Stretched!

Practicing before hitting the streets...

  This was a new experience for me!

 It "stretched" me in many ways - some of which I listed HERE.

Besides the fun experience, we toured neighborhoods

with Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes.  The landscaping beauty

in these old, established yards was amazing.

Trying this "new thing" was invigorating and a confidence-booster.

I'm SO thankful for my health and a rebirth of energy

since I've been practicing the discipline of Fast-5 eating!

Trending

"Giving in eventually leads to giving up. (With temptation, addiction, parenting kids, 

and many other areas)" ~Rick Warren

I'm really glad I did NOT give in the past few weeks.  The scale seemed like it would never budge.  I just kept on keeping on!  This morning, I was down a pound or two.  I have an old scale, so it's a little difficult to be 100% accurate.  I just go for the general trend...and I'm trending in the right direction.

A Walk in the Park

A walk this evening was a calm way to end the day.

 

 The pace was moderate.

 I REALLY need to invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

 I took my shoes off, walked barefoot,

and ended up with blisters on the bottom of my feet.

  It was worth it though!

The wildflowers and grasses were beautiful...

 And my blood pressure was 116/77 when I returned home!

The combination of the Fast-5 eating schedule,

weight loss, and exercise have resulted in normal blood pressure readings

for the first time in a LONG time for me!

I'm thankful.

Me Yesterday

Me, yesterday.
Dressed and ready to go to our
no-longer-Red-Hat-Club dinner.
It was at a Chinese buffet.
I ate what I wanted - not as much as I might have
six months ago.
I topped it off with two small scoops of ice cream.
I'm currently at the weight goal I set for the end of August.
At this rate, I'll definitely be at my goal weight
by the end of September (or sooner).
I've gotta work on my smile.
I'm really much happier than I appear,
but too busy concentrating on running to pose
within 10 seconds of setting my cell phone camera up!  
It's NOT easy!

Pleasures Abound!

I like the Fast-5 plan for how it makes a way for me to participate in occasions such as THIS.  By  varying the time my "window" opens now and then and still observing the five hour boundary, I don't have to miss out on the pleasure of food and company!  There were so many tasty and healthy foods at our last Home Connection....

The Governor

Honestly, I know NOTHING about engines.  I HAVE heard of a "governor" related to an engine though.  I looked it up thinking it might help me describe why the Fast-5 approach to eating has been and IS so successful for me.  Wikipedia says that a governor (or speed limiter) is a device used to measure and regulate the speed of a machine.

 Bingo! 

That is the PERFECT description of how the five hour "window" of eating works for me.

When it's "open", I eat.

Usually a meal and then later a snack of fruit or peanut butter wrap

or something ELSE that I've made or saved to enjoy when I am hungry.

My appetite is regulated by this.  

I don't get anxious or spend exorbitant amount of time and emotional energy

worrying about what to eat. 

I've been consistent in this pattern since February 6.

My State of mind and body have a good Governor!

This Old Truck

"Beat Up a Little But Still Going Strong"

Sometimes I feel like this old truck!

I can kind of identify with the words in black along the side of the truck bed.

But really, since I've been Fast-5-ing, I can tell a difference in this old body.

I take the stairs much more easily,

tire less,

and have seen tangible improvement in my blood pressure numbers.

(The truck was in the PARADE that passed by our front porch this morning

for our local Harlan Days celebration.)

A fun time was had by all!