread with chive/onion cream cheese, 1 slice Gouda, 1 thin slice salami.
Dinner: 3/4 cup black beans, sprinkled with a pinch of mexican blend cheese. 2/3 cup brown rice, 1/2 sausage.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich... who cares what time of day it is, lol :-), 1/2 strawberry frosted poptart before church (11am) ... after dinner four small sugar free oatmeal raisin cookies (ca. 160 calories)
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Though my praise was few
When I fall I bring your name down
But I have found in you
A heart that bleeds
Forgiveness replacing all these thoughts of painful memories
And I know your response will always be
"I'll take you back, always
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back"
You satisfy this cry of what I'm
looking for and I'll take all I can
and lay it down before
The throne of endless grace now
that radiates what's true
I'm in the only place that erases
all these faults that have overtaken me and
I know that your response will always be
"I'll take you back, always
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back"
I can only speak with a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift of your love
I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough
Those words mean more to me than I can say here.
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP1 w/ weighted gloves
Breakfast: banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with sundried tomato pesto, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, a splash of EVOO, garlic, oregano
Lunch: 1 slice mestamacher fitness bread with chive/onion cream cheese, 1 slice Gouda, 1 thin slice salami.
Dinner: 3/4 cup black beans, sprinkled with a pinch of mexican blend cheese. 2/3 cup brown rice, 1/2 sausage.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich... who cares what time of day it is, lol :-), 1/2 strawberry frosted poptart before church (11am) ... after dinner four small sugar free oatmeal raisin cookies (ca. 160 calories)
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Nov. 15 ... Christianity throughout History...
I watched the movie "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" last night and it got me thinking... how CRAZY different was Christianity back then!! The "real" Christians, the Catholics, were sooo convinced that God wanted them to kill the "fake" Christians (Protestants), and they really tried to!!! The entire "modern" Christian world of the time was so obsessed with being right and was so ridiculously legalistic... people getting hung and their heads chopped off just for refusing to believe in the Pope and stuff. I started thinking of the evolution of Christianity. How could something so simple as the promise of Jesus have been so corrupted? You gotta wonder what those folks were thinking... did they even READ the Bible where it says "love your enemies"? Crazy. Here we are in an age of extremism when all of us are worried about the fundamental and extremist Muslims and how they are convinced their way is the right way and that it is their divine right to kill everyone that doesn't believe the way they do..... but didn't the Christians have their go at this, too? Granted, it seems a bit more dangerous to more people this time around, but that's only because back then, nuclear weapons hadn't been invented yet. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if they had been, they would have used them to wipe out everybody who refused to kiss the Pope's ass... think Crusades... on crack.
That's all I have to say for today, lol.
That's all I have to say for today, lol.
Today's Workouts: four hours power shopping. I worked up a little bit of a sweat :-) + 2 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 slice mestemacher bread, 1 slice Gouda, 1 thin slice salami, chive/onion cream cheese + one tangerine + 1 cup skim milk
Lunch: SmartOnes enchiladas with extra salsa and a dollop low fat sour cream + baby spinach leaf salad with light Italian
Dinner: Healthy Choice soup (ouch, sodium, didn't think about that...) ... 250 calories + a dollop sour cream and cilantro
Dessert/snacks: midmorning: 1 banana, after lunch: ice cream sandwich... after dinner 1 stick Hershey's Extra Dark chocolate
Water: eh
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Breakfast: 1 slice mestemacher bread, 1 slice Gouda, 1 thin slice salami, chive/onion cream cheese + one tangerine + 1 cup skim milk
Lunch: SmartOnes enchiladas with extra salsa and a dollop low fat sour cream + baby spinach leaf salad with light Italian
Dinner: Healthy Choice soup (ouch, sodium, didn't think about that...) ... 250 calories + a dollop sour cream and cilantro
Dessert/snacks: midmorning: 1 banana, after lunch: ice cream sandwich... after dinner 1 stick Hershey's Extra Dark chocolate
Water: eh
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Friday, November 14, 2008
Nov. 14 -- Burn
Today's Workouts: most of Billy Blanks Cardio circuit 1, which actually kind of stunk and I don't know if it was me or the workout... + Turbo Jam Sculpt w/ 8 lb dumbbells, MAN it burned today, folks... sweat was just pouring. + Beginner's bootcamp abs.
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with sliced cherry tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, garlic, ricotta, sun-dried tomato pesto, oregano. yum!
Lunch:
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich (mid-morning)
Water:
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with sliced cherry tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, garlic, ricotta, sun-dried tomato pesto, oregano. yum!
Lunch:
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich (mid-morning)
Water:
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Stuff...
I have to say... I am really enjoying being able to walk around without my butt jiggling. It is awesome to be able to run and jump without my butt doing its own set of jacks. All those squats are really paying off!
I don't normally do this but I am going to write out what I'm going to do tomorrow. Not relevant to any audience but me, lol. Sometimes I need a plan.
1. Exercise -- ODB first, then short but intense cardio + strength training ...
2. Practice my speech a few times
3. Print out the translation I did today
4. Print out this week's assignment for the Motivation class
5. DO this week's assignment for the Motivation class
6. Work out with Dad
7. Study for a test next week
8. Go to the post office and mail three packages first class with delivery confirmation
9. Meet client on campus to discuss services and eventually exchange services for money (translation lol)
10. Tutor German for two hours in the late afternoon
11. Eat healthy all day (NO JUNK FOOD!!!!!)
12. Be bummed that I missed my friend's birthday festivities ... being your own boss has its pros and cons. Gotta keep the clients happy or you don't make any money.
13. Read the Word.... in German
I don't normally do this but I am going to write out what I'm going to do tomorrow. Not relevant to any audience but me, lol. Sometimes I need a plan.
1. Exercise -- ODB first, then short but intense cardio + strength training ...
2. Practice my speech a few times
3. Print out the translation I did today
4. Print out this week's assignment for the Motivation class
5. DO this week's assignment for the Motivation class
6. Work out with Dad
7. Study for a test next week
8. Go to the post office and mail three packages first class with delivery confirmation
9. Meet client on campus to discuss services and eventually exchange services for money (translation lol)
10. Tutor German for two hours in the late afternoon
11. Eat healthy all day (NO JUNK FOOD!!!!!)
12. Be bummed that I missed my friend's birthday festivities ... being your own boss has its pros and cons. Gotta keep the clients happy or you don't make any money.
13. Read the Word.... in German
Nov. 13
Man that Chex stuff, NEVER MAKING IT AGAIN. NEVER. It is just way too good and easy to munch. Let's just say that packing it into individual servings was a waste of my time and detrimental to the environment due to all the plastic baggies I wasted. *sigh*. I won't go into detail. I started my workout at 7:30 bc I was so tired... I ate way too much of that chex stuff. luckily it has tons of fiber so it wasn't completely bad for me, but STILL. STILL! And there are much worse things I could have "binged" on. But none taste THAT good. MAN it is so goooooood.
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Punch, Kick, and Jam w/ weighted gloves, Turbo Jam Fat Blaster (no gloves) + Bootcamp Abs challenge (I DID IT!!!!!!!!!) holy crap it hurt so so so so so so bad. And I was glad.
Breakfast: wasnt hungry at all due to the abundance of Chex consumed just 8 hours prior, after workout i ate 1 lavash wrap with 1/2 beef patty, 1 slice american cheese, low fat mayo, ketchup, mustard, onion, relish, garlic. And some Chex. arggggh.
Lunch: chex
Dinner: 15 almonds
Dessert/snacks: --
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Punch, Kick, and Jam w/ weighted gloves, Turbo Jam Fat Blaster (no gloves) + Bootcamp Abs challenge (I DID IT!!!!!!!!!) holy crap it hurt so so so so so so bad. And I was glad.
Breakfast: wasnt hungry at all due to the abundance of Chex consumed just 8 hours prior, after workout i ate 1 lavash wrap with 1/2 beef patty, 1 slice american cheese, low fat mayo, ketchup, mustard, onion, relish, garlic. And some Chex. arggggh.
Lunch: chex
Dinner: 15 almonds
Dessert/snacks: --
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Nov. 12 -- Stagnant
Haven't written in a few days...but I've still been thinking.
A journey with the Lord can be compared on so many levels to a journey to get in shape. When you commit yourself to Jesus, it's not just for 30 days, six weeks, or as a New Year's resolution. It's for life. People, myself included, set similar fitness goals for themselves. We hear statements of intent like this: "For the next three months, I am going to exercise four days a week so I can lose 30 lbs and look good for the family reunion." ... we fall into the promises of women's magazines that you can look good in a bikini in 30 days. "Five weeks to your best body!" ...
I'm sorry, I hate to burst the bubble here, but it takes WAY longer than five weeks to look good in a bikini. WAY longer. It's a growth process and it takes commitment and consistency. And from a logical standpoint, it doesn't even make sense to exercise for 30 days and then just stop. Over time, you'll gain back the weight you lost and lose muscle you gained. IT TAKES HARD WORK TO GET IN EXCELLENT PHYSICAL SHAPE AND STAY THAT WAY. No dinking around for ten minutes on the treadmill (although it's a start) and expecting to drop major pounds.
