Our Sunday Walks

Day 262
Wt. 191. (-0.2)
Total Weight Loss 40.2
Countdown to Goal: 318 Days
LBS to Goal: 41.6

We started having long family walks on Sunday afternoons back in May. We all do our own exercise throughout the week but late on Sunday afternoons, we walk together as a family. We have walked different places but the place we love most is the walking track at Concord Park. It is a flat dirt track and it is our favorite, by far! We are quite a sight to see because there are several adults, seven kids - one in a stroller - and often times Lacy the dog joins us, too! This is by no means ever a power walk - it is more of a stroll. It's a chance to have some fun together as a family. Yesterday, Maggie and I walked together. I loved getting some one on one with my oldest granddaughter! Little Kennedy protested being in her stroller yesterday. When Jen put her down to walk, she was so happy that she was skipping and leaping! She was the cutest thing! Even at eighteen months old, she is learning that exercise is important and fun! I also like that this is one family tradition that does not involve food! I love our walks and hope we always do them!

The Jackson Road Resolution Run 5K

Day 262
Wt. 191.8 (+0.4)
Total Weight Loss 40.4
Countdown to Goal: 319 Days
LBS to Goal: 41.8
My fingers are swollen and that is why I have the gain of 0.4 pounds. Experience tells me this happens and it will NOT cause me any concern, AT ALL! I have eaten well and exercised and this i part of weighing in every day...seeing the fluctuations. That being said...on with my post.

Melissa, Denise and me!

 

 

We had a great time at the Resolution Run 5K! The weather was PERFECT!!! Denise and Melissa walked 14 minute miles!!! I walked 16 minute miles - an all time best for me!!!!! I was so happy! When I first started walking in May, I was only pulling 24 minute miles. The first 5K we did was the JackoLantern Jog in October and I walked 18 minute miles. At Callaway Gardens in November for the Twilight 10K, I walked 18 minute miles. These walk/runs are so much FUN!!! You just get out there and walk as fast as you can! My face was red as a beet and sweat was rolling off my ears and I LOVED IT!!

I passed several people on this run. Two of those people were children. My heart went out to each of these girls as they really struggled with the 5K. The first little girl was in 4th grade and she was a little overweight. I walked along with her and talked for awhile. She was so sweet and admitted she wasn't prepared for this walk and I tried my best to encourage her to keep this up. It tore me up when she could no longer keep up with this old 59 year old woman with arthritis and worn out knees - just tore me up! The second little girl that I caught up to was in third grade. She was also a little overweight  but she was in the run club. I loved this girl because she knew exactly where she was in her fitness. I am sure this wonderful run club had helped her! She said she needed to lose some weight and the dietitian in me came out and encouraged her just to eat right, exercise and her weight will level off as she grows! Her face lit up when I told her this and she nodded eagerly! As I eventually pulled on past this sweet girl, I felt better about both girls. They are BLESSED to be attending a school that is a member of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. My school is as well! They are blessed to be served healthy snacks each day, to be taught how to take care of their bodies, and to have opportunities to exercise and have fun at school beyond just PE classes. Our school is sugar-free! People fuss about it but I am glad we are!!! I have rewarded children for 26 years with CANDY! God forgive me! This is our future - WE ARE DOING THEM A GREAT DISSERVICE AS EDUCATORS IF WE DON'T TEACH THEM HOW TO BE HEALTHY!

I plan to include intervals in my walks where I really push it. I may use the Couch to 10K app and just walk fast instead of running during the intervals. I have no desire at this point to walk a half-marathon because I don't think my knees could take it. My goal is to just walk faster miles!



Baby I'm Back!!

Day 261 Wt. 191.4 (-0.4) Total Weight Loss 40.8  Countdown to Goal: 320 Days LBS to Goal: 41.4

I think I've finally done a 180 degree turn and I am back on my healthy track! I exercised two days in a row and I am about to walk in the Resolution 5K. My eating habits have returned to the healthy ones I developed before the holidays. I was thinking last night at all the times I went off my "diet and exercise" during the holidays or vacation and it was always YEARS and MANY GAINED POUNDS later before I got back on track. I began getting off track November 28 and it has taken me 6 weeks to get completely back on it. That is progress for me! I have lost all but 2.2 pounds of the 5.4 pounds that I gained over the holidays.
I was reading my devotional Faithfully Fit last night and the author was talking about PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE. She was saying that we need to reward ourselves (not with food!) for staying on track each week. I had never thought about that before. I have rewarded huge milestones before but I have never rewarded myself for staying on track all week. The things she mentioned were small things like a long distance call, earrings, scarf, etc. She said to schedule them so that you have something to look forward to. I really love that idea and I think it will help me stay encouraged. I am coming up on a BIG milestone - the halfway mark to my goal! I am going to be thinking of some rewards, big and small for my persistence!
If you are reading my blog, please leave me a comment to let me know. That is very encouraging to me, too!!!

