Day 47...For Ladies ONLY!!!! (Men read at your own risk)

Dear Reader,

This week has been one long hormonal trip. The days of fire and lightening are upon my house.And not just me. I have two daughter's who are a bit emotional this week as well. One who is eating homemade chocolate chip cookies. We just went shopping and had to remind each other we were going to have FUN!!! No sarcasm, no snippy words, no pity parties, just fun. Oh no! This is no week to weigh in at all.

*SIDE NOTE I do not want to hear anyone tell me today (concerning my weight loss adventure) to "Just do it." I am craving carbs. Sweet potato carbs, cookie carbs, whole wheat multigrain carbs...fried carbs, crunchy carbs, even carbs with chicken pox.

Thursday I cheated and had beans with tortilla chips and cookies. Talk about over load. My first time in many days. The cool thing is I don't feel guilty or like chucking the whole diet thing. My tendency towards perfectionism is breaking. Generally if I can't do a diet perfectly I quit. Not now. I ate what I ate and I enjoyed it. Friday I got serious again.

Today I'm considering making whole wheat pancakes for my kids breakfast tomorrow. However I think that may not be wise. At least not at this moment. I have a tendency to lie to myself and say it's for the kids. But then as the sight and smell of such tempting food fills my kitchen I black out for about 30 minutes as I partake of the forbidden fruit. So if my cravings don't pass.. peanut butter honey on whole wheat bread may have to suffice in the morning.

Anyway like I said weighing in this week is a big mistake... I am 152.2. Up a bit from last week. The fact that I have been faithful to my diet up until this Thursday, and haven't lost weight at all could be a huge downer if it weren't for the tape measure...

Upper Arms: Lost 3/4 an inch
Lower Arms: Lost 1/2 an inch
Waist: Lost 4 3/4 inches
Hips: Lost 3 1/4 inches
Upper Thigh: Lost 2 1/4 inches
Calves: Lost 1 1/8 inches Total Loss: 11 3/8 inches

So lesson learned? The weight scale is not always an accurate assessment of my progress. I am working out as a few people were kind enough to remind me and am building muscle which weighs more. It also burns more calories.

Still determined to get in the 140's by Valentines.

God bless your endeavors to live a healthy life in 2010.
Lauren

P.S. Staying busy helps...as I'm writing this I'm getting hungry for my next meal but the cravings are subsiding.

Day 43...Plateaus

Dear Reader,

Last Blog 153
Today 152

Plateau Defined: ...a period in the evolution of something...characterized by a relative absence of progress.

Okay 1 pound is still progress but after 8 days I was expecting to get on the scale and find myself at 150-151.

I started exercising almost 2 weeks ago. It feels great after losing 15 pounds. That doesn't seem like much but I can really feel the difference. I'm snapping out push-ups and I have more control during Pilates.

I've also noticed I'm using hardly using my asthma medicine. I did have to use it 1 or 2 days when we had rain, but other than that no wheezing.

But back to the plateau. I have been eating mozzarella cheese for my snack because I find myself hungrier since I started exercising. Also I have been eyeballing the condiments instead of carefully measuring everything out. So I'm going back to pickles for my snack for awhile and no extra seasonings or condiments without carefully measuring and keeping track.

In 3-4 days I'll weigh in again and see if the adjustments helped. I have to get in the 140's by my anniversary which is 2/11/10...right before Valentine's Day!

See you in about 4 days.

Lauren

Mary Kay Web Party

I would like to invite you to attend my Mary Kay Web party!!!

Help me get a FREE MIRACLE SET valued at $90!

It kicks off NOVEMBER 25TH (YEP, BLACK FRIDAY.) and ends Saturday DECEMBER 3 at MIDNIGHT.

Anyone who shops on BLACK FRIDAY gets their purchase TAX FREE!!

You have 9 DAYS to log on and join the party. Just log on, register, and *pay online.

Every purchase of at least $40 gets a FREE MARY KAY GIFT from my consultant.

