IS it "THE CLIMB"? DAY 4

In all fairness to Miley (see previous post), I should probably listen to the whole song.  But while it's true that it "Ain't how fast I get there", it IS  "about what's waiting on the other side"!

THAT I climb and HOW I climb are incredibly important--in practicing healthy habits AND in life generally.

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity...do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).  I've written in the margin of my Bible here:  "careful, aggressive, wise".  In THAT sense, "It's the climb...." .

But in the BIG picture, it IS about what's waiting on the other side!   

So, in my climb today, a big part of my incentive in practicing healthy habits (AND in life generally) IS what's waiting on the other side.  I need this persepctive to keep me going forward and upward.  It's just too hard without the expectation of what's on the other side.  (And truth be told, I'd never do the repelling thing in real life no matter WHAT was on the other side!)

The Climb - Day 3

"Ain't how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side.
It's the climb...."
 Looks like Miley Cyrus is climbing with us!  I haven't heard it - just came across the words (you can google "The Climb" and see all the lyrics).

I woke well before dawn, wrote in my journal, read the Bible and prayed, and tackled a few tasks before walking my 30 minute indoor walk.  A phone call came in the middle of my walk, so I didn't get my rebounding minutes in, but decided to stop at 30 minutes anyway.

I threw some potatoes, carrots and diced tomatoes into the crock pot with some seasonings and will heat up left over chicken breast to serve for our mid-afternoon meal.

We had fruit smoothies last night.  Yum! Yum!  (Some frozen blueberries and mangoes with some V8 Tropical Colada--something I had purchased for our Sunday night birthday celebration.  They turned out very well.)

Fellow climbers are checking in!  Good to be climbing together, isn't it?

The Climb - Day 2

I know nada about about mountain climbing actually.  But I like what I see in the picture above -- not the chill, but the companionship!  It is comforting and energizing to have company on my climb!  Let's keep one another encouraged.

Looking back on Day 1, I am pleased with the progress.  Except for about 14 tortilla chips, I stuck to the "path".  And Day 2 has dawned with promise and opportunity to make good choices!  I've checked my gear (W, E, and F), and I'm ready to climb!

THE CLIMB - DAY 1

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.  He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his path..."  (Micah 4:2)

My "path" is not just a diet or exercise plan.  It is a higher path I'm traveling.  It's sort of hard to explain.  It is not a temporary quest.  It is an eternal one.  It is closely entwined with my experience of God and the conversion of my will(power) that came about when I yielded to my "Higher Power".  (Incidentally, my Higher Power is not just an intangible source of motivation and energy.  He is a real and incredible Person with sure and life-changing power.) 

My ulterior motivation is not to lose 5 pounds or even attain a reasonable level of fitness, though that is an expected side benefit.  My ultimate motivation is experiencing the thrill of the climb that comes from learning and walking in God's path.

I've been there before.  Then I took a side-trip that seemed pleasurable to me --blizzards, a piece of pie or two, being lazy about exercise, and ignoring the scale.  God's way FOR ME (not telling you what it is for you) is to walk a different path.  And it is a good one (just not so sweet-laden).

So far today, I've exercised (E);  planned meals/food for today (F); and drunk 16 oz. of water (W).  I'm loving this path!  The climb has begun.  My equipment is minimal (E, F, and W).

Give Me This Mountain!

The Motivation to Live Well for today - 3/21/2010 - reads:  Imagine your goal at the top of a mountain. You’ll never reach it if you don’t start climbing.

Since the sail and wind images of the past week needed another visual push, I'm adopting this one.  I'm visualizing my mountain as 14 miles high (one per day, culminating on Easter)!  I will be recording my "climb" each day (God willing)--  not for anyone else but myself.  Of course, you are welcome to climb along.

This afternoon I'll spend a little time planning my climb checking out all my equipment.  My official climb begins tomorrow morning before the sun rises in Indiana!  

The goal (top of the mountain) is to get the sugar out of my system and return to days of primarily eating vegetables and fruit and exercising for 30 minutes per day/5 days a week.  Hopefully those practices over the next two weeks will result in an approximate weight loss of 5 pounds.  

Joshua 14:12 (Caleb speaking):  "So now give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke on this day...The Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said."

Don't Put the Wind Before the Sails!

I think I put the wind ahead of the sails in my last post!  (Kind of like the cart before the horse.)  Today I'm going to hoist my sails.  There's plenty of wind out there - so that's not the problem!

Wind for my Sails

 Sometimes I just need reminders--short, pithy ones.... Here are some I recently culled from  Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma.  (I am not a vegetarian.)

1. Don’t eat egg salad from a vending machine.
2. Don’t eat anything that took more energy to ship than to grow.
3. If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re not hungry
4. Avoid snack foods with the “oh” sound in their names: Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Ho Hos, etc.
5. No second helpings, no matter how scrumptious.
6. It’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor.
7. You don’t get fat on food you pray over. (Meals prepared at home, served at the table and given thanks for are more appreciated and more healthful than food eaten on the run.)
8. Breakfast you should eat alone. Lunch you should share with a friend. Dinner, give to your enemy.
9. Never eat something that is pretending to be something else (artificial sweeteners, margarine, etc.)
10. Eat until you are seven-tenths full and save the other three-tenths for hunger.
11. Japanese simple rules in preparing each meal: GO HO – incorporate five different cooking methods, GO SHIKI – incorporate five colors, GO MI – incorporate five flavors.
12. Remember: each additional bite is generally less satisfying than the previous bite. So slow down, savor the first bites, stop eating sooner.
13. When drinking tea, just drink tea.  (Don't be distracted while eating.) When you’re eating, don’t talk about other past meals, whether better or worse. Focus on what’s in front of you.