The same applies to our walk with Christ. Just like you can't work out for 30 days, stop, and expect the weight to stay off and the muscle to stay on, you can't just occasionally wade into the Word, or do a set of sprints and expect long-term growth. Sure, it's a start, and its important to realize that a lot of the "Get fit in 30 days" gimmicks are actually designed to get you into the habit of exercising for life, not so you get it done and over with.
Over time, consistency wins. If we are consistent in our walk and relationship with the Lord, we will grow! Likewise, if we are consistent in our fitness endeavors, we will increase our fitness level. But watch out! What happens if we work out the same way every day--the same amount of weight, the same speed, the same distance-- and don't ever challenge ourselves? No progress either, right? We just stay the same. The same can happen if we aren't consistently being challenged in our relationship with God...When we increase the amount of resistance on our muscles while weight training, our muscle fibers literally shred, unravel, and rip apart from one another. When the muscles heal, though, they are stronger than before. Likewise, in your walk with Him, allow God and His Word to rip apart your old self, unravel your heart, and make you stronger in your faith. Instead of wading cautiously into the Word, DIVE into it and let it change you.
As stagnant water in the heat of summer invites mold to grow and mosquitoes to breed, so invites the stagnant heart sin to plant its seed; the stagnant body disease.
Today's Workouts: Women's Health total workout in 10 (all 5 segments: 50 minutes) with 8 and 5 lb weights
Breakfast: one banana before workout, after workout leftover spinach onion kugel from yesterday
Lunch: 2 slices healthy french toast (no, really!) + some chex mix dessert i made... packed up the rest, not allowed to have any for a while!!!
Dinner: rest of the Kugel ...
Dessert/snacks: 1 serving of the chex mix (i know, i know)
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
A journey with the Lord can be compared on so many levels to a journey to get in shape. When you commit yourself to Jesus, it's not just for 30 days, six weeks, or as a New Year's resolution. It's for life. People, myself included, set similar fitness goals for themselves. We hear statements of intent like this: "For the next three months, I am going to exercise four days a week so I can lose 30 lbs and look good for the family reunion." ... we fall into the promises of women's magazines that you can look good in a bikini in 30 days. "Five weeks to your best body!" ...
I'm sorry, I hate to burst the bubble here, but it takes WAY longer than five weeks to look good in a bikini. WAY longer. It's a growth process and it takes commitment and consistency. And from a logical standpoint, it doesn't even make sense to exercise for 30 days and then just stop. Over time, you'll gain back the weight you lost and lose muscle you gained. IT TAKES HARD WORK TO GET IN EXCELLENT PHYSICAL SHAPE AND STAY THAT WAY. No dinking around for ten minutes on the treadmill (although it's a start) and expecting to drop major pounds.
The same applies to our walk with Christ. Just like you can't work out for 30 days, stop, and expect the weight to stay off and the muscle to stay on, you can't just occasionally wade into the Word, or do a set of sprints and expect long-term growth. Sure, it's a start, and its important to realize that a lot of the "Get fit in 30 days" gimmicks are actually designed to get you into the habit of exercising for life, not so you get it done and over with.
Over time, consistency wins. If we are consistent in our walk and relationship with the Lord, we will grow! Likewise, if we are consistent in our fitness endeavors, we will increase our fitness level. But watch out! What happens if we work out the same way every day--the same amount of weight, the same speed, the same distance-- and don't ever challenge ourselves? No progress either, right? We just stay the same. The same can happen if we aren't consistently being challenged in our relationship with God...When we increase the amount of resistance on our muscles while weight training, our muscle fibers literally shred, unravel, and rip apart from one another. When the muscles heal, though, they are stronger than before. Likewise, in your walk with Him, allow God and His Word to rip apart your old self, unravel your heart, and make you stronger in your faith. Instead of wading cautiously into the Word, DIVE into it and let it change you.
As stagnant water in the heat of summer invites mold to grow and mosquitoes to breed, so invites the stagnant heart sin to plant its seed; the stagnant body disease.
Today's Workouts: Women's Health total workout in 10 (all 5 segments: 50 minutes) with 8 and 5 lb weights
Breakfast: one banana before workout, after workout leftover spinach onion kugel from yesterday
Lunch: 2 slices healthy french toast (no, really!) + some chex mix dessert i made... packed up the rest, not allowed to have any for a while!!!
Dinner: rest of the Kugel ...
Dessert/snacks: 1 serving of the chex mix (i know, i know)
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Nov. 11 -- Veteran's Day
Today's Workouts: part of a Billy Blanks workout + Turbo Jam booty sculpt + abs w/ 8 and 5 lb weights
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 lavash wrap w/ 1/2 hamburger patty, low fat mayo, red onion, relish, 1 slice American cheese, low sugar ketchup, mustard
Lunch: caesar salad
Dinner: tried a Weight Watchers recipe ... "Spinach Onion Kugel" apparently is very low in fat. I hope that is true.
Dessert/snacks: 1 cheese stick..... 2 tbs ricotta, 1 graham cracker before dinner (VERY hungry lol) ... dessert = one ice cream sandwich, 1 sugar free popsicle before bed
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 lavash wrap w/ 1/2 hamburger patty, low fat mayo, red onion, relish, 1 slice American cheese, low sugar ketchup, mustard
Lunch: caesar salad
Dinner: tried a Weight Watchers recipe ... "Spinach Onion Kugel" apparently is very low in fat. I hope that is true.
Dessert/snacks: 1 cheese stick..... 2 tbs ricotta, 1 graham cracker before dinner (VERY hungry lol) ... dessert = one ice cream sandwich, 1 sugar free popsicle before bed
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Monday, November 10, 2008
Nov. 10 -- New Jeans
I think I gotta get over the fact that if I eat badly ONE single day, I'm not going to wake up the next morning 13 pounds heavier. I felt guilty when I ate that pizza and ice cream cake and I kept saying to myself "well, I guess I blew it"... but I didn't!!!! Geez!! An occasional splurge is not going to kill me. This morning I woke up later and feel tired, I think its because of what I ate yesterday, so I'll take it as a reminder that I FEEL BETTER when I eat healthier...
Also... yesterday I bought a new pair of jeans... in a size 4!!! That is a BIG DEAL for me! I'm very excited. I tried on the 6 which I normally wear and they were loose enough I could slide them off without unbuttoning them... but the 4 fit me great!! Even in the age of major vanity sizing, I haven't been able to fit in a size 4 since I was 16! So this is great!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam marathon lol ... Kickin' Core + CPRemix + 20MW with 1 lb weighted gloves. . . 95 minutes.
And now I have a migraine. One of the possible causes? Intense physical exertion. Ah, well, at least I burned off that pizza and cake last night.
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/4 cup mexican blend cheese, and a bit of sour cream inside. Attempted to eat a salad.
Lunch: a cheeseburger
Dinner: one 60-cal pita with 8 chopped cherry tomatoes, a pinch of mozzarella, a tbs ricotta, 1 tsp or so sundried tomato pesto, oregano, garlic, splash of EVOO. yum.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich
Water: so far so good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Also... yesterday I bought a new pair of jeans... in a size 4!!! That is a BIG DEAL for me! I'm very excited. I tried on the 6 which I normally wear and they were loose enough I could slide them off without unbuttoning them... but the 4 fit me great!! Even in the age of major vanity sizing, I haven't been able to fit in a size 4 since I was 16! So this is great!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam marathon lol ... Kickin' Core + CPRemix + 20MW with 1 lb weighted gloves. . . 95 minutes.
And now I have a migraine. One of the possible causes? Intense physical exertion. Ah, well, at least I burned off that pizza and cake last night.
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout lavash wrap with 1/2 cup black beans, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/4 cup mexican blend cheese, and a bit of sour cream inside. Attempted to eat a salad.
Lunch: a cheeseburger
Dinner: one 60-cal pita with 8 chopped cherry tomatoes, a pinch of mozzarella, a tbs ricotta, 1 tsp or so sundried tomato pesto, oregano, garlic, splash of EVOO. yum.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich
Water: so far so good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Nov. 9 -- Hello, Key West!
Well I made it to Key West!! Finally!! I haven't decided where to go next, so I will stay here for a while. What a trip! I'm actually gonna get to go there in March, probably. Spring break! Yeah!!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP2 + Kickboxing ab routine from Perfect abs DVD
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 2 mini bagels with 1 slice Gouda, 2 slices salami, almost 1 wedge spreadable cheese, a bit of chive/onion cream cheese
Lunch: 7 small swedish meatballs, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, a cup of roasted tomato garlic soup (we had lunch at IKEA), 3 small squares dark chocolate for dessert
Dinner: 2 slices pizza, 1 breadstick, 1 (probably too big) slice ice cream cake from bruster's LOL... so worth it.
Dessert/snacks: n/a
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP2 + Kickboxing ab routine from Perfect abs DVD
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 2 mini bagels with 1 slice Gouda, 2 slices salami, almost 1 wedge spreadable cheese, a bit of chive/onion cream cheese
Lunch: 7 small swedish meatballs, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, a cup of roasted tomato garlic soup (we had lunch at IKEA), 3 small squares dark chocolate for dessert
Dinner: 2 slices pizza, 1 breadstick, 1 (probably too big) slice ice cream cake from bruster's LOL... so worth it.