To attend, log on and register at www.marykay.com/laurenjohnston
You can scan the online catalog or simply click on whatever you are interested in buying. There is also a virtual makeover program that is lots of fun. Just upload your picture and try on some makeup before you buy.

Remember to make your purchase within the above time frame and include my name, Elisabeth Welpman, in the comments section. As your "hostess" I get credit when you make a purchase.
Please contact my consultant, Lauren Johnston, with any questions. Her information is at the bottom of this letter.

"See" you at the party!


*Secure online pay
**Guests outside of the Columbia Missouri area please contact Lauren Johnston to discuss shipping.


Lauren A. Johnston
(913) 287-5767
LaurenJohnston@marykay.com
Visit my Web site at http://www.marykay.com/LaurenJohnston.

DAY 36...Fat On The Inside

Dear Reader,

Well some good news. Since the 10th of this month I am not snacking, tasting, nibbling, cheating, gorging, or binging. It still isn't the easiest thing when I cook for my children but I'm resisting.

Yesterday was a real test. I had a couple of disappointments that weighed on me a bit. Between 3 and 6pm I just wanted to eat. This time I recognized what was going on and managed to choose not to give into emotional eating. Food is not my comfort, the Holy Spirit is.

I had to choose to sit in the emotion of disappointment instead of medicating or numbing it with food. I had to choose to think on the Lord and not the source of the disappointments.

I wish I could tell you that I sprang out of that minor pit with fire in my eyes. I didn't. But I also didn't put food in my mouth. A small victory but a victory never the less! I will say we had a ladies only night at church last night and God showed up. He spoke to me and by the time it was over my urge to just eat was squashed.

By the way folks I am just not a super self-disciplined person. If you are I applaud you. I've always admired people like that. No, I am weak in the area of self-control. Saying no to myself isn't easy, but God helps me. Yes, He cares about my health. He wants to set me free from mindless eating, and the worship of all that is cream filled, deep fried, or salty and crunchy.

Why? He wants nothing that separates me from Him. He is a jealous God. If the love or need of food causes me to disobey Him in anyway then my love/need of food has to be broken. If when life stinks I reach for food and not my Maker then food has become my source and really that's sin.

So how am I doing this? PRAYER, PRAYER, PRAYER! Not just praying for help, which I do, but I mean the kind of prayer that leads me to fall in love with God all over again. Not just dutiful words but a heart that spills over with desire to just be with God...and to obey Him. To know Him more intimately than an In-N-Out (or Steak and Shake for the Midwest folks) double cheese burger cooked animal style with a large fries, and a large chocolate and strawberry shake...OK, my mouth is watering.

I thank God for helping me to lose weight, but I have news for you, I'm more thrilled with the weight that's coming off on the inside. The Lauren on the outside needs to lose about 20-30 more pounds. But the Lauren on the inside is pretty obese.

How overweight are you on the inside?

Last Blog 155
Today 153

Until next time,

Lauren

Day 32...Just say NO!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Reader,

I'm doing it!

If you remember, my biggest lament was a bad habit I had of nibbling while cooking dinner for my family. Well since Sunday that is at an all time low. Sunday went well, but Monday night I felt a strong urge to nibble. I could hear voices (just a teeny bit dramatic) whispering, "Just this once, you can start over tomorrow." Suddenly, and to the top of my lungs I shouted, "NO!!!!" At that moment my 2 year old, who had wandered into the kitchen, turned tail and ran for his life. My husband came barreling out of the bedroom loudly demanding to know what the problem was. My kids turned their attention from the t.v. to the kitchen with mouths wide open in shock. Grinning at my startled family I said, "I'm OK, just sticking to my diet."

It took awhile for my family to adjust to mom screaming in the kitchen every night around 6pm, but they're used to it now. Hey, when you have a radical problem it takes radical measures to break it.

What happened to my husband helping in the kitchen? He's on an extended fast and refuses to be around food. You go Honey!

