Detox

The last three days have absolutely been that word. More sleep than normal, good diet and exercise, almost all of of my time with my family, and time to sit, read, and reflect. Words cannot describe how refreshed I feel and at the same time so alive. I feel so blessed to have the husband and children that I have, to live on this beautiful Island, and to have the privilege of taking time away from the normal pace of life. It is in these moments that what is truly important in life really bubbles up to the surface of your thought life. Here's what I have come up with so far...

• I need time to dream. I've had time to pray and ask God for what He dreams for me and my family.

• I need time to read...not for work-related education, parenting, or other reading that I normally do.  I need time to enjoy a great novel because I have always been such an avid reader and  I truly just love to read.  I love a great story that is written very well.  I'm enjoying a great novel by Francine Rivers called "Her Mother's Hope." (my Mother's Day present from my kids!)

• I need time to eat right and exercise - both of them at the same time. We are eating pretty healthy this week, riding bikes, swimming, and doing a lot of activity. It feels great to be able to do them both at the same time.

So this is what my first three days have produced in me. The fact that these three things need to be a part of my lifestyle - not reserved for when I can fit them in to my regular routine. As I realign my life,  I truly desire to make more of an effort in my lifestyle to keep these things as a regular thing and not reserved for "if I have time."  For now, I have four more days of this and I am excited to continue them and see what comes from this time. More to come...

1 pound no more!

 I got on the scale today...YES!!!! I AM OFFICIALLY My PRE-KID WEIGHT!!!!!!! Click here if you don't know what I'm talking about...Now to recreate to gain it all back.

1 pound

  I was the 20-year-old who started her day with a Baby Ruth and a Dr. Pepper and never thought about it. High metabolism...very active...no big deal.  Then my late 20's hit and I started adding a pound a year. Then the gaining and losing game of my early to mid 30's with having children really freaked me out.  I gained about 35 pounds with my first child, but lost about 45 pounds by the time she was 2. I had a good friend who I walked with 3 times a week and she really helped encourage me to learn about portion control and calories. I gained about the same amount with my 2nd pregnancy, but this time, I have not been able to lose the last little bit. I made a promise to myself that by Sean's 2nd birthday, I could no longer use the excuse that is was "baby weight."  Well, February 5th is coming, and I have 1 pound left! I don't believe in diets, because it won't last. Here's what I'm doing...

1. I know how many calories I should have each day for my height and my weight-loss goals. Click here to find that out for you.
2. I am learning to have a lifestyle of exercising 3 times a week. Cardio, weights, and core training. 
3. I am being aware of what I put in my mouth! Click here for a list of my favorite treats.
4. I  do not eat after 7PM. The only exception is if I skip dinner that night becuase of rehearsal or something and can't eat till later.  I usually choose cereal for dinner on those nights.
5. I downloaded the livestrong app for my iphone which lets me see the calorie-count at restaurants and fast food places so I know as I pull through Chick-fil-A what my best choice will be.
6. I don't worry about tomorrow.  I just try to make the right decisions today.

So, I will report on Feb 5th if I met my goal. What about you?  Are you dieting this year or changing your lifestyle?

Ask, Seek, Knock

I was listening to John Piper while doing cardio at the gym yesterday and as he usually does, he elevates the obvious and makes it profound. What hit me the most was the 3 ways that Piper said that we are told to get God's attention. Asking - this implies that you feel He is right there...Seeking - you know where to find Him and you go find Him...Knocking - you may feel there is something else that He is doing, not sure if He's available, but you go find Him and ask. There are so many times in my life when I ask and do feel He's right there...and then there are times I don't feel as close to Him, but I go find Him and ask...and then there are those times I think my problem is too small, that I'm not worthy, or there's something between us on my end so I just knock.  Jesus knew we would need confidence to approach our Father and He gave us EVERY way to do it regardless of where we are in our spiritual journey.  I think Jesus REALLY wants us to go to our Father don't you?

Are you asking, seeking, or knocking right now?

Don't eat after you sweat

I've been really hitting the gym the last 3 months and I am starting to see some results (for me, it's all about fitting into my favorite pair of jeans!) BUT, WOW, my appetite has really taken off. I am so hungry right after a workout...well, my problem seems to be something a lot of people deal with.

"If people are going to go out and exercise to benefit their health, they should not be eating back the calories immediately upon finishing, or within a couple of hours of finishing," said Barry S. Braun, director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "In order to maintain the benefits, you need to be in this calorie deficit." CLICK here to read the entire article.

So, I have a 90-calorie treat ...to not totally ruin what I just did.

What is your biggest hurdle with food and exercising?