Dessert/snacks: n/a
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Nov. 8
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Total Body Blast
Breakfast: 1 bagel, 1 slice Gouda, 1 slice salami, chive/onion cream cheese, 1 tangerine
Lunch: 15 almonds, a few sunflower seeds, 1 apple, one 12-oz pomegranate green tea, later a bowl of mexican vegetable soup (see yesterday for ingredients)
Dinner: ...? i dont think i ate anything
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich, 1 extra dark chocolate stick, 1 cheese stick b4 bed
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: forgot
Breakfast: 1 bagel, 1 slice Gouda, 1 slice salami, chive/onion cream cheese, 1 tangerine
Lunch: 15 almonds, a few sunflower seeds, 1 apple, one 12-oz pomegranate green tea, later a bowl of mexican vegetable soup (see yesterday for ingredients)
Dinner: ...? i dont think i ate anything
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich, 1 extra dark chocolate stick, 1 cheese stick b4 bed
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: forgot
Friday, November 7, 2008
So worth posting...
I had been wondering what it was that I experienced a few weeks ago. It was like a wave of FEELING swept over me. For so long, I hadn't had any true life flowing through me and no matter how hard I tried, I still felt almost ... dead. Some things would tear me up, sure, and for good reason, like saying good bye to friends, but I don't mean those kind of [sad] emotions... I mean emotions in general. The feeling and awareness that you're alive. Maybe some of you have heard me mention before that I "don't feel like a real person" ... that's changed now, somehow. And until today, I had been calling it, this thing that happened on October 25, 2008, "the transformation"... but I read something today that a good friend of mine had posted on her blog... it's from an anonymous writer. Chew on it.
12 SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
2. Frequent attacks of smiling.
3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.
4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.
6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
7. A loss of ability to worry.
8. A loss of interest in conflict.
9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
10. A loss of interest in judging others.
11. A loss of interest in judging self.
12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.
- Unknown -
That's exactly how I feel. I feel like something inside me, I guess it's really my spirit has just woken up all of a sudden.
And the things that mattered before just don't matter anymore.
12 SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
2. Frequent attacks of smiling.
3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.
4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.
6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
7. A loss of ability to worry.
8. A loss of interest in conflict.
9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
10. A loss of interest in judging others.
11. A loss of interest in judging self.
12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.
- Unknown -
That's exactly how I feel. I feel like something inside me, I guess it's really my spirit has just woken up all of a sudden.
And the things that mattered before just don't matter anymore.
Nov. 7 -- Patience
"God stretches our patience to enlarge our soul."
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment at 3:30... I got there 10 minutes early, had printed the paperwork out online to fill out beforehand and I fully expected to get seen AT 3:30...
...
At 4:30, they finally, FINALLY called my name. I was peeved to have had to sit there while patients who came in after me got their names called. I did not mention these patients when my name was finally called, but I snapped "I could have come an hour later!" The assistant apologized to me and said the man before me had Alzheimer's. She then proceeded to take EIGHTEEN x-rays of my teeth. EIGHTEEN! I have a small mouth and the films she put in hurt very badly, and I could even taste blood... I was fuming but I kept my cool.
I finally got seen by the doc... I have no cavities, but the two spots I was concerned about on two back teeth, though they are not decaying, are abrasions and are probably bc I brushed them too hard over the years... and I need fillings for them so they don't get worse. Guess I got too happy with my electric toothbrush [I now use a regular one]. Anyway, I paid $15 for my appointment which is way cheap in comparison to the other dentist I was going to thats not under my insurance, but the resin fillings for the two spots are going to cost me $215, and fluoride treatment isn't covered under my insurance, so theres another $40... so I have go go back in on the 20th for my cleaning, fluoride treatment and fillings, and it's going to cost me about $250. I know its still cheaper than if I had had it done at my old dentist, but I guess I had it in my head that I would pay the $165 for the year of prepaid stuff and that would be that... I do get a lot of stuff for the $165, and the other things are cheaper, so I still come out on top, but stiiiiiiiiiiiill it sucks to spend my hard earned money on dental care.
Anyway the assistant really tried my patience. I mean really. The whole place did.
I cheered up though, class was interesting and I signed up for an event on the 22nd!! I'm going to do the UCF challenge course!
Plus, I'm down to 135 today, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
_______________________
I WILL ARRIVE IN KEY WEST TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam 20-Minute Workout w/ HB, + 2 Mile Walk n' Tone with 1 lb weights AND walk belt, WOW what a burn...
Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana. after workout, 1 banana pancake and 1 regular pancake, with sugar-free syrup and ca 12 oz 2% chocolate milk, 2 slices apple. YUM!
Lunch: a bowl of mexican vegetable soup with a dollop of low fat sour cream
Dinner: barbeque pork on a light bun (bun has 80 calories) with sauce...
Dessert/snacks: after lunch: 60-cal extra dark chocolate stick, afternoon: ice cream sandwich. after dinner: 1 square 72% dark chocolate
Water: gotta step it up...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment at 3:30... I got there 10 minutes early, had printed the paperwork out online to fill out beforehand and I fully expected to get seen AT 3:30...
...
At 4:30, they finally, FINALLY called my name. I was peeved to have had to sit there while patients who came in after me got their names called. I did not mention these patients when my name was finally called, but I snapped "I could have come an hour later!" The assistant apologized to me and said the man before me had Alzheimer's. She then proceeded to take EIGHTEEN x-rays of my teeth. EIGHTEEN! I have a small mouth and the films she put in hurt very badly, and I could even taste blood... I was fuming but I kept my cool.
I finally got seen by the doc... I have no cavities, but the two spots I was concerned about on two back teeth, though they are not decaying, are abrasions and are probably bc I brushed them too hard over the years... and I need fillings for them so they don't get worse. Guess I got too happy with my electric toothbrush [I now use a regular one]. Anyway, I paid $15 for my appointment which is way cheap in comparison to the other dentist I was going to thats not under my insurance, but the resin fillings for the two spots are going to cost me $215, and fluoride treatment isn't covered under my insurance, so theres another $40... so I have go go back in on the 20th for my cleaning, fluoride treatment and fillings, and it's going to cost me about $250. I know its still cheaper than if I had had it done at my old dentist, but I guess I had it in my head that I would pay the $165 for the year of prepaid stuff and that would be that... I do get a lot of stuff for the $165, and the other things are cheaper, so I still come out on top, but stiiiiiiiiiiiill it sucks to spend my hard earned money on dental care.
Anyway the assistant really tried my patience. I mean really. The whole place did.
I cheered up though, class was interesting and I signed up for an event on the 22nd!! I'm going to do the UCF challenge course!
Plus, I'm down to 135 today, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
_______________________
I WILL ARRIVE IN KEY WEST TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam 20-Minute Workout w/ HB, + 2 Mile Walk n' Tone with 1 lb weights AND walk belt, WOW what a burn...
Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana. after workout, 1 banana pancake and 1 regular pancake, with sugar-free syrup and ca 12 oz 2% chocolate milk, 2 slices apple. YUM!
Lunch: a bowl of mexican vegetable soup with a dollop of low fat sour cream
Dinner: barbeque pork on a light bun (bun has 80 calories) with sauce...
Dessert/snacks: after lunch: 60-cal extra dark chocolate stick, afternoon: ice cream sandwich. after dinner: 1 square 72% dark chocolate
Water: gotta step it up...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Nov. 6
Today's Workouts: Tae Bo Cardio Circuit 2 (1 hr) with weighted gloves
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 tangerine after workout.... later 3 slices healthy french toast made with egg whites + skim milk, sugar-free syrup. sooo yummy!!
Lunch: barbeque sandwich
Dinner: 1 apple, some bran crackers, 15 almonds or so.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich after lunch. a cup of hot chocolate (80 cal)
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
+ 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 tangerine after workout.... later 3 slices healthy french toast made with egg whites + skim milk, sugar-free syrup. sooo yummy!!
Lunch: barbeque sandwich
Dinner: 1 apple, some bran crackers, 15 almonds or so.
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich after lunch. a cup of hot chocolate (80 cal)
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Nov. 5 -- "Sword": "Word" with an "S" at the front
Today's ODB reminded me that God's Word is sharper than a double-edged sword... Heb 4:12 says "For the word of God is alive and powerful" ... well, I know it's definitely alive, because each and every time I open it, I find something new. How else could one single book remain relevant after so much time? It has to be living.
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP1 + Lower Body Jam (with 8 lb dumbbells)
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 chicken breast topped with salsa, 1/2 cup black beans, sprinkled with a teeny bit of mexican blend cheese, 1 dollop low-fat sour cream, sprinkled with dried cilantro + 1 baby spinach side salad with light Italian dressing.
Lunch: one 60-cal pita with part-skim ricotta cheese, 3/4 tbs sundried tomato pesto sauce, sprinkled with mozzarella and oregano, drizzled with EVOO... + side salad with spicy ranch dressing
Dinner: a veggie burrito at Tijuana Flats.... black beans, fat free sour cream, low-fat cheese, salsa, rice, wheat tortilla... and way too many tortilla chips.
