Monday, September 20, 2010

I have lost a Matthew


For a few weeks I have been working towards the goal of taking this picture.
When I found out how much my sweet friend Matthew weighed I couldn't believe I was so close to losing a whole Matthew. Where was I storing a whole Matthew's worth of weight on my body? I know my body has changed but really a whole 10 year old (maybe 11, sorry Matthew if I got your age wrong)? Well Saturday September 18th (4 months and 1 week after starting this adventure) I weighed in and found out I had lost a whole Matthew plus one pound. :) EXCITING!!!


I love reaching goals and seeing results. It doesn't have to be a goal of weight loss to make me happy but this one is. Results make all the hard work worth it. I have to say I LOVE getting healthy. Daily choices are not always fun or easy but boy when I am seeing results it makes it all absolutely worth it.


At this point I am down 4 pant sizes, 1 shoe size, and 2 ring sizes. Awesome to be able to choose clothes for what they look like now not because they are the only thing in the store that fits.


Thank you my smiley friend Matthew for being such a sport about having your picture taken with me and thank you to his Mommy and so many others of you that support me and root me on to my many goals. I so appreciate all your kindness.


May God bless you, my friends, on your journey!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

A whole lotta energy




I have noticed this week how much energy life really takes and how much extra energy I have to give now that I am not lugging around so much excess weight. I still have a long way to go but I am feeling pretty good.

Wow we went to the State Fair yesterday and we walked all over. I chased my hubby and kids on the fair tram while taking pictures and pushing a stroller and it was the kids who got fussy at the end not me. I wasn't constantly looking for a place to sit because my feet were tired and sore. I enjoyed the day without discomfort and grouchiness.

This getting healthy journey really is making life a lot more pleasant! I have to say the smell of the hand dipped corndogs was like a sirens song but I resisted. I didn't even have an ice cream cone when everyone else in my family had one. I just enjoyed my bar I had brought from home and my water and felt GREAT! So glad to have to extra energy and higher spirits that comes with it.


I did take a long bath when I got home though ;)
God Bless You on your journey!

Friday, September 3, 2010

60 things

I have given a lot of thought to what makes us healthy as I have adventured through this journey so far. Some things are so simply and others are more complex. I thought maybe I would list 60 things I have done to get healthy when I reached 60 pounds lost. Now I am a half pound away from 65 pounds lost and I think a list of 60 healthy things is a good list to make but I want to make a list of 60 things to make us all healthy not just me. I would love your imput. Below is a start to my list.

60 things that make us healthy.
JESUS goes to the top of the list. He is my constant. Without him nothing on this list matters.
1. Love
2. Forgiveness
3. Companionship
4. Exercise
5. Fresh Food
6. Plenty of water
7. Laughter
8. Scripture
9. Affection
10. Charity
11. Kindness
12. Sacrifice
13. Hard work
14. Praise
15. quiet
16. Children
17. Sunshine
18. Friendship
19. Activity
20. Music
21. Sleep
22. Contentment
23. Perserverence
24. Encouragement
25. Faith
26. Playing in the dirt
27. Forward Momentum
28. Pursuit of dreams
29. long soak in the bathtub
30. aromatherapy
31. Balance
32. acceptance of self
33. Fresh Air
34. Solitude
35. less refined sugar
36. celebration
37. rewards for goals met
38. annual doctors visits
39. GRATITUDE!
40. Purpose
41. imagination
42. Patience (not my strong suit)
43. prayer
44. wise council
45. Family
46. Dinner at the table
47. Completing projects
48. Hobbies
49. memories
50. boundaries
51. Art/Creativity
52....
I love getting healthy and realizing that my life is more fulfilled because I am not slothful anymore. Please help me complete this list. Share your ideas.

