End of the First Month-My New Program

January 29, 2010
End of the First Month of 2010
My New Program
Year Three

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010
The end of the month is here and I weighed in this morning. I gain 1.4 pounds this month. I am very disappointed that I did not lose. I wasn’t going to share the new program I am on until I saw some positive results but I thought this is a good example of how your body does not always cooperate. I can say this because I am eating right and doing cardio 24/7, hehe, not really it just feels that way. But I have pumped up the cardio. Anyway, sometimes your body just will not turn loose of those pounds. BUT!!! I am not going to succumb to the temptations to have a pity party. With the help of good pep-talks from Gloria and Gwen (thanks girls) I am going to continue to eat right, drink plenty of water and exercise. The pounds will come off!!!!

I am trying a new program. I purchased “The Belly Fat Cure” by Jorge Cruise at the suggestion of a friend. The book is about the sugar/carb ratio and calls it the CARB SWAP SYSTEM. On this program you keep account of the sugars and carbs you eat daily. 15 sugar grams and 6 carb points a day. The sugar grams are easy to find on any label and believe me I was shocked at what had sugar in it. You see as a diabetic I was taught to look at the carbs in food. So many carbs a meal and so many a snack. I was really surprised at the sugar in milk, yes even the skim milk. Bread has sugars, too. Plain no fat yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit also have alot of sugar grams. So I am carefully watching the sugar grams I am eating. The best part is I FEEL GREAT!!!!!!

Now the carbs are a little more calculated. 0-4 carbs is no points. 5-20 carbs is one point, 21-40 carbs is 2 points and 41-60 carbs is 3 points. Now this is carbs per serving just as the sugar grams are per serving. Believe me I can get to my limit in sugars before I do carbs!!! The great thing is Living Lean Meals fit right into this program. The only drawback is that I am freaking out about the fats and sodium. So I am now beginning to watch those as well.

The book has great recipes!! Like a Burger King Whopper w/cheese is 11/3, that is 11 sugar grams and 3 carb points. They give you a recipe that cuts this burger to 1/2, that is 1 sugar gram and 2 carb points. A Starbuck’s Mocha Frappuccino is 47/3, that is 47 sugar grams and 3 carb points. There is a recipe that cut this to 0/1, which is 0 sugar gram and 1 carb point. Do you think eating a McDonald’s Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich is healthy. Well, it is 11/3—11 sugar grams and 3 carb points. The Carb Swap recipe is 0/2—0 sugar grams and 2 carb points.

This may not work for everyone and I am not suggesting that you rush out and buy the book. I am just sharing with you what I am presently doing on my journey to a healthier me. However, I bet everyone would feel better if they cut back on the sugar in their diet.

I would love to hear from you. Email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com. Thank you for following along on my journey. I promise 2010 will be more interesting than 2009!!!!!!!!

PS: Our cardio competition will end on February 7th. I am working my rear off!!! I am striving to get 30 to 90 and sometimes 120 minutes in a day. I will let you know who wins this month’s challenge!!

Joining In

January 22, 2010
Joining In
Year Three

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010

Well as most of you know by now I did 450 minutes of cardio last week. This week I am still working very hard to get all the cardio in that I possibly can. A competition is in the works to see who can do the most cardio in a month.

Many of you may not choose to participate in competitions of this sort. These are a good motivational tool. I do not see myself as competitive (I have been told different by others). But even if you are not competitive, to participate is always to your advantage because it makes you try harder.

OK ! Multi membered competitions are not your bag. Then find a friend who has similar goals as yourself. The buddy system in any endeavor is always more fun that doing it by yourself. Having a friend to share your bumps and detours and hazards on any journey is always a plus. I have a dear friend with whom I am striving to lose all the weight we can by April 15th. We are not announcing our endeavor and wish not to include others. This is just a little companionship on a journey to lose weight. We share eating tips and enjoy our little journey together.

So if you have a goal you are striving for and would like to share that with me I would be happy to hear from you at healthierfaith@yahoo.com. You may want to enlist a friend on this journey to reach your goal. Just be sure this friend is one who encourages. A negative or discouraging person (Sorry! But there are some out there) is not what you need. Surrounding yourself with positive people, well that is another blog!!!!

