Day Twenty-Two

Things have been pretty busy around here, so I haven't had much opportunity to post.  I'm still working on making lifelong changes, have had a few episodes of three steps back, two steps forward, but overall, I've been doing well, meaning, I haven't thrown in the towel.  :-)

The one thing I'm trying very much to remember is that every minute of every day is a new beginning, and that maxim is applicable to every area of life in which we struggle or have set backs.  Prior to this go-round, I was, in many respects, an all or nothing person.  I'm trying to re-set that mindset with the mindset of the Lord, remembering that He's a God of new birth, of new beginnings, that we don't have to become enslaved to past performance, to previous failure.  It's a bit of a learning curve. 

I had something of a test a week or so ago, with the Lord showing me my heart, compelling me to challenge my motives.  I've claimed since the beginning that this was a battle more of overcoming gluttony, of dealing with sin, than of weight loss, but the Word of God is so true, in every respect of course, but in this particular instance when it declares:

 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jeremiah 17:9

I stepped on the scale and after a couple of weeks of eating moderately and of walking relatively faithfully, it indicated I'd only lost a pound.  I was so disappointed.  I was sure it would be more than that, particularly as you tend to get that little microburst of weight loss when you first begin.  I felt robbed. 

As I contemplated things, however, I realized that the Lord was challenging me to be honest about my motives, was compelling me to examine my heart, to ask myself, was this really about being an obedient servant of the Most High, or yet another selfish and self-centered pursuit?  The answer really doesn't need to be stated, does it? 

And so, I pray...

"Father, reveal my heart to me in this and every matter, that I may subject every area of my life to You and become a faithful daughter, one willing to stand upon Your Word and confess it as absolute without expectation of personal benefit.  Let my motive in all things reflect a deep and abiding desire to humble myself before You, to walk in obedience in this and every area, regardless of the cost .  I ask this, Lord, in Your Name, that Name above all names, Jesus."

Day Ten

I managed to walk today, 2.5 km., 30 minutes, and am glad I did so early.  It was hot enough then, but as the day went on it got quite warm.  Then later today we had quite a deluge, leaving massive puddles all along my route. It'll be quite muddy tomorrow, I'm sure.  I wonder what it would be like to briskly walk in rubber boots?  :-)

Eating-wise, I'm doing well, still managing to stay within my daily allotment. I think I need a bit more variety in the vegetable department though. 

I decided to keep this blog as a way of holding myself accountable.  It would have been easy enough to simply record all of my boring thoughts and ramblings in a journal, but there's something about going public which helps to keep one on the straight and narrow, I think.  It's the accountability factor. 

Many people struggle with hidden sin with few, if any, aware of their struggle.  Not so with people who are overweight.  Their sin is pretty evident.  That's not to say all overweight people are in sin, however, some have medical issues, etc., which sometimes can't be helped.  That's not the case with me, though, my problem is that I've not been moderate in this area, I've often behaved like that spoiled two year old who stomps his foot, crying and whining to get his way, wanting what I want, when I want, and as much as I want.  Shameful really.

"Lord, it's amazing how patient You are with this self-indulgent child of Yours.  You've been so long-suffering when it comes to me behaving immaturely.  Please forgive me, Father, for Christ's sake, because I surely don't deserve it in and of myself.  And please help me to grow up, Lord, to become self-controlled in this and many other areas.  I surely can't do it on my own, You know I've tried.  So I come humbly into Your presence, recognizing my great and never-ending need of Your help."      

Day Nine

Another busy day behind me, and I almost stuck to plan, except that I wasn't able to walk again today.  I left early this morning and was back too late.  No sense begrudging it, I'll just have to walk tomorrow if I'm able.  But I was able to make fairly good choices, food-wise, when in the city all day, which shows me it can be done and relatively easily.  I was about 100 cals. over at the end of the day, but again, it's really no big deal.  Eating between 1200 and 1400 calories is a guideline, it's not a hard and fast "rule".  Some days will simply be better than others and I certainly could've done much, much worse.  :-)

"Lord, Oh Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!  I praise You for Your loving kindness toward me, for each and every one of your blessings!"