Dessert/snacks: one 60-cal extra dark chocolate stick
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP1 + Lower Body Jam (with 8 lb dumbbells)
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 chicken breast topped with salsa, 1/2 cup black beans, sprinkled with a teeny bit of mexican blend cheese, 1 dollop low-fat sour cream, sprinkled with dried cilantro + 1 baby spinach side salad with light Italian dressing.
Lunch: one 60-cal pita with part-skim ricotta cheese, 3/4 tbs sundried tomato pesto sauce, sprinkled with mozzarella and oregano, drizzled with EVOO... + side salad with spicy ranch dressing
Dinner: a veggie burrito at Tijuana Flats.... black beans, fat free sour cream, low-fat cheese, salsa, rice, wheat tortilla... and way too many tortilla chips.
Dessert/snacks: one 60-cal extra dark chocolate stick
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Nov. 4 -- Super Tired.........
Today's Workouts: attempted 30-Day-Shred Level 3, turned it off halfway through though... I feel kinda weak for some reason, I could not for the life of me find a workout I thought I could actually get through without hating. So I didn't force myself. I'll walk with Dad when he gets home today and focus on getting some school work done so I can chill this weekend :-)
+ 2 miles with Dad (total 38 minutes)... did classic mile and arms mile from the 5DSD
Breakfast: 1 banana, one 60-cal pita with sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 6 sliced cherry tomatoes, 6 small pepperonis, shredded mozzarella.
Lunch: 1 grilled chicken breast topped with salsa, 1/2 black beans + a dollop of sour cream + dried cilantro
Dinner: one package animal cookies + hot chocolate. terrible, I know.
Dessert/snacks: 1 cheese stick, 1 ice cream sandwich (snack total: 210 calories)
Water: could do better...!
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
+ 2 miles with Dad (total 38 minutes)... did classic mile and arms mile from the 5DSD
Breakfast: 1 banana, one 60-cal pita with sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 6 sliced cherry tomatoes, 6 small pepperonis, shredded mozzarella.
Lunch: 1 grilled chicken breast topped with salsa, 1/2 black beans + a dollop of sour cream + dried cilantro
Dinner: one package animal cookies + hot chocolate. terrible, I know.
Dessert/snacks: 1 cheese stick, 1 ice cream sandwich (snack total: 210 calories)
Water: could do better...!
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Monday, November 3, 2008
Nov. 3
I don't have much to say today. I have to study for a test and write a proposal for a new ministry at RR... ODB was about being examples of God's love to others each day... our lives are like holiday catalogs... when people look at my life, does anything pop out at them to cause them to long for what I have been given (Christ's love in my heart) for themselves?
I'm down another entire pound, though... so my current weight is 135.6. Only 5.6 more lbs to go! Wow, that is so exciting!! Plus, a pair of shorts that have NEVER fit comfortably now slide right on! A size 6!
_______________________
I'm down another entire pound, though... so my current weight is 135.6. Only 5.6 more lbs to go! Wow, that is so exciting!! Plus, a pair of shorts that have NEVER fit comfortably now slide right on! A size 6!
_______________________
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Kickin' Core w/ weighted gloves + 20 Minute W/O
+ 4 Fast Miles DVD with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout a pita (60 cal) frittata with the following ingredients: egg whites fortified with soy protein and skim milk, + ricotta cheese spread into the pita, 5 cherry tomatoes, a handful of baby spinach leaves, garlic, red onion, s&p. yummyyy
Lunch: 1/2 hamburger patty, chopped, 1 slice American cheese, chopped, relish, low fat mayo, ketchup, a bit of red onion, in a 100-calorie whole grain wrap + 1 whole orange
Dinner: 1 bagel with 2 slices thin salami, 1 slice Gouda cheese, a little chive/onion cream cheese
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
+ 4 Fast Miles DVD with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout a pita (60 cal) frittata with the following ingredients: egg whites fortified with soy protein and skim milk, + ricotta cheese spread into the pita, 5 cherry tomatoes, a handful of baby spinach leaves, garlic, red onion, s&p. yummyyy
Lunch: 1/2 hamburger patty, chopped, 1 slice American cheese, chopped, relish, low fat mayo, ketchup, a bit of red onion, in a 100-calorie whole grain wrap + 1 whole orange
Dinner: 1 bagel with 2 slices thin salami, 1 slice Gouda cheese, a little chive/onion cream cheese
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich
Water: good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Nov. 2 -- Footsteps
In Psalm 119:133, David asks God to "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me."
That's something I have to ask God every single day! I have to admit that if I don't I'm putting myself at risk... again. As much as I want to forget the stupid things I've done in the past, I can't... just like I learned yesterday... God wants me to know what happens when I put myself in control, lol. How about chaos? Heartbreak? Just to name a few. Sin ruled over me... and when one is already a Christian, I think that's the hardest thing to admit and own up to... as I experienced last week. I think sometimes I just thought of myself as "untouchable".. but it makes sense: Satan works sooo much harder to get a Christian (like me) to turn away from God. Of course those who don't know Jesus don't have to struggle with sin... I hate, hate, hate, HATE to say this... but Satan doesn't care about those people... they don't struggle because he's already got them in his grip.
--------------------------------------
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP Remix with 1 lb gloves + 3T (65 minutes total)
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 tbs RFPB... 1 small chicken breast grilled with 1/2 cup salsa, a pinch shredded cheese, 1 dollop sour cream + cilantro
Lunch: 1 cheese stick, one packet granola (170 calories)
Dinner: 1/2 hamburger patty (ca. 140 calories) on a lite bun (80 calories) with 1 slice American cheese (? calories), relish, red onion, low-fat mayo, garlic powder, ketchup
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich. after dinner: 1 60-cal Extra Dark chocolate stick
Water: going strong
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout 1 tbs RFPB... 1 small chicken breast grilled with 1/2 cup salsa, a pinch shredded cheese, 1 dollop sour cream + cilantro
Lunch: 1 cheese stick, one packet granola (170 calories)
Dinner: 1/2 hamburger patty (ca. 140 calories) on a lite bun (80 calories) with 1 slice American cheese (? calories), relish, red onion, low-fat mayo, garlic powder, ketchup
Dessert/snacks: ice cream sandwich. after dinner: 1 60-cal Extra Dark chocolate stick
Water: going strong
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Nov. 1 -- Getting What I Want + Before and NOW pics...
Okay... today I read about how sometimes, God gives us exactly what He knows we want just so we can see what happens when we put ourselves in charge... this actually answers a lot of questions I've been asking myself... like "did God KNOW I was gonna do that?"
All I know is... I don't like what happens when I'm in charge, lol ...
Weight is continuing to come down steadily!! I'm 136.6 today, and I bought a new bathing suit! I was trying to figure out which one I liked best of the two I purchased (I'm taking one back), so I had Mom take pictures of me. Then it clicked-- hey, I can post these to my blog!
I am just under 137 right now, which is my "happy" weight according to Self.com's Happy Weight Calculator ... which means it's the weight that I'll finally start noticing the changes in my body. And I do!! It's exciting! I'd like to get to 130, but not so that I'm smaller--I'm happy with my size-- but I'd like to turn about 6 more pounds of fat into muscle.
SO... PICTURES!!!!!
Here's me (left) in early August in Key West... I think I was about 145 right here... a snug size 8. I like to excuse the pic on the right as simply a bad angle... and it was, but there's more to it than that. (NOTE: click on the pics to make them larger).
And here I am at the history center downtown... photo courtesy of viktor. Shorts were tight and I kept having to pull them out of my butt, lol... and check. out. those. thighs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And here I am with Viktor mid-August in St. Augustine... I don't want to talk about it. I was about 148 at this point I believe. Maybe even more than that! And a REALLY tight size 8.
And one last pic: a pic of me in my workout wear (with a crab leg... weird, yes-- but I wanted to show my friend how big they were lol).. about 144 here. After I stopped eating all the junk food, 4-5 lbs dropped off of me really quick. But I was really really flabby. (note thighs!!)
...............
AND HERE I AM TODAY! over 12 pounds GONE! I say "before and NOW" pics, because it's not really "after" yet...
Here's me at 136.6 (almost 12 lbs down from 148) in my new tankini... still need more work on the thigh area, but there has been a lot of improvement!
And here I am in my workout gear earlier:
So you guys know I've been doing kickboxing and lifting major weight... I thought this pic really shows the result of some of that work (see left arm ;-)) I LOVE KICKBOXING!!!!!!!!!
My shoulders are sculpted and I have biceps. WHOA! (ignore the silly look on my face, I was really busting a few moves for my mom when she had the camera, lol... got pretty into it!!)
Here's to continued progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today's Workouts: Walk Strong w/ 2 lb weights w/ Dad :-) it's my day off actually... +3. something mile walk with Mom outdoors.
