What? No Bread? Nooooo!

I am quite agitated by my digestive system lately. I don't know if it is because I am getting older or what, but my body is having a hard time processing bread--BUMMER!

I love bread, but every single time I eat too much of it, I get SO sleepy, almost as if I am drugged. I don't want to do away with bread completely, but I guess until I figure out what is causing this, I have to eliminate foods a little at a time. So, the first to go on my try list is bread--not a happy camper.

I won't be posting anything new until Monday. I am taking another couple of days off to give myself time to love on my younguns. They come home today!

Have a great weekend. The giveaway is coming up on Monday! It's a wonderful secret!

Random Thoughts About My Eating

I am completely sick and tired of eating food. period. I never thought I would say that because frankly, food has been my passion and my love for as long as I can remember.

But something is happening inside of me regarding what I eat. I have found myself paying more attention to what it is what I eat. I think, (gulp) I am on a (whispers ever so quietly) health kick.

THERE.

I SAID IT.

Yes, my body has recently decided it likes lettuce, and other vegetables that before I would turn my nose up at. I cannot figure out for the life of me WHY it has chosen to do this to me, but I am preferring a nice salad over chicken and beef any day.

It is just SO weird. I think one thing that really sticks out to me is that I am no longer exercising to look good, or trying to lose weight to look good. It has become an "I want to be healthy" era in my life.

I also found out that I think I might be allergic to something in bread because EVERY single time I eat more than a small piece, I get extremely sluggish like I have been drugged and all I want to do is sleep. I am going to lay off of bread for a while and see what happens. I did that once before and I started feeling so much better.

I also think that I am done with coffee. For Real. I know. I am in shock myself. I don't even finish my only cup I drink now in the mornings. So I do believe I am going on a coffee hiatus for a while too.

What about you? What kind of things is God doing to your body lately that you find strange, but yet exciting??

Losing Weight

These past couple of weeks have been SO hard for me, but I have pressed on and it has paid off!  I have lost a total of 11 pounds so far!

I have been walking every morning using my son's Ipod (cause I am too cheap to buy my own) and measuring my walk by 5 of my favorite songs. Stephen measured it out for me and found out I have been walking a mile and a half every single day. So I decided to step it up and do that twice a day--once in the morning and once in the evening. PLUS. . .I am doing crunches and chest presses during the day which helps.

I also cut WAY back on the amount of food I was eating. I did not realize that I was eating enough for two people. I was totally embarrassed when I realized that. So I said--NO MORE. When I started making these small changes, the weight has started to come off.

As I get closer to my goal weight, I will keep you informed. I am really excited about my body changing and me getting healthier.

A Walk Will Do You Good

This morning as I was walking, God enlightened me on a few things. For the past couple of days I have just felt beat down, ugly, fat, bloated--just NOT pretty.

Today I decided it was time to really start trying to lose these 50 pounds I need to lose. Yes. 50. Anyway, as I was walking I was listening to Casting Crowns and this song spoke volumes to me today. Here is how:

Voice of Truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in (Being overweight)
 Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone (food, my couch, and chocolate)
Into the realm of the unknown (weight loss and exercise) where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves(failures and bad attempts at trying to lose weight) are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed (giving up when it gets hard)
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!" ( you cannot lose this weight. You will always be fat)

But the voice of truth tells me a different story (you can do this. Trust Me)
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory" (Let me shine through this weight loss journey)
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant (being fat)
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors (others who are wanting to lose weight)
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand (not giving in to defeat)

But the giant's (being fat) calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the stone (my strength)  was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth (YOU are beautiful because YOU are mine)

My New Weight Loss Friend

My friend Misty told me about SparkPeople a couple of weeks ago. I decided to check it out and I must tell you I am SO hooked on this new website!

It is a lot like Weight Watchers, but the cool thing is that this program is absolutely free! I have gained some friends that offer encouragement every single day and if you are trying to lose weight encouragement is crucial! 

You can check out Sparkpeople and join as well! Lots of great articles, cool tools to help you lose weight and track what you are losing and more! If you do sign up, look me up. I am JenniferL35!

