My last weigh in was a little slower than previous. I lost 1 lb. Despite my best efforts, the scale here at the house seems like it hasn't budged in the last 2 weeks, so I don't know what's going on. I really wanted to have lost 20 lbs. by the time I went to visit Jodi, and it doesn't seem like that is going to happen. I also have a goal to be at 245 by New Years. When I sat the goal it seemed easy, now I'm not so sure. I just have to keep doing the exercise and stay on program like I have been. If I keep it up, there is no way I can stay at this weight forever. Just have to stay on program, and make better choices.

Anyway, Thanksgiving went well. The Pecan Pie recipe that I found where 1 slice was 6 pts. was wonderful. I only had one serving of everything, including the pie. I had to use some flex points towards the end of the day for my salad with turkey, but was still well on program and I didn't over eat. So I'm happy I got through that and now am making a plan for my trip to Jodi's.

The War Room

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, isn't it? One of the things that I was most worried about when I joined weight watchers was 'what in the world am I going to do about Thanksgiving and Christmas?' Two of my favorite days, simply because I love to cook things, and have other people rave about how good they are. Yes, pride is a sin too. This year things are going to have to be different, at least how I prepare the dishes I traditionally do is going to have to be different. Hopefully, things will still be good though. I'm going to have to do a test run on the pie and the stuffing this weekend.

Usually I am responosible for the same things every year, and thankfully, they are the things that I needed some control over this year. I can't figure out how to fix the bread recipe, but I can have one roll I think, and stay within my points.
Classic Bread Stuffing 3 pts
Deviled Eggs made with fat free mayo-1 pt
Pecan Pie-6.5 pts-recipe found about halfway down the page. I'm planning on eating a thing half size slice, for 3 pts.
Stuffed Mushrooms- 4 mushrooms=2 pts-may have to modify this a little, but it will make the points less
Rolls-my recipe, haven't figured the pts on that yet.
AuGratin potatoes- 3 pts-recipe is farther down the page than the pecan pie.
Mashed Potatoes-Regular mashed potatoes, made with 2% milk, are only 2 or 3 pts regularly. We will have one kind of potatoe or the other.

As to what else will be there, I know that I will have turkey (1 slice or 2 oz, 2 pts). We also found a recipe for green been casserole. That is 1 pt for 1 serving. My MIL cooks for low points, so I'm not worried about what she is cooking.

So anyway, that's my plan. Everything I want to eat will be a total of 18 points. So a regular breakfast of oatmeal will be 5 pts, Thanksgiving dinner. That leaves me 7 points for dinner. If I exercise that morning, I'll let myself have a whole slice of pie, and that should be a good day!

It's good to have a plan.

Well, another good weight in this week! I was down another 2.6 lbs, bringing me to a total of 13.6 pounds lost! There is no doubt the program is working, and while I have had a few days where I was just overwhelmed by the amount I have to lose, I am just really glad I have started, I'm on my way! Clothes that used to be snug are fitting better, and clothes that used to fit are now loose. I have had to retire three pairs of pants, and the bras I bought that started this whole journey are getting a little loose as well. It's just so exciting to be getting somewhere with this.

I have discovered an exercise program that I kind of like, the Walking Away thePounds series. At first I thought they were going to be hokey and way too easy, but I was wrong. The leader can defintely get on my nerves, but those work outs really make my hips joints burn. THe one mile walks are a little easy, but the two mile walks are torture on my hip joints. So I guess I shouldn't have been so quick to judge, LOL. The other series I have been doing, The Firm, is a lot harder than I can keep up with, so I do as much as I can and modify what I can't. I can do the weight lifting, but the step and aerobics portion move much too fast for me. I'll get better though. I told my husband I look like a rag doll during the aerobics, my arms and legs move completly seperate from each other and I look nothing like the skinny things doing the workouts. Coordination has never been my strong suit, so I guess it isn't surprising.

Till next time,

A quote I found that really speaks to me....it's spiritual food.

Suggestions for Fasting and Feasting:

Fast from discontent; feast on thankfulness.

Fast from worry; feast on trust.

Fast from anger; feast on patience.

Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.

Fast from
unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayers .

Fast from bitterness; feast
on forgiveness.

Fast from discouragement, feast on hope.

Fast from media hype,
feast on the honesty of the Bible.

Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful
silence.

Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds.

--Anonymous

We live in a world that prizes physical beauty above all else. Television and the movies are full of people who are almost perfect physically, portraying characters that are morally flawed, and that is celebrated. It almost seems that the worse the actions of the character, the more beautiful the actress or actor must be, as if the physical perfection will cancel out the spiritual flaws, so that the ugliness of the actions can be laughed off. In real life, actors and actresses are placed on pedestals. It is always funny and sad to me that every election season, actors and actresses start trying to tell us how to vote, and the media acts like we should care. Does their physical beauty make them smarter or more important than the average American?

This has extended into our real lives. One example that sticks out to me is of the high school teacher who was having an affair with one of her teenage male students. She was beautiful and fit, and in the end, recieved at most a slap on the wrist for what was obviously wrong behavior. It was if her beauty made her crime negligible. It seems sometimes that living a law abiding and decent life is made fun of, but you better be thin and pretty, because being overweight or unattractive is now the cardinal sin.

People seem to forget that no matter how fit you are, how fast you can run, how many pounds you can lift, what size dress you can fit into; you are going to die. When you do, it will no longer matter how physically fit you are. What will matter is this. Were you spiritually fit? And I think that that is really what scares people; why so many millions of dollars are spent in this country on weight loss and fitness and beauty. People are afraid to die because no matter how much they jump up and down and scream and yell that there is no God, there was no Jesus, it doesn't matter how you live your life; deep down, maybe so deep down they don't even have to acknowledge it, they know better. Let's face it, the only way to live forever doesn't come through excercise and diet, it comes from knowing and believing in Jesus

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved. --John 3:16-17

As important as being physically healthy and fit is to me, it isn't the most important thing to me. I know as far as I go to being physically fit, I still have a far greater way to go to being spiritually fit. I need to pray more, read my Bible more, praise more, talk about Jesus more. I need to tell them, you know, yes, I sin. Everyday I sin. I know it, God knows it. But I also know Jesus, and He forgives me.

Spiritually, It's not about being perfect, it's about being forgiven. Spiritual fitness is so much easier than physical fitness because all it takes is one prayer. Forgive me, Jesus, come into my heart and make me whole.

Losin' It

Well, another Tuesday, another weigh in. I know I should be filled with dread everytime I have to weigh in, but I'm not. I go to each meeting really excited because I know I am doing well. Tonight I was down another 3 lbs, which puts me at 259. I have lost 10.6 lbs since starting Weight Watchers. This is still all kind of new, so I keep waiting for the voice telling me, "it's okay, have this or have that" But it still hasn't shown up. I have to thank God for that, because it has to be a God thing. I have never ever started a weight loss program and stuck to it before. I haven't ever felt like I could. I know I haven't changed on my own, but I just have no desire to eat like I did before I joined Weight Watchers. I'm going to keep praying for His help and His strength, because I know I don't have that kind of strength inside of me except through Him.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be
thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is
everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. --Psalm
100:4-5