Breakfast: 1 WW bagel, 1 slice gouda, 1 slice thin salami, chive/onion cream cheese
Lunch: 1/2 a hamburger patty, a special sauce I made myself (ketchup, low fat mayo, and some granulated garlic powder), ground flax seed, a few sliced dill pickle, on a whole wheat bun. + romaine lettuce salad with light Italian dressing
Dinner: 1/2 a chicken breast on a whole wheat bun (80 calorie bun), low fat mayo, garlic, flax seed, ketchup, 1 slice provolone cheese + 1 banana with reduced fat PB
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1 granola bar, 1 cheese stick. After lunch: ice cream sandwich
Water: not doing that great today yet. I will change that RIGHT NOW
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
All I know is... I don't like what happens when I'm in charge, lol ...
Weight is continuing to come down steadily!! I'm 136.6 today, and I bought a new bathing suit! I was trying to figure out which one I liked best of the two I purchased (I'm taking one back), so I had Mom take pictures of me. Then it clicked-- hey, I can post these to my blog!
I am just under 137 right now, which is my "happy" weight according to Self.com's Happy Weight Calculator ... which means it's the weight that I'll finally start noticing the changes in my body. And I do!! It's exciting! I'd like to get to 130, but not so that I'm smaller--I'm happy with my size-- but I'd like to turn about 6 more pounds of fat into muscle.
SO... PICTURES!!!!!
Here's me (left) in early August in Key West... I think I was about 145 right here... a snug size 8. I like to excuse the pic on the right as simply a bad angle... and it was, but there's more to it than that. (NOTE: click on the pics to make them larger).
And here I am at the history center downtown... photo courtesy of viktor. Shorts were tight and I kept having to pull them out of my butt, lol... and check. out. those. thighs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And here I am with Viktor mid-August in St. Augustine... I don't want to talk about it. I was about 148 at this point I believe. Maybe even more than that! And a REALLY tight size 8.
And one last pic: a pic of me in my workout wear (with a crab leg... weird, yes-- but I wanted to show my friend how big they were lol).. about 144 here. After I stopped eating all the junk food, 4-5 lbs dropped off of me really quick. But I was really really flabby. (note thighs!!)
...............
AND HERE I AM TODAY! over 12 pounds GONE! I say "before and NOW" pics, because it's not really "after" yet...
Here's me at 136.6 (almost 12 lbs down from 148) in my new tankini... still need more work on the thigh area, but there has been a lot of improvement!
And here I am in my workout gear earlier:
So you guys know I've been doing kickboxing and lifting major weight... I thought this pic really shows the result of some of that work (see left arm ;-)) I LOVE KICKBOXING!!!!!!!!!
My shoulders are sculpted and I have biceps. WHOA! (ignore the silly look on my face, I was really busting a few moves for my mom when she had the camera, lol... got pretty into it!!)
Here's to continued progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today's Workouts: Walk Strong w/ 2 lb weights w/ Dad :-) it's my day off actually... +3. something mile walk with Mom outdoors.
Breakfast: 1 WW bagel, 1 slice gouda, 1 slice thin salami, chive/onion cream cheese
Lunch: 1/2 a hamburger patty, a special sauce I made myself (ketchup, low fat mayo, and some granulated garlic powder), ground flax seed, a few sliced dill pickle, on a whole wheat bun. + romaine lettuce salad with light Italian dressing
Dinner: 1/2 a chicken breast on a whole wheat bun (80 calorie bun), low fat mayo, garlic, flax seed, ketchup, 1 slice provolone cheese + 1 banana with reduced fat PB
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1 granola bar, 1 cheese stick. After lunch: ice cream sandwich
Water: not doing that great today yet. I will change that RIGHT NOW
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Friday, October 31, 2008
Oct. 31-- With Everything
"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength." Deut. 6:5
ALL OF IT! Not just with your heart. Not just with your soul. Not just with your strength. With all of you. I'm glad this verse was in my devo today... it reminds me to stay committed to my relationship with the Lord in all areas of my life. If I stop exercising for a week, I'm not taking care of that heart (or that strength) I'm supposed to LOVE with! The heart and the strength in it and other muscles deteriorates. I look at this morning devo, that I've been doing for a whole 8 days now simply as part of my morning workout. The kick-off, if you will.
Each part of my workout helps me stick to the other parts. Looking at things the way they are: all connected (!!!) helps a LOT. I've never done a devotional more than two days in a row, so 8 is a big thing for me!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Punch, Kick, & Jam with my new kickboxing gloves WOW it was AWESOME!!!!! I felt so strong!!! + Ab Jam (20 minutes) = 70 minutes ...
hoping to make it to 7 miles throughout my day today... so I can meet my goal of 180 miles for the month (avg. 6 miles per day)
ADD: 3 miles with mom!! i exceeded my month's goal!!!!!!!!!
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout
three slices French Toast (oh yeah, its good): fortified with protein powder, skim milk, and egg whites... sprinkled with CINNAMON and a bit of Splenda... sprinkled with ground flaxseed and sugar-free syrup. Soooo much fiber!!!
Lunch: 1 60-calorie pita with 1 tbs sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, diced tomatoes, 6 small pepperonis, 2 oz grilled chicken, shredded mozzarella cheese, oregano, garlic. a baby spinach side salad
Dinner: 1 hot dog, 1 s'more, some popcorn, and probably way too much candy. Oh well.
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich
Water: doing well
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
ALL OF IT! Not just with your heart. Not just with your soul. Not just with your strength. With all of you. I'm glad this verse was in my devo today... it reminds me to stay committed to my relationship with the Lord in all areas of my life. If I stop exercising for a week, I'm not taking care of that heart (or that strength) I'm supposed to LOVE with! The heart and the strength in it and other muscles deteriorates. I look at this morning devo, that I've been doing for a whole 8 days now simply as part of my morning workout. The kick-off, if you will.
Each part of my workout helps me stick to the other parts. Looking at things the way they are: all connected (!!!) helps a LOT. I've never done a devotional more than two days in a row, so 8 is a big thing for me!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Punch, Kick, & Jam with my new kickboxing gloves WOW it was AWESOME!!!!! I felt so strong!!! + Ab Jam (20 minutes) = 70 minutes ...
hoping to make it to 7 miles throughout my day today... so I can meet my goal of 180 miles for the month (avg. 6 miles per day)
ADD: 3 miles with mom!! i exceeded my month's goal!!!!!!!!!
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout
three slices French Toast (oh yeah, its good): fortified with protein powder, skim milk, and egg whites... sprinkled with CINNAMON and a bit of Splenda... sprinkled with ground flaxseed and sugar-free syrup. Soooo much fiber!!!
Lunch: 1 60-calorie pita with 1 tbs sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, diced tomatoes, 6 small pepperonis, 2 oz grilled chicken, shredded mozzarella cheese, oregano, garlic. a baby spinach side salad
Dinner: 1 hot dog, 1 s'more, some popcorn, and probably way too much candy. Oh well.
Dessert/snacks: 1 ice cream sandwich
Water: doing well
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Oct. 30 -- Finding God
"Finding God is solely a work of God. Those who seek Him will find Him because God will give them a heart to recognize Him as Lord." -- Marvin Williams
This is such a true statement!! God doesn't even expect you to even be able to find Him all on your own. I used to try to find Him without asking Him to show me where to go, how to get there, or if He'd reveal himself to me. Looking back, it's like trying to get to Alaska without using a map. I had a bad bad bad habit of trying to do things on my own all the time... just too proud to hand some of the work over I suppose.
Asking again that God be "in my head" today!!!!! That he fill my head with beautiful thoughts about him and others, that he continue to strip away the old me, and that he fill me with his life and vibrancy. I can't help but notice that I have "life" in my veins again, I have feelings and I sense my soul again. I don't know how long its been since I last felt that...
But I take heart in these words from Jeremiah! You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD. (29:13)
And all I have to say is, GEEZ, Lord, where you been, man!?!? And he's like, "right here, yo". lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm down to 137.2 lbs! That is 0.2 less than yesterday!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP2 + 3T (Totally Tubular Turbo) -- sooo good! Uses resistance tubing which, I'll admit, I didn't think would be that tough. But you can really pump it up with these things!! I lifted way more "weight" with the resistance bands than I ever have with free weights and I really, really felt the burn (MUSCLE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!)
ADD: 30 minutes 2-mile walk outdoors with mom, including jogging and laughter intervals
ADD: 30 minute Walk Strong workout with dad (use no weight or 2 lbs)
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout: 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 2 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, diced tomatoes, 2 sliced black olives, 4 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, garlic and oregano
Lunch: bowl of 16-bean soup with a few pieces of baked ham in it.
Dinner: some healthy mac n' cheese (NOT box kind), a spinach leaf salad with light Italian and parmesan cheese.
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: piece of cheese, after lunch: skinny cow ice cream sandwich (130 calories) a few hours before dinner: another piece of cheese. after supper: 1 stick Extra Dark chocolate, 1 square 72% cocoa dark chocolate
Water: doing well
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
This is such a true statement!! God doesn't even expect you to even be able to find Him all on your own. I used to try to find Him without asking Him to show me where to go, how to get there, or if He'd reveal himself to me. Looking back, it's like trying to get to Alaska without using a map. I had a bad bad bad habit of trying to do things on my own all the time... just too proud to hand some of the work over I suppose.