May God Bless you on your journey!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Loose fitting pants and inner voices






Hello My Friends,
Yesterday was a day full of ups and downs......with my pants that is. I am nearing the 60 pound mark and I wore a pair of pants that just did not want to stay up. My funny kiddo, Jacob, went grocery shopping with me and thought it was so funny when I said my pants were falling off. "Oh mom my pants fell off once too" he said. Well mine didn't actually fall off but boy they were loose and I spent the day hiking them up. That is one hardship I didn't mind having.
On a little more serious note my inner voices have not always been nice to me this weekend. I went to a VERY important wedding this weekend, my ringbearer, a young man I dearly love was marrying his sweetheart. Beautiful day, Beautiful couple, ....and yikes beautiful cake. Here is my get healthy delimna. I love cake. They had a beautiful wedding cake at the reception. Infact there were 5 different flavors, 5 different layers, and mmmmmm did it look delicious. I was good and only had 2 small bites of Jason's dessert but the rest of the evening and part of Sunday I have battled with my thoughts. One voice saying "You should have had a piece. You are missing out. It won't hurt. You deserve it." Another voice saying "What did you do? 2 bites of cake...dum di dum dum!" And yet another voice saying "You did the right thing. You are fine with just 2 bites and move on satisfied. Yikes- I hate it when I have so many conflicting thoughts and feelings about food. This getting healthy thing isn't easy especially inside my head. :) It amazes me when I try to do a good thing, how the devil can get in my head and get me all mixed up. I am thankful for the quiet voiceof reassurance I know comes from the Lord and the louder voice I find in my very encouraging husband. Jason listens so patiently as I try to sort out the voices and my choices. Somedays the negitive voices win and other days I can find peace even with all the crazy thoughts. Yesterday my loose fitting pants only confirmed the quiet voices, I did the right thing, and I am satified!

Thank you Lord!

God Bless You on your journey!




Friday, August 20, 2010

Love wins

As my friend Aleta pulled away from Glendoveer this morning I noticed her sticker on the back window of her car "Love wins" and started to think about how blessed I am with friendships. The Lord gave me a "no one is a stranger" attitude, passed down from my Graw (grandma) and Mom so I have had no problem striking up conversations with people and new friendships blossom from there. I have long term friendships and short term friendship and I got to thinking about how blessed I am to see my friends out grow our friendship sometimes and move on. I remember as a teen being so threatened sometimes when I would feel a friend pulling away to be closer friends with someone else. As an adult I can appreciate more that the Lord gives us friendships to make life easier and those friendships are not always going to last our whole life through. They may be friends that I have made at my kids school, at church, camp, work, etc. Some do last the test of time but some fade and move on. I realized in thinking about it much during my second lap around Glendoveer how blessed I am to have experienced all types. I love my friends new and old. I treasure each laugh, tear, and each milestone we've experienced together but I also thank God that I have seen some of my closest friends grow into close friendships with others who will bless that stage in their lives more than I could. I don't know if my rambling makes since today, but it has been a heavy and amazing morning thinking about all the friendships (new and old) of my life. My life is so full because of them. LOVE WINS!

God Bless You on your journey!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Pancakes

Today I finally tried the Medifast Gluten Free Pancake mix. I don't know if any of you are on Medifast that read this blog but if you are and haven't tried the pancakes yet, I would say give it a try. They are okay. I the plain ones that I cooked, could use a little cinnoman or pumpkin pie spice. They were a little bland but I put some sugar free syrup on mine and they were fine.
It will be nice to have a breakfast choice that looks somewhat like what my family is having. I have to say though they are not light and fluffy like Krusteaz mix pancakes but I am sure they are healthier.
One word of advise- Don't add too much water and don't over mix. I had to throw the first packet I mixed up away because I didn't properly follow the directions.
Hope this helps.

God Bless You on your journey!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

#1 Summer Get Healthy goal accomplished


Yesterday evening I accomplished the one goal I have had since I started this Get Healthy journey.


My family and I hiked all the way to the top of Multnomah Falls!!!


I have to give you some history. For several years, once a Summer, while I am off doing something for church or shopping or just hanging out at home alone, Jason would take the kids on a Father-Child date and hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. The kids loved it. It was an annual tradition for them. I wasn't excluded for the hike I just couldn't join them because I couldn't even walk to the middle bridge. I was huffing and puffing usually just getting myself to the bottom view point. It was quite sad!


