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But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Shrink-a-versary

Sisterhood of the Shrinking JeansWell, I'm not sure which "shrink-a-versary" I'm personally celebrating (seems I've been trying to shrink FOREVER!), but The Sisterhood is celebrating one year in existence next month and hosting not only another weight loss challenge, but daily giveaways for the entire month of November as well!

And it's time I hopped back on top of things. Since early summer, my weight has continued to drop, but not at all significantly. And while I'm impressed that I've been able to maintain a weight that hovers around and just under 160 lbs (as opposed to around or above 190!) without feeling like I'm missing out on anything, it's time to prove that I can accomplish a little bit more yet.

This challenge ends seven weeks from now, on December 16, and I'd like to drop 8.8 lbs during that time, which would bring me to an even 150. And being able to maintain THAT weight over Christmas holidays will really be an impressive personal accomplishment!!

I don't know that I really have a strategy in place just yet, but I'd planned to resume the habit of routine fasting this fall and that hasn't happened yet, so I think that will be step 1.

Running and walking is another thing that's sort of fallen by the wayside this fall since hubby's finally working full-time again, which means he's gone a minimum of 13 hours a day (and sometimes he doesn't even bother coming home, but sleeps in the truck overnight so that he can get more sleep hours) and the only days I can walk or run outside are kindergarten days and weekends. And even those have been pretty hit and miss, since he's been busy working at the shop on the trucks on weekends and the weather's been really damp the last several weeks. Of course, I have an elliptical and a couple workout videos, but so far, I haven't convinced myself to switch to those forms of exercise. That might be my step 2!

And cutting out evening snacking (AGAIN!) will be step 3. The never-ending battle!

All in all, I think 8.8 lbs in 7 weeks should be very doable. IF I start exercising some will-power.



Jump Rope

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I don't know what to call this post.

It really isn't something I want to talk about very badly. But I think it's the truth and I think we, as Christians, have become too eager to pretend that it isn't. I accept that my beliefs may be wildly unpopular. And please understand I'm saying this as much to myself as anyone else. I'm very guilty of subscription to this attitude and its resulting behaviors.

So what am I talking about?

Well, I guess it's this whole mentality that we need to "embrace" or "own" our limitations and concentrate on inner beauty ~ that it doesn't matter how overweight we are, because inner beauty is more important.

Now, before you get all huffy, I do believe that inner beauty is more important than outward appearance. My problem isn't with that statement itself, but what bothers me about it is the way we use it as an excuse not to try to do what's right and responsible. It gets used as an excuse for not developing the self-discipline we so sorely need in our affluent society. We justify gluttony using phrases like this.

Contrary to what seems to be popular belief these days, even among Christians, gluttony is not a right! And yet it is being recognized as such even in courts of law. You can literally eat your way into a protected group with all the same legal rights as the blind or deaf.

In his book, The One Year Devotions for People of Purpose, in the devotional called "Is Gluttony a Right?" Chuck Colson states:

"Laws are supposed to remind us what we ought to do. But the pro-gluttony ruling sanctions giving in to what we want to do ~ even if it's unhealthy. Folks who binge on candy and chips can now do so with the confidence that even the courts will defend their right to self-indulge.

Christians ought to view the temptation to overeat as a challenge to build character, not fat reserves. Living in an affluent culture as we do, many of our temptations come not because we have too little but because we have so much. Unlike people in poor cultures, [North] Americans can afford to buy all the food we want ~ including the high-calorie junk food that puts on the pounds.

Proverbs 30 reminds us that both poverty and riches can be a trap. Poverty may tempt us to steal, but riches tempt us to gluttony.

Philippians 3 condemns gluttony as a form of idolatry. People whose 'god is their stomach' are headed for eternal destruction.

The last thing we need is false compassion that turns human weakness into a civil right."

