Climb Day 17 Helpful People

This is my brother Clark. It is an old picture but he still looks the same. He blessed me today by bringing lunch...fifty chicken nuggets from MacDonalds!!!! I love my brother who is big hearted, but I told him he had horns for bringing all those nuggets to me! I did NOT eat them all, Thank God! Oh well, just another day on my Climb out of Obesity! Pray for me , friends! I need it!  LOL!

Climb Day 16 Unexpected Stress

STRESS REDUCTION KIT

Unexpected stress. Just as you think everything is under control something comes along to knock you back a few steps. I guess it is necessary for growth. Surprisingly enough, I do not feel the urge to eat. I learned in Wellness Coaching that I am a comfort eater. Such a shock! Had no idea that I turn to food to calm myself! I know about it now and try to control it.  Really difficult day!  It is good to know that God is still in control.

Climb Day 15 Scales

I admit I felt pretty bad last week when I got on the scales and found I had gained two pounds. It was a real bummer. Today things are looking better and the changes I am making every day are working. I found today I lost a little over 4 pounds so my 15 day Climb is on track. I am jumping for joy!!!!!!!!! Those are not my feet but they could be. hahahahaha! Need to walk again today!

Climb Day 14 Walking

I promised I would walk and I did!!!!!!!   I walked down the street to the track and managed one lap before I had to walk back home. Painfully embarrassing that I had to leave so fast but I did it and that is a start. Maybe I can walk two laps tomorrow. I might walk one lap every day and build up if I can. I am very happy I did this walk. Good start for a sedentary woman. On to tomorrow!

Climb Day 13 My Helpers

What would I do without my three sisters who support me in everything I do? These girls are movers and shakers who ALWAYS have a project! Guess what...I am their LATEST project! If you need something done Glenda, Cindy, or Sissy is the one you need. They have different talents but together with Paula Mitchell, Laura T. Rone, and Becky Serras (Glenda's BF) they make a powerful team who can do just about anything.  They are holding my feet to the fire on this Climb and I appreciate it very much. Glenda is my walking partner so there will be no excuse for me to stay in the house!  My habits are changing a little bit every day and that is progress.  Thank you sisters, and well wishers. I will try my best not to let you down!

Climb Day 12 Discipline

Maintaining discipline when you can think about nothing but a chocolate brownie is not easy. The need for discipline is compounded by the need to eat gluten free! Managing portion control and remembering leave the bread alone is not fun. I am exploring cook books and recipes for gluten free bread that will taste good enough for me to have a sandwich again. I never thought it possible to long for a ham and cheese sandwich! Amazing.
I have a confession to make...I have not begun exercising. I had no idea that my life was so full around 5 -6 in the evening! Suddenly I look up and it is dark. I cannot go to the track during school hours so I must go before dark. I am still working on this one.  I need to change everything about myself!   I keep repeating,  I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!

Climb Day 11

I got on the scales today. Of course I had to sneak up on them. The news was not good. Not bad, but not good. Before I started my climb I was eating really badly so I am having to catch up. I understand that everyone's weight fluctuates but it is not encouraging all the same.

In spite of my disappointment with my weight loss, I am using portion control and discipline to control my eating habits. Living gluten free is harder than managing my portions! I have more or less given up eating any bread other than corn bread and that is difficult as I live with people who love toast and jelly! Time was that I never really noticed the smell of bread toasting in this house. Now it screams at me when one of them makes the toast.  For you who live gluten free  here are a couple of links.
Live Gluten Free
The Gluten Free Culinary Summit
Living Without

Climb Day 10

Grapes and berries are really good for you. I have been eating salads and snacking on grapes in between meals to help keep my glucose levels balanced. This is new for me and I am truly surprised that the temptation to stray is not stronger. I guess putting my business in the street for the world to observe has its advantages. Still determined to make sensible changes to my eating habits one day at a time.

Climb Day 9

This was me when I was nineteen years old. I did gain a few pounds through the years but this was me for a great many years of my life. Yes, I see the big hair...I still have it! I am managing my food pretty good although I have not got it totally under control. I see that things are changing and that is a good thing. Still working on getting my exercise in. Time is against me but I will get it together.

Climb Day 8

Today I get serious about healthy eating. First stop is the grocery store. I love salads so I should be eating them instead of the unhealthy options I have been choosing. Grapes are a healthy snack as long as I do not eat too much at one time (diabetes). I have a plan, shopped, recorded my foods in my food journal (www.fitday.com), planned my afternoon exercise, and located my tennis shoes! What could go wrong? hahahahah! Everything! There is an old saying, there is many a slip, twixt the cup and the lip. I have to make sure that does not happen to me.