So when I started Take Shape for Life. I told Jason my #1 goal is to be able to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls with my family by the end of Summer.


It was a tough climb!! We started late in the evening when the weather had cooled down a bit. Jason packed lots of water in a backpack for all of us. He said I zipped along but that is not true I was awfully slow but determined. He said we could stop at the bridge but I wanted to go on. I didn't realize just what I was getting myself into. I hadn't been to the top since I was 20 or so.


At Multnomah Falls they have markers at every switchback. 1 of 11, 2 of 11, 3 of 11, and at 4 of 11 I cried. I didn't want to give up but I didn't think I could make it. I continued on with Jasons gentle encouragement and slowly we made it all the way to the top. One wonderful woman told us as we passed her on her way down that once you got to switchback 9 it was downhill. I really needed to hear that. Praise the Lord for that switchback. We made it all the way!!! It was dark when we reached the top viewpoint, the lights were on down below and we had the platform all to ourselves. What a GREAT moment!!! We took lots of pictures and then headed back down. Jason came prepared with a flashlight so we had no problem with the trail being dark. I even called my parents from the top, they have been such a great source of encouragement for me. I wanted them to share in my accomplishment. They were both excited.


What a night!!! I am so thankful I was able to make it to the top with family. It is exciting for me to show the kids how much Mommy is changing. Emma was an expert guide holding the flashlight and Jacob was my companion keeping me safe, holding my hand. I remember somewhere along the way down he asked if when I get healthy could we have a piece of Chocolate cake. I have to laugh at how a 9 year old boys mind works. I said sure maybe for one of our birthdays. Getting healthy doesn't mean giving up special things it means making them a special treat not an everyday indulgence.


I have a long way to go still but I am so happy about this accomplishment. Now I have got to think of a new #1 goal. I don't think I will ever forget this one though. How amazing, I thought as I stood at the Top last night. How Amazing!!!


May God Bless You on your journey!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

3 Month Anniversary


Funny, I greeted my amazing husband at the door this evening with a kiss and a hug and an announcement "Today is my 3 month anniversary". You should have seen his face. It was a look of happy and horror all at the same time. "Good for you, Honey" he said as he hugged me and thought to himself "oh no what anniversary, should I have bought a gift, am I in trouble?". I am so mean but I enjoyed that moment and then explained it had been 3 month exactly since I started this journey to good health.



My life has truly changed in 3 months. 3 months ago I was constantly saying I don't know if I can do this, I may not be able to do this, what if I lose the weight and then gain it back etc.... Today I have given up Mochas, I am exercising almost everyday, making right food choices most of the time, and wearing a top and pants that are 2 sizes smaller than what I had started in. My goodness, I can hardly believe it.

I am also now a blogger. Blogging about getting healthy....who would have guessed. I love that I officially have 10 people following my blog and many more friends on FB who say they read it. I get excited and can believe that some friends and family have even said that I have inspired them. Who me?! Inspiring other?! You all are the ones inspiring me. Thank you for taking this journey with me.

I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with so many wonderful people in my life who encourage me each day. I appreciate every single kind word!



It has been a GREAT anniversary. I can't wait to see what I blog about on my 6 month anniversary. :)


God Bless You on your journey!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

NGRC Vacation


Hi Everyone,
Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been on a working vacation. My family and I attended the National Garden Railway Convention in Tacoma. We had a very good time meeting friends, vendors, and customers that I have spoken to only by phone. We toured train layouts in the Seattle/Tacoma area and saw our products in use. The layouts people have in their gardens and homes are really spectacular.

When I first started Take Shape For Life (Medifast) I set a goal for myself to lose 50 pounds before leaving for this convention and I reached that goal plus one pound the day before we left. I can’t believe how much better I feel. I have so much more energy and enthusiasm. One night after dinner I was able to talk with my in-laws while walking up a Tacoma hill to our cars. This getting healthy adventure is really improving my life. I realize I still have a long way to go but I am feeling good about my progress so far.

