Launching My Weight-loss Journey

Back before the new year I made a decision that this year I was going to focus on something fun for my focus of the year….my love of tea. And I do still plan on doing that. However, over the course of the last few weeks (since the beginning of the new year) it has slowly become clear that a second focus for my life this year is going to be disciple and change. While I knew that change was going to be inevitable due to the continued adjustment coming from moving in the middle of 2019. However, there continue to be things that just keep requiring me to make adjustments and changes.

One of those things came when I finally unpacked our family bathroom scale. Out of sheer curiosity I made the decision to see what that pesky number might be reading now. I was SHOCKED at the number. I knew that stress had caused me to gain some weight but I had absolutely no idea just how much I had put on between October 15th and January 1st. This was the highest I have ever weighed..even when I was pregnant. This was just not acceptable. It was time to figure out something.

Dusty and I had discussed the possibility to start the year on a 40 day Daniel Plan journey like we had done the year before. I was not excited about it, I will be honest. It is such a pain in the behind to completely restock the kitchen of all the things that are “on plan”. Top that off with the fact that we have a VERY limited budget at the moment stocking the kitchen of anything is a challenge, let alone the more expensive healthy options that are out there. And then on the more selfish side of things I LOVE FRIED FOOD. French fries, fried cheese, fried pickles..you name it I love it. And that is definitely not on plan. However, once I saw that number and I began to reevaluate my decision. So that was the plan. Launch the Daniel Plan on January 1st.

That meant that now I had to figure out the plan to get myself moving. My mom reminded me that she has a treadmill that is accessible at her office. So there it was, now that it is too dark and too cold to go out walking in the mornings after I finish teaching my VIPKid classes I could just use the treadmill at the office. So each morning as soon as I hit “submit” on that final feedback form I drive myself-sometimes at 5:00 am, sometimes not until 6:00-to the shop where I spend 30-45 minutes on the treadmill.

After a week of my new routine Dusty began to really start asking about the possibility of adding in the Diamond Dallas Page Yoga program to our healthy lifestyle journey. As luck would have it, we have a friend who has the program and she wasn’t using it at the moment. So now I have added that into my routine following the plan laid out in the information book it comes with.

So here we are-2 full weeks into the new year and changes have been made. I spend my time weighing the costs of what I eat and what I don’t eat. I diligently track my steps and my work outs. I find the time to ensure I am tracking the foods I eat so that I know what I am putting in my body each and every day. And I am learning to change my mindset. I am making the conscious choice to say things like “I am choosing to pass on the pizza for the benefit of my health.” rather that “I can’t have that on my diet.” And you know what, the more I say things in the positive the less hard it becomes to pass up on the things I normally would have gravitated toward.

Do I think that this is going to be easy? Not a chance. But do I know it will be worth it in the long run? Absolutely. There are so many reasons. First, for me. For the way I view myself and the way I am caring for the body that God gave me. I only get one so I had better learn to take better care of it. Second, for my family. For the ability to be involved and engaged in the things they are doing. For the example I am setting for my kids, to set a goal and to work hard to get there.

But don’t think I won’t be rewarding myself along the way! I took some time to write out a reward list for myself. Little things that I can strive for as I push toward one mini goal at a time. And I am excited to say I am almost to that first reward! I can’t wait to share that with you all and celebrate!

So I hope you will come along this journey with me. Cheer me on, support and encourage me. And if you know me personally and you see me slacking off, call me out. Remind me of what I am trying to do here and help me get back on track!