We've been back from our holiday for a little more than a week, so I thought I should update. How glad I am to be able to say my effort to abstain from overindulgence was successful! Oh, I wasn't perfect, by any means, I sometimes ate more than I should have, but overall I managed to eat moderately. I ate what I wanted, but simply chose smaller portions and also tried to split meals when possible. I enjoyed treats, but limited the amount. Best of all, I continued to exercise throughout, with the exception of the last week while we were on the road.
In years past I've put myself under tremendous pressure to lose weight before going away, only to embrace a defeatist attitude that there was no point, because I'd just gain it all back while away. This year taught me that I can go away, enjoy my family, and even enjoy eating out as often as we did and do so moderately.
I'm not down, weight-wise, but neither am I up. That feels and tastes like success to me!
How thankful I am for the Lord's enabling power. I'm learning that by placing even this area of my life under His Lordship, He readily equips me to stand.
1 Timothy 4:4-5:
"For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving."
Lord, today as I speak of *my* success, may I be ever mindful that it is You who enables and equips Your children to walk in obedience in every area of life. Thank You, Father, for Your constant and tender mercies toward me.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Holiday Challenges
For the past nine weeks I've been fairly mindful about choosing my meals carefully, and have also been exercising regularly, trying to build muscle and bone, as well as heart health, and overall it hasn't been too difficult to manage. Until now.
What is it about going away on a holiday which makes us think we ought to be able to throw restraint to the wind and overindulge ourselves? I haven't. But I've surely been tempted!
The first week wasn't too bad, as we visited friends in Virginia and the dear lady of the house is also watching what she eats, so it was an encouragement to both of us, I think, to choose wisely and moderately at meal time, and delicious meal times they were! My friends and her daughters are excellent cooks and wonderful hostesses, so the temptation to overindulge three times per day was definitely there, but being under the watchful eye of my sweet friend kept me on the straight and narrow. ;-)
This week we're in Florida and there's just something about being here which makes me want to eat, and not just eat, but to eat every and anything my eyes fall upon, and in great abundance! I sort of feel like Pavlov's dogs, I suppose, having conditioned myself over the past many years to believe that holiday time is a time to let my hair down, to overindulge in this area. It's such a silly thing, really, and it's high time I realized that I'm able to have a perfectly wonderful time with my precious family without indulging in every craving. I've almost a week under my belt here and have not only continued with my exercise program, but have also limited my calorie count. Perhaps this will be the year when it finally sinks in, where my desire for obedience to God and better health takes precedence over my short term wants.
Oh, and have I mentioned that as of this morning I'm down 13.5 lbs.? Not a huge amount, but definitely progress! :-)
And wouldn't you know it? My hubby and girls just came back from playing mini golf and what have they brought? Yep. Pizza. And my favourite! Hawaiian! Ha!!
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.
Thank you, Lord, for your enabling when it comes to resisting temptation in this and every area. May Your Name be glorified in and through my every thought and every deed. For the cause of Christ, I pray.
What is it about going away on a holiday which makes us think we ought to be able to throw restraint to the wind and overindulge ourselves? I haven't. But I've surely been tempted!
The first week wasn't too bad, as we visited friends in Virginia and the dear lady of the house is also watching what she eats, so it was an encouragement to both of us, I think, to choose wisely and moderately at meal time, and delicious meal times they were! My friends and her daughters are excellent cooks and wonderful hostesses, so the temptation to overindulge three times per day was definitely there, but being under the watchful eye of my sweet friend kept me on the straight and narrow. ;-)
This week we're in Florida and there's just something about being here which makes me want to eat, and not just eat, but to eat every and anything my eyes fall upon, and in great abundance! I sort of feel like Pavlov's dogs, I suppose, having conditioned myself over the past many years to believe that holiday time is a time to let my hair down, to overindulge in this area. It's such a silly thing, really, and it's high time I realized that I'm able to have a perfectly wonderful time with my precious family without indulging in every craving. I've almost a week under my belt here and have not only continued with my exercise program, but have also limited my calorie count. Perhaps this will be the year when it finally sinks in, where my desire for obedience to God and better health takes precedence over my short term wants.
Oh, and have I mentioned that as of this morning I'm down 13.5 lbs.? Not a huge amount, but definitely progress! :-)
And wouldn't you know it? My hubby and girls just came back from playing mini golf and what have they brought? Yep. Pizza. And my favourite! Hawaiian! Ha!!
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.
Thank you, Lord, for your enabling when it comes to resisting temptation in this and every area. May Your Name be glorified in and through my every thought and every deed. For the cause of Christ, I pray.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Diet & Exercise
The two go hand in hand, really, and this quote sums it up rather well:
"You can't out-exercise a bad diet."
I've been watching my caloric intake daily, keeping it between 1200 and 1400, usually around 1300, and have also implemented an exercise regime. I do a low-impact cardio routine for 30 minutes per day, and add a 20 minute weight training segment in three times per week. According to everything I'm reading, I should be doing 45 to 50 minutes of cardio daily for sustained weight loss, but for now this seems to be working and perhaps in time I'll increase it.
The interesting thing about my exercise routine is not so much that I've lost a bit, it's that I genuinely feel so much better physically since implementing it. It's amazing how vigorously moving the body each day loosens up the tendons, gets the joints lubricated, and provides an overall energy boost. We are fearfully and wonderfully made indeed.
"Lord, thank you for the strong, healthy heart and lungs you provided me with, for the sound limbs, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Help me to use these good gifts to glorify You, the Creator, in Jesus' Name."
"You can't out-exercise a bad diet."
I've been watching my caloric intake daily, keeping it between 1200 and 1400, usually around 1300, and have also implemented an exercise regime. I do a low-impact cardio routine for 30 minutes per day, and add a 20 minute weight training segment in three times per week. According to everything I'm reading, I should be doing 45 to 50 minutes of cardio daily for sustained weight loss, but for now this seems to be working and perhaps in time I'll increase it.
The interesting thing about my exercise routine is not so much that I've lost a bit, it's that I genuinely feel so much better physically since implementing it. It's amazing how vigorously moving the body each day loosens up the tendons, gets the joints lubricated, and provides an overall energy boost. We are fearfully and wonderfully made indeed.
"Lord, thank you for the strong, healthy heart and lungs you provided me with, for the sound limbs, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Help me to use these good gifts to glorify You, the Creator, in Jesus' Name."
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