While on our vacation I was pretty careful about what I ate. I did have a few small treats that were out of the norm but that is okay. Although I am on Medifast and am good about sticking to the plan, it is not my life. It is enhancing my life. A treat now and then is okay! I have to be honest and say I felt left out a couple time too, especially during a bbq event that the convention put on and one day when my family was having lunch out but during those times I just tried to focus on my goal and remember that after the meal I would feel better for sticking to the plan. If it would have been important to me I would have eaten whatever was set before me but it was more important for right now that I didn’t eat the other food. I am so thankful too for a husband that encourages me and supports me 100 percent!! I am really blessed.
I exercised a lot while on vacation. I went for walks each morning. One morning I got the family up early and had them hike with me down to the Sound (Puget Sound). It was quite a hike down to the water which meant it was quite a hike back up hill to get back to our trailer. We had a lot of fun on the beach though. The tide was out and we found lots of seaweed, puddles, birds, Jelly fish, and shells including baby sand dollars that were smaller than my finger tips. We also saw a man walk out to the water’s edge, strip down to swim trunks, and go swimming in the cold Sound water. Wow, now that is taking healthy living to an extreme.

What a memorable time this trip was. I have more to share but I have chores calling my name so I will post more later.

God Bless You on your journey!

Friday, July 30, 2010

First Big Milestone

First I need to say I don't want this blog to be about pounds! My main goal is to get healthy. So I will only be posting about major milestones regarding my weight not an every week pound count or anything like that. Healthy is the goal, pounds lost is just a measure of progress!! Well with that being said.....

Time to celebrate my first big milestone! Friday July 30, 2010 I stepped onto the scale at work slid the weight thing across the bar (we have an old medical scale) to 300 ready to shift the little pound slider too and the big bar did not lift up. I had to check a few times. I stepped off and stepped on, played with the slide but it was true!! I had lost 2 1/2 more pounds and I had finally past the 300 pound mark!!!!! I was so excited and Emma was really excited too. I was glad I dropped by work with the kids this morning.
It is still hard for me to believe I have now lost 48 pounds and am no longer over 300 pounds. I know I am only 1 1/2 pounds under it but WOW that is huge for me. It has been years since I weighed under 300 pounds. Yeah, a little closer to a healthy me! :)

I am so thankful all of this hard work and Medifast is showing progress. YEAH!!!
We are celebrating with a salad dinner out and a trip to the Beaverton Farmers Market! 2 more pounds of progress and I will be officially at a 50 pound loss. It feels pretty crazy sometimes to think I have already lost almost 50 pounds. Wow!!
Thank you all who are and have encouraged me on this journey so far. It truly does make it a little easier!!

Have a blessed day!!

Date Night Hike - Wahkeena Falls




What a beautiful night for a hike in the Gorge! Started out to see the waterfalls and maybe do a little hike. I was excited to see how much I could do. I knew I had made some progress since this Spring when we went to see Multnomah Falls and I had a hard time walking to the very lowest view point I definitely couldn't walk to the bridge viewpoint. No chance!
LAST NIGHT WAS DIFFERENT!


We arrived at Wahkeena Falls and thought we would try to walk up to the viewing bridge. Neither Jason or I had been up there since we were married. I made it to the bridge with one or two short stops along the way. It is really pretty up there. You are practically in the water, the Falls, falls right by the bridge. The spray was refreshing.


Then we noticed the path went further. Why not go a little further. A nice young man coming down the path said there was a nice viewpoint up and around the way a ways. I don't remember him saying a long ways.......hmmmm. Any way 1o switchbacks later, huffing and puffing, and after many little stops we met up with a group of 4 fun teen boys coming down the path. I asked how much further and they honestly said "A long ways". They had been hiking from Multnomah Falls. The trail at the top of Wahkeena connects with a trail to Multnomah Falls. They thought thats what I meant when I said how much further. Funny, I told them they were supposed to tell me "Not much further". They laughed and we talked a little more. They asked if we were going up and I told them we were. They said Good Luck it is worth it and off they went down the trail as we headed further up. It wasn't but 2 more switchbacks and we were there at Lemmon Viewpoint!!!!! What a great feeling to know we had made it to the top, THE TOP! We took a ton of pictures, called my folks because we were going to be late picking up Emma and headed back down.