Asking again that God be "in my head" today!!!!! That he fill my head with beautiful thoughts about him and others, that he continue to strip away the old me, and that he fill me with his life and vibrancy. I can't help but notice that I have "life" in my veins again, I have feelings and I sense my soul again. I don't know how long its been since I last felt that...
But I take heart in these words from Jeremiah! You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD. (29:13)
And all I have to say is, GEEZ, Lord, where you been, man!?!? And he's like, "right here, yo". lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm down to 137.2 lbs! That is 0.2 less than yesterday!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam CP2 + 3T (Totally Tubular Turbo) -- sooo good! Uses resistance tubing which, I'll admit, I didn't think would be that tough. But you can really pump it up with these things!! I lifted way more "weight" with the resistance bands than I ever have with free weights and I really, really felt the burn (MUSCLE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!)
ADD: 30 minutes 2-mile walk outdoors with mom, including jogging and laughter intervals
ADD: 30 minute Walk Strong workout with dad (use no weight or 2 lbs)
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, after workout: 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 2 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, diced tomatoes, 2 sliced black olives, 4 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, garlic and oregano
Lunch: bowl of 16-bean soup with a few pieces of baked ham in it.
Dinner: some healthy mac n' cheese (NOT box kind), a spinach leaf salad with light Italian and parmesan cheese.
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: piece of cheese, after lunch: skinny cow ice cream sandwich (130 calories) a few hours before dinner: another piece of cheese. after supper: 1 stick Extra Dark chocolate, 1 square 72% cocoa dark chocolate
Water: doing well
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Oct. 29: Changing Perspectives
Edit: forgot to mention, I decided to check the scale again this morning: down to 137.4! that's 0.6 lbs less than yesterday!
ODB was about perspective today... when we think our problems are sooo big because they're so close to us, they block our view of God and make us perceive Him as farther away and not as big as our problems, or big enough to tackle them. Like a bird, your problem(s) are on a windowsill... you see the mountain in the background (God) but since the bird is closer, the mountain seems so small.
Continuing to pray that God be in my head today :-) He has a funny way of keeping my perspective in check.
Here's to the continued peeling off the old self. I now see my soul as a flower: in order for it to grow, I need to water it. What better way to make it grow than by watering it with God's words, the water of life! More and more has fallen into place lately... in the last year or so, I can't honestly say I have been watering my soul, my flower. I hadn't been doing ANYTHING.
No water = no growth!
___________________________________
Today's Workouts: I did like 40 minutes of Tae Bo... I just really couldn't get into it so I decided to take today off, sort of... I mean instead of working out for 90 minutes, 40 minutes made me happy :-) my right hip kind of hurts so I think it'll do me good :-)
Breakfast: 1/2 cup healthy mac n' cheese, 1 apple. after exercise, 1 bagel + chive & onion cream cheese, one slice salami, one slice Gouda. yum ya'll
Lunch: 1 baby spinach leaf salad with low-cal Italian dressing, 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 3 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 1 tbs. part-skim ricotta cheese, 2 sliced black olives, 5 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella
Dinner: 1 cheese stick, 3/4 cup black beans, 1 cup fat-free yogurt - 90 calories.
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1/2 cup homemade rice pudding
1 ice cream sandwich (130 calories) after lunch, 1 almond
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
ODB was about perspective today... when we think our problems are sooo big because they're so close to us, they block our view of God and make us perceive Him as farther away and not as big as our problems, or big enough to tackle them. Like a bird, your problem(s) are on a windowsill... you see the mountain in the background (God) but since the bird is closer, the mountain seems so small.
Continuing to pray that God be in my head today :-) He has a funny way of keeping my perspective in check.
Here's to the continued peeling off the old self. I now see my soul as a flower: in order for it to grow, I need to water it. What better way to make it grow than by watering it with God's words, the water of life! More and more has fallen into place lately... in the last year or so, I can't honestly say I have been watering my soul, my flower. I hadn't been doing ANYTHING.
No water = no growth!
___________________________________
Today's Workouts: I did like 40 minutes of Tae Bo... I just really couldn't get into it so I decided to take today off, sort of... I mean instead of working out for 90 minutes, 40 minutes made me happy :-) my right hip kind of hurts so I think it'll do me good :-)
Breakfast: 1/2 cup healthy mac n' cheese, 1 apple. after exercise, 1 bagel + chive & onion cream cheese, one slice salami, one slice Gouda. yum ya'll
Lunch: 1 baby spinach leaf salad with low-cal Italian dressing, 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 3 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 1 tbs. part-skim ricotta cheese, 2 sliced black olives, 5 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella
Dinner: 1 cheese stick, 3/4 cup black beans, 1 cup fat-free yogurt - 90 calories.
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1/2 cup homemade rice pudding
1 ice cream sandwich (130 calories) after lunch, 1 almond
Water: check
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Oct. 28 -- Tastes are changing, scale is moving
Well, I guess this is why they call fall a season of change :-) Everything is changing. God picked a good time to start all this. The weather is beautiful now and its getting cooler!
I'm praying for God to change my tastes so that I would crave that which honors Him... the old me, from last week and likely several years before, too, craved that which honored me, that which satisfied me. What I failed to remember is when I allow God to fill me, that which honors Him is so much more satisfying, and there are no regrets! A wise person once said, "Doing what’s right today means no regrets tomorrow..."... or EVER! There have been times where I do the wrong thing thinking it's the right thing, really believing its the right thing, and only later (HA! last week) realize just how NOT right it was. And then... then it hurts. A lot.
But that's the first step toward healing. A second step is to keep God in my head at all times... ODB today was about not "checking your brain at the door" and just relying on emotional experience with God... keeping God "in your head". Every day. It starts by just asking Him!!!
In other news, I AM LOSING FAT! Numbers were down today, just like the stock market! At 137.8 lbs, I HAVE LOST OVER 10 lbs in 2 months!!! That is phenomenal! The last 5 pounds have taken QUITE a long time... the first 5 came off rather quickly, but since I've significantly increased my strength training, the weight between, oh, about 143 or so and now has come off a lot slower. I'm really happy with how my body is changing. I see a lot a lot a lot more definition than I have EVER seen in my body before and it is so encouraging! "If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always gotten!"
LOVE THAT!!! Gonna chew on that today...
Today's Workouts: Tae bo Fat Blasting Cardio (45 minutes) ... tried to use the bands, but the ones from the bootcamp set are way tougher than the ones they were using in this (older) DVD...
+ Lower Body Turbo Jam (30 minutes) love me some turbo, baby
+ 17 minutes of QuickFix Stability Ball... worked my hamstrings reeeeeal good + the entire abs segment.
Total time = 92 minutes
ADD: 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 small slice of banana pudding cream pie before workout, 1 apple mid-workout
after workout: 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 3 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 1 tbs. part-skim ricotta cheese, 2 sliced black olives, garlic, oregano, 5 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, drizzle of olive oil = YUM!!!!!
Lunch: ca. 3/4 cup black beans, 1.5 tbs reduced fat sour cream, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, cilantro, a pinch of shredded mexican blend cheese, ca 3 oz grilled chicken
Dinner: one vegetarian Lean Pocket (270 calories) + cup hot cocoa (80 calories)
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1 extra small piece of banana pudding cream pie... and now its all gone!
after lunch: 1 60cal Extra dark chocolate stick
around 3pm: 1 sugar-free red popsicle
before bed: 1 cheese stick (80 calories) + 1 tbs reduced fat PB
Water: yum also
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
I'm praying for God to change my tastes so that I would crave that which honors Him... the old me, from last week and likely several years before, too, craved that which honored me, that which satisfied me. What I failed to remember is when I allow God to fill me, that which honors Him is so much more satisfying, and there are no regrets! A wise person once said, "Doing what’s right today means no regrets tomorrow..."... or EVER! There have been times where I do the wrong thing thinking it's the right thing, really believing its the right thing, and only later (HA! last week) realize just how NOT right it was. And then... then it hurts. A lot.
But that's the first step toward healing. A second step is to keep God in my head at all times... ODB today was about not "checking your brain at the door" and just relying on emotional experience with God... keeping God "in your head". Every day. It starts by just asking Him!!!
In other news, I AM LOSING FAT! Numbers were down today, just like the stock market! At 137.8 lbs, I HAVE LOST OVER 10 lbs in 2 months!!! That is phenomenal! The last 5 pounds have taken QUITE a long time... the first 5 came off rather quickly, but since I've significantly increased my strength training, the weight between, oh, about 143 or so and now has come off a lot slower. I'm really happy with how my body is changing. I see a lot a lot a lot more definition than I have EVER seen in my body before and it is so encouraging! "If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always gotten!"
LOVE THAT!!! Gonna chew on that today...
Today's Workouts: Tae bo Fat Blasting Cardio (45 minutes) ... tried to use the bands, but the ones from the bootcamp set are way tougher than the ones they were using in this (older) DVD...
+ Lower Body Turbo Jam (30 minutes) love me some turbo, baby
+ 17 minutes of QuickFix Stability Ball... worked my hamstrings reeeeeal good + the entire abs segment.