A Great Walk!

Day 260 Wt. 191.8  (-0.2) Total Weight Loss 40.4  Countdown to Goal: 321 Days LBS to Goal: 41.8

I finally got in a walk yesterday!! I decided that rain or shine, I was going to do it! It didn't start raining until afterwards. The sun actually came out for part of it and it was warm enough that I didn't need a coat. I walked 2 miles at Tyus Park after school. I can really tell that I am out of shape because I am sore! 5K tomorrow!!!!!!

NO EXCUSES!

Day 259 Wt. 192.0 (-0.8) Total Weight Loss 40.2  Countdown to Goal: 322 Days LBS to Goal: 42
I didn't walk yesterday!! We are doing a 5K Saturday and I am not ready for it! My excuse is that I have been so busy at work staying until 6:00. It is dark by the time I get home at 6:30. I am reminding myself that PEOPLE FIND TIME TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO DO - THEY FIND AN EXCUSE FOR THE THINGS THEY DON'T WANT TO DO.  At least I ate right and lost another 0.8 pounds. My two rocks are back in the jar. I MUST WALK TODAY!!!!!!

Resisting Temptation

Day 258 Wt. 192.8 (-0.7)  Total Weight Loss 39.4 Countdown to Goal: 323 Days  LBS to Goal: 42.8
Yesterday afternoon I really, really, really wanted to get a candy bar out of the machine. It was right after dismissal - my weakest time! I keep a bag of healthy snacks by my desk so I redirected my thinking to my bag. I resisted the urge, walked on past the snack machine and got a Fiber One Chocolate Chip brownie that was only 3 points!  So glad I did that because I lost weight this morning!
My goal for today is to WALK!!!!

A Once in a Lifetime Meal

Day 256 Wt. 193.5 (+1.9) Total Weight Loss 38.7   Countdown to Goal: 325 Days LBS to Goal: 43.5
Two rocks have to go back in the LBS to Lose jar!
WARNING!! THIS POST MAY MAKE YOUR MOUTH WATER!

This is one time that I am not going to beat up on myself too badly because the food that I ate this weekend was amazing! My cousin, Paige Chapman, is a Johnson and Wales College of Culinary Arts graduate. (Emeril Lagase trained there, too!!) Paige planned and executed a surprise gourmet birthday dinner for her mother, Valarie Chapman. I wish I had pictures of all the food because it was just a beautiful as it was delicious. She included all her mother's favorite foods!
We arrived to hors d'oeurvers and wine as you see in the picture. Well, at least I didn't drink any of the wine! This was the first of five courses served to us on fine china in Aunt Juanita's dining room. Here's the rest of the menu: Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Glazed Pecans and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, Tomato Bisque, Fillet Mignon, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Creamed Potatoes, Rolls, and Butterscotch Pie. It was the BEST meal I have ever eaten!! Paige put a lot of love into that meal!
Now that I am back home, it's back on track!

New Goal Weight

Day 254 Weight 191.6 Total Weight Loss 40.6   Countdown to Goal: 327 Days  Pounds to Goal: 41.6

I'm down 1.6 pounds. It was water weight that caused me to jump up a pound. I am understanding my body and how my weight fluctuates.
I went to the cardiologist yesterday for my reports. The stress test and echo cardiogram were fine! The blood work was greatly improved! However, my bad cholesterol is still not where it needs to be. It's 120 and it needs to be below 100. He said that exercise would make that happen! He said he wasn't going to put me on medicine because he thought that I could do this. I was a little disappointed about the cholesterol but I will get there, with God's help and the love and support of my friends and family.
We talked about my healthiest weight and he set my goal at 150 pounds. I am really good with this goal because I weighed that when I was 40 and I looked good in my clothes and didn't look fat. I had actually lost 75 pounds on WW to get down to that. So, my blog should really say Losing 82.2 Pounds but I'm now going to change it!

