TerisJourney

Many of you don’t know me because I don’t blog as often as I used to (for personal reasons,) but those of you that do - especially my team - know I have been stuck in a viscious cycle of binging and guilt over my actions.  I am a Christian and truly believe God has a plan for us and when we cry out - he listens.  Yesterday I confessed my sins of gluttony to God and asked to be released from this bondage.  Today, the following devotion appeared in my email in box - from Proverbs 31 Ministries.  For me, it was right on time!  I got to thinking that others in this battle might benefit from it also, so here it is…

 June 8, 2011
 Getting Up Again
Renee Swope
“…though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” Proverbs 24:16a, (NIV)
I’ve always admired people who aren’t afraid to fail. You know the ones who don’t even consider defeat when they blow it; people who see a personal setback as just another goal to conquer.
I’m not always so courageous. In fact, I can be really hard on myself when I fail, and it doesn’t even have to be a biggie. You see, I have what I call a “meanie in me” who replays my mistakes over and over, reminding me of how badly I’ve disappointed someone, or how impatient I was with my husband, or how harsh I was with my kids, or all sorts of ways that I fell short that day.
But the greatest defeat comes when I allow a mistake, a bad decision, sin, or a broken relationship to convince me that I might as well give up. Perhaps you have also allowed failure to knock you down, tie you up with the ropes of regret and hold you hostage like I have.
When I surveyed over 1200 women for my upcoming book, A Confident Heart, I discovered that our past failures, and our fear of failing again, are two of the biggest triggers that make us doubt ourselves.
Today’s key verse, Proverbs 24:16, has helped me release the regret, guilt, fear and shame that have weighed me down and held me back. Take a minute to read it now and notice how it says the righteous will fall. That is right. Even those of us who have received the gift of Christ’s righteousness and redemption will fall down. But we were never intended to stay down.
Instead of giving up Jesus empowers us to get up again.
In getting up, we can apologize and ask for forgiveness. In getting up, we can choose to try again with our kids, in our jobs, in our ministries, in our marriages, and in all of our mistakes. Because we trust that although we fall, God will help us up. Listen to His promise in Psalm 37:23-24 and as you read it insert your name in the blanks: “The steps of ____________ are established by the Lord, and He delights in ____________ way. When ____________ falls, __________ will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds ________ hand.” (NASB)
When we get up again failure can actually help us become the confident women God created us to be because it makes us stronger and better — when we go to God for help. Failure can stretch us to do more than we think we can and push us to try other methods of doing things when one way doesn’t work.
Yes, failure can be hurtful but it can also be beneficial. Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it.
The truth is, following Jesus is not about avoiding failures and being perfect. It’s about accepting our weaknesses and becoming more dependent on God’s perfect love and power at work in us. So the next time you fail to be the woman He calls you to be, or the woman you expect yourself to be, ask God to remind you of this truth.
We will sometimes fail to be who we want to be but we will get closer to who we are meant to be every time we fall and then choose to take God’s hand so we can get up again!
Lord, I’m so thankful for Your grace that reminds me there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because my steps are established by You, Lord, I will believe that You delight in me even when I fail or fall. Today, I want to take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the confident woman You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

This devotion is taken in part from chapter 7 of Renee Swope’s upcoming book: A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself & Live in the Security of God’s Promises. To pre-order your copy, click here.

First - how the heck do you get rid of belly fat?  I’ve been working out (inconsistently) for over a year - it is very noticeable in my legs and butt, but not my waist.  My legs and butt could easily fit in a size or two smaller pants, but my waist won’t allow it.  The baggy pants look is so not my style.  My daughter tells me I am wearing ghetto man pants - no offense meant to anyone.  Just not a style for a middle age woman. 

Second - I know what needs to be done to win this battle - reduce calories in, increase calories out.  What happens when your drive and desire disappear?  How do you keep going? 

 Your suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Hello!

Just curious if anyone has ever been to OA - Overeaters Anonymous?  Looking for opionions - pros/cons, etc. 

Please share.

The battle of the bulge as some call it has been recurrent in my life since the mid 80’s.  I have lost and gained and lost and gained….haven’t many of us?  My journey here at Buddyslim began in the fall of 2008; a year and a half ago.  I have lost weight – not as quickly as I had hoped due to various bumps in the road and my own laziness, but it has come trickling off.

I’m not at goal – I still have a way to go, but the growing I have done is more important.  What started out as a journey to lose weight has turned into a journey to lead a healthy lifestyle.  That is all I want – to be healthy…with that weight loss will come, but the numbers aren’t as important as they once were.  What is important is the way I feel physically, emotionally and spiritually.  To make this transition permanent, the changes need to come from the inside first.  Any outside changes are just superficial.

I am learning how to deal with family strife and illnesses, money shortages, car issues, etc, etc – life moments without always turning to food.  There are still moments where I seek comfort in food, but they are less than they used to be.  I have also noticed the gratification is not there as well.  With each month that passes I am learning and growing.  I have also learned that I must be happy with myself (love myself.)  I have learned that approval from others is not important if I don’t like/respect myself.

I have shed many tears this past year or so.  Some for reasons apparent; others not so apparent.  I have become a master at hiding my emotions from the world.  That’s not a good thing.  Not releasing allows everything to sit and fester.  I don’t pretend anymore.  If I am not happy, and someone asks how I am, I no longer respond, “I’m fine.”  I tell it like it is.  It doesn’t matter if my response is received well or not – they asked the question.

