Author: Elizabeth

Along the journey to weight loss and better health, we are likely to step on the scales often. However, the scales are only one small way to measure our success. We should also track our inches lost, BMI (if we have a means to get an accurate number ~ machine), blood work, activity and ability. And of course, the great feeling when we fit into a smaller size. The other measurements can be a huge encouragement when the scale isn’t showing the results we desire.

At the beginning our my journey, I had had a series of tests done. These tests showed numbers that were all over the place. Some things were too high and others were too low. Then, just a little over a year into my new healthier lifestyle, I had the same series of tests done again. This time, my numbers were optimal! What a huge change in just over a year.

When I started exercising, I would only walk half a mile and I was out of breath and exhausted. Then, I worked up to over 7 miles and now I am working on running and jogging more.

Have you had your numbers checked? Can you share a way you are measuring progress? What improvements are you seeing?

Last week, we discussed how important is to slow down during meals. Now, lets talk about a few ways to accomplish this task. To begin with, we will often eat quickly if we are too hungry.

Let’s ward off excess hunger by eating every 3-4 hours. If you find yourself starving and dinner is still too far away, grab an apple. A small apple has only about 63 calories and is packed with fiber and lots of other nutrients. In addition, drink some water. Your stomach can only hold so much volume, so if water is taking up that room, you are getting a zero calorie alternative to feeling hungry.

If you don’t like apples or you can’t easily keep one with you, look for the healthiest snack you can find. Try protein bars, any fruit or vegetable. Just look for something low calorie that won’t ruin all of the work and sacrifice you have put into the rest of the day.

Now, on to meal time. During a meal, you may still be in the habit of eating the whole enchilada in one bite. In order to stop this, try some of these tricks to help you slow down and enjoy your food

• Eat with a fork. Most people eat finger foods much faster, so no matter the menu, choose to eat with silverware.
• Put that fork down! Set your fork down between every bite.
• Socialize. Enjoy spending meal time with those you are sharing it with. If you are alone, then utilize the time to talk to God. He’ll be happy to listen!
• Imagine that if you are eating fast, it makes you appear really ugly to other people….Because guess what, it really does. I’m a fast eater and yet, I have found I don’t enjoy sitting down to a meal next to someone who is shoveling in food and can’t stop to talk or worse, talks with their mouth full (and no, I don’t mean my kids).
• Book enough time for meal. Don’t use being in a hurry as an excuse. Learn to say no to others and yes to your own health! After all, you don’t want the next time they see you to be at your funeral!
• Don’t pick up the next bite until you have finished eating and swallowing the one in your mouth. Yep, sometimes we get in a hurry and we haven’t enjoyed one bite before we’re prepared for the next.
• Drink a sip of water between each bite. This is three fold. First, you will slow down your eating. Second, you will be getting closer to the day’s water goal with every sip and third, you will be eating less because you will feel full faster! It’s a win-win thing.
• Finally, remember to do all things as if God were right there beside you….Because, in fact, He is!

In the United States,  an estimated 36% of Americans are obese and 62% are at least over weight. Not only is this number a sad wake up call to many of us, but it also means that the number of people trying to lose weight is high.

The good news in this, is that it shouldn’t be hard for anyone to find a friend to share this journey with ~ you are not alone in this. By finding a friend that is also trying to lose weight, you can give and receive the support that is necessary to reach the finish line and help change that statistic.

A friend can help keep you accountable to your goal. Anyone is more likely to push themselves to get to the gym if they know a friend is there waiting on them. We are also likely to call our friend to share our feelings instead of running to the refrigerator.

Even online friends can be a great help. So, what are you waiting for ~ find that special friend to lean on today!

When you begin learning about fitness and it’s importance to your health, one topic you will certainly run into a lot is strength training. Strength training has so many great qualities. It helps us to become stronger, it burns a lot of calories, and it keeps burning calories for longer after you are done exercising.

We look better and become more toned if we make strength training a regular part of our workout routine. If we are physically able, we should do strength training.

Now, the interesting truth is that, during strength training, we actually tear our muscles. Yes, the muscle actually has to be damaged in order to become stronger. It can be uncomfortable, almost painful at times. Yet  this discomfort is necessary and leads to greater things.

If you are used to turning to food for comfort, as I once was, I pray that you will find the strength to turn to Christ instead. I found I had to experience the pain, acknowledge the hurt and work through forgiveness.  By allowing Christ to heal me, I became stronger. Old hurts no longer left scars. Instead, they were replaced with something beautiful. My heart healed and grew stronger, larger, able to give more love to others and to hold more love from God.

How is your strength holding up? Are you becoming stronger?

