Happy Healthy New Year!

Made it through Thanksgiving without faltering on eating healthy. Christmas was another story :/ my kids and I always bake with my sister in law and this year was no exception. Nibbling that day kinda started it. But all in all, even though I had a few desserts and ate Christmas dinner, I am back on it again! I went to the doctor yesterday, and I must say, I am so happy that I made the decision to only way when I go there. Because of that, my weight was actually still significantly down :) I'm sure I would have lost more without the Christmas setback but all in all I am proud of myself. And it really motivated me to see that number on the scale. We should always face up to it and then move on.
My sister in law is giving us a recumbent bike! It will be good for me and hopefully help Brian to get moving some again.
So...no matter what happened over the holidays...it's not what we did...it's what we do next!!

We have a lot to be thankful for!

How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  Hope you spent it with family and friends and being thankful for all God has given us and done for us.
I know some may think it a bit odd that I would still stay true to my eating plan through the holidays.  I mean, it's only the holidays, and it's food we don't normally get all the rest of the year, right?  Very true.  However, I began this journey knowing (as I have done in the past) that once I begin this, it has to be all or nothing.  If I deviate, and start making excuses, soon I am right back to the old ways of eating.
I do not, however, impinge my eating habits on others, nor do I request special meal changes.  At my cousin's house, the place where we ate our main meal on Thanksgiving, I brought a large salad for everyone to share, and a beautiful dessert. (I stuck with the salad LOL).  There were lots of veggies and turkey to choose from as well.  I also brought a dessert to my brother's home, we go there every year for dessert to visit with my family.
This next paragraph I am speaking mainly to people that have trouble with controlling their consumption....if we could just get past feeling like "our holidays are ruined if we can't eat what we want" or "it won't be as fun" or "that's what it's mainly about."  No it's not!  I will be honest...I am grateful for starting this early and having the sugar and carb cravings gone by now.  But I sat at the table with others, content with what was on my plate, and laughed and talked and had a wonderful time.
Again, I will restate, if you have a hard time controlling your eating, or limiting your sugar intake, try some form of low carb eating.  It does take about a week for the cravings to stop, but they will stop.  I have altered my plan to fit what is best for me.  I know so many diets by heart, I can mix 'em all up and come out with just the right one now! LOL.
My prayer is for everyone to have a wonderful Christmas. Keeping Christ at the center of all we do.

I'm still at it over here!

11/19/13
It's been a while since I've had time to post!  I am still doing great on my plan to getting healthy.  I have not had the time to walk like I was at first, but I am working on that.
Since beginning my journey, I have lost 15 pounds.  I am finally beginning to feel a difference in my clothing.  Baby steps.
I made it through a very stressful situation without caving.  That's saying a lot, isn't it?  I felt emotions I haven't allowed myself to feel in some time.  That wasn't fun, but it is healing.
I am also now on vitamins from GNC.  I take L-Cartinine once a day, an Ultra Mega Women's Active Vitamin twice a day...and something called GRP6 that's to help with REM sleep (for fibromyalgia sufferers) and also helps with appetite control.  It's helping!
Would love for those that want to to post some suggestions on making it through the upcoming holidays safely.  I plan to make a salad in addition to the normal things I make and take to get togethers.  Funny to me how people will pile their plates high, but see salad and have to put some of it on their plate as well.  I think it helps them justify what else is on there. HAHA.
I am planning over the Black Friday shopping time to begin looking for a "special plate" for me.  I would like to use a smaller plate at dinnertime (I have already been doing this but it's a plastic Star Wars one....).  I would like to treat myself by finding something really beautiful.  Have also thought how neat it would be one day to design plates for dieters, ones that are "real portion size" not the portions we're so used to today in America.  I also would like to put on the plates sayings like "You Can Do This!"  And "Way to Go!"  Who wouldn't like to finish a salad or healthy meal and see that?
So ..... let the suggestions begin!  If you are having difficulty posting responses here, sign up for a Google account.  It only takes a second.  Blessings to everyone and a wonderful Thanksgiving to all!!!

Take that!

Phew! This has been a stressful week!  Know what stress does to an emotional eater on a diet?  Sabotages them!  Makes me believe that eating lots of unhealthy things will make things better.  Makes me feel like stuffing down my feelings and emotions so that I don't have to experience the pain.
I made a big discovery this weekend....when I don't do that....the tears come out!  Let me explain.  My mom passed away suddenly in 1992..it was devastating to me and my family.  She was only sick for less than a week and gone.  It took me a long time to heal from that and I did not like the emotional state I was in all the time.  I guess I kind of made a decision not to ever let anything get to me that deeply again.  Although I've struggled with my weight my whole life...I have never been this overweight, and especially not for this long a period of time.
People...this is my humble opinion...take it for what it's worth, and know that the reason I'm writing it is mainly for my own benefit:  Just because we are Christians does not mean we don't have struggles and trials in our lives.  It also doesn't mean that we should stuff those feelings and emotions down and walk around like everything is okay and we are above all of it.
Thank GOD He walks with us through them...sometimes carries us.  But he MADE us and He knows we feel things deeply.
It actually scared me this weekend how many tears flowed and how much emotion came out.  Then I realized this morning, it's not comfortable, but it's needed in order to heal and not keep it all inside...where I feel like the only thing that will help it is to eat.
Thanks for listening and I pray someone else is helped by this post.  Let me know your thoughts.  And I covet your prayers. :)

Ivory Soap!