Total time = 92 minutes
ADD: 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 small slice of banana pudding cream pie before workout, 1 apple mid-workout
after workout: 1 lavash wrap (100 calories), ca. 3 oz grilled chicken strips, ca. 1 tbs. sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, 1 tbs. part-skim ricotta cheese, 2 sliced black olives, garlic, oregano, 5 small pepperonis, sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, drizzle of olive oil = YUM!!!!!
Lunch: ca. 3/4 cup black beans, 1.5 tbs reduced fat sour cream, 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, cilantro, a pinch of shredded mexican blend cheese, ca 3 oz grilled chicken
Dinner: one vegetarian Lean Pocket (270 calories) + cup hot cocoa (80 calories)
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: 1 extra small piece of banana pudding cream pie... and now its all gone!
after lunch: 1 60cal Extra dark chocolate stick
around 3pm: 1 sugar-free red popsicle
before bed: 1 cheese stick (80 calories) + 1 tbs reduced fat PB
Water: yum also
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Monday, October 27, 2008
October 27, 2008
Well today's ODB was one that I had already read somehow... about making a U-turn. I guess thats what you could call what I've done in the last week. SLAMMED on the brakes, repositioned myself, decided where I was going to go (and with whom I was going to go with), and made the first steps toward that goal.
Psalm 32:1-5 was the passage for today... so relevant! I guess that's why they say God's Word is alive...
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
(Emphasis mine)
WOW. That's all I have to say about that... perhaps that's why I can kick so much higher all of a sudden when I'm kickboxing? No more guilt weighing me down!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam (good grief, I'm addicted!) Punch, Kick & Jam + Cardio Party 2! I skipped the part on PK&J with the resistance band, so the whole workout was 85 minutes.
ADD: 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout, and today I tried a new recipe... I lined muffin cups with bread and put eggs and egg whites into the bread, topped it with a pinch of shredded cheddar, a few bacon bits, s&p, and after they had baked for 15 minutes at 375, I garnished with chives :-) pretty good stuff. I made 12 altogether: half w/ regular eggs, half with egg whites only.
I ate one w/ regular egg and two with egg whites for breakfast.
Lunch: ca. 3/4 cup brown rice, ca. 1/2 cup black beans, cilantro, 1 tbs sour cream, salad made with baby spinach leaves + light Italian
Dinner: 1 whole wheat bagel, 1 slice salami, 1 slice Gouda, 1 wedge low-cal spreadable cheese
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: some banana pudding cream pie (I made it myself :-)) SOOO good! Dessert after lunch: 1 small piece of pie :-)... and another small piece before bed... i can't stand it... its SO GOOD!!!!!
Water: doing ok...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Psalm 32:1-5 was the passage for today... so relevant! I guess that's why they say God's Word is alive...
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
(Emphasis mine)
WOW. That's all I have to say about that... perhaps that's why I can kick so much higher all of a sudden when I'm kickboxing? No more guilt weighing me down!
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam (good grief, I'm addicted!) Punch, Kick & Jam + Cardio Party 2! I skipped the part on PK&J with the resistance band, so the whole workout was 85 minutes.
ADD: 3 miles with Dad
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout, and today I tried a new recipe... I lined muffin cups with bread and put eggs and egg whites into the bread, topped it with a pinch of shredded cheddar, a few bacon bits, s&p, and after they had baked for 15 minutes at 375, I garnished with chives :-) pretty good stuff. I made 12 altogether: half w/ regular eggs, half with egg whites only.
I ate one w/ regular egg and two with egg whites for breakfast.
Lunch: ca. 3/4 cup brown rice, ca. 1/2 cup black beans, cilantro, 1 tbs sour cream, salad made with baby spinach leaves + light Italian
Dinner: 1 whole wheat bagel, 1 slice salami, 1 slice Gouda, 1 wedge low-cal spreadable cheese
Dessert/snacks: mid-morning: some banana pudding cream pie (I made it myself :-)) SOOO good! Dessert after lunch: 1 small piece of pie :-)... and another small piece before bed... i can't stand it... its SO GOOD!!!!!
Water: doing ok...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Sunday, October 26, 2008
October 26, 2008
Well I just had to go back and finish yesterday... but its cool lol... I had an amazing day yesterday for so many reasons. I spent the whole day with my best friend with whom, in the last week or so, I have been able to work through a whole lot... I had such insanely incorrect thoughts and perceptions in my head about what she thought about me, that she would judge me, and I had been such a terrible friend myself. Such a terrible friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this is just the beginning. I have to work my way backwards and make some things right with some other people as well.
Here's to a new journey of sorts.
A quote from todays devotional: "Salvation is the miracle of a moment; growth is the labor of a lifetime."
I love these... I encourage anyone who reads this to check it out http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml
There's a passage from the Bible and a few short paragraphs about it... I think they're really down-to-Earth and REAL about what being a Christian is all about. That's part of what I have to work out with some people. I have been giving a very bad impression of what being a Christian is about... in my struggles I have complained about certain Christians, claiming that they were judging me, when they weren't at all. I've complained to the wrong people. My perceptions on things were completely askew. Completely. I was the one who was judging. I didn't feel good about myself; I was the one with the issues, and somehow, without even realizing it, without making a conscious decision about it, I decided to make my problem and my issues THEIR problem and THEIR issues. I was the one who wasn't being a good friend. IT WAS ME the whole time!
So I have to set things straight with them and with myself. I closed the door to them for a while and made completely and utterly false assumptions about them while that door was closed. I then spread those assumptions to other people to get them to be on my side. In reality, I had only convinced myself in my head that those assumptions were true, and I twisted every word people said to me to be against me to use as evidence in support those false assumptions.
MAN do I have issues. I know what I need to do, now, though.
Today's Workouts: Women's Health Ultimate Fat Burn w/ 5 lb weights during the intervals. It was a LOT easier than I remember! I must be getting stronger :-) YES!
+ the 2 mile power walk from the new Walk Away Your Hips and Thighs dvd... I was not impressed... I used 3 lb weights for the first part, then went to 1 lb, then took them all off cuz I am pretty tired (no doubt from the crap I ate yesterday!!)
I plan to get in the 20 minutes legwork later.
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout...
later 1 cup black beans, 3/4 cup rice, a pinch of shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and some chopped cilantro.
Lunch: one low-fat/low-cal hot dog, with chopped onion, ketchup and mustard.
Dinner: the same thing I had for breakfast. it is so good! And with so many different colors in the bowl, its sooo pretty, too
Dessert/snacks: 1 vanilla ice cream after lunch, 1 stick Extra Dark chocolate after dinner
Water: done good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Here's to a new journey of sorts.
A quote from todays devotional: "Salvation is the miracle of a moment; growth is the labor of a lifetime."
I love these... I encourage anyone who reads this to check it out http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml
There's a passage from the Bible and a few short paragraphs about it... I think they're really down-to-Earth and REAL about what being a Christian is all about. That's part of what I have to work out with some people. I have been giving a very bad impression of what being a Christian is about... in my struggles I have complained about certain Christians, claiming that they were judging me, when they weren't at all. I've complained to the wrong people. My perceptions on things were completely askew. Completely. I was the one who was judging. I didn't feel good about myself; I was the one with the issues, and somehow, without even realizing it, without making a conscious decision about it, I decided to make my problem and my issues THEIR problem and THEIR issues. I was the one who wasn't being a good friend. IT WAS ME the whole time!
So I have to set things straight with them and with myself. I closed the door to them for a while and made completely and utterly false assumptions about them while that door was closed. I then spread those assumptions to other people to get them to be on my side. In reality, I had only convinced myself in my head that those assumptions were true, and I twisted every word people said to me to be against me to use as evidence in support those false assumptions.
MAN do I have issues. I know what I need to do, now, though.
Today's Workouts: Women's Health Ultimate Fat Burn w/ 5 lb weights during the intervals. It was a LOT easier than I remember! I must be getting stronger :-) YES!
+ the 2 mile power walk from the new Walk Away Your Hips and Thighs dvd... I was not impressed... I used 3 lb weights for the first part, then went to 1 lb, then took them all off cuz I am pretty tired (no doubt from the crap I ate yesterday!!)
I plan to get in the 20 minutes legwork later.
Breakfast: 1 banana before workout, 1 apple mid-workout...
later 1 cup black beans, 3/4 cup rice, a pinch of shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and some chopped cilantro.
Lunch: one low-fat/low-cal hot dog, with chopped onion, ketchup and mustard.
Dinner: the same thing I had for breakfast. it is so good! And with so many different colors in the bowl, its sooo pretty, too
Dessert/snacks: 1 vanilla ice cream after lunch, 1 stick Extra Dark chocolate after dinner
Water: done good
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: check
Saturday, October 25, 2008
October 25, 2008
Quote from today's ODB: "We must face up to our sins before we can put them behind us."
Read Hebrews 12:1-11
Man, this sucks... I have some stuff in my life right now that I really, really, really need to walk away from. I can't just say to myself and others that it's over, that it's behind me now, if I haven't actually looked it in the face and said: this was sinful, this was wrong, and I regret that it didn't honor God, in whom I believe, at all. God uses all things for the good of those who love Him, yes... He can do that because He's God, for Pete's sake. But I have to admit that for a short time in my life, I walked away from Him. I looked Him in the face and I basically said without saying it, "I'm going to do this and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT".