A Dip in the Road

Day 253    Weight 193.2 Total Weight Loss 39    Countdown to Goal: 328 Days
I gained a pound!! Moving a rock back in the pounds to lose jar is something I'm not happy about! I think I know why. I ran out of my blood pressure meds yesterday - I know that's a no-no. My fingers are puffy so I am praying it's water retention. I weigh every single morning. This is part of my accountibility. If I stop weighing, I go into denial.
I have a ritual - wake up, go to the bathroom, strip down to my underpants, weigh, get a cup of coffee and get on my laptop. I am reading my Bible every morning on the laptop. I subscribed to the Read-a-Book at a Time reading plan on YouVersion.com. I am reading The Message version to get the overall context. It's easy to switch versions for studying specific verses.  I am in Genesis and Psalms right now. I really would like to get up early enough to get my exercise in very early, too. A lot of my friends do that and I want to, also!
Yesterday, I signed up for a 5K next Saturday - Jackson Road's Resolution Run. Denise and Melissa will be walking, too. I haven't walked in weeks - at least not that kind of walking! I am always the last to finish because I am a very slow walker. I blame my short little legs but that is really not a valid excuse. I have one week to get ready for the event! I need to move it, move it!!
I had some great news yesterday! The cardiologist's nurse called and said all my bloodwork came back and Dr. K wanted her to call me and let me know it was GREAT!! Yay!!! This is HUGE because my cholesterol and triglycerides were very high this time last year! I still have to go in today and talk about the results of the stress test. I am also going to get him to help me set a weight loss goal so my "pounds to lose" will be possibly changing.

New Year's Eating

Day 251    Weight 192.2 Total Weight Loss 40    Countdown to Goal: 330 Days

You will notice something different at the top of my blog. It's a countdown to goal! My goal is to lose all the weight I need to by my 60th birthday, November 28, 2013. Another goal is to blog every day. I think this will help keep me accountible. I will be going to my cardiologist Friday to get the results of my stress test. We will set my weight loss goal at that time and I'll include it at the top of the blog, too!
One of things I love about living in the south is family traditions. Almost every household will serve collard greens and blackeyed peas on New Year's Day. It is a tradition started my momma, who received it from her mother. Momma always cooked blackeyed peas and rice - she called it Hoppin' John. I often chop up onion and put it on top it. She sometimes cooked turnip greens, too! When I got married, my husband said I was missing an important component - the collards! You are suppose to eat both to be rich during the new year. The blackeyed peas is to get coins and the collards is to get the folding money! Both of our mother's talked me through my first New Year's meal preparation. Momma taught me how to sort, wash and soak the dried blackeyed peas and Mrs. Connell taught me how to cook collards. I also served hog jowls, cornbread and sweet potatoes. I have cooked a New Year's meal every year except for one - it's the year we went to Disney the day after Christmas. We found a Shoney's in Florida that was serving collards and blackeyed peas that year! This year, Jennifer cooked our collards and Denise cooked the cornbread. I just LOVE the girls participating in our family's traditional meals! I am so glad they are being sure their children participate, too! Everyone's plates were checked to be sure at least a mouthful of blackeyed peas were eaten to keep the coins coming their way! 
This year I prepared the dishes much healthier! I usually use lots of BUTTER and this year I cut way back on that. The menu was: Fresh Smoked Ham (Donnie), collard greens (Jennifer), blackeyed peas, rice, sweet potato souffle, mac and cheese, Silver Queen corn, hot and sweet stewed tomatoes and dairy-free cornbread (Denise). I didn't cook any sweets, I just put out an assortment of left over which helped to get rid of them all! Denise has a dairy allergy so I was sure that all the dishes (except for the mac and cheese) were things she can eat.
A new year - a new perspective! Happy New Year!!!

Daring to Do Better!

          Day 250     Weight 192.2     Total Weight Loss 40
A New Year is here! An opportunity to write a new book that is 365 days long! I decided that I'm going to try to write about my weight loss each day of this year. Writing is very helpful for me. I always make resolutions for a new year. I hope I always will because it is important to strive to be better, or as our superintendent would say to "dare to do better!" It is Jesus Christ who gives us this HOPE of being a better person although it is not our achievements that saved us, it is HIS blood. We will never BE GOOD ENOUGH but we can always BE BETTER!
My resolutions for the New Year are: to draw closer to Jesus and love Him with all my heart, soul and might; to love my neighbors as myself and to be a good steward of this temple He has given me. My goals align with my resolutions. My first goal is to spend more time daily in God's word and in prayer. My second goal is to think of others and help them with spiritual, physical and emotional needs. I'm not exactly sure how I will do this one but God will show me! My third goal is to take care of this temple that God has given me by eating healthy, getting proper sleep and exercising. I have committed to exercise at least 3 times a week and donate a canned good to the needy for each 60 minutes I exercise. I am striving to reach my goal weight by November 28, 2013 which will be my 60th birthday. I will probably readjust my goal to lose LESS than 100 pounds - I will be doing that with my doctor. My last goal is to blog every day about my journey. Each entry will be a reflection on the previous day so I can include the entire day.