Last week I lost 3 lbs. My husband lost 2.5. I won for this week, but I’m sure it will be short lived. No matter what happens, more beautiful days are ahead for both of us. My husband is trying to get his diabetes under control and I’d like to just look better and feel better. For those of you following my sugarless journey, I’m still sugarless and loving it. I no longer crave or wish to eat sugar and now I’m saying goodbye to another decade of weight. I still don’t look thin by any means, but my clothes fit better and I feel better. With summer coming on, there are more beautiful days ahead, and I’m including my own beautiful self in those days. Still not quite time for a before and after, but not as far away from it as I once was. When I lose another 10 lbs, I’ll post a before and after shot so you can see my progress. Even so, I’ll still have a long way to go, but it’s good to document the journey. I can’t believe I’ve come this far!
Tag Archives: future
A New Sacrifice
It’s too bad that it took 49 years for me to understand that being organized is not only a good thing, but essential. I’ve always been kind of a creative person, a global thinker, a maverick. Yes, I’ve heard all of those descriptions. What they really mean is you’re a likeable person who is disorganized. I have to say, I am creative, I do think globally, and I do have my own ideas about things, but none of these things have to be absent of organization. In recent years, maybe because of my age, I’ve found it necessary to be more organized–even if I didn’t quite follow through. Since I quit sugar, I’ve had to plan my meals and you know what I found out? I’m saving money! I only buy the things I need. I almost never eat out. Eating out costs A LOT! And, I’m more satisfied with my meal.
Now the Lenten season has arrived and I was searching for some sacrifice in my life. I often give up sugar, but I’ve already done that. My husband is in the coffee business, so it wouldn’t do to give up coffee. I like to do something for lent that sets a new pattern in my life, something that helps me to become somehow better in some way. When I started to think about sacrifice in this way I thought, “I need to set a new pattern of organization in my life.” I knew it had to be baby steps, so I looked up on one of those organization sites for what to start with. Here’s what I decided.
1. I will not go to bed until my kitchen is clean. All dishes done, counters wiped off.
2. I will do at least one load of laudry a day: washed, dried, and put away.
3. I will chip away bit by bit at the projects that are unfinished.
Not too hard right? Well for those of you who consistently do this it might seem silly, but for me it was a challenge. I have to tell you. I like it! I love when I get up in the morning and my kitchen is clean and fresh. I love when I go to my drawers that there are clothes in them. Usually my clean clothes are stacked on the dryer. At the same time I’m building habits that are good for my whole family. I’m making them stick to the rules too.
Let me encourage you. Take baby steps. Choose one thing. Do it consistently. Don’t give in to, “I’ll do it later.” If I can change my life at 49, anyone can do it at any age. Good luck on your journey. Wish me luck on mine. 😀
Water Water Everywhere
Water water everywhere and not a drop I’m drinking. I know I need to drink more water. I know I’m supposed to drink 8 glasses a day. But, I know that I don’t do it, partly because I don’t want to count every glass of water I drink, and partly because I’m focused on other things. I want to make water my focus in the next week to see if it makes a difference in my weight. I’m going to weigh myself on Saturday to see if I’ve lost any weight this week, and then I’ll weigh myself again next Saturday to see if I lost more weight than the week previous. I’m going to make a checklist so that I can document my water to be sure I drink exactly 8 glasses a day. That’s probably double what I currently drink. Check back with me next week to see whether this little experiment works. 🙂
Quiet Thoughts
I’m sitting at home on a blustery day, where the quiet snow is falling all around. In these times I remember that it is enough to breathe, relax and be. Whatever your weight, it is the inner self that is important. Who am I inside? Do I care about people? Am I progressing with my life? In quiet moments, I think about these things and the way I perceive myself becomes more important than the way others perceive me. We all need moments like this to reflect and accept that we aren’t all bad or all good. We’re somewhere in between seeking to be something better than we’ve become. So here in this quiet moment, I am looking backward at what I’ve done, not dwelling on my mistakes, but learning from them, and I’m looking forward to what is to come. Going forward takes a little faith, and you know, it all started with a grain the size of a mustard seed…
A Daughter’s Wise Advice
A worthy note from my beautiful daughter. She cuts to the quick telling us all we should strive for excellence!
“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.” – Shaquille O’Neil
Last night I went to sleep thinking about how much longer I would be able to give up sugar. Those little conversational hearts will be sorely missed this Valentine’s Day and I began to question if it is really worth it. What does it matter if I have a bit of sugar here and there? The problem exists because it is never just sugar “here and there”. It’s always lots of sugar, all the time. Sugar has become my habit.
This long stretch of no sugar (longer than Lent) has taught me a lot about my own endurance. How long can I stand it? Can I build my endurance to not want sugar again? It has caused me to question my own strength and general will power. When is sugar ok and when has it become a terrible habit? I’m not too sure yet, but I know that control and excellence in health should be apart of our lives. Our habit should not be sugar. Our habit should be healthy choices.
So, as you come to your first week without sugar challenge yourself to endure even more. I believe you can overcome this! Dorothy Allison Howard
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