What works for you ....

I have found in my journey to lose weight that you have to find a plan that works best for you and your body. 

Over the years, I have tried diet after diet and of course, my weight would yo-yo.  Go figure.  I even remember back in high school trying to diet and boy was that messed up.  I would skip breakfast or have grapefruit juice, then for lunch I would have a diet dr. pepper and by the time I got home from school I was starving.  Now, that I look back, I bet that was the reason I was passing out during band practice.  I wish I had known better back then. 

Lesson learned .....

I truly believe that the Advocare diet (I hate using that word) plan is a really good one.  It is a well balance of carbs, protein and veggies.  However, it isn't for me and my body.  I would lose weight during the 10 day cleanse but I would put it right back on.  So, I got to thinking and doing some reading.  What I found out was .... too many carbs for my body. 

I had done a low carb diet before Advocare and lost the most weight & inches.  In fact, I didn't put back on the pounds until eating their plan.  So, I am now on day  3 of my low carb eating plan.  I have lost 2 pounds.  I truly do feel better.  I am STILL ON my Advocare products and will continue on those forever.  I believe in the products!!!

With eating too many carbs, even good ones, I was finding that I was staying bloated, swelling, horrible gas & heartburn.  I was going back to eating tums like they were nothing.  I haven't had but 2 in the past 3 days.  My swelling is gone & I am not bloated.  YES!!! 

The plan that I am following is the Metabolism Miracle Diet, by Diane Kraus.  It is wonderful.  You cleanse your system for 8 weeks, by eating really low carbs for 3 meals.  Then after 8 weeks  you gradually start adding back in good carbs.  You stay in the range of 11-20 grams of carbs per meal.  I am going to wait and see what happens when I get to that stage.  I may end up cutting those back.  I just really think that my system can't process carbs very well.  I function so much better on the lower carbs. 

Now, is this something I can do for my lifetime?  To be completely honest with you .... I truly don't know the answer to that one.  I am taking it day by day and meal by meal.  I am praying that the Lord will help me each day to stick to the plan. 

I have to look at this long term and how much better I feel.  I want to be healthier than I have ever been.  I want to live life as I get older - go places and do things. 

So, find what works best for you, your body and your life. 

Get started & DON'T QUIT!!!!!  STICK AND STAY!!!

Perfect Love

What is perfect love? It is a question I have been asking myself this week.  It is in the first lesson of the online Bible study -#perfectlove. 

One thing I have learned and realized while thinking on this question is God is the only one that is perfect love.  We have to depend on Him and not people.  People can hurt us, let us down and leave us but NOT God. 

When I really truly realized this and let it all sink in - this amazing peace just came over me.  I will be putting God first and foremost in my life.  He will not hurt me, let me down or leave me.  He doesn't judge me.  He loves me for who he created!!!  He LOVES me - unconditional love!!   WOW!!!  Don't just think about it, but let it sink into your heart about how awesome this truly is ... 

Another area that I haven't let myself in or anyone else is my past.  There are things in my past that I haven't wanted to face, talk about or let anyone else know what happened.  I was ashamed and didn't want to hurt other people or myself all over again.  However, when you do let yourself go to that dark place it is so freeing!!

 

I also learned from a friend of mine that God wants to use my past to glorify Him.  He can use my testimony to help others.  This is something I am working on.  It is still hard to say the words out loud.  Some things that happened wasn't my fault, but there are a couple of things that it is because of the choice I made at the time.  This is a journey that I am on and praise God that He is with me each step of the way. 

True happiness comes only from GOD!!!! 

Continuing on my journey ....

A Confident Heart

Like I don't have enough on my plate these days, but I have signed up for an online Bible Study.  This is my first time doing anything like this and I am truly excited to be a newbie. 

The online study is "A Confident Heart".  I have started reading the book already and it is amazing.  God is already speaking to me and working on me in some of the areas I need help with. 

I lack confidence in myself and in so many other areas of my life.  I always thought I had confidence and that I was out going.  However, in the past few years I have noticed that I had started becoming shy.  Not talking in crowds or when I am around a group of people.  Not the case.  I am learning that I lack confidence is why I get really quiet when a group of people are around.  Some situations and groups are different. 

Even though I am extremely busy right now, I chose to do this online study because I want to work on my confidence level.  I want to be a confident woman.  I want to be the woman God intended for me to be.  

There is so much that I hope to gain from this experience, but first and foremost is my confidence in myself and who God has chosen me to be. 

There is still time to sign up .. come along with me on this journey. 

Day 4

I started another Advocare cleanse Monday morning, October 7th.  It is recommended to do one every 90 days and it was time again.  I love doing a cleanse because I always feel so much better. 

I am doing this one not only to cleanse my system but to help me in my journey to lose weight.  I am on day 4 and down 4 lbs.  I am really excited about those pounds gone.  I have been following the eating plan very closely with only a few slip ups.  I really haven't been exercising, really just doing some pilates at night. 

On the 24 day challenge it isn't a diet. It is a lifestyle change.  There is a plan to follow but you get to eat FOOD and every 2-3 hours.  It isn't about starving yourself.  In fact, starving yourself is wrong.  It isn't good for your system and it cause stop your weight loss efforts.  You get to eat fruits, veggies and lean protein. 

You won't believe how hard it is to eat every 2-3 hours.  You think "Yea, right, I can eat all day."  However,  you will be full and find it difficult if not impossible to eat every 2-3 hours.  I thought the same thing at one time. 

I am excited about making these changes in my life.  To finally be able to beat this war with food.  I give all the glory and credit to God.  I have tried many many years to do this on my on, but I can't.  I had to learn to put God first in my eating and learning to do that in other areas of my life. 

This is a journey and I am so glad that I am on it and with God holding my hand ....