Reluctance, Relief, and Response

After over 2 weeks of nursing my itchy body (see more details here) I was highly RELUCTANT to step on the scale this morning.   Good eating habits have gone out the window as I've caved to cravings and neglected the preparation of healthy meals.  Furthermore, I mostly sat in a chair in my tacky terrycloth robe - the only comfortable position and clothes given my condition!

So imagine my RELIEF to see that I have not gained any weight!  It's a sort of miracle.  Hershey Hugs candy wrappers clutter the table beside my recliner.  How can this be?!

My RESPONSE to this is fresh enthusiasm.  As the rash wanes and my energy returns, I am optimistic about today and the days to come.  (Two weeks behind, but optimistic!)

What I did right:  It's still early in the morning, but I weighed myself!

Strength, Growth and Energy

Down but not out - yet!  (Read more about my 2-week-plus battle with poison ivy HERE.)  This morning I'm inspired by five year old Elylah, the granddaughter of a friend.  While eating breakfast, she announced, "We eat for three reasons, Grandma.  Strength, Growth and Energy."

She's got THAT right! 

And I'm not giving up until I get it right, too!

Down but not Out

The poison ivy/oak/whatever has put me "DOWN".  Little exercise in my life Thursday and Friday.  And thinking myself in need of a treat, I had 2 dips of ice-cream on Thursday (black cherry and chocolate moosetracks).  Last night we celebrated the birthday of a friend.  I had baked cod - delicious.  The evening was topped off with a piece of cake and yet more ice-cream.

I SHOULD weigh this evening.  I'm not optimistic about what the scale may say, but neither am I OUT of the weight-loss-for-health game. So I will weigh.  And I will post.  And I will hope for "progress".

What I did right:  Vitamin, posted, fish

now i know...

...what those weeds I referred to yesterday were!  (See my other blog HERE.) 

Health-wise I am challenged by an extreme case of poison oak or ivy.  Nonetheless, I tried to maintain healthy habits yesterday -- did a little gardening and ate sensibly (1/3 of a 10" turkey/cheese sub, a few bits of my husband's left-over omelet for lunch; 1/2 chocolate chip cookie shared with a friend over a tall cafe mocha in the evening).

What I did right:  Vitamin, posted, portion control, ate within my calorie limit.

The Tuesday that Was

• Created apple pancakes ( 3/4 c. complete pancake mix, 3/4 c. oatmeal, chopped apples & water to make proper consistency) for breakfast.  Ate one medium one with maple syrup! 
• Lunch with Lady Bug friends at Quiet Corner.  I had a piece of spinach quiche.
• Worked a couple of hours clearing out some overgrown shrubs for a friend.   Raised the ire of some bees and was bitten several times.  Also have quite a rash on my arms.  Wonder what those weeds were???
• Showered and scrubbed down my skin as good as I could.
• Ate 1/2 a patty melt and a few potato chips at our local cafe.

What I did right:  Exercise, vitamin, portion control

Leftovers

Yesterday our main meal (eaten around 1:30) included the leftover Asian slaw from Sunday's potluck and sloppy joes served open-face over a couple of leftover buns.

I also made this banana bread out of some bananas that were over-ripe.  I found two of them in the freezer when I went to get out the hamburger for sloppy joes.

Soooooo, I cut the bread long ways first and then cut the halves into halves.  Does that make sense?  Smaller pieces from the get-go.  And I'm trying to eat it before noon - following Dr. Oz's advice for to eat ones carbs in the morning for belly-fat-busting....

What I did right:  Posted, vitamins, portion control, relatively healthy foods.

Welcome, new friends!  Let's encourage each other in our
determination to live healthy lives!

Moderation

The table was only BEGINNING to fill up when I arrived with my Asian cabbage slaw contribution to the potluck that followed our outdoor church service....

This was a great opportunity to practice moderation and self control!  I didn't do too bad.

What I did right:  vitamin, posted, little portions of a lot of food.

Walking, Wonderful Walking!

Yesterday we spent a couple of hours "house and garden walking" -- a ticketed tour of homes in the West Central Neighborhood of Fort Wayne (IN).  It was good for me to be active.  The walk wasn't a brisk one but just right for a body that has been confined to sitting in a recliner with a heating pad under the shoulder!

 The day was pleasant and this particular yard was enchanting!

 

Today we have a potluck meal after our annual "outdoor church service".

I plan to make good food choices 

and start my week in a healthy way.

If you take two steps forward and one step back, you’re still getting someplace.
Don't give up the moment you slip up. Press on!

