12/07/13

Missed me much?

Yeah, yeah, I know.... been a while.  No words.

Literally.

I just have not had the right words to write about as of late.  I have been given lots of examples of things in life to share, but the Lord just did not give me the words.

For today, I am back.  I had to share the newest journey.

Earlier this year I talked about my weight.   I also shared what the Lord gave me this summer at a workshop about doing hard things.

Put those two things together and you now have one determined 40-something Mama on your hands.

The above picture was taken on our 20th anniversary trip in June to St. Lucia.  Whew... I can't believe it, but I actually gained about 6 more pounds after that picture was taken.... OY. 


My journey actually started in September when I began walking with my best friend.  We both decided separately that we needed a change.  The Lord was working in both of our lives about the same thing and we didn't even know it!  We began talking seriously about our eating choices and then started out walking around 2-3 miles and now we are up to 6 miles when we walk together. 

Fast forward to the first of October.  Steve had his yearly physical and the doctor saw some numbers in his blood work that were too high.  Now the Lord had Sweet Man going through the same need for a change.

At the beginning of October Sweet Man and I both began the journey of our health.  We both have high risk of heart disease and diabetes in our families and we knew we had to get control of our choices.

We have done this weight loss thing many times before, but this time has been different.  I can't explain it exactly.  The first time I lost weight I did it through exercise only.  The second time I lost weight it was through eating choices only.  Now, I am combining both... exercise and eating choices.

It has been both liberating and difficult.  However, DO HARD THINGS has been on my lips to my children and students, so why should it not also be to myself!

Since October, Sweet Man is now down 35 pounds.  Men can blink and weight comes off.  HOWEVER, he has worked VERY hard to get to this point.  He has changed eating habits and worked out almost daily.  I AM BEYOND PROUD OF HIM.

I have lost 11 pounds since we began the first of October.  I realize women lose weight differently... I get that.  Those 11 pounds have been hard-fought and have required much discipline.  I am thankful for what I am learning and how I am regaining who I am.  I have been walking with my bestie, doing Just Dance on the Wii, Zumba on the Wii, and Leslie Sansone Walk at Home videos.  (Let me just say that Leslie knows how to kick your tail.)  I love it. 

This journey is by far from over.  I still have a long way to go to reach my goal and Sweet Man does, too.  What I have found is having two of the people I love the most along this journey with me has made even the hard times easy.  Their encouragement, and the encouragement of others, really means a lot.  I have learned to be a cheerleader for others who are struggling in this same area.

Losing weight requires hard work.  It isn't a quick fix.  If you are looking for that, as I was earlier this year, you are missing out on what is truly important.  Anything worth doing takes time.

As Sweet Man heard on the radio - "Sweat is fat crying." 

Below is our latest picture together.  Sweet Man is wearing the same shirt he was wearing in the above picture in St. Lucia. 

I am learning it takes work and discipline to have a healthy body.  My desire is to continue to "do hard things" so that I may help others do the same.

I'll keep you posted as the journey continues....