What an accomplishment! I am so thankful for a patient husband who is in far better shape then me and yet walked each step slowly and waited each time I stopped without one complaint. Infact he told me to stop apologizing.


What a great Date night hike!!!

May you reach the TOP in whatever you are striving for today!!! God Bless!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Security Shaken

Last night was a really nice night, weather wise, when we returned home from Kajukenbo. It had cooled down a bit and there was a slight breeze. I decided since I had only walked a mile in the morning I would go for another walk in the evening. I had planned to walk one of my usual 2 mile loops through the neighborhood and Jacob wanted to come along. Great some one on one with Jacob since I had some on my walk last night with Emma. We started out, heading down the street. When we were about a half mile from home we heard some fun Fiesta type music coming from a neighbors yard. I said to Jake, "they must be having a party down there". As we got closer I could hear a car reving, and see the windshield wipers going in the car on the side of the house, and at quick glance what looked like a child climbing over the front seat into the back. I looked around for a parent and saw 3 small kids in the door way. Then looked back to the car, realizing there were no children in the car that I could see, it was actually two adults fighting. The woman was in the drivers seat but leaned over into the passenger seat and the man was standing outside the drivers door, leaning over her, trying to pull her out by her hair, violently shaking her. They were really going at it. Another neighbor who was walking his dog stopped too both of us obviously unnerved, wanting to help but knowing in this day and age you jump into something like that you could lose your life trying to help. I told Jacob to keep walking. I knew I couldn't really help her physically so I pulled out my cellphone and started calling 911. The man caught sight of me calling and turned his attention to me. He came out of his yard walking toward me screaming and pointing his finger at me yelling "Are you calling 911?" "You don't know whats going on, she is trying to take my baby!" "You need to mind your own business." I told the man that he needed to let the police come help him get his baby back. "You just don't know! That's why I hate white people!" he yelled. Then he headed back into his yard to again attack the woman in the car who had not taken the oppurtunity to leave.
Jacob had not gone far. He was very scared and shook up. We kept walking while being on hold with 911. Knowing it wasn't safe to stand there but also knowing I still needed to get the police involved in this. The other neighbor walked down the street too. I was kept on hold trying to get through to 911 for about 2 minutes. I then was able to report it and we did later see 2 police cars headed that way. Soon after we left we looked back to see the woman had pulled her car out of the yard and parked across the street but I don't know what happened from there.

Jacob was pretty shaken and I was too. The other neighbor who was walking with their dog stopped to talk with us and said "I would have been okay". I took that to mean he would have protected me if necessary and he did suggested I stay away from that house for a while. We talked for a few minutes about how rough the neighborhood had become and then said good night.

After that Jacob and I could not walk home the same way. I couldn't reach anyone to pick us up and take us home so we started walking toward Fred Meyer knowing Jason was headed there after work to pick up dog food. Jason eventually did pass us and we were able to get his attention to pick us up.

Although it was scary and sad, we were safe and protected. The Lord was definitely watching out for us. Jacob and I had a good conversation about racism too after that. He has many close friends that are different nationalities. He said he hates "the war between the black and white people". He didn't realize the man was Latino and that is okay. We don't have racism in our house and I am proud of that.
I have prayed for that family. What a terrible night for all of them especially the children.
I have to say Jason and I talked about moving last night but I don't think we will do that but I will be walking with my big dog and pepper spray today.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

