Time Out

It's been a month since I posted a new entry to my blog.   In addition to dealing with a stressful beginning to the new semester at work, I have been focusing my energy on a few outside projects.  I am super excited about them both.

At work we are having a weight loss competition. I am the cheerleader behind the scenes.  In addition to losing weight, we also are doing a Couch to 5K run camp.  In my off time, I look for good articles about nutrition, weight loss and fitness to share with the group.  I also try to keep the fun in it by adding a little humor to keep the journey more light hearted.  Truth be told, I am pleased with how things are going with the group.  The process has me doing some serious soul searching about my own journey...where I've been, how I got to where I am and where I am going.  Not sure I have answers for me just yet, but I feel really great!

This is Diana and I after this week's Couch to 5K clinic.   One group of us walks and some of us do interval training.  The kids love to see us walking/running in the halls.

My church is sponsoring another Women's Conference this year. I spoke last year at one of the breakout sessions:

Sharing my story last year.

This year I was invited to do another breakout session.   I am doing two sessions.  One is entitled, "Unlocking the Secrets to a Healthy Life" and the second is "Going Deeper, Unlocking a Closer Relationship with God."  Over the past few weeks, I have been putting together the materials I want to share and organizing my presentations.  Last year I was so nervous. but this year I am so excited about them both.  I feel like everything is coming together, it's truly a "God Plan."

A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away.
Ecclesiastes 3:6

If you are in the area. I hope you will come to the conference.  It hopes to be AMAZING!  We have planned for several amazing speakers, as well as incredible music, with a dessert bar following the Friday evening event.  I always find the conference to be incredibly refreshing and rewarding.  You can register online at Evangel Assembly: Women's Conference.  The early bird special is $25 until February 26.  You are well worth the investment and you'll be glad you came!

I feel like I am doing a commercial.  I am just so excited about this, I can't help it!

In other news...

How about my favorite team?

I LOVE the New England Patriots!!  I do! I do!  And I do think that Tom Brady is the Greatest Of ALL Time!  (That's why they call him the GOAT, by the way, in case you didn't know!)  And if you, like me, were watching the game on Sunday, you probably thought it was all over for the Pats pretty early on in the game.  It was like nothing I have ever seen or ever imagined to see them come back the way they did.  I couldn't believe what was happening before my eyes.

I have a lot I want to talk about, so I will probably write a few different blog entries, but I want to finish with this last thought.

Today is (January 11, 2017)  February 11, 2017*.  We are six weeks into the New Year.  Many people start to try to lose weight or start an exercise at the beginning of the year and right about now, when you don't see the results you hope for, this is when you want to throw in the towel and give up.  I have talked to a few people who have told me, "I just can't do this."  or  "This is just not the right time for me."

I seriously want to stand up and scream at them, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?  STOP TALKING LIKE THAT!"

It was exactly three years ago this week when I was ready to give up.  I remember feeling so discouraged.  I had lost 7 lbs. in six weeks and I was working my butt off at the gym and I felt like there was no point.  I was going to be obese forever.  Obesity runs in my family, as does diabetes.  I'm doomed, there's no point.  I did the calculations.  If I gained another 30 or 40 lbs, I'd be a candidate for weight loss surgery and then maybe I can lose the weight.  This is seriously what I thought.  Why bother?

If you are feeling like that at all, I want you to take a deep breath and call a time out for yourself.  You are at a cross roads between "Yes, I can" and "No, I can't."  Only you get to choose which way you go.  Only you.  You are the ONE voice in your head that makes that call.

So, I call a 

That's right.  Instead of giving up and giving into your fears and self doubts, take a step back and reassess.  If what you are doing isn't working, try something different.  Don't go crazy and reinvent the wheel, but do examine your  habits.  Ask yourself a few questions:

Am I giving this my all?

Am I working out consistently?  

30 minutes per day is better than one two hour workout per week.

Am I drinking enough water?  

8 glasses minimum!!!  EVERY DAY!

Am I eating enough protein?  

You should be eating between 20 - 25 g of protein with every meal.  Eat protein rich snacks as well.

Am I eating enough?  

If you are under eating, you may be slowing your metabolism to the point that it's not functioning adequately.

Are you eating too much sugar and simple carbohydrates?  

Carbs are good for you.  Contrary to popular belief, they are not evil.  But sugar is enemy number one and too much will sabotage your efforts.  Be smart about the carbs you eat.

Visit your doctor before starting a new diet or exercises regimen!

You may need to visit your doctor and make sure everything is okay with you physically.  In fact, I encourage you to do that before you even start a weight loss plan or exercise routine.  If you are doing everything "right" and are still not seeing results, you may have something else going on with you.

If I had given up three years ago when I was ready to quit, I would still be fat.  I would still suffer from chronic pain like I did.  I'd probably have diabetes by now.  I know I would be miserable.  I can't tell you  how glad I am that I took time to reassess what I was doing.  It took me time to get it right, but I never gave up!  Don't quit!

This is me in 2011.

This is me today:

I have such a hard time with selfies in the mirror.  Seriously, what do you look at?  I can only laugh at the expressions on my face.

Fight the good fight, finish the race, remain faithful!
adapted from 2 Timothy 4:7

*WHOOPS!  Sorry about that!!!  Yikes! I guess my brain doesn't quite work right.  Someone messaged me that I put the wrong date.  SMH

Questions for you: (answer in the comment section below)

Do you ever need a time out?  How are you doing with your New Years resolutions?  Are you sticking with it?  Do you need to step back and reasses?

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