(Motivation to Live Well, 9/11/11)

What I did right:  Vitamin, a bit of exercise, weighed, posted.

All or Nothing

The green beans/onion/tomato/turkey sausage crockpot combo turned out wonderfully satisfying yesterday.  It was cool and damp outside and the nourishing meal warmed body and spirits.

I have been unable to exercise - even mildly - because of pain around my shoulder blade (bursitis?  muscle strain?)  I am doubtful that I'll have lost even a pound when I weigh tomorrow.  Two days this week I "lapsed" in the eating department - though not as badly as it seemed when I stop to think about it.

Perspective is a difficult thing for me to maintain. 

I'm an all-or-nothing person.  

Any tips for overcoming this mentality would be appreciated! 

What I did right:  Vitamin, portion control, posted

Starting Right

Garden Fresh!

I'm starting the day out right.  I intend to finish it that way.  These are going into the crock pot with some onion and chunks of turkey sausage.  It should be tasty later on this damp, chilly day.

Those who persist reach the finish line,

while those who give up stay behind.

(Today's Motivation to Live Well)

What I did right:  Vitamin

Wipe Out!

That's what I did.

That's what I'd LIKE to do to yesterday.

That's what Jesus did to my past.

Today is another day.

What I did right:  Vitamin.  Posted.  (Not much else.)

Every time you desire to do and choose to do what is right in God's eyes, 

you celebrate the grace that is yours in Christ Jesus.  (A tweet by Paul Tripp)

Labor Day 2011

Labor Day dawned - "cooly"!  Almost cold.  I was a Gardening Fool.  My husband and I waited for the clock to turn a reasonable hour before he began mowing and I hit the weeds.

All was finished and we were showered when guests arrived late in the morning.  We couldn't eat outside (too cool), but after dinner, we went to the yard where some battled it out on the croquet course.  See pictures HERE.

I sat in this chair under the afghan with a cup of coffee.

It was perfect.

Eating-wise, I ended up eating 2 1/2 hamburgers and a piece of watermelon.  I had a few blueberries for breakfast, too.  Yes.  That was all for the day. 

What I did right:  Passed up the potato salad, exercised (gardening), vitamin

First Five

Progress!  The first five pounds are gone. 

History!

I fulfilled my intention to walk this week,

never letting two days in a row that I didn't walk 30 minutes.

At first, five pounds doesn't seem like much to lose

considering my diligence and efforts these past two weeks.

But then I think about THIS...

...and I'm quite encouraged!

What I did right: Weighed & recorded progress, ate healthy foods, walked 30 minutes, vitamin, posted, drank water.

Walk and Weigh

This MUST have been the post I prepared for August 30.  Somehow it remained in my "drafts" where I overlooked it and wrote another one instead.  Today I found it.  And since it's Saturday, I'll just kidnap it.  I didn't walk yesterday.  So that means TODAY!  And tonight I weigh.

< *.*.*.*.*.*.*.* >
Seeds of discipline produce a harvest of strength. Keep planting them daily.

(Yesterday's Motivation to Live Well)

"It" =  walked.  Thirty minutes.  Add this to healthy foods and portion control  I also "invented" our main meal yesterday:  leftover brown rice, shredded chicken breast, a can of water chestnuts, chopped celery, small can of drained mandarin oranges and some shredded cabbage tossed with some cherry mustard balsamic vinegar!  Healthy and delicious.  

What I did right:    Healthy food, portion control, exercise, water, vitamin, posted

Power not Permission

‎'Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh;

it supplies power to live in the Spirit.'  (John MacArthur)

Another "day of grace" for me--at so many levels.  I DID get out of the recliner and walked 30 minutes. The food I ate was  half a banana;  half of a half of an Italian salad (restaurant style) and half of a small cheesy-bread that came with it; a sandwich consisting of 1 piece of bread with a couple of thin slices of turkey, piece of Baby Swiss cheese and tomato with a drizzle of olive oil and white wine vinegar;  slice of watermelon; and an orange juice slush.  It was more than I've been eating but still well under 1,500 calories.

Tomorrow I weigh - reaping and celebrating the reward of healthy habits this week!

What I did right:  Walked, posted, chose healthy foods, portion control at restaurant, vitamin

Skip or Miss

I skipped yesterday.  Well, I didn't actually SKIP.  I missed!  (Walking, that is.)  I'm not skipping OR missing today.  Otherwise, everything else was fine.

My intention is never to "skip" two days in a row.  That worked for me before....

What I did right:  Vitamin, ate within calorie limits, posted, drank "my" water.