It's good there are people standing up and saying we shouldn't be judging people based on whether they're skinny or fat, that it's their character and personality that matter. Better yet, ones that actually LIVE by that principle and demonstrate that they actually believe what they say. But it's BAD that we are allowing these arguments to lull us into the belief that gluttony is no longer a sin.

We CAN be beautiful regardless of our size. True beauty IS on the inside and that matters MOST to God. We should definitely have this attitude with regards to others, but when examining ourselves, we need to be careful we don't embrace this idea too tightly and allow it to become license for indulgence. If our lives are evidence of what we believe, of what doctrine we subscribe to, a woman of faith should demonstrate her desire for godliness with a heart attitude of modesty and self-control.

We do need a healthy self-image, but we also need to remember to look at ourselves in the context of "what do my physical appearance and my eating habits say about my relationship with Christ? Is it obvious that I'm allowing the power of God to transform me and to help me fight temptation, or obvious I'm not?"

We need a healthy self-esteem. But we need to be careful self-esteem doesn't become self-love, which very often gets used as an excuse to NOT change. God's grace does cover our failures; He does love us unconditionally, but that doesn't necessarily mean He thinks we're perfect just the way we are. God's grace is not a license to sin; it's the power He gives us to fight temptation.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
(1 Cor. 6:19-20)


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Weigh-in Wednesday

I'm basically the same as last week. Up 0.6.

But considering there were two Thanksgiving potlucks and one big turkey dinner with friends, I'm considering that maintenance.

I'm glad this challenge officially ends on Saturday though, rather than today...
...that gives me a couple more days to try and lose the Thanksgiving ounces ~ and hopefully even a couple extra!!

Every year on the last Sunday in October, our church gets together with the other small churches from our particular affiliation that are within a couple hours' drive of each other, and this year, they're having a food collection offering, so that will be the perfect place to bring what I'm hoping will amount to at least 4 lbs of groceries!! Maybe, I'll include next week's weigh-in to boost my "donate-able" weight!

I have not done as well with this challenge as I was hoping to, but I guess I've pretty much just exposed the problem, too. I was HOPING it instead of DOING IT. When will I ever learn?!

Question Mark

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Weigh-in Wednesday

Ugh. I've been such slacker the last two weeks. Not blogging much, forgetting to weigh myself, eating whenever and whatever I felt like...

Needless to say, I was a little surprised this morning when I stepped on the scale.

In a good way.

I'm down 2.2 from two weeks ago!! Which brings me to only 3.6# for this challenge, but an even 24 since I started trying to lose weight right after Easter.

Which means that....

...since 1997 ~
the year I got married,
and the year my roller-coaster weight began its initial, mountainous climb ~

I'm the lightest I've ever been!!

Woo-hoo!!!!!


Raise The Roof 1 Disco Boogie Raise The Roof 1


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Thoughts on Motivation

So, I lost track of all the eating I did over the weekend. It wasn't super bad (though not that great either!), but I just didn't keep track.

I missed weigh-in, too.

I've found myself saying a lot lately that I've lost my motivation.

I've lost "that lovin' feelin..." so to speak.

But you know, I've spent a lot of time studying my Bible lately (I've got a lot more time on my hands now that my youngest is in kindergarten!!), and I've come to believe that this thing we call "motivation" is, in many ways, no different from love or faith.

They're not feelings; they're decisions.

Waiting to FEEL motivated is a fatal flaw in weight-loss efforts or any other goal-setting exercise. If we base motivation on feelings, it's only temporary ~ and often won't be there at all!! But if we base motivation on knowledge, and decide to persevere regardless of how we feel, that's when we'll continually experience success.

I can choose to wait to feel like turning down snacks, or I can choose to turn them down because I know it's smarter, healthier, and more character-building than the alternative. The former might happen every now and again, but the latter is a conscious decision which is the basis for a permanent lifestyle change.

One is completely within our control. The other is just wishful thinking. (Seriously, who can honestly claim they feel like NOT snacking??!!)

What are you choosing today? To practice what you know is good, wise, and healthy; or wait until the motivation to do so strikes again?