Have a great day friends and I am on my way to a leaner, healthier me!

Getting Healthy in 2010

Now more than ever I have decided that my lifestyle has got to change. I look at many of my family members and friends and think to myself, I don't want to be on medicine my whole life. I want to be healthy for myself and for my kids.

So far, I have been working out every morning which has really made me feel great. I have upped my water intake to 8 glasses a day and going for ten shortly. I am now in the process of switching my flour usage over to wheat flour. The kids really like the taste of the homemade things I make using wheat flour, so I know it is time to switch to a healthier flour.

I have so many goals for myself in 2010 regarding my health, and one of them I have already kicked and I did so in 2009 and that was my soda consumption! I no longer drink sodas or tea anymore--just water. And to be honest with you, I don't miss it at all! That small step has made me fee much better.

My next goal is to get outside more and get lots of sunshine. I know that it is good for the soul and the mood and I am most definitely in the need of that right now!

How about you? What healthy lifestyle goals have you set for yourself this year?

When You Know Its Time

I have been struggling with my weight loss now for about six years. I have tried every diet out there and in the end I wind up gaining all the weight back I lost.

But just this past week, I have felt a turning in my spirit. It's not one like I have ever felt before. I know the Lord is doing something to me in this area. It's wild--the feeling you get when God is removing things from you. I just cannot explain how that feels.

I am getting the urge to want to exercise, which for me, is a HUGE thing, because I do not like to exercise. I find myself staring at junk food thinking--UGH--do I really want to put that in my mouth? Soda no longer tastes good to me.

I am liking this new me that God is doing a work in. The neat thing about all of this is that this change in my lifestyle is not coming about because I am wanting to change, but it is coming about because God says it is time to change. I am giving it all to Him and allowing Him to change me and my eating habits.

Time has come to lay aside the snacks and couch potato mentality. The time has come to allow myself to be transformed--my mind, my body, and my thinking. God is totally in control of this weight loss journey and I know He will do a mighty work in me when it is all said and done.

Everyday Beauty Treatments

I don’t know what has sparked my interest in homemade beauty treatments. I guess it started a while back when I was having lots of problems with my skin breaking out no matter what I did. I started doing some research on blogs and soon I came across a couple of keepers that have really made a difference in my skin and hair.
The first one I found on Nourishing Heart and Home. It is for a homemade facial cleaner using Sunflower oil and Castor oil. Simply mix four tablespoons of sunflower oil to one tablespoon of castor oil and rub some on your face. Massage into skin really well. Then take a washcloth and wet it with the hottest water you can stand. Ring it out and then lay it on your face like a sauna. Do this several times and then wipe your face clean. I have been using this now for about two months and I cannot tell you the difference in my skin. It is smoother and my acne is going away and staying gone! Yay!!!!
The second thing that I have just recently discovered is using baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water as cleaners for your hair. This one really amazed me. I have been trying to get back to natural with my hair. I have used hair spray for many years and it has done a lot of damage to my hair, not to mention the hairspray buildup—YUCK! I want my hair to feel soft and look beautiful…not dull and dingy. When my friend Hannah posted about going shampoo free, well that just got my attention!
The way it works is, you mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one cup of water. This is your shampoo. Shake it well before each use. Use an old shampoo squeeze bottle and pour it on your hair. You won’t need all of it, just some of it. Massage it into your scalp and then rinse it out well. To condition your hair, mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water. Do it the same way you do the baking soda mixture. Massage and then rinse. It may take a few washes for your hair to realize you are restoring it, but mine took immediately and all I can say is “WOW”! My husband even made a comment the first night asking if I had done something different with my hair because it was so soft.
Do you have any great homemade beauty treatments? Let me know about them because I would LOVE to give them a try! I think I am going to try and make my own lip gloss next!

Sugar Free Challenge

In light of trying to eat healthier and re-learn my body and what it needs to survive on, I am linking up with The Nourishing Gourmet next week for the Sugar Free Challenge.

What about you? Are you up for the challenge?

This will be BIG for me!