New Day


This morning came with a much slower start because I am so sore from yesterday.
Last night at dinner we were talking about Emma having trouble sleeping so I suggested she and I go for a walk after dinner. Oh boy she was all for that, in fact she asked if we could walk 4 miles. Realizing that it is 2 miles to my folks house and 2 miles back we headed out on a "Mother-Daughter Bonding walk" at least that is what my sweet daughter called it. It was a hot evening and the walk seemed to take forever but the visit in the middle with my parents was nice and all that one on one with Emma was priceless, definitely worth the sore achey body through the night and this morning.
With my 2.3 mile walk in the morning and my 4 mile walk in the evening I walked 6.3 miles in one day. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???? Yikers, 2 months ago, going to work and home was a feat. The Lord has truly blessed me with a new outlook and adventurous spirit.
This morning I still walked but I only walked about a mile. I needed to recover :)
**Word of Advice** - Listen to your parents
As I left my driveway this morning I heard two teenage kids speaking a different language coming around the opposite corner towards me but I couldn't see them because of my neighbors love of Dodge vans. Nothing strange about hearing different languages in my neighborhood though since I am blessed to live in a city full of different cultures. I walked about a block and a half before I looked back because the voices were getting louder and I heard cursing and a little english regarding the government and their mother. To my surprise it was not 2 teens it was one 30 year old lady obviously tweeking on drugs. I prayed for her and for my safety since people on drugs are so unpredictable and kept walking knowing that a vet clinic was just ahead and if anything went wrong I could sneak in there. She ended up turning into a church parking lot before the vet clinic but my Dad's voice was ringing in my ears from a conversation 2 nights before. "SARAH YOU NEED TO BUY SOME PEPPER SPRAY!". He was pretty forceful but I poopoo'd the idea because I felt safe and had had no problems thus far. I think I will be buying some today. I also realize that whenever I don't listen to my parents even at my age, I am usually sorry. Sorry Pop!
Have a blessed day everyone!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Good Morning

As usual I was up early this morning. In fact I was awake at 5:40am and feeling a little stress about the day and week ahead. I knew the remedy for my stress lay right outside my front door. A good morning walk.


I got up, did a few things around the house and off I went on my morning walk. Just as I stepped out my front door I felt better. I took a deep breath and wow it smelled like summer. I can't really describe that Summer smell but it is wonderful. The sun was shining but it was still a little cool. Perfect morning to walk.


I always have companions on my walk; squirrels and crows mostly but a few cats too. Not a lot of people are out but the few that are seem to be friendly enough to say good morning.


My favorite part about my morning walk is when I walk by something and the smell reminds me of my past. Especially the smells that remind me of my childhood. I alway look around to see if it is a certain flower blooming, fresh cut grass, someone's breakfast cooking, etc but I rarely find the source. I just enjoy the smell and the memory, thank the Lord for the gift and go on.


I hope you too will find pleasure in your exercise. I can't believe that my favorite part of exercise isn't the end but to tell you the truth, I often wish I had time to do more.

:) Have a blessed day!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Encouragers

I want to say how much I truly appreciate all the encouragers I have in my life; loving family members, sweet friends, and even kind acquaintences. It makes the difficult days much easier hearing such nice things. It also really helps to know that others notice my progress even when I can't.
Thank you to all of you for being my cheerleaders. I am truly blessed.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

The Journey Begins

On May 11, 2010 I embarked on a journey to get healthy. In the beginning I wasn't sure how things would go and I didn't want to disappoint anyone so I only told my husband, children, and my TSFL (Medifast) Health Coach, Bopha. I had reached a point in my life where I was very big, unhealthy, tired, and grumpy. Grumpy towards the people that I loved most. I was not even 39 years old and I felt very limited in my life's activities. As this blog matures I am sure I will share more about my poor health and health habits but for now I will leave it there.
Before I began this journey I did talk to my kids about the changes. I wanted them to know quite honestly that I was really happy with who I was on the inside. I liked myself, I love the Lord I serve and most of all I love my family but my health needed to change. They were supportive but concerned they would have to go on the "diet" with me. Funny how they think the world revolves around them. To be honest my world pretty much does and as I get healthier they are too. :)
This little patch of green grass the Lord has blessed us with is only going to get greener as we get healthier!