During my time here, I have made some very dear friends and some acquaintances.  I have also been spurned by some.  Earlier this year it bothered me – I thought about leaving Bs.  I couldn’t compete with those dropping pounds left and right.  I couldn’t compete with 4 hours at the gym.  So many things I tried to compare myself to – and every thing I couldn’t do felt like failure.  But, I have learned that I am not this person or that person.  I have to do what is right for me. What it boils down to is this – I love the support and friendship.  It is helpful and sometimes motivating.  But, it is me that I face in the mirror every day. 

I am not writing this to alienate anyone.  Simply I am writing for myself, like many of us do.

“Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I’m so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I’m free to be me…”  Francesca Battistelli

Good morning BS!!!

Breakfast is starting to frustrate me.  I am hungry 3 hours after eating!!  Grrr.

I’ve tried switching things up over the last couple of months, keeping the calories between 300 - 400 for the meal, but I am not finding anything that sticks more than 2 or 3 hours.

Any suggestions?  What works for you?  Thanks!

Like others I am stumbling.  I had a great February and some where in Mid-March I let things go. 

Is it self-sabotage?  Over confidence after great results?  I don’t know.  I am trying to figure out those answers now.

In the meantime, I am trying to get the water flowing thru my veins again and limit the calories and sweets that enter my mouth.  I have been moody and lethargic lately.  I am sure part of that is due to what I am eating and what I am not eating…

I know I am not alone - we all have our ups and downs - but any words of encouragement or swift kicks in the back side appreciated.

Hello buddies!  Hope everyone is hanging in there and working through whatever life throws at you.  Currently I am learning not to stress eat and not feed my emotions.  My daughter is “not well” again - for lack of better terms.  It breaks my heart to see her this way.  It is also frustrating, when there is nothing in my power that I can do to “fix it.” It would be so easy to sit down and stuff my anger, frustrations and sadness with food.  But, through this journey I am learning that is not the answer.  Whatever I would do (to myself) with food, would not help her or change the situation…so I pray and move on.

Along with that news, I love my math equation in the title.  As some of you know I joined Curves.  It is probably one of the smartest decisions I made.  I enjoy it.  It works in my schedule well.  And, it is working.  I just celebrated my one month anniversary there Saturday.  In one month, I lost 7.25 inches overall and 6.5 pounds!!!!!  Now there is some motivation (for me.)  When you can see the fruit of your labor in black in white it sure helps.  Also, I am averaging about a 450 calorie burn per 30 minute work out!  Woo Hoo!  The owner told me it took her a year to get to 300 calories.  Talk about an ego boost!

Have a good week everyone.  Keep on keepin’ on! 

Yoplait Yogurt Light - I love this stuff.  It’s yogurt so it’s healthy.  It’s light so it’s healthier.  Right?  Wrong!  Recently I have spent more time reading nutrition labels and I was shocked that I can no longer allow my favorite yogurt to reside in me. 

The second ingredient in Yoplait Yogurt Light is High Fructose Corn Syrup.  The second ingredient in the regular variety of Yoplait is Sugar, followed by the fourth ingredient High Fructose Corn Syrup.  With a family history of diabetes I just can’t take the chance.

Good bye Yoplait - I loved you for a long time

I am a great one for encouraging others and lending advice; but when it comes to myself I can be my own worst enemy – can you relate?  For months I back peddled helping others out, knowing what I should be doing, but not doing it.  I gave myself a little shake…and…

As January closed, I re-evaluated my goals.  I scored 30% overall on drinking water, exercising and counting calories.  I wrote that I needed to step up the pace for February and make that at least 40% to be making any positive progress.  Although February is not officially at an end, I am on track.  Today I sit at 55.7% accomplishment and am on track for 65% by Sunday!  Woo hoo!  See what happens when you set your mind to things?

The break down –        Exercise 75% on track for 85%

                                    Water 60% on track for 71%

                                    Calories 32% on track for 39%

No where to go from here except forward.  I’m looking for a minimum of 75% in all categories for March.

I’ve lost 4 pounds in February (through 2/20), dropped my fasting blood sugar by 8 points and brought my triglycerides back into the healthy range.  March goals – lose more weight, drop blood sugar more, raise good cholesterol and drop bad cholesterol (currently at the high end of the acceptable range.)

Craving exercise!  Enjoying water!  Who is this person?  There is a stranger in my body…the person in the mirror looks the same, but the behaviors are so different.  I think I like her.  I think I want to keep her!

A couple weeks ago I asked about Curves.  I went a week ago for a tour, liked what I saw - the equipment, the circuit and the people I met.  Thursday I joined.  Saturday I did my first workout there.  My location is closed on Sunday.  I woke up “craving” exercise, so I called on my good friend Leslie Sansone and we walked two miles together and I felt good afterwards.   I stopped at Curves on my way home from work tonite and enjoyed myself again.  It amazes me that I am enjoying exercise!  (My 13 year old daughter told me she was proud of me…talk about motivation!)

As some of you know, drinking water has always been a battle for me.  During the last week or so, it has started tasting good.  Again another change that amazes me.  I thought that water would always be a struggle, maybe I was wrong.

If you see the old me, don’t tell her where I am

Thanks for the support and encouragement.