Thanks for joining me on this journey to a healthier me. Next Friday January 29 is weigh-in day. I will report my progress and share with you how I am achieving my goal. Love, Faith

Encourage Others

January 15, 2010
Encourage Others
Year Three

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010
Well, can you believe that half of January is gone and hasn’t it been a cold one. One thing about it exercising keeps you warm!!! Many of you are doing a lot more cardio lately which is a very good thing since it has been so cold. Some are starting for the first time and I am so proud of you!! I was thinking about the time spent at the gym doing cardio and of those who workout beside me. My cardio buddy is Linda. We are at the gym most mornings at the same time. Linda also walked with me in the Koman 5K in October. She is a real blessing and a lot of encouragement to me as I hope I am to her. We can encourage our fellow gymsters. But we can also encourage those we come in contact with outside the gym. A family member or friend or co-worker who has made a resolution to eat properly or lose a few pounds or whatever, when you see them sticking to there goal let them know how great that is.

I want to urge you to encourage you trainer. I try to let Gloria know how much I appreciate my workouts by thanking her. I know sometimes the work out is painful, exhausting and down right miserable but I know that it is for my own good. So be sure to let you trainer know how much you appreciate them. Voicing your appreciation for what others do for you is an encouragement to them.

Here are a few tips I received in an email the other week. I though I would share them with you.
1. Don't compare yourself or your life to others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about and yours is not yet over.
2. Don't have negative thoughts on things you cannot control. Instead
invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. Laugh each day.
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. Look to the future.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't feed hatred. Cultivate love.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the
curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Well today was weight in and I lost one pound. I am trying a new eating program and will share it when I have examined it carefully and have some results. I always consult my trainer before trying something new. Email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com. Thank you for following along on my journey. I promise 2010 will be more interesting than 2009!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Donna—you know why!!!!!

Resolutions

January 8, 2010
Resolutions
Year Three

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010

Every time a New Year rolls around we all make resolutions. Some of us have been making the same resolution for decades!! I know I have!!! Mine is always to be a better person and lose weight, just to name a couple. Those are really good resolutions as I am sure that each of your resolutions are good ones. However, we need to keep our resolutions within reason and along with these “general” resolutions we need to set goals for ourselves. As I mentioned in my previous blog my personal goal is to lose 6-8 pounds a month in 2010 because I would love to get down to 199 by January 16, 2011!!!!! As my two year anniversary is January 16 , 2010 I have decided to set my first goal date as April 15th. I will weight in on January 15th and begin from there. I will keep you posted of my progress. I plan to weigh in every two weeks. Now it is your turn to set a goal. I would love to hear what that goal is. I would not share your goal with others so feel free to email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com and let me know what you are expecting of yourself in the next few months.

I received an email this week with some fine advice and food for thought! Here are ten things to consider and think about (and do).
1) Drink plenty of water.
2) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4) Live with the 4 E's -- Energy, Exercise, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5) Make time to pray.
6) Play more games
7) Read more books than you did in 2009.
8) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9) Sleep for 7 hours.
10) Exercise everyday. Take a 30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

I especially like #2 and #5. #2 was very interesting and makes good sense. A healthy breakfast, a moderate lunch and a small supper (with small healthy snacks in between) is a good rule of thumb. I eat Living Lean Meals from L and L Catering. Lorin has wonderful and delicious recipes. Her meals leave out the guesswork of what to eat, how much to eat and rather the meal is healthy or not. # 5 has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. I find that a good conversation with the Lord each morning and throughout the day works wonders for me and my relationship with the Lord and those around me!!! As for #10, if you are reading this you may be a member of Body Dimensions and your exercise is taken care of some days. On the days you do not go to the gym a walk would be a great addition to your weekly regiment. If you are not a member of a gym maybe you should think about starting this year out by treating yourself to a membership.

What are your goals? What do you think of the ten “helps” for 2010. Share your thoughts with me. I would love to hear from you. Email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com. Thank you for following along on my journey. I promise 2010 will be more interesting than 2009!!!!!!!!

A New Start

January 1, 2010
A New Start
Year Three

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010
Hello everyone! Remember me! I have gone back and read all my blogs over the last two years. I was really excited and ready for the challenge. For those of you new to Body Dimensions I began my journey to a healthier me on January 16, 2008. I weighed 351 lbs. Was on numerous medications and had numerous health issues: Diabetes, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Back Pain and no energy at all. I was a mess!!!

