Week 6 Weigh-In

Hi, everyone! Thanks for stopping by to check on my progress. The time you take to read my posts means so much to me, and your encouragement is part of what keeps me motivated. So, thank you so much!

Some of the highlights from this past week were buying pumpkins with Husby, enjoying pumpkin ice cream afterward, photographing the In the Round Concert, and celebrating Crystal's birthday. I was able to do all of those fun things and stay within my calories each day. Week by week, I'm learning that I can lead a healthier lifestyle and still fit in things I enjoy.

Eating better and exercising is having all sorts of benefits: I'm losing weight, we're saving money (I plan on posting about that at some point), and I clap so much better at church. Seriously, all that clapping while doing aerobics is really paying off!

We're still measuring everything so we can ensure we're eating the proper portions. To make that a little easier, I purchased multiple sets of measuring spoons and cups that can nest within one another. Then I hung them on the back of a cabinet door using hooks I purchased from Dollar Tree. (The measuring spoons and cups came from the dollar section of Walmart.) Having multiple sets means we're less likely to skip measuring because the utensils we need are dirty.

I made quinoa stuffed bell peppers last night. They were so delicious! Maybe I'll post the recipe one day. Would you all enjoy it if I post a recipe from time to time?

I lost 3.8 pounds this week, bringing my total weight lost up to 22.6 pounds and my current weight down to 301.0 pounds. Yay! I'm so thankful for the progress the Lord has enabled me to make. My goal for next week is to be under 300 pounds. I'm really looking forward to that!

It's time for another set of comparison photos. Again, I can't tell a big difference. I think it's a mental hangup I have. This is going to sound weird, but entertain me a little. When the average person loses 20 pounds, it's very obvious. That loss of 20 pounds may even bring that person down to a healthy weight. Because of that, when I look in the mirror, or when I put on my clothes, I expect bigger results. Then I have to remind myself that I have a long journey ahead. Losing 22.6 pounds is great! I'm really excited about my progress, and I'm so thankful for the Lord's help. I just have to keep in mind that this is just the beginning.

So, I say all of that to ask you to pray for me as you look at these comparison photos and maybe if you think of me after you've read this post. Pray that even when I feel discouraged, I'll lean into the Lord and trust Him to lead me through the rest of this journey. Because it really is a journey I want to take.

When Husby and I went to Sam's the other day, I posed with 20 pounds of sugar to illustrate the 20 pounds I had lost (I knew on Saturday that I had reached 20 pounds). I'm a weakling, so they were heavy! It was good for me to hold 20 pounds and remember that I was just carrying that much extra weight all the time. 

I'd like to end my post today with something for you to ponder. Last night, I purchased mini cupcakes for the ladies in my Bible study group to enjoy and to celebrate Crystal's birthday. We had a dozen extra, so I sent them with Husby to his group. As we were heading home, I asked Husby if his group ate all of the cupcakes. He said they only ate a few of them. "Then where are the cupcakes?" I asked. I really wanted them! He told me that one of the guys in his group took them home after saying something to the effect of, "Joseph, I know you're trying hard to lose weight, and I know these cupcakes will be a temptation for you. I want to remove that temptation from you. I'll take them to work, so know they'll be eaten."

Honestly, at first, I was disappointed. Like I said, I wanted those cupcakes! Then I was really thankful. The man was right. We didn't need the temptation of those cupcakes. I appreciate that he was willing to remove the temptation.

Do you have people who do things like that for you? Do you help others by removing temptations for them? It doesn't have to be about food. There are a million other things in this world that tempt us. I challenge you to think about that today, and then I challenge you to ask God to show you how you can love your neighbor by removing a temptation for him/her. To go a step further from an idea in my Bible study this week, it's likely you're either tempting someone to sin, or you're helping someone resist temptation. It's unlikely you're completely neutral. Which side are you going to be on this week?