Day Eight

Wet weather and muddy terrain kept me from walking today, hopefully things will dry out some by tomorrow. 

The bad news is that I've been miscalculating my calorie intake the last couple of days, meaning I've eaten 500 more each day than I thought.  The good news is I discovered my mistake today and know better for the next time I make homemade chicken noodle soup!  :-)

I'm rather tired this evening, so I won't share much as I should get myself to bed.  I'm thankful, though, for the measure of victory I've been enjoying, it's felt good to be more self-controlled, in this and in other areas. 

"Lord, thank You for being my ever present help, my strength in weakness.  Your Name is to be praised in all the earth."

Day Seven

I started the day off with a good, brisk 2.5 km. walk, which helped me to feel energized, and I then managed to stay on plan despite a trip into the city for a child's orthodontist appointment and some grocery shopping. 

One of the things I've found helpful so far is the fact that we're into a nice routine with schooling, etc.  There's something about being hedged in by a sensible daily schedule, I find it comforting to order my days, for the most part, with just enough flexibility thrown in for unexpected blips.  I think the imminent close of summer has also helped, with shorter and cooler days, and that sense of hunkering down, tying in with my comment about ordering my day.  I thrive on order.  Chaos, not so much.

So, all in all, a good day.  I've eaten just a smidgeon over 1400 calories, so am by no means depriving myself, but keeping that number at the fore of my meal planning is helping me to see how easy it really is to refrain from gluttony.

"Lord, You are a God of order, Your Word tells us it's so, and the evidence of it being so is seen throughout the whole of nature.  Thank You, Father, for the order we've been able to achieve in our home this past week, it's been soothing to my spirit.  And thank You for convicting me of my sin of gluttony and for enabling me to make some small strides this past week to overcome it.  May my lips ever praise Your Holy Name, that Name above all names, Jesus."

Self Is The Spirit Of Carnality

"Self is the spirit of carnality; to pretend a homage to God, and intend only the advantage of self, is rather to mock Him than worship Him. When we believe that we ought to be satisfied, rather than God glorified, we set God below ourselves, imagine that He should submit His own honor to our advantage; we make ourselves more glorious than God, as though we were not made for him, but He hath a being only for us; this is to have a very low esteem of the majesty of God. Whatsoever any man aims at in worship above the glory of God, that he forms as an idol to himself instead of God, and sets up a golden image, God counts not this as a worship." 

~ Stephen Charnock ~

As I enter week two in my war against my idolatrous attitude and practice of gluttony, may I be ever mindful of not setting up yet another idol in my heart, that of desiring to conquer it only for the purpose of self, of weight loss.  Rather, may I desire above all to slay this dragon in obedience to, and worship of, the God who created this body for His good purpose.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"What!  know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God's." 


"Lord, You know my heart and motives more intimately than I do, please help me to conform both to Your will and not my own. May all I think and say and do be for the sole purpose of bringing glory to Your Name in humble gratitude for all You've done for me.  These things I pray in the Name of that One Who paid it all, Who gave of Himself that I might be saved, Jesus Christ." 

This Is The Day!

This Is The Day Which The Lord Hath Made!

 

 

Day Five

It's Saturday night, time for bed, but I wanted to quickly mention that I'm still managing to stick to plan in both the eating and exercise departments. 

Tomorrow may prove to be a bit of a challenge, being Sunday and the meeting of the church, with our weekly fellowship meal to follow, but I'm determined to eat what is set before me in moderation.  I won't be walking tomorrow, as my goal is to do so five or six days a week, but not on Sundays. 

"I'm thankful, Lord, for Your enabling this week.  You alone are my strength, because my flesh is incredibly weak.  All glory belongs to You!"

Walking As Exercise - The Benefits

I found this on the net and wanted to save it to remind myself of the benefits of walking, so am copying it here.

"Walking to lose weight is a popular option for those who wish to embark on an exercise program. Walking is one of the best forms of physical activity that can help people shed pounds and feel better about themselves. Just by walking one brisk mile ( 1.6 km), a person can burn as many calories as someone running one (1.6 km) mile at a moderate pace. 