Climb Day 7 Walking

It would be nice if walking on the beach would give me exercise, but the truth is that I just wander around in circles and never get any exercise at all. There is a walking track across the street from my house so I really have no excuse for not walking. I must pull myself out of this ridiculous funk and get my body and my mind in shape.

Unfortunately, I never liked exercise and now I have no one to walk with. Oh well, I will have to walk alone. I can't keep up with anyone who might show me some kindness. I am getting out my tennis shoes today!

Climb Day 6

My plan today was to walk the track across the street from my house. A rain storm with a drop in temperature stopped that plan so I am working and researching. I found a really good video that made me think about my diabetes and made me feel guilty about my horrible eating habits. Of course I never liked exercise so that is a given. Change is coming...slowly.

Preventing and Reversing Diabetes Naturally

Climb Day 5...Breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal to me. I really do not care about my food for the rest of the day but I need a hearty breakfast to get me started. So should it be bacon and eggs which I love...or cereal which I do NOT love?  I know this is about choices and I have already given up the toast, biscuits, english muffins, etc. Compromise is not easy!!!!!
I really need to start thinking about exercise. I already know I need to walk...duh!  Water!!!!!

Climb Day 4

Getting a handle on the right foods is not easy. There is a balancing act that must be maintained. I am a diabetic. You never get to take a break from being a diabetic. Most people think diabetics should not eat sugar. They do not know that fried breaded foods are absolute destroyers for a person with diabetes! Eating sugar causes spikes in your glucose levels that are dangerous but can be controlled. Fried foods with flour stay in the system longer and keep your glucose levels higher longer.

Add to this gluten intolerance and you now have two strikes against wheat flour and of course, fried foods. Gluten intolerance is serious. My pharmacist friend and brother in the church, Don Apple, told me that one in four people have gluten intolerance and do not know it! How is that for a silent sickness?

My brain does not compute the notion that eating bread or breaded foods( wheat, barley, rye) will cause respiratory problems, constipation, diarrhea, itching skin, runny nose, and so many more problems! I WANT to believe it! I REALLY do, but I have difficulty accepting it. Therefore I stay sick a lot. I have got to change now! I mean now!  From this moment forward it is low carb for me! I am journaling at www.fitday.com.

Climb Day 3

Finding a decent picture is a nightmare. You keep looking for something to make you look good...or at least not so fat! The truth is that I work hard but people cannot see me for the extra pounds I carry around. The sad part about it is that I did not have this problem or this look when I was young. The first thirty years of my life was lived as an average size person with a mild problem with my weight!

How did this happen? My children and their spouses never met the real me. This is going to change now. Life is to short to surrender to my lack of discipline. The word gluttony comes to mind. To me it is a dirty word. I do not know that woman in the picture. God is my refuge and Strength!

Climb Day 2

 Christmas 2009 with my beautiful granddaughter Brittany

My feature picture was taken at Christmas 2008. At that time my weight was at an all time high. After seeing this picture and some others I decided to make another attempt at weight loss.  During the following year I watched my intake diligently and managed to lose 15 pounds. Unfortunately, I lost my focus but I kept the fifteen  pounds off.

I feel good about changing my habits but I found out in the past year that I am gluten intolerant so I am also trying to live gluten free. I battled pizza last night and Shipley's donuts this morning... It is not easy with guests and all kinds of food in the house. 

Still, today is a good day and I feel good about myself for getting off to a moderately good start! On to tomorrow!

A Long Climb

My sister suggested that I begin a journal to record my climb out of the cycle of diet, lack of exercise, and over eating that has overwhelmed my attempts to bring my weight under control for half of my life. I can never remember a time when I was not on a diet,  but I was never morbidly obese until a life crisis of death in the family and divorce with the ensuing problems sent me plummeting into  the depths of despair. All this happened many years ago during my late thirties.  My family issues were resolved but the weight problems lingered until today.

Words are hard to find to explain the aggravation and self loathing that accompanies the failure of controlling one's own self. I cannot claim ignorance. I am a reader and researcher, and a professional woman. I understand everything I need to know about calorie counting, portion control, counting carbs for my diabetes, and the need for exercise and drinking adequate amounts of water. I feel that should be stated right up front. 

As a prayer minister it is especially distressful that I seemingly cannot bring my body under control. This has to stop. It stops today!

These words will be my watchword!  Philippians 4: 13  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I promise to keep my maunderings short and to the point in the hope that we will learn and be successful together.