 I selected all of these for my personal improvement, but #s 10 and 13 are very important for me to practice right now.  How about you?  Any of these?  Or have you another "wind" blowing YOUR sails?

-5# IN 21 DAYS

WALKING--FOR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BENEFITS

After walking briskly for 30 minutes around the peaceful grounds of the Victory Noll Center in Huntington, IN, my husband and I walked meditatively around the 11 circuit labyrinth that lies just outside the main building on the campus.  

The Center is currently offering its facilities for use between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Thursdays at no charge.  After being outside for awhile, we sat at tables overlooking the labyrinth and sipped coffee while we read.  After finishing the coffee, we spent a little time in the well-supplied and comfortable library.

We left feeling refreshed and ready to re-enter life in the "real world".  We may make this a weekly pilgrimage.  Do you have a favorite place to walk that you return to frequently?

As promised, here are the pictures of our outdoor 30-minute walk.  We headed north - about 20 miles north of our hometown.  After checking out a thrift store, we asked about a good place to walk.  "Bixler Lake,"  we were told!  It was a beautiful place to get our exercise.  The lake was still frozen. 

You can see some ice fishermen behind me!

Our path took us toward the high school where a bunch of Canada geese were enjoying the sunlight!  They are the dots in the picture below...

I think the entire town of Kendallville had this kind of streetlight.  I thought they were charming,  We WILL return.  There were many more paths, trails and neighborhoods to explore.  It will be interesting to see the lake when the snow has melted.  Gary and I hope to walk together at least once a week throughout the spring and summer.  We 'll return to some favorite places but also want to discover new towns, neighborhoods and parks.

WALKING FOR VITAMIN D AND PLEASURE

I went outside around 8:00 this morning to take a picture of this suede skirt I purchased at a thrift store yesterday.  I knew THEN that I would take my 30 minute walk outdoors today!  "Vitamin D" was shining brightly.  Come back before dark and see where we walked.  I promise some pictures. 

WORMS - DOING - FEELING

Over ten years ago, I was on a small "speakers' circuit".  (That doesn't mean I was small - but that the circuit was small compared to  those of "big time" speakers.)  There was a  statement that frequently wormed its way into several of my talks on various topics.

Today it wormed its way into my mind.  Now, when I was speaking, I could give certain words the right inflections to convey the message.  I'm not sure if I can accomplish it in print, but here goes:

You don't DO what you do because you FEEL like you do...you FEEL like you do because you DO what you do!  

Understand?  I'm "getting it" in a big way lately.

Speaking of worms, if you haven't read any of Richard Scarry's books, find yourself a child (your inner child will do), get yourself a copy or two and prepare to chuckle. 

No, Virginia, It Isn't the Weather

Remember  "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus"?

After confessing that I'd lost my groove, I received  a lot of speculation that the culprit was the weather.  Oh, how I wish  that was true! The end would be in sight, if that were so.  It would be just a matter of a few weeks until I would get my groove back.

Sadly, a closer evaluation has eliminated the weather as reason for my lapse.  I give you my truth in the form of a list.  I warn you, it is graphic!

1.  2 pieces of peanut butter pie.  Thick pieces.
2.  2 medium Dairy Queen Blizzards - Georgia Mud Fudge
3.  A carton of frosting.  That's right.  Cake frosting.
4.  1 small piece of Dairy Queen ice cream cake (it was a celebration!)
5.  Neglecting to do 30 minutes of indoor exercise at least every other day.  If I exercise every day for the rest of the month, I will end up close to that goal.
6.  Irregular meals and lack of planning.
7.  Fazolis.  4 breadsticks in one meal.
8.  Too few fruits and vegetables.

No, Virginia.  It isn't the weather.   And now that I know, I will be more intentional and focused.  Note:  I exercised 30 minutes today and have eaten no frosting, Blizzards or peanut butter pie.

Confession: I've Lost My Groove

"Confession is good for the soul," or so I've heard. Well, I'm confessing.  I've lost my groove.  My "want to"  is still there...it's my "follow through"  that's missing.

So far, there have not been to many consequences (in the weight department).  I am still exercising at least every other day.  I've just lost my groove.

I'll get it back.  It had better be soon.

Lenten Question

"The real question of the Lenten Season is how will I clear out the junk and garbage in my life so that I can be restored to God in some fresh way." 

Ruth Haley Barton

VEGGIES, GYM, AND PERSONAL STYLE

"In other words, grooming, hair care, and matters of personal style rank right up there with eating your veggies and hitting the gym."   

So wrote Sally as she guest posted at Coveted.  It's a post well worth reading, in my opinion.

As I began to establish healthy patterns of eating and exercise, my wardrobe needed some adjustments.  I was able to wear styles that I hadn't been able to wear before.  I took new interest and pleasure in grooming, hair care, and matters of personal style.

This all happened about the time I discovered blogging.  Keeping this health blog up to date has played a huge part in the success of my weight loss efforts.  Now, it serves to keep me on task while maintaining my new habits.  Similarly, my "thrifty style" blog has helped me analyze and enjoy the new size and styles of clothing I am now able to wear.

These two blogs of mine work in tandem to keep me "on track" and committed to my goals to be the best me I can be so that I can be a credit to God who created me in the first place!