Two Days In A Row of 10,000+ Steps!

Two days in a row I’ve walked more than 10,000 steps!  Having this pedometer is fun, except when it gets reset without me knowing, like if I take a nap and forget to take it off or when apparently holding my niece resets it. 

I had to go to the bank sometime today so instead of walking/running around my neighborhood on my usual route and then trying to coordinate schedules to borrow my mom’s car to go to the bank, I decided to just walk/run to the bank.  It’s a little bit farther than my usual distance, but that’s okay.  J  I set out just after 6:30 a.m. but could’ve gone a few minutes earlier.  I was a little self-conscious about running next to traffic because I’m kind of starting over and am not too concerned with form right now, just with getting back to running the whole distance.  I overcame that self-consciousness and just did it.  No one pulled over to tell me I wasn’t running properly or to ask why I had slowed to a walk, so it was okay! 

I ended up doing a total of 4.6 miles in 52 minutes, running some and walking some.  My knee made me walk just a couple times.  The rest of the times I walked it was because my mind was slowing me down.  I had to go back to setting goals for myself like, “Keep running until you get to the next cross street; then you can walk.”  I did that many times.  One time I did it and when I got to the cross street I knew I needed to keep running.  There was no physical reason to stop. 

It was so rewarding to put a practical purpose to my exercise! 

In other news, a blogger I follow posted this question on Facebook:

Why do we struggle with food?

She had been talking about this with her counselor and is planning to do a blog post on it, but wanted her readers’ input.  I read a dozen or so responses and almost all of them talked about overeating or unhealthful eating being learned behavior [blame your parents] or lack of self-control.  They were so hopeless!  I had to answer with the hope God has given me in overcoming the sin of overeating.  Here’s my response:

“For me, it's plain and simple indulgence.  I like the taste of food.  I wasn't trusting God to give me what I need when I need it; I was getting it for myself...and lots of it.  Sometimes when working late at night I knew I needed to sleep but I couldn't; I had to keep working.  So I ate food for energy to stay awake.  A bowl of white rice with butter wasn't the best choice, though.  Now that I've learned self-control by denying myself what my body doesn't need, life is so much better.  I still like food, and I still have a little chocolate most days.  Food isn't what consumes me anymore, though.  It's fuel for my body.  Period.  If I can make it taste good AND be healthful, so much the better.  If I have to just eat and move on with my day, no big deal.  Food is no big deal anymore.  It's no big deal!!!  If my current size 16 body had said that to my old size 26 body, it wouldn't have believed it, but it's true!  I love this freedom!”

One person wrote after me that she wished she could just learn to put Jesus in place of food so she wouldn’t have these problems.  I clicked through to her blog and left a comment inviting her to view my blog or email me.  I hope she contacts me so I can share with her what Jesus has done for me!

Day 1

Good Sunday morning, friends!

I haven't posted here since the Jingle Bell Run almost six weeks ago.  I've still been running, but there hasn't been much happening to report on.  Until now. 

More than two years ago, when I was doing The Lord's Table Bible study at www.settingcaptivesfree.com I did a 20-day fast that is part of their Phase II.  I loved it!  It was a time of getting rid of much of self physically, emotionally, and spiritually and of getting more of Jesus.  For a few months now I've wanted to do it again but the timing wasn't right.  Now it is.  Today is day 1.  I'm finishing up my fruit salad for breakfast:  apple, orange, banana, peach, and pear tossed with a little orange juice. I'll have it for breakfast tomorrow too with some strawberries.  I forgot to take them out of the freezer and I don't want to put them in the microwave and have them be warm.  For lunch and supper today and tomorrow I'll have a veggie salad with salsa for dressing.  No meat, cheese, creamy dressing, or oily dressing.  Tuesday will start the liquid portion of the fast:  water, juice, smoothies, and veggie broth.  No potatoes or meat in the broth and no dairy, protein, or peanut butter in the smoothies.  That will last for 16 days and the last two will be transition days out eating fruit salad for breakfast and veggie salads for lunch and supper but I can add back in meat, cheese, and dressing. 

I plan to blog every day about how things are going and what God's teaching me.  I expect the usual lessons about denying my flesh, etc.  I want more now, though.  To be honest, I want weight loss.  The last time I did this I lost 17 pounds and gained back 4 (which is to be expected) for a net loss of 13 pounds.  I'd like to do at least that this time.  That's not my primary motivation, but it is a motivation.  My primary motivation is to remind myself that I can live with a lot less food than I've been eating and that it's God who sustains me, not physical food.  I slowly got away from following the eating plan The Lord's Table recommends.  I wasn't overeating like before, just not being diligent.  I was still fasting one day a week most weeks but would occasionally skip fasting just because I wanted to eat.  Flesh was starting to rear its ugly head again.  I know I gained fitness last year by starting to run seriously, completing two 5Ks (!), doing two 8-week sessions of fitness class and now ongoing weekly boot camp with www.fitnessinfusiononline.com.  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that all that fitness caused muscle gain and consequently less actual weight loss.  I'm glad I'm more fit, but I want weight loss too.  I'm human and a woman, and I want weight loss!  Just being honest.  Hopefully God will change my perspective through this fast so that reason fades into the background and more spiritual reasons arise.  Yes, I see the inconsistency here and I'm admitting it to you. 

I got on the scale this morning and it said __________.  You didn't really think I was going to tell you the actual number, did you?!  :-)  I also measured, but I'm not going to tell you those numbers either.  I will report weight lost every day and a final weight and measurements.  I'll report what God shows me and how I'm feeling physically.  I'll have Brianne take a before picture this afternoon and post it. 

I still have to work this whole time, but I'm going to stop running and stop going to boot camp.  I'll walk some in place of the running, but not 3-3.4 miles like I have been doing. 

I've started printing out the emails I sent out with my last 20-day fast so I could read them and remember what it was like.  I'll do this one by blog instead.  My regular Bible reading is in Luke so I'll share insights from that.  Also, I'm reading A Hunger For God by John Piper again.  If I finish it before the end of this fast, I'll re-read Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst and share insights. 

I would appreciate your prayers for the next three weeks and your encouragement.  You can leave comments on this blog.  I'll be sharing announcements of new posts on Facebook so you can access this blog easily, but I don't want to blow a trumpet announcing the fact that I'm fasting. 

If anyone has a juicer I can borrow for this time, please let me know.  I'd like to give that a try in place of making smoothies in the blender all the time.   

So, picture this afternoon and insights if I have any.  See you then!

Battling The Flesh

The last week or so has been very "light" spiritually. I miss my heavy spiritual days. I feel distant from God and heavy and bloated physically. I've been feeling hungry a lot lately so I've eaten more. Small amounts at a time but probably more overall. I just don't have time in my schedule to plan sit-down meals or meals at all. We have food but not meals. I'm missing sleep, but that's nothing new. I'm looking forward to next week when I'll have some time off from work for the homeschool convention and just in general. SLEEP!  

I remember back when I had the most success with losing weight. It was when I was relentless in denying my flesh. I got tired of that and thought I could loosen up a little. I guess I can't. Yesterday I decided to stretch my denying time to two hours after I first feel hungry. I'm going to read back over old posts, blogs, journal entries, and Bible verses to rekindle the spark I used to have.

I need more of Jesus and less of Michele!