Good Bye Pops...

Today we said good bye to a wonderful man. My father in law passed away during the night. I was so blessed to be able to be here with him. I am thankful that he moved into our home. It gave us a chance to spend time with him and create some good memories. We will always have these memories in our hearts and minds. With all that being said, I stumbled with my food choices today....

I had been keeping a good food journal and eating healthy all week. Today, I just gave up and ate way to much of the "wrong foods". However, I have learned something... It is okay, I CAN START GOOD TOMORROW! On top of all of this emotional eating, Richard and I went to the gym this evening and worked out. This really helped to release some of the emotions that we have been experiencing. I love that we are finding healthy ways to deal with things, instead of burying away all the pain with food and more food. I have hopes that one day I will not turn to food at all and turn to the Lord for my comfort. For now, I am thankful that the Lord has brought me this far.

Dear God,
I am so thankful to know that you have Rick in heaven with you. Lord, help us get through this time. I pray that you will continue to teach Richard and I to come to you for comfort. Help us to be what we need to be for Nathalie and Mickey. Lord, I ask for your covering over our financial situations. I ask you to cover all my stress and help me to release all my stress to you. Seeing Rick go through all of this at such a large weight, is just a reminder as to why we need to become healthy. Lord I surrender my body to you ask for your protection and wisdom.
Amen

Contract

We had an assignment this week for our First Place class to write a contract to ourselves. Here is mine:

I, TeriAnn New, hereby agree and commit to take the following steps to improve my accountability to myself and increase my chances for weight loss success:

•I will not allow negative self talk when it comes to exercise. I will be happy with what exercise I am able to do, whether it is in weights, cardio, or water aerobics. I will work on having a positive attitude when it comes to exercise.

•I will not allow myself to make excuses when it comes to being accountable to my food choices. I will write down what I eat and turn it in weekly.

•I will not allow myself to be on the bottom of the “to do” list. I will prioritize eating healthy, exercising, my bible study, and spending time with the Lord.

Overwhelmed

I am sure that being overwhelmed is just another excuse for me, but it seems to have taken hold. I am being pulled many different directions these days and it makes it hard to accomplish the things that I set out to do. My mind is continually making lists of things to accomplish and get done, yet there are not enough hours in the day....this is not an excuse. It is true. I have alot on my plate (I am not talking food). I am not complaining. I am glad that the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful family. I am thankful to be on this journey.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am overwhelmed and I need your patience and help. Please help me to use the time that I have to glorify you. Lord, you are all that I need. Thank you for your comfort.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Mapping My Emotional History with Food

Dear Lord,
I just completed mapping my emotional history with food. This has got be one of the hardest things I have done. Food has been my idol since I was little. I am not sure when it clicked, but it did. Food satisfied something that I was lacking. I have always gone to food for comfort and really, everything. Food has consumed many years of my life.
I have allowed food to control me. I have gained so much weight over the years. Even as a young child, I was disappointed with myself and the way that I looked. I was embarrassed and it stopped me from being who I should be. I lost confidence in myself.
Even after you found me and I accepted Jesus into my life, I still continue to go to food. It is embedded in me that food is my source of comfort. Lord, help me to seek comfort in you and not food. Lord thank you for bringing all of this to my attention. I ask that you continue to reveal these things to me so that I can grow in my walk with you
Help me to make good food choices. Lord, I want to feel comfortable in my own skin. I want to be healthy and come to you for the things that I need.
Amen

Back at the gym...

Just a quick note. I am very excited about the excersizes that I have been doing at the gym. Each day for the past two weeks I have added something extra on. I am up to 35 minutes on the eliptical and I am no longer hating the machine. We are now buddies again! My legs are sore, but it is good. I am also enjoying that water aerobics. It is stretching me and making my joints more limber. A couple of times we have even went in the jacuzi and sauna. I am so thankful for the time of excersize and relaxation.

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for giving the energy, patience, and endurance to get back to the gym. You are doing an awesome work within me. You give me stregnth and courage to do more than I ever could have imagined. Thank you!

Amen

Day 21 of 21 Day cleanse!

Hip, Hip, Hooray..We made it! Today is the last day of the cleanse! I am looking forward to adding a few things back into my diet. What I look forward to most is the meats, cheese, and eggs! I miss those things!

I am really glad that I participated in this. I have learned so many things about myself and nutrition over the last month. I can live with out the foods that I think that I need. I enjoy veggies, especially roasted. I like fish. It is refreshing to see a huge portion of veggies on my plate with a piece of fish and lemon.

I started back at the gym. I have been there 4 times this week. I am up to 20 minutes on the eliptical and today I did some water arobics. I am looking forward to enjoying the eliptical again. For now, I will press on and work on doing what I can.

Lord,
My fear of ending this cleanse is going back to the way that I use to eat. I have fallen short so many times when it comes to how I eat. Please help me to make good food choices. Lord, I want to be healthy for myself as well as my children. I know that you want me to have the desires of heart, so Lord I ask that you help me with my will and continue to give me the desire to do better.

I ask for a complete healing of my body. Physically as well as spiritualy. I pray that you will bring things and people into my life that will inspire me to what I need to do. I thank you for the encouragement that you have given me the last couple of weeks. Thank you for my gym membership. Thank you that Richard has been joining me on this journey.

Love,

TeriAnn

Day 16 of the 21 day cleanse

It is almost over! Praise the Lord. This cleanse has been good for me mentally and physically, however I am going to be real happy when I can enjoy some eggs and some cheese!

This evening we went to Aprils for Josiahs birthday party. Angie was kind enough to bring us a fruit smoothie to eat and it was great. When we got home, I was hungry. I made me some roasted broccoli and sweet potatos! Yay! This was a huge accomplishment. Usually I would have snacked on something not so good for me.

Lord,

Thank you for giving me the strength to do this cleanse. You are changing me in ways that I did know needed changed. Please help me to make these changes permanent.

Amen