Suggest Edits

 

A sensible goal is to walk for 30 minutes at least four or five times a week in order to receive the most benefits from a walking program. A 150-pound (68 kg) person walking between 3.5 to 4 (5.6 to 6.4 km) miles an hour can expect to burn about 300 calories. Walking several days this distance can help the average person lose weight.

 

To walk to lose weight, a person should try to take more steps throughout the course of the day. The amount of steps can be tracked by wearing a pedometer. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator will help most people achieve the goal of walking more miles. For example, if a person takes at least 5,000 steps throughout the course of one day, she will have walked about 2.5 (4 km) miles.

Work on technique for walking. For example, bending the arms at a 90 degree angle and pumping like a race walker will help a person achieve a quicker walking pace. On average, this will allow someone to burn about five to ten percent more calories.  Another good technique to use while walking is to employ interval training. Every five minutes, speed up the walking pace. Keep the pace for about two minutes before returning to the regular speed.

Suggest Edits

 

Instead of walking on a track, consider varying terrain. For example, walking on sand, grass, or gravel will increase calorie burn. Trudging uphill can also burn more calories than walking on a flat surface, as long as the walker maintains a steady pace. Uphill walking also helps a person build strength and stamina as she works to make it to the top of a hill."

It's all pretty basic, really.  As I've mentioned, I'm currently walking 2.5 km or 1.6 miles daily.  I don't actually leave the yard, as I have to be here for the girls.  So, I walk down past the barn, over to and around the turkey run, then back up past the barn to the house.  I do that five times which takes almost exactly 30 minutes, perhaps a smidgeon more and, according to our van's odometer, is 2.5 km.   The girls have walked along with me, or stopped to catch frogs and creepy-crawlies to feed the frogs, running to catch up once they've deposited all of the critters into a fish tank I bought for them a couple of weeks ago at a thrift store.  It was a real steal at $10 and I'm glad to have my Rubbermaid back, but I digress...  :-)

Well, off to walk right now.  It's drizzling, but not raining yet, so that's good!

"Thank You, Father, for good, strong legs, heart, and lungs.  Thank You for the ability to walk and move at will. Help me to use my body in such a way as to glorify You and not my own prideful self."

 

Calories Needed To Maintain Health & Lose Weight At A Reasonable Rate

I'm trying to ensure I'm eating the correct number of calories daily for optimum health and reasonable and sustainable weight loss, so today I calculated my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), not to be confused with one's BMI (Body Mass Index).  I entered my height, weight, age, and sex, and the number it gave me is 1543.024. 

I then had to take that number and multiply it against my activity level.  Ordinarily, my activity level would be classified as "sedentary", meaning, I typically engaged in little to no regular activity other than my normal day-to-day moving about.  I do a fair bit of farm work, but sitting in a tractor doesn't, apparently, classify as physical activity.  :-) As I've been walking 2.5 km. daily this week, I'm not sure whether to classify my activity level as "lightly active" or "moderately active", but these are the numbers I was given to multiply my BMR based upon those classifications:

Sedentary:  1543.024 x 1.2 = 1851.63
Lightly Active:  1543.024 x 1.375 = 2121.66
Moderately Active:  2391.69 x 1.55 = 2391.69 

Those final numbers are my daily caloric needs to maintain my current weight, which I clearly don't want to do, so the following helped me determine if my goal of between 1200 and 1400 calories per day is healthy, while also allowing me to achieve weight loss. 

Calorie Needs to lose weight

There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. (On average 75% of this is fat, 25% lean tissue) If you create a 7000 calorie deficit you will lose two pounds and so on. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.

If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.

An alternative way of calculating a safe minimum calorie-intake level is by reference to your body weight or current body weight. Reducing calories by 15-20% below your daily calorie maintenance needs is a useful start. You may increase this depending on your weight loss goals.

I think what I'm doing lines up with all I've read today, so I'll just keep on keeping on.  I'm sure the biggest hurdle I'll have to deal with is the rate of loss.  Every overweight person just wants the weight gone, like yesterday, and I'm no exception.  But I've been there and done that, it all came back and then some because I couldn't or wouldn't maintain such a restrictive way of eating.  I'll have to learn to somehow adopt the mantra, "Slow and steady wins the race.", but I'm sure I'll be frustrated with it from time to time.

