Week 1 Update:Success!

Okay, I'm a bit behind in my anticipated update on Monday, but here it is nevertheless.

Here's what I accomplished in Week 1:

1) Lost 2 pounds!
2) Only consumed 2 sodas
3) Accomplished my daily caffeine limitations and water intake each day

What I learned the most this week is that simply watching my diet and retraining my brain with my choices, I can make a difference! I haven't yet begun to my exercise routine, so I know my body change will be more significant once I am consistently exercising. I learned that making sure I am drinking at least 64 oz of water daily has diminished my snack cravings. Before last week I was always seeking some snack and never eating a full meal. Every 1.5-2 hours I was on the hunt in the fridge, cupboard, and pantry. Now, the water keeps me full (I think I've made a record number of trips to the bathroom, but I'm finally used to it) and I don't feel hungry. Crystal Lite has become my best friend. Every now and then when I don't feel like having just plain water, I mix up a individual packet into a water bottle. It's a nice treat with no sugar and only 5 calories.

The website www.my-calorie-counter.com has helped me to realize what I'm really putting into my body. You can create a free profile and enter your daily food intake. It will tell you how many calories, fat, etc. you are consuming. You can also enter your exercise and it shows how many calories it burns, in addition to keeping track of your weight loss and even your inches if you go that route. I don't always get everything entered for every meal/snack. But it is a dose of reality when you punch in what you've eaten and how many servings.

I need to make 2 changes this week as I continue on my journey. We ate out several times over the weekend and that needs to be limited even more; although I made good choices, not the best, but better. I have to make an effort to make it to the grocery store every few days so we have nutritious options. Shopping for a week or more of groceries is overwhelming for me, so I'm going to try small trips to only get what I need. I also have to establish an exercise routine. 1st stop: church aerobics from 6-7 pm on Tuesdays. I'm usually at church working on Tuesday night anyway. There no reason I can't go for aerobics, then do my work after that. So that's my first step for the next week. This week, I'm going to try and get a few walks in and at least one trip to the "Gym of Michael" at his parents house to lift some weights. Unfortunately his weight set won't fit in our house.

So, overall a great start to this adventure! I'm pumped to continue.

fat day

My husband always laughs at me and says I'm ridiculous when I use that term. However, all of us girls know exactly what I mean when I say, "I'm having a fat day." This is frustrating day number 1.

I've done as well as I could have the past few days being that it was Valentine's Day on Monday and had a date planned with Michael. I didn't go overboard, stopped when I was satisfied and chose unsweet tea instead of soda. I haven't made it to the store yet for some better food options, so we cleaned up some leftovers last night.

Today, started out well with my max number of cups of coffee and 2 scrambled eggs with low-fat mozzarella cheese, then celery sticks with low-fat PB for snack. I even got started on my daily water intake at 9:30 am. Good protein start to my day AND protein at lunch, which doesn't usually happen. But all fell apart at lunch. My employers haven't been to the grocery store either, so that leaves me with very minimal options. So, leftover bbq in the fridge was on the menu. Although very delicious, it left me feeling extremely bloated and having a "fat day." Plus all I wanted was sweet tea, which I usually don't like. I guess I could have had PB & J with the kids, but thought I should have a better balanced meal. Although lunch is provided with my job, I'll be packing my own lunches from now on so I can ensure a good meal and minimize the fat days.

I think several laps around the church gym are in store tonight. Then onto the next day.

It's a new dawn; It's a new day

It's Monday morning after a long, tiring weekend. It's a new dawn; it's a new day. Let the adventure begin! I'm geared up and ready to start down this road to healthy living.

I've completed my list of goals and am happy to say that I've already accomplished 2 of them today and am on my way to completing a 3rd. I've only had 2 cups of coffee and have eaten breakfast, which is a feat in itself. Now I'm working on getting enough water today.

I've made a new page dedicated to healthy recipes. I hope you'll enjoy trying some of these recipes with me each week.

I've noticed a difference in my attitude toward this new adventure compared to all the other times I've attempted to "lose weight." I feel a sense of "I really can do this." Maybe I'm more realistic in my goals and trying to achieve healthiness gives me a different outlook than "I just want to look smaller." A healthy lifestyle can be a permanent thing and something that is life changing.

So, as I start my journey I leave you with this verse. It is used often, but not any less true.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Snap: A Pleasant Vigorous Quality

Today marks the beginning of my daily ginger snaps. Clever you may say...gingersnaps...the delightfully spicy cookie that "snaps" when you bite it. However, these gingersnaps have a lot of baggage and whole new meaning. Upon brainstorming for a blog name, a myriad of ideas came to mind. I've been called many a nicknames throughout the years Gingerbread, Gingervitis (thanks to a former youth pastor of mine), Ginger (pronounced like "finger" with a soft "g"; thanks Jack Wiley!) and of course, Gingersnaps.

It all clicked when I went searching for the definition of "snap." I knew this is what I had to use. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, "snap" (noun) can mean the following:

• to grasp at something eagerly
• the condition of being vigorous in mind, body, and spirit
• a pleasant vigorous quality

The first definition is a complete representation of me. At every adventure, I've grasped at it eagerly. I never doing anything half-hearted. Even if I don't "want" to do it, I've always put forth the best effort and eagerness toward whatever task I was set out to accomplish.

Okay, that may not be entirely true. The one area where I've continued to struggle with "eagerness" is toward weight loss, getting healthy, and exercising. There have been many attempts and failures over the last 5 years Let's be honest, I wasn't born with athletic ability or genes. If you watch me play the few sports I do enjoy, like volleyball, tennis or ultimate frisbee, you will see what I mean. My genes are rich in the arts.

So what gives? Do I continue to try and fail? Why can't I grasp at this eagerly? The answers are: 1) I try to do it alone; 2) I neglect to admit my struggles; 3) I keep it all a secret, I don't share what I'm trying to do. So, that's what this blog is going to do: make it public, share my struggles, and attempt to accomplish this with with support and accountability from you, my family, friends, confidants, and co-workers.

One of my excuses has always been...I'll WAIT until I done with the dinner theatre, I'll WAIT until I get through the Christmas season, I'll WAIT until I'm over this cold, I'll WAIT until life slows down. Get the picture? The truth of the matter is, life isn't going to slow down! I am always going to be this busy. That's the life I have chosen and I do love it. I have to figure out a way to make it work.

So, this week I snapped (pun intended.) I'm just sick of walking as fast as I can past mirrors because I don't want to see my reflection. I can't afford to keep purchasing new clothes because everything else is too small; I have an entire closet full of clothes and I can't wear a single one of them! I'm literally tired of not eating right and suffering from terrible headaches and fatigue everyday, falling asleep at 9 pm on the days I am home and neglecting my husband because I'm exhausted.

As I am sitting inside in the dead of winter, when it's tempting to neglect exercise and not purchase healthier fresh food options as they are not in season and more expensive, I am finally ready to possess the condition of being vigorous in mind, body, and spirit. I want my mind to make the healthy choices without having to consider the options or think about it. I want my body in shape and able to participate in physical activity without getting weary. I need my spirit renewed with energy.

I share my first accomplishment today: sipping on my second 32oz glass of water at noon, I still have half the day to go!

I will be making and posting my goals within the next 2 days. My vigorous journey will being on Monday, February 14. I hope you will follow my ginger snaps daily as I hide no longer! Encourage me, support me, keep me accountable, and above all pray!