A Week Without

So, it wasn’t quite the ten days we planned, but we made it seven days … SEVEN …with not a single bite of solid food (well, unless you count that one taste test of Cantelope Austin had, so he could see if it tasted good enough for us to sell at Market.)

It was an  interesting experience, but one I am glad it’s over. It seemed to do exactly what we wanted it to. It cleared us out, put us on a new start. We are eating so many fruits and vegetables. I watched TV and didn’t feel like I needed to eat. Food tastes better. Flavors are stronger. Tomatoes taste yummy. We are drinking more fluids (something I have never been good at!) I am satisfied with less. We are still losing weight. I am not getting close to my points total because we are really filling up on fruits and veggies.

I am proud of us. I really wondered whether we could do it. I wondered whether we’d kill each other (or want to). Wondered if my kids would try to force feed me in my sleep because I was so crabby (or if I would need to force feed Austin in his sleep!! LOL) But we made it. We didn’t kill ourselves (or each other!!), and to my knowledge, I wasn’t force fed while sleeping.

Before the fast, we watched FireProof, and since I have the Love Dare Book, I asked Austin if we should do it (just for fun!) He said, let’s wait until after the fast, We might need it then!! Haha.  Glad to say, we didn’t. We both tried to stay busy, have a drink always near by to stave off hunger, encourage each other in our weak moments. I chewed gum to alleviate the need to chew something. The biggest danger was commercials. Every other commercial on TV at night is for some restaraunt or food. Food we weren’t eating. A commercial break conversation sounded like this:

Ooooh, A cheeseburger, I want a cheeseburger.

Yum, did you see that Fish, I really want that fish.

Oh wait, Maybe I really want the ribs.

For two people not eating food, we did an awful lot of talking about it!! But now we’re done. Cumulatively, we’ve lost about twenty pounds and are happily eating smaller portions of healthier food!! Yay us!!

Five Special Blessings to Me Today: Grilled Chicken, A Baked Potato, Dumplings, A Banana, Chai Tea

Have a Yummy and Blessed Day!

Um, I’m hungry …

…but somehow not as hungry as I thought I would be… You see we are fasting… This is day three…

A while back, Austin decided he wanted to do a cleansing fast. Basically a fast to purge all the junk out of your body. It is (theoretically) supposed to get rid of all the accumulated stuff your body collects, jump start your metabolism and weight loss efforts, and clean the toxins out of your body. For me, it is a way for me to try something new in my IBS-C Battle. And hopefully, help us to get rid of our bad eating habits, so that once replaced by good eating habits, we will be healthier people.

Before the fast, we were starting to eliminate our calories. We were down to about 1400 a day, but it wasn’t enough. We still had bad eating habits (lots of carbs, eating right before bed, lots and lots of diet soda). We knew we had to get out of those habits.

So, this is day 3. It’s called the Lemonade Diet, or the Master Cleanse Diet. We drink a special Lemonade drink (Lemonade, Maple Syrup, Cayenne Pepper, and Water). This is mostly all we drink, although we are *allowed* decaf herb tea, and of course water, water, water. We also drink a Smooth Move Tea at night, which is supposed to help our body elimante all the accumulated junk.

Tuesday (Day 1) I was exhausted. Yesterday, I had a massive headache (caffeine withdrawal!!), but today I actually feel okay.

Brendyn is loving it, because he gets to be in charge of all the kid meals. He gets to choose and make Cereal or Oatmeal for breakfast. A choice of Ramen Noodles, sandwiches, or Chef Boyardee for Lunch, and Dinners for them this week are Pizza, Fish Sticks, Corn Dogs, and Chicken Nuggets. (All things Brendyn can make in the oven!!) ~It definately helps to not have to make their food. Being around food makes me want to eat it.

I have come to understand the difference between Belly Hunger and Mouth Hunger. You can’t mistake Belly Hunger – your belly hurts, it’s grumbling, you are starting to get nauseaus. More often, I am fighting with Mouth Hunger. I want to put something, anything in my mouth and eat it.

But it’s Day Three. We’ve made it this far. I am proud of us.

Five Special Blessings to Me Today: Laptops, Books, Knitting, Meetings, Talking on the Phone (READ: Anything that keeps my mind off of eating!!)

Have a blessed day today, and eat an extra slice of *something* for me today!!!

Weight Watchers Points Plus

It was time. Time to make a change, so that the number on the scale started to go down, instead of up, or stagnant. With the last pregnancy, I gained ten pounds right away, and I guess although I miscarried, my body thought it should hold onto those ten pounds, you know, just in case.

Throughout January I have been counting calories, but it’s a pain, for one, and in three weeks, I only lost two pounds. And for all the work, I need a little better results!!! Mom has been thinking about going to Weight Watchers, so I invited myself and tagged along. We had our first meeting last Thursday, and just like at the scale at home …. I was THE NUMBER minus my two pounds.

Tomorrow is our weigh in day…..hopefully I take a few more pounds off THE NUMBER!!! Pray for me as I go on this real weight loss journey.

If you are on the journey too, I have started a Yahoo Group for encouragement, recipe swaps, etc.  WW Points Plus Pals – you can join here:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/WWPointsPlusPals/

Five Special Blessings to Me today: Mom (with whom to do WW with – my natural encourager), Austin (my cheerleader, support person), Brendyn (who will ask about everything I put in my mouth – “How many points is that Mom?”), a WW Calculator (carried with me where ever I go right now until I figure out how many points it is!!), and God (who Will Give me the victory over my weight loss!!)

Hope you have an especially Blessed Day!

Everything’s gonna be alright

I am doing okay. God has really been clear to show me His peace. When I start to dwell or get in the “this is not fair” frame of mind, a Bible verse will pop in my head, and I will know that this is going to be okay. One thing that has really stayed with me is That I don’t have to UNDERSTAND the reason, to KNOW there is a reason. God’s plan is ALWAYS perfect.

Going to start the whole weight-loss thing. I really would like to get into a better place with that. Started on the diet today. Watched the Biggest Loser and felt inspired to do 500 steps on the board. I figured if they could do it, I could definately do it. Thought about quitting after 250, but pushed my way through. Legs are definately tingling, but that’s a good thing, right?

We played Doggy-pile with the kids. They were hilarious. Even Adreya would lay on the floor for Tyler and Maddy to lay on top of her and then say Mommy (or Daddy) “Get Doggy Pile”. She’s gonna be a tough one!

Five special blessings to me today: Kids that make me laugh, Encouragement that can come from anywhere, God’s peace, A mind that is full of misc. Bible verses that pop up just when I need them, a Church Family that I can count on!

Hope your day is more blessed than mine!