"Lord, You ordained certain and specific principles to apply to all of life and practice, including how much food our bodies need to function well.  For too long I've ignored those principles, satisfying the lust of my flesh, rather than subjecting myself to Your governance.  I can do nothing but plead mercy in the Name of Jesus, and ask You to forgive me for being so foolish and sinful.  I need Your help every hour, Lord, in this and every area."

Day Four

Still on track, still walking, feeling good.  :-)

I was thinking today about the "what" of eating, pondering various diets and plans I'm aware of, and got thinking about how I want to make food behave, rather than make myself behave. 

For example, I've been known to remove good, healthy fats out of my diet in order to be able to keep my caloric count down, but why not simply eat less of the actual food and enjoy the better taste of it with those good fats? 

Years ago I used to eat this fake buttery powder on my baked potatoes, rather than good, wholesome butter.  Taste-wise it didn't at all measure up, but it allowed me to eat the entire potato...or two.  It would have been better, I think, to cut the portion size and enjoy the potato with the butter. 

So, that's what I'm endeavouring to do this time.  I'm trying to enjoy real cooking with real ingredients, but in moderation.  I'm using butter and sugar and eating everything I make my family, without having to alter it or make something different for myself. 

Today we had roast chicken (skin on), mashed potatoes (with butter and milk), buttered carrots, gravy (from the drippings), and biscuits.  I kept my serving size small and enjoyed each bite.  I've delighted in three good meals today, just small meals, and snacks (fruit), and don't feel at all deprived.  Now, it could be I won't lose any weight this week, and maybe I'm going to have to think things through again, but for now I'm leaning this way.  We'll see what happens.  Food surely does taste good when cooked with normal ingredients though.

 Genesis 9:3 - Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Psalms 104:14 - He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.

"How blessed I am to be able to enjoy Your good gift of good food, Lord.  Thank You so very much for all of Your kind provision for me.  Help me, Father, to be wise in this and every area of my life, that I might rightly reflect Your character  and glorify You while I yet live, in and for the cause of Jesus Christ, Your Son."

Day Three

I admit it, I love carbs.  I can bypass sweets most any time, but breads, potatoes, chips, etc?  My albatross. 

I've been keeping my daily calorie count under 1400 each day, but I think I'm still probably eating too many carbs.  Right now I'm not going to change that too much, not until I get a handle on things, but I wonder if I'm going to have to limit those to perhaps 40% or less of my daily count.  We'll see.

My hope is to lose 1 lb. per week consistently.  I'll likely plateau at some point, perhaps at many points, but if, after a year, I'm down 50, I'll be ok with that.  More than ok.  :-)

It's really not that difficult to manage on this number of calories.  For many folk in this world, that'd be a luxury.  I need to give thanks more.

I managed to walk again today, this time with an entourage, the four little girls and Jordan and Victoria.  It was quite an adventure as some stopped to catch a frog and play in puddles.  I kept walking briskly, it was their job to keep up.  :-)  It was actually a very cool, but sunny day, so most enjoyable.  Once again, 2.5 km., 30 min.

"Lord, I come again in Your Name, to express how thankful I am for Your many good gifts to me; a wonderful family, good health, food in abundance, freedom to worship You, to teach our children at home.  Help me to live with a consistent attitude of thankfulness, to learn to stop complaining about the inconsequential things in life, and please forgive my ingratitude.  How good and kind You are to me.  I'm so undeserving."

Confessions of a Skinny Glutton

A friend brought this blog post to my attention today, I thought I'd share it here, because this gal really hit the nail on the head. It's not just about body size.

Here's a teaser, you can read the rest by clicking on the link:

"I am skinny.

Because I am skinny I don’t get second looks from the elderly lady at the church potluck who whispers in not-so-hushed tones behind her bony fingers that I’ve eaten beyond my weight in pink fluff.