And in the process of facing up to it, actually admitting that it was wrong and that, for the sole reason that it didn't glorify God IN THE LEAST, I regret it, I am hurting. Walking away from sin hurts. This pain, though, shows how much I am prone to wander and leave, and how tempting and seemingly beautiful sin can be. But how much more beautiful are moments that really glorify Him? Moments in which I experience pleasure through sin, in which I am in a state of euphoria and bliss, in which I simply think I feel good, do not glorify God. They glorify me and only me.
It hurts to walk away from sin. That's why I think we can't just say one day, "Okay, I'm done with this, it's over, out of my reach anyway, how convenient!" Just because you're out of the position to continue in sin doesn't mean you're not committing that sin anymore; it doesn't mean that sin is out of your life. In experiencing the pain of repentance from that sin, we are experiencing how much it hurts God when we sin against Him. We know just how much we were attached to it, blinded by it, and how far we have wandered away. We remember just how much we need Him.
Likewise, the relief we experience after we finally realize the decision that needs to be made, after we actually make that decision and not simply exit the scene, we know just how much God loves us and wants to bless us. I believe we experience the same joy as He does when the lost sheep is found. And so it becomes clear: of course He didn't want me in that sin, with whatever it entailed, with whomever it entailed. Of course it didn't "work out"... because sin never "works out".
SIN NEVER WORKS OUT!!!!!!!
...but I do, lol, so I gotta get going here.
UPDATE/EDIT: I should mention that it took me a long time to write the above ... because while I was writing it, I was actually experiencing it myself. I walked away from something today, not just physically (which happened several months ago), but spiritually. In between those paragraphs up there were a ton of tears, honest ones, for once, and my (again, honest for once) plea to God to cleanse me. My HONEST, FOR ONCE! confession of something I had done that is a sin, and my HONEST (yes, for once) repentance from it. In all honesty (...for once), I have never felt more broken than I did this morning. And I have never enjoyed my workout as much as I did today. I finally feel free.
In regard to the passage from Hebrews, verse 11 stuck out to me... "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."
Training. I'm training my body and my soul, folks. I'm training it so the next time I decide to leave the country, I won't let my guard--and my God--down so easily.
Read Hebrews 12:1-11
Man, this sucks... I have some stuff in my life right now that I really, really, really need to walk away from. I can't just say to myself and others that it's over, that it's behind me now, if I haven't actually looked it in the face and said: this was sinful, this was wrong, and I regret that it didn't honor God, in whom I believe, at all. God uses all things for the good of those who love Him, yes... He can do that because He's God, for Pete's sake. But I have to admit that for a short time in my life, I walked away from Him. I looked Him in the face and I basically said without saying it, "I'm going to do this and I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT".
And in the process of facing up to it, actually admitting that it was wrong and that, for the sole reason that it didn't glorify God IN THE LEAST, I regret it, I am hurting. Walking away from sin hurts. This pain, though, shows how much I am prone to wander and leave, and how tempting and seemingly beautiful sin can be. But how much more beautiful are moments that really glorify Him? Moments in which I experience pleasure through sin, in which I am in a state of euphoria and bliss, in which I simply think I feel good, do not glorify God. They glorify me and only me.
It hurts to walk away from sin. That's why I think we can't just say one day, "Okay, I'm done with this, it's over, out of my reach anyway, how convenient!" Just because you're out of the position to continue in sin doesn't mean you're not committing that sin anymore; it doesn't mean that sin is out of your life. In experiencing the pain of repentance from that sin, we are experiencing how much it hurts God when we sin against Him. We know just how much we were attached to it, blinded by it, and how far we have wandered away. We remember just how much we need Him.
Likewise, the relief we experience after we finally realize the decision that needs to be made, after we actually make that decision and not simply exit the scene, we know just how much God loves us and wants to bless us. I believe we experience the same joy as He does when the lost sheep is found. And so it becomes clear: of course He didn't want me in that sin, with whatever it entailed, with whomever it entailed. Of course it didn't "work out"... because sin never "works out".
SIN NEVER WORKS OUT!!!!!!!
...but I do, lol, so I gotta get going here.
UPDATE/EDIT: I should mention that it took me a long time to write the above ... because while I was writing it, I was actually experiencing it myself. I walked away from something today, not just physically (which happened several months ago), but spiritually. In between those paragraphs up there were a ton of tears, honest ones, for once, and my (again, honest for once) plea to God to cleanse me. My HONEST, FOR ONCE! confession of something I had done that is a sin, and my HONEST (yes, for once) repentance from it. In all honesty (...for once), I have never felt more broken than I did this morning. And I have never enjoyed my workout as much as I did today. I finally feel free.
In regard to the passage from Hebrews, verse 11 stuck out to me... "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."
Training. I'm training my body and my soul, folks. I'm training it so the next time I decide to leave the country, I won't let my guard--and my God--down so easily.
Review of Yesterday: eating = terrible, POSSIBLY within caloric allowance.
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Cardio Party 2 (which was so much fun it's not even funny!!!) + Booty Sculpt + Abs (8 & 5 lb dumbbells) + Upper Body (5 lb dumbbells) and Flexibility segments from the 10M.S. fitness ball workouts...
ADD: 15 minutes Turbo Jam with Hannah lol
Breakfast: 1 banana
Lunch: pita pizza: 100% whole wheat pita, sundried tomato pesto, part-skim ricotta cheese, diced tomatoes, a bit of chopped grilled chicken, 4 small pepperonis, garlic, oregano, sprinkled with shredded mozzarella
Dinner: 1 Stouffer's garden vegetable French bread frozen pizza, chocolate chip ice cream + small brownie for dessert
Dessert/snacks: some tortilla chips + black bean dip, 1 piece icebox dessert
Water: need a lot of it
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: did not take
Today's Workouts: Turbo Jam Cardio Party 2 (which was so much fun it's not even funny!!!) + Booty Sculpt + Abs (8 & 5 lb dumbbells) + Upper Body (5 lb dumbbells) and Flexibility segments from the 10M.S. fitness ball workouts...
ADD: 15 minutes Turbo Jam with Hannah lol
Breakfast: 1 banana
Lunch: pita pizza: 100% whole wheat pita, sundried tomato pesto, part-skim ricotta cheese, diced tomatoes, a bit of chopped grilled chicken, 4 small pepperonis, garlic, oregano, sprinkled with shredded mozzarella
Dinner: 1 Stouffer's garden vegetable French bread frozen pizza, chocolate chip ice cream + small brownie for dessert
Dessert/snacks: some tortilla chips + black bean dip, 1 piece icebox dessert
Water: need a lot of it
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins: did not take
Friday, October 24, 2008
October 24, 2008
Review of Yesterday: weird eating... I think the calorie count was okay... I looked really good in the mirror this morning, lol :-) I keep hearing that sometimes people are on a plateau and then they eat a candy bar and something "compounds" inside them and they start to lose weight again. Maybe its the importance of variety thing...
Today's Workouts: no workouts really.
Breakfast: 1 WW bagel with chive/onion cream cheese, 1 slice Gouda, 1 slice salami
Lunch: a banana and some graham crackers, plus I licked the batter of the cake I made
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: 1 mozzarella cheese stick. 1 homemade sausage biscuit with mustard.
Water: good... could do better...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Today's Workouts: no workouts really.
Breakfast: 1 WW bagel with chive/onion cream cheese, 1 slice Gouda, 1 slice salami
Lunch: a banana and some graham crackers, plus I licked the batter of the cake I made
Dinner:
Dessert/snacks: 1 mozzarella cheese stick. 1 homemade sausage biscuit with mustard.
Water: good... could do better...
Daily Vitamins: check
Nightly Vitamins:
Thursday, October 23, 2008
excellent lyrics...
I have been a wayward child,
I have acted out,
I have questioned sovereignty,
and had my share of doubts,
And though sometimes,
my prayers feel like they're bouncing off the sky,
the hand that holds won't let me go,
and is the reason why
I will stumble, I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes, I will face heartache,
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
I will not be moved
Bitterness has plagued my heart
many times before,
My life has been a broken glass,
and I have kept the score
of all my shattered dreams,
and though it seemed,
that I was far too gone,
my brokenness helped me to see
it's grace I'm standing on.
I will stumble, I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes, I will face heartache,
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
I will not be moved
And chaos in my life,
has been a badge I've worn,
and though I have been torn,
I will not be moved
--Natalie Grant
I have acted out,
I have questioned sovereignty,
and had my share of doubts,
And though sometimes,
my prayers feel like they're bouncing off the sky,
the hand that holds won't let me go,
and is the reason why
I will stumble, I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes, I will face heartache,
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
I will not be moved
Bitterness has plagued my heart
many times before,
My life has been a broken glass,
and I have kept the score
of all my shattered dreams,
and though it seemed,
that I was far too gone,
my brokenness helped me to see
it's grace I'm standing on.
I will stumble, I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes, I will face heartache,
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
I will not be moved
And chaos in my life,
has been a badge I've worn,
and though I have been torn,
I will not be moved
--Natalie Grant
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