I thought that might get your attention!  LOL.  No, I'm not eating it.  I do have what the doctor is thinking might be restless leg syndrome, which I'm refusing to let stop me from walking.  I went yesterday to the doctor (yes my wonderfully amazing doctor is open on Sundays :)) and he's going to run some tests.  In the meantime, I did some research of my own and there was some buzz online about people trying this....you take a plain ole bar of soap.  I had Ivory soap...and you pull your comforter or blanket back and place the soap down by where your legs go in between that and your top sheet!  Now why would that help? I have no idea!  But I tried it last night and I slept!  I was also exhausted from not sleeping nights before so we will see. HAHA.
I mention that because exhaustion and pain can cause us to overeat.  Comfort foods do just that....comfort us...momentarily.  I didn't cave!  I even had a temperature and the doctor said I had what looked like the beginnings of a throat infection.  Let me show you what the Old Maureen would've heard.  "Well, I have a throat infection, so I can't eat diet food!  I have to go get the makings for homemade chicken noodle soup and lotsssssssssss of cracker!  Sprite too."  Nope.  So far so good!
Please comment you guys.  The comments are very encouraging and keep me going!  Love you!

Movie Night.....

Friday night is usually our family movie night.  We grab up whichever kids are home and move the couch close and have pizza and popcorn, etc.  I really thought I was strong enough to not overdo....but I wasn't.  I did really well all day long yesterday, even walked farther than normal....but pizza to me is what my old Weight Watcher leader used to call a "red light" food.  DANGER! lol. I had salad and should've had one piece of pizza...it wasn't even that great!  And....who can watch a movie without popcorn?  Honestly, I didn't even want it when I ate it.  At least it was a light popcorn :) I felt that uncomfortable stuffed feeling again for the first time in a couple of weeks and I hated it.  But (another WW leader saying...) it's not what I did...it's what I do next!  I evaluated what I did wrong...strategized so I do better next time (not even one piece...) and got up early this morning and walked a mile.
I notice I am able to walk a little faster now after two weeks.  I am very proud of that, because I have limitations...but God is helping me!  I ate healthy all day today, and stayed really busy.  I got so much done today and really feel a sense of accomplishment.
Please everyone reading this...know my heart.  I don't write any of this to brag on myself.  That's why I'm being so honest.  I do it for a healing for me...and I pray that it helps someone else that battles with emotional overeating.  Onward and upward!  (But down on the scale please :))

I have a confession to make! I am in love with cilantro! I have a wonderful friend that lives next door that is from Costa Rica. She calls me her "white Costa Rican friend" LOL. I love the food! It's so satisfying and flavorful! Tonight I had black beans with cilantro and a wonderful salad with greens, green onion, fresh squeezed lime and Greek peppers. Delicious! Love not feeling miserable when I get up from the table! Help me remember Lord! If I knew how I would post a picture of my pretty dinner :)

We can do this!

Two posts in one day won't be regular :).  Just wanted to clarify something...every person that reads this and is struggling with weight loss has to find their own journey.  I've hopped on someone else's weight loss band wagon more times than I can count.  Been very successful...and very unsuccessful...I've lost over 110 pounds before....65 pounds before....only to gain it all back very rapidly.  What works for one probably will not work for another.  I urge you to pray about your plan, and find out what's right for you and your body.  I am done with trying what's been successful for some or the newest thing seen on t.v., although I applaud everyone's efforts, it has to be a personal soul searching for it to last with me.  I covet your prayers and appreciate any and all posts that are put on here. :) We can do this!

My Journey Back! Post 1

What on earth could I possibly say new about dieting and losing weight?  I'm sure, like me, you have tried every new diet that has come along...and even made up a few of your own.  I invite you to come along with me on a journey....not of "lack" or of "doing without"...but of finding our way back to a healthy lifestyle..one that will allow us to be around longer for our children and our families.
Dieting for me has been a struggle my entire life.  Only in the past five years or so have I made the discovery that I am definitely super sensitive to carbs and sugar.  Not just sensitive...addicted.  Being a christian and using the word "addicted" layers on guilt and shame that is a hard blanket to crawl out from under.  I remember many years ago, when I first began to uncover this truth and began thinking about starting a low carb diet, how God began to show me how much I was dependent on carbs and sugar.  I remember thinking about the two of them as "old friends" and visualizing holding on to them like something precious I could never let go.  That's when I knew that I had a problem.  Since that time, I have begun and failed low carb dieting many times.  Thus, the need for this blog!  I never make myself open to others while I'm dieting, so that "just in case I fail" no one will know.  That's a way out that I no longer want.
As most people with a weight problem, I also am an emotional eater, going to food for comfort in times of stress, pain, heartache.  Isn't that what God is for??? Don't we know that?
Let's face it.  Overeating and obesity is a sin.  It's gluttony.  And the Bible says God looks at all sin the same. Let's encourage one another and lift each other up and help each other get healthy, not just for our own benefit, but so we are here longer for our children, and so that we have more strength to help others when they need a hand up.  We can do this!  Please share this link with someone you know could benefit from support and encouragement while striving to obtain a healthy lifestyle!