I also started exercising. Jillian Michaels is my fitness coach for 20 minutes each day. I will say a 10 pound loss makes a great difference in exercise. I have more stamina, I don't feel as weighed down, and I can do 10 push ups (military thank you) without wheezing.

That's it for now...140's here I come!

More next week.

Lauren

OOPS...Today's weigh in: 155!!!!

Day 27....OH HAPPY DAY!!!!

Dear Reader,
I know in my last blog I said I would write in a week, but I just couldn't wait. Are you ready.......

Last Blog 160.4
Today 157!!!!!!!!!!!

My last blog was just this past Tuesday. 1 more pound and I've lost my first 10.

Have an awesome day everyone.

Lauren

Day 25...TWINKIES!!!!!

As she rolled her cart down the aisle of temptation (Cookies and Crackers) she slowed to gaze upon the packages and packages of cream filled desire. She knew she had no business being in the same vicinity of all that sugar, but surely just one look wouldn't do any harm. She almost made to the end of the aisle when her eye fell upon the mother of all golden goodness...TWINKIES!!! Mouth watering she picked up a box. The battle was already lost. Glancing quickly around her she shoved the box in her cart and raced to the check-out. Running to her car the sky thundered as the rain fell in torrents. Oblivious to the high winds that nearly ripped the car door off it's hinges she frantically searched the bags for her treasure. At last she found the box. Placing it gently in the passenger seat she turned to the remainder of her groceries. After flinging grocery bags of eggs, glass bottles, and tomatoes into the back seat she slammed the car door, shoved the grocery cart out of her way into another parked car, and dove into the driver's seat. Grabbing her stash she ripped it open and tore into the cellophane. Pausing long enough to wipe the wet hair out of her eyes she sunk her teeth into sweet, creamy, center. Eyes rolling back into her head she shoved the remaining snack into her mouth. Almost losing consciousness she reached for another, and another. She had devoured half the box when she finally started the car and headed home. A block from her house she pulled the car over by a mail box. Placing the remaining snack cakes in her purse she climbed out of the car, and shoved the box and wrappers into the mail slot to dispose of the evidence of her binge. Confident that no one would know, she counted the hours until her family was asleep and she could enjoy the remainder of her precious secret in private.

Okay just a bit over the top you might say. Not for everyone. There are so many people who really can relate to my little Twinky story. I know I can. I'm not proud to say so and neither are the hundreds (thousands?) who have had these secret binges.

Do I want to lose weight? You betcha! But more than that I want control of my eating. I want to retrain my taste buds to love fruit and vegetables and even desserts that are not flooded with refined sugar and fat. I want my stomach (trained to consume the super sized meal) to shrink until it's content to enjoy a much smaller portion. Most of all I want to be totally free from emotional eating and mindless snacking. When I'm discouraged or disappointed I want to run to Jesus instead of the cookie aisle.

For me Take Shape For Life is truly about a life change. I have 44 years of bad habits to break. That is more my goal then losing pounds. I've lost pounds before, but because I never dealt with my weaknesses I put them back on.

The plan I'm on helps discipline and retrain my eating. God is helping me be free. This past three weeks I've been confronting some personal issues that are bigger than food. That's the victory! If I can be free from those I can keep off the weight I'm losing.

Before the New Year God told me to lay off the weight that keeps me from running the race effectively. The physical and the spiritual. This doesn't happen without a good honest look at who I really am.

Too transparent. Perhaps. But someone out there needs to hear they are not a failure. If I can do it I believe you can to. Never stop trying, learn to forgive yourself, fail forward, and trust in God.

He's rooting for you!

Lauren

NOTE
Last blog 159.4
Today 160.2

According to my scale I'm up 8 oz but the mirror says my arms, legs, and face are thinner. Finally in a pair of pants I haven't worn since 2008. I have some water retention around my middle so I'm going to tighten up my use of condiments and really aim to follow the plan to the letter...See you next week!