It seems almost a mystery how we can gain more weight than the weight of the food that we eat. Yet, it is the calories in the food that makes the difference, not the volume.

Yes, iknow that counting calories can be a chore and we are not likely to do it the rest of our lives. Yet, counting  calories for a while and learning to read nutrition labels can make us calorie aware.

By becoming calorie aware, we can learn to make better choices. The more good choices we make, the better our results will be.

To help you be able to count calories easier, we have created WAVES tracking charts. Be sure to download your copy today. Share with us what you do to count calories and reach your goal.

A friend of mine talked to me recently about how I was growing spiritually and shrinking physically. And that is exactly what we want. We want to learn to keep our focus on God, not food.

It sounds simple enough, but it is an ongoing  journey. The wonderful news is that I can promise you that it is worth the trip. There is nothing more wonderful or precious than our walk with Jesus Christ. He is our savior, our strength, and our strong tower. He wants to be our everything.

Food can NOT do this for us. Food can only supply TEMPORARY nourishment. There is nothing eternal about food. Yet we often turn to food for comfort when we are depressed, celebrating, nervous, bored and so many other things.

Now, it is time to learn to close the refrigerator and open our hearts, our minds and our Bibles. Yes, the time has come to grown spiritually and shrink physically. Are you ready? Have you already begun the journey? Share!

In today’s society, there are numerous choices on what to drink. Sodas in every flavor imaginable, juices of all varieties, coffees, cappuccinos, espresso, alcoholic drinks and many more. Most of these drinks are filled with sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and a variety of other things that are not only not good for us, but can actually be harmful over time.

God created water to quench our thirst. I have found water satisfies thirst better than anything else I can drink. Are you drinking your daily water intake? We have created a new WAVES tracking form to help you hold yourself accountable and keep up with your daily water intake along with everything else on the program.

Next time you drink a sip of water, thank God for creating it and making it so good for you. And don’t forget to drink from the everlasting water too!

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” ~ John 4:14

Our activity level is another great way to measure our progress. The more we do, the more we can do!

When I started exercising, I could only walk half a mile before I was out of breath and exhausted. Then, I worked up to over 7 miles and now I am working on jogging and running more. In fact, I can now run a mile non-stop at 5.2 on the treadmill. Something I thought I would never be able to do when I started.

I also have seen a lot of changes in how much I can lift, how long I can play with the kids and much more. What improvements are you seeing already?

Many years ago, when I was in high school…..I’m getting older than it seems I should …lol, but I digress. When in High School, I worked in fast food to pay for my car, insurance, clothes and everything else I needed. During these years, I learned to work hard for everything I had and some other vital life skills. However, I also picked up one really bad habit ~ eating fast!

It seemed that everything had to be done quickly during those days. The customers wanted to be waited on quickly, the food had to be cooked quickly, the breaks were short and not doing things fast enough would leave one with an ill tempered boss to deal with. I learned to eat a full meal in about 10 minutes. I rarely enjoyed my food and that left me not feeling satisfied. Of course, in 10 minutes, my brain still believed I was hungry so I am certain the portions crept up and up and of course, my weight did too.

Today, I have 6 kids and 2 businesses. I am wife, a mother, a web designer, a computer tech, a secretary, a cook, a teacher, a housekeeper, a bookkeeper, a kisser of booboos and a disciplinarian when required. I wear a lot of different hats throughout the day. However, one thing hasn’t changed, we are still in a hurry. I am working hard to slow down, and I have learned that eating slower is so much better.

By eating slower, my brain and stomach have time to communicate. It also allows me to feel satisfied with what I have eaten. I used to look at a 400 calorie dinner and I felt cheated just looking at the small quantity of food in front of me. Now, however, if I eat slow, my body is full and satisfied by the time I am done and I don’t feel deprived at all. Stay tuned next week for more tips on how to slow down when eating…and please share a few of your own below!

Weight loss is not easy. The more you have to lose, the longer the journey will be. Along the way, we need to celebrate every victory.

Every single pound lost is gone and that is a victory in your life. We need to find ways to celebrate those victories along the way. I love to shout “Praise God!” every morning that the scale is down. Every tenth of a pound is a reason to shout.

Every time I reach my next goal (which is currently 2.8 lbs.), I get to celebrate by changing out my reminders throughout the house. When I reach a milestone, I get a new music album to listen to while I workout. When I reach my ultimate goal, I get a two-fold celebration, I am going on vacation with my family and also getting new clothes.

So, let’s take time to celebrate along this journey, time to praise God and give thanks for all of the wonderful things God is doing for you and within you. What do you plan to do to celebrate?