I began working out with Gloria Trull at Body Dimensions and eating Living Lean Meals from L and L Catering. At the end of the first year I had lost 71lbs. I was down to 280. The year 2009 was not as successful in the weight loss category. However I did have other achievements. I am off all my medication except the high blood pressure meds, my cholesterol is down to 155, I have not had an asthma attack in nearly a year, I continue my cardio and weight training (many times I start and soon quit) and I walked the Susan G Komen 5K. With all these achievements the biggest hurdle I faced in 2009 was the death of my Dad in July. Since food is my addiction and comfort I have really struggled since July. I know that eating myself into oblivion will not bring my Dad back or make the hurt go away but I have learned that it is so easy to turn to your addiction when times are tough!

My weight today is 295. I am really ashamed to tell you all that!! Well today is a new day!!!! This is the year. HEALTHY AND THIN IN 2010!!! I plan to get down to as close to 280 as possible by January 16, 2010. That will be my 2nd anniversary at Body Dimensions and I would really like to start my third year on level ground with my second year. My personal goal is to lose 6-8 pounds a month in 2010 because I would love to get down to 199 by January 16, 2011!!!!!

What are your goals? Share them with me. I would love to hear from you. Email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com. Thank you for following along on my journey. I promise 2010 will be more interesting than 2009!!!!!!!!

I DID IT!!!!!!!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengeneth me." Philippians 4:13

Well there hasn't been much to blog about recently. I have been struggling to get back down to my lowest weight. It has been a struggle and I am the reason. I have been doing great with exercise, cardio and weight training but my eating has not been up to par!! I cannot believe that it is almost the end of October and I have not actually lost any weight this year. I need to get back to 272 and then continue to my goal at 251 by January 16th. I have certainly not been a very good example for any of you lately. I hope to improve in the coming months. However, I have managed to not regain the weight I have lost and this is a first for me. I have always lost 60 and in 3-4 months gain that 60 plus some. But not this time!!!

The good news is that I walked in the 10th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 17th. I had a great time and walked the 5K in record time for me!! This was my first walk and I did train beforehand. I have blogged about the trouble I have had with my feet but not a problem on Saturday. My new walking shoe with my custom orthotics were perfect!! I really enjoyed the whole morning.

I want to thank so many people who had a part in my success on Saturday. My husband, who is always so supportive, along with Gloria for all her advise and training, Linda Davis who walked with me every step of the race no matter how much slower I was than her!! all my fellow gymsters for their support especially on Saturday at the race, my co-workers and family with their words of encouragement and so many others who supported the efforts to find a cure for breast cancer with their generous donations!!! I was able to give $1200.00 to the cause thanks to so many generous people.

Now be prepared because next year I will be back. I hope to have a large team of runners/walkers as we cross the finish line and help in the efforts to fine a cure for breast cancer!!

Thank you for following along on my journey to a healthier me!!! I promise to be a better example in the coming months and to blog more often. You can email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com.

LISTEN TO YOUR TRAINER

Well I guess Gloria can tell me "I TOLD YOU SO!!!" You see she gave me a walking schedule. I walked on the treadmill some but walking on the sidewalk is different and she said I needed to start a little at a time. My schedule had me walking 10 minutes every other day. Well 10 minutes was nothing---I wanted to walk 3 miles. So hard headed me went right out and bought walking shoes and began. I was ready to take on the hills of 4th street. I did and boy am I sorry I did not listen!!!

I went to see Dr. Johncock this morning. He gave me a scolding for not listening to Gloria!! I have metatarsalgis/capsulitis/neuritis/arthritis in my feet. There is inflammation between the bones and I have bruised my feet. SO, at Dr. Johncock's instructions, no walking and light cardio and workouts for a week. He said then to start out at 10 minutes every other day for a week and 15 minutes the following week. No inclines. I have anti-inflammatory meds to take and molded insoles in my shoes.

Dr. Johncock has always been very supportive of my journey to a healthier me and always voices how proud he is of my accomplishments. If you need a podiatrist I recommend Dr. Johncock. Of course if you listen to your trainer a podiatrist may not be necessary!!!

So, this is yet another delay in my journey. This one caused by none other than myself!! so my advise is whatever the professional trainer says to do ---do it and don't be as stubborn as I am!!
Thanks for coming along on this journey. Email me at healthierfaith@yahoo.com.

PS: I want to thank Shannon, Gwen and Hilary for all your support of my walking adventure. I also thank all of you who have said you will walk with me on one day or another. 10-15 minutes is probably way to elementary for you all. SO until I work myself up to 30-60 minute walk I don't expect anyone to join me.