It's working, people!! IT'S WORKIING!

Pin It Now! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I am not in my usual writting mood, so bear with me please. :)

So, I was recently volunteering at VBS and overheard someone saying that they just paid 50$ to be a part of a weight loss challenge. My interest peaked, and that was when I heard my calling :) I FBooked the leader of the pack and asked to be in!

Let me back up… Slow down a bit. A couple of  months ago, we had joined a gym about 30 minutes away, which turned out to be too much of a drive for gas reasons. Then we decided to go for our local rec center, and I am so so glad we did. It is comparable in price, they have childcare, classes are included and best of all, its local! My 15 yr old wants to be a trainer, so this is even more beneficial for him! I have found that I LOVE LOVE LOVE body pump (free weights) and zumba. And here I thought I would be pacified with running around the track or using the treadmill. Silly me. ;) All in all, I am hooked. Working out is so FUN when you find what is right for you! I have an elliptical at home, but one funny thing I learned about myself is that I seem to be a bit ADD when it comes to working out on ONE machine for an hour. Gag. One more plus for the gym!

Of course, like always, I can always find an excuse to stay at home, not go workout. Even with my new found love of the gym. It seems if I can just get dressed and into the car, then I am feeling good about going. Up until that point though,  it is always a challenge. I was fluctuating in pounds slightly over the last few months, but mostly watching the number go up a little here, a little there. My husband is incredibly sweet and understanding. What a man. Sundays are usually my worst, trying to get ready for church, when I don't feel like dressing this thang up at all. I think women who love their bodies, regardless of size, are ah-maz-ing. I don't know how they do it. I just want to be happy in my own skin. To look in the mirror and recognize the lady staring back at me. Is it embarrassing that I announced to the blogging world along with friends over a year ago that I wanted to lose weight, and I have not lost it yet? You take a stab at that one. Equally as embarrassing are the moments I have to face people at church every week (I am certain however that they love me regardless :)) You would think that feeling alone would be enough to make me run to the gym, work out, then run back home. The opposite happens, I ran right to the pantry. Yuck.

A dear friend got me a fantastic book to read called "Made To Crave". If you struggle AT ALL with food, I highly suggest this book. It is full of God's redeeming love for us. And it explains WHY we crave. As over eaters, or unhealthy eaters, we are just feeding that craving with food instead of God, and then we run into problems. This book is Fuuunny and quick witted. There is also a devotional to go along with it, my hubs surprised me with that earlier this week <3

Obviously,  a lot more has happened since my last post , but neither you or I have the time for it right now, I am sure.

So, I will leave you with this: I am doing the weight loss challenge. I think it is just what I needed. Everything has fallen into place, all in His timing. I will not share my weight loss numbers yet, it adds a bit more challenge to the challenge :) But I AM losing, Praise God! Stay tuned! Once I lose more, I will start posting before and after pics.

Can I get an E-LLIP-TICAL?! What's that spell? ELLIPTICAL!!

Pin It Now! Alright, alright. I have a lot to share today. I suppose that is what happens when you wait too long to update your blog!! ;) Please read on!

I had been underestimating myself for awhile now.
Feeling like "it" cannot be accomplished because of Hashimotos, and my food addiction. So why even bother. I have been making excuses (although some are valid excuses), too much of the time. It's like a person I worked with used to say, "Excuses are like butts, everyone has them, and they all stink" (kinder words used here :)).
I don't really know how to put my addiction of food into words, although I give it a go and hope that somehow it brings hope to someone else.

There are a few people who have influenced my decision not to take this crap lying down. To get back up, dust of my runners and get going. One of them is a dear friend since my childhood (yes, I have permission to tell you this ;)). You know who you are and you are irreplaceable to me. I love you dearly my friend. She has had a hard time losing weight and battles it like many of us do. Her hard work is paying off and I love it when she texts me to let me know that she had to use a belt!!! So far, she has lost 40 pounds and I could not be more proud of  her. Keep up the good work! Of course, there is my husband who you all know, I just adore. He is a source of compassion, grace, encouragement, and a kick in the rear (sometimes even an unwelcome one). I love you so much. We have been BLESSED with some AMAZING people in our lives. I had posted on FB that I was looking for an elliptical to buy, and a friend mentioned that they had one and they were willing to sell to us. They gave us a heck of a deal and delivered it to boot! You guys have NO idea what a positive impact you make on peoples lives. Thank you so much. We love you!! Sherri, thank you for holding me accountable, please don't stop! XoXo. And to my other friends who are losing weight... you made me a bit jealous and gosh darn it, why should I be the one left waiting for another train?! ;) Keep up the good work, I am proud of you!

I humbly ask for help. I really, really need accountability. From lots of people. My husband gives me accountability, but for some reason, it isn't taken the right way (thanks to my female hormones?). I am sure someone out there understands that ;). I need people texting me daily, or every other day to make sure I am doing what I need to do, and if I am not, TELL ME TO DO IT. Even if it seems like I may be irritated, don't forget that I asked for the help! This is truly the hardest thing I have ever done... and I have had 3 children. HELP.

The exciting part of this post??? The elliptical :) :) :) I LOVE this thing! Now, I know, running is free, walking is free. You might even say, "Heather, what about all those workout videos you have collecting dust in that drawer?" Yikes, that one speaks for itself. Have you ever taken a jog or a walk with a child who refuses to wear sunglasses (in a state that has sun shining 300 days a year)? He won't let me cover the stroller with a blanket. He won't wear a hat. He makes it MISERABLE  to go outside and exercise. He screams the entire time because of the sun. Not. Fun. The elliptical allows me to have the workout I need, in my home, so the kids can still play happily :). Not to mention, it cannot fit into a drawer and be forgotten about. It sits in my dining room, screaming at me ;) I did it a little bit over the weekend and could barely do it on 1, for 5 minutes! So sad!!! I have been doing it consistently for 2 days now (LOL. I know, I know). Yesterday for 20 minutes up to a 3 resistance and today for 30 minutes up to a 4 resistance!! It hurts so good :) I am hoping to get up to a 7 or 8 resistance and a full hour! Ohhhh... It just started snowing <3

Another revelation I have had is that weighing myself daily is bad. I refuse to weigh myself . I just won't do it. I don't think that it is a good way for me to gauge how much I am losing. And truthfully, if I don't see the number I want to see, it just drives me to the fridge. So, maybe once a week I will check and see where it is at and I am happy to do it that way. Last weigh in I was at 185. Thanks again hashis. I will clarify that for just a second. I gained 10 − 15 lbs within a month and a half. Seriously? That is not due to eating food, that is due to a metabolism imbalance caused by hashimotos. Stupid hashis.

So, for those of you who are serious about holding me accountable, please let me know one way or another and I will be in contact with you soon. Thank you for your prayers, as you know that is a great way to encourage someone :).

Here is a little something to help those like me ;)

Have a blessed life everyone!!
Go workout and eat right!! Someone out there loves you and wants you to stay around for awhile ;)