However, guilt does visit regularly because while on the outside I play the part of athletic health foodie, on the inside I struggle.

You see, I am a glutton..."

http://www.thebettermom.com/2013/09/05/confessions-of-a-skinny-glutton-2/

Resist Temptation

1 Corinthians 10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]."

Galations 5:16

 "[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

James 4:7

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Hebrews 2:18

"For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

Need I say more?  Is there anything I need to add to those powerful verses?  No, I don't think so.  :-)

Day Two

Hmmm... Should I or shouldn't I?

I weighed myself this morning.  Thought I should know exactly what I'm dealing with.  It isn't pretty. 

195 lbs. 

Wow.

On a happier note, it's 10:00 p.m. and I can truthfully say today was a good day.  I managed to eat conscientiously, even when I had to feed the girls some supper at the mall after running errands.  I think I made a wise choice, or a "wiser" choice, than I could have - a six inch turkey sub from Subway and a water.  I wanted the 12 inch and a Pepsi.  :-)

I also managed to walk again today, same distance (2.5 km.), 30 minutes.  It felt good.  Mostly. 

C.H. Spurgeon had a great deal of wisdom, he is quoted often by many.  I'm challenged today by this particular reminder:

"Your spiritual nature ought to keep your mental nature under control, and your
mental nature ought to keep your bodily nature entirely in check."

In my previous post I said that this is about so much more than what I put into my mouth.  It begins with my spiritual state, which translates into my thinking, which informs what I do with my body.  I have to ponder that some more.

"Father, I come in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, asking You to cause my thoughts to be focused upon You and Your Word.  May the outward working of my flesh in every area reflect your truth."

Create In Me A Clean Heart

It's about so much more than what I eat or don't eat.  It's about a heart yielded wholly to Christ. 

"Yes, Lord, create in me a new heart.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. In and for the cause of Christ."

Day One - Part 3

I should probably wait to post at the end of each day, seems crazy to have three entries today alone.

I've managed to stay within my planned caloric allotment today, closing out at 1375, just under the 1400 maximum I believe is reasonable.  What I'd really like to do is average out around 1300 per day over the course of any given week. 

On the other hand, I also don't want to become a slave to the numbers.  I want them to guide me, not own me.  As I have a propensity to be an all or nothing kind of person, I don't want to become so obsessed with numbers (either caloric or on the scale) that a blip here or there will derail my lifelong goal of self-control in this area.

I also managed a brisk 30 minute walk today, well, it seemed brisk to me, but when I write down the distance and time, it seems rather lame.  Then again, I'm not training for the Olympics.  I think I may have gone about 2.5 km. (1.6 mi.).  Seems such a tiny distance, but it's more than I walked yesterday.   :-)    It was good to get out into the fresh air and just move, I'm sure I'll have to remind myself of that tomorrow. 

"Father, thank You for enabling me to resist temptation today, thank You for giving me the ability to deny my flesh.  And thank You for the two good legs and healthy heart which allowed me to walk.  I praise You, Lord, in the Name of Jesus, because I am, indeed, fearfully and wonderfully made."

Day One - Part 2

As this blog is primarily to keep myself focused, I'll be adding what I've eaten, when I've been tempted to cave or throw in the towel, any small victories the Lord enables me to attain, as well as various random thoughts and ideas as they come to mind.

I do believe calories in and calories out matter.  A 5' 2", relatively sedentary gal simply can't consume 5000 calories a day and not gain weight. On the other hand, too few calories will cause my metabolism to slow down, causing the old belly and hips to cling to that stored fat for self preservation.  So, while I'm not going to do one particular or another well known diet, I am going to try to implement some of the principles I've learned from various ones throughout the years.

I've decided to try to keep my daily calorie count between 1200 and 1400.  I think that's reasonable.  While some suggest it's best not to count calories, I think when someone has gotten into the habit of overeating, they underestimate how many calories they may be consuming in any given meal or day.  So until I get a much better handle of what moderation looks like, I'd better set some clearly defined parameters.

