Reasons to Give God Glory
- God is changing my heart through this process. He is answering prayers, and I adore Him for it.
- I exercised 6 out of the last 7 days (my goal was 3), and I actually wanted to exercise. I didn't go into it each day with a grumbling spirit. (See #1.)
- God has provided people to encourage me along the way, including those of you who take the time to read this blog. Thank you for reading!
- This past weekend was filled with events over which I had little to no control over the food. I was very nervous about that, and I tried my best to plan accordingly. Friday night, I went overboard. Buffalo chicken dip was present, and I have a weakness for buffalo chicken dip. I'm salivating a little as I type this, because there aren't many things in this world that taste better than buffalo chicken dip. I should probably stop writing about buffalo chicken dip now. Rather than beating myself up about going overboard, I chose to walk in grace and move on. Saturday, I did better. I was so nervous about going overboard again that I actually had calories left over at the end of the day. I could have enjoyed another piece of pizza (Two Guys Pizza in Simpsonville has delicious cheese pizza!), but I'm glad I didn't. I'm glad I chose to walk in the self control God has given me rather than strolling down the well-worn path of overeating. I'd like to mention that the My Fitness Pal app made it easy to log what I was eating and know whether or not I was staying on track.
- I'm learning to plan ahead and make sure to exercise on days when I know there will be something I want to eat that may not fit well into my allotted calories for the day. Thursday was a great example of this. Moe's had their annual Free Queso Day, and I had been looking forward to it for weeks. I wasn't sure if I could handle it though. I have a weakness for queso. It's probably a stronger weakness (ha!) than my weakness for buffalo chicken dip. Queso. Buffalo chicken dip. I'm going to go grab an apple before things get out of control over here. Anywho, I wrestled for a couple of days over whether or not I should participate in Free Queso Day. Guys, it's a whole cup of queso-y goodness. With chips. As much as I love queso, I do not eat it with a spoon. Usually. A cup of queso plus chips is a lot of calories (820 calories for a cup of queso and one side of chips from Moe's, and one side of chips is not enough for a cup of queso). So, after I exercised for 30 minutes, Joseph and I talked it over, and we used Moe's wonderful nutrition calculator, and we strategized. Rather than each purchasing an entree and each receiving a free cup of queso, we made a plan to purchase one entree and split both the entree and the queso. It was perfect! I got queso, and I didn't overeat. I wasn't stuffed, and I still got queso. I enjoyed an evening with my husband and our best friends, and I enjoyed queso. God is good. Amen.
- I lost another 3 pounds, bringing my total weight lost up to 8.1 pounds and my current weight down to 315.5 pounds. If I could give God a giant hug and squish His cheeks, I would. I'm hoping the smile that beamed from my face and the joy that filled my heart this morning and the praise that eeked out of my lips sufficed until I can run into His arms in Heaven one day. Run. Me? Maybe one day! With my sweet Savior at my side, anything is possible.
Areas Where I Need Prayer
- I want to continue on this journey with pure motives. I want to do this out of a heart that loves the Lord and wants to honor Him. Please pray I don't exchange the idols of food and comfort for idols of dieting, exercising, checking My Fitness Pal, longing for comments on my blog, vanity, pride, etc.
- I'm struggling with drinking enough water each day. It isn't that I don't like water or I'm drinking alternate beverages (that's what our doctor calls sodas - cute, huh?). It's just that I don't drink much at all on a given day anyway. That needs to change if I want to make progress.
- Pray I don't get bored on the journey. I have a tendency to get bored with things quickly. I really don't want that to happen.
- Pray I will encourage Husby along the way. I don't want to brush him aside in this pursuit.
- Pray my love for the Lord grows deeper and stronger each day as I learn to depend on Him, as I look to Him to satisfy the cravings in my heart.
YOU
How can I be praying for you over the next week? What is God doing in your life? Even if you don't struggle with the same idols and sins as I do, is God breaking through to you about something? Are you falling more in love with Him through the process? I'd love to hear from you!
Hot tea is a great way to get more fluids in, especially as the weather turns cooler. There are so many kinds from fruity to spicy to herbal. :-)
ReplyDeleteMyFitnessPal is a great tool! I've used it off and on for about 2 years.
I really like your blogs - I find your spiritual insights so encouraging!! I have a suggestion - I wasn't drinking enough water and it helps me if I sit one of my really pretty (big) cups filled with water and ice on my desk / near me around the house - http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cool-Gear-24-Ounce-Double-Wall-Chiller-with-Graphics-Set-of-4/20468162
ReplyDeleteI drink like 2-3 of these during work hours and refill on our water fountain.
Great job!! I, too, am worried about getting bored...or lazy...or too tired to really give a crap. :/
ReplyDeleteTea is a good option, as long as you don't load it down with sugar! I would get a cute insulated tumbler you like and just carry it around with you (like Si and his iced tea hehehe). Start with an aim to drink one a day. Then up it to two, etc. I aim for 8 8oz glasses of water a day. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't. When I do, I live in the bathroom. Ha! But it's worth it!
Keep up the good work Rachelle. Appreciate your honesty.
ReplyDeleteFriend, your blog is VERY encouraging. Thank you for reminding yourself and others that this IS a journey with the Lord with the utmost reason being to honor and glorify Him. He is teaching and giving you the strength and I LOVE hearing about it. You, through His strength, did an EXCELLENT job exercising and making wise choices this week. I'm proud of you and your husby for supporting you in those decisions. LOVE myfitness pal. It helps me TREMENDOUSLY everyday in counting those calories. Congrats on your weight loss. A cute tumbler is a great idea for water. If you're like me, you break them often. We invested in a tervis tumbler for me cause $25 was cheaper than the constant Walmart ones I bought and tervis has a lifetime guarantee. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. Love ya' Heather
ReplyDeletePraying. I can't wait to get to Simpsonville to see you! I say one way to keep boredom at bay is to totally mix it up. I've lost over 80lbs by doing that. MFP is a great tool and helpful. Hang in there!
ReplyDelete