For breakfast today I enjoyed an over-easy fried egg, a slice of toast, and a cup of mint julep tea.  That 245 calorie breakfast was satisfying enough.  And there's the key, I think, that word "enough".  Certainly I'd have enjoyed bacon and hash browns with it, and I may just include them another day, but what I ate today was quite "enough" and "enough" will do.

We normally have our big meal at noon-ish, but as today is our first official day back to school (we home school), things are a little off keester, so we'll have to have our main meal later.  For lunch I enjoyed 4 Triscuit crackers with 2 wedges of light Laughing Cow cheese, along with a mango/protein smoothie, for a total of 285 calories.  I'm well satisfied.  And there's another good word, "satisfied".  I really must learn to recognize what it feels like to be "satisfied", as opposed to "stuffed", and stop at the former.

"Lord, thank You for the variety you've created.  Please help me to enjoy it in moderation."

Day One - And So It Begins

Today is Day One, the beginning of change. 

I've done various fad diets throughout the years, and as is the case with so many others I know, the results were short-lived.  I define the word fad in this instance as an acronym for "Fast Acting Diet", because that's pretty much what most are.  Calories and/or food choices are limited to such a degree that the weight seems to quickly melt away, and who wouldn't want that?!

Two years ago, beginning at almost exactly this time of year, I paid big bucks to, in essence, starve myself for six months while on a medically supervised diet which included B6 and B12 shots three times per week.  I loved the quick results, 70 lbs. lickity split!  I felt terrific once the weight was off, had regained my much missed sense of balance and had energy galore.  Carrying so much extra weight had felt like being trapped in a prison, I couldn't believe how good, how free I felt once it was off. The only problem, of course, is that you can't go from eating 800 or less calories a day to eating normally without putting it all back on again.  I knew that.  I mean seriously, I've been around the block a few times, I'm 54, no spring chicken, so I understood the chemistry of it all, but even though I knew it mentally, I'd convinced myself that once I'd tasted freedom I'd never go back into bondage.  You know what they say, "never say never".  At least I looked slim in my son's wedding photos!  :-)

A couple of months ago I started another diet, one which many other Christian women have begun recently with promising results.  The principle of it makes perfectly good sense, but I just can't see myself eating that way for the rest of  my life, though perhaps others can.  It basically recommends you eat a protein base with every meal, but the second element has to be either fat OR carbohydrate, you aren't to eat both of the latter together, except in very sparing amounts.  The science behind it sounds good and many I know are enjoying good success, but long term, at least for me, I just can't see it.  I may try to implement some of the recipes/ideas from time to time, but I think I really need to simply do a type of "moderation" diet.  At least that's what I'm purposing to do.  And exercise.  Not to excess, but to incorporate a reasonable amount of deliberate activity into my weekly schedule.

So, here goes!

"Here I am again, Lord, calling upon You in the Name of Jesus, asking You to be my strength, my wisdom.  I know all too well that all of my efforts in every area of life when I've left You out have come to naught.  I need Your guidance, Your direction, Your strength.  Help me to remember that, Lord, help me to not get caught up again in believing that I can overcome my propensity to sin in this or any other area without leaning heavily on Your strong arm."

One Brick At A Time

I am that broken down city without walls referred to in Proverbs 25:28, because I have failed to rule over my own spirit, my sin nature. 

Like many, I struggle with self-control in various areas, but in particular with regard to overeating and lack of attention to regular and health building and maintaining exercise.  My body readily tells the sorry tale. 

Today is my birthday.  I'm 54.  And, I'm 70 lbs. overweight.

My birthday gift to myself, beginning today, is to purpose to faithfully strive for whatever measure of health the Lord will grant me by making the steady and sensible changes I know I have to make, but have continually put off.

I can't imagine anyone being even remotely interested in what I have say about the matter, so this blog is merely an attempt to chronicle my journey as a reminder to myself of the necessity of rebuilding, brick by painstaking brick, the wall of health around the city, as well as the city itself.

"Lord, the task is surely too difficult to embark upon on my own.  I've tried and failed in my own strength so many times before. This time, with simple words devoid of even the most remote attempt at eloquence, I call upon You, in the Name of Your Son, Jesus,  and humbly, but necessarily, ask for Your help."