Fashion find?

I have found it! After years of seaching through store after store and trying on thousands of pieces of clothes, I have finally found the style of clothing that best fits my body shape. It's light and flowy, yet it hides all of my "trouble spots". It also happens to be very modest and feminine. I can't tell you how excited I was to discover this. My family is in agreement with me, and I'll begin sewing immediately! Curious to see? Here's a picture of me, sporting my new find:

Okay, so it's a joke. I won't be wearing a hoopskirt from now on. But, my sisters and I did agree that it was very slimming! So, there you go. Got hip and thigh trouble spots like me? Then maybe we should all ban together and bring hoopskirts back into fashion. If people could wear bell-bottoms, why can't we wear these modest (but also very big) skirts?

By the way, the pictures are from a picnic that we had out here on Sunday afternoon. It was a fun way to wrap up the 9 month class that I taught, which was based on the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Our picnic was complete with games, a Spelling Bee, and a pie contest. And each of the girls from class recited a poem they had memorized during class. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a fun time being together...*sniff*...for the last time...*sniff*...as a class........**sob**! I'm going to miss those girls! We had some fabulous times together!

Now, at that picnic, I had to make smart choices about what I ate. For one thing, I gained a pound last week. Not quite sure why, but thinking I must have enjoyed too much liberty on the weekend with my calories. So I tried to be extra careful this weekend, but I still wanted to enjoy the special yummy food from the picnic. We had a crazy day on Saturday, and I wasn't able to exercise, which worried me a little - but that's life. Sometimes I just can't do what I want to, even though 95% of the time I can. I have to work with our family schedule, and it was pool day - not Bekah go exercising day. But I did climb up the stairs to the water slide several times with the girls, so that had to burn a few calories. Anyway, at the picnic I had a bowl of vegetable beef soup, (homemade by yours truly) some grapes and watermelon, a few carrots and broccoli florets, two homemade wheat biscuits, and a piece of the healthiest pie there. (Thank you, Gibson girls! I didn't feel guilty eating it, and it was delicious!) Overall, I was proud of myself for not "pigging out", because that would have been so easy to do. For some reason, when there is an abundance of food present, I get this feeling that I have to eat it all. Or at least, a lot of it! I'm trying to break that mindset, because it doesn't tend to bring weight loss. :-)

Because of a schedule change, I've been going earlier in the morning to exercise these days. On Mon-Fri, I'm to the fitness center by 7:45am, which makes me part of the "early morning crowd". Four other old ladies and me. Yep. While they spend the whole time chatting with each other and riding the exercise bikes, I'm in there sweating my heart out. They are pretty funny, especially one of the ladies that can't seem to multi-task very well. Anytime she talks while riding the bike, she stops pedaling till she finishes talking. Every time! Then she has to start up the bike and select her program again. And this happens several times in the course of 30 minutes! Somehow I don't think that's very effective. LOL It's always interesting, to say the least!

I'm keeping focused on the goal this week and continuing to lay aside that which hinders me. I pray that you are as well! ~Bekah

Woohoo!

Can I get a drumroll, please? *drumroll noise* (How do you write a drumroll noise?) I am so excited because I had another successful week. On Friday, I weighed in at 176lbs, which was 2 more pounds lost that week. Hurray! As I told my family, "I must be on to something!". Really, it's just lower calorie intake and continuing to work out hard. Sounds easy, right? Well, not quite. I am happy to find that it's working - but not enjoying the fact that I have to be so careful about what and how much I eat. I'm always satisfied after each meal, but it is hard to sit there and realize that I can't have what everyone else can. Yes, I've gotten used to eating completely differently than my family does, but sometimes it's easy to get a "poor me" mindset. And it's not that my family eats really unhealthy foods. Our family has changed a lot over the past few years! Sometimes I can have what they eat - just in a limited, calorie conscience way. Sometimes the meal is very healthy, but I just can't afford the calories. It's all about balance! And these past two weeks have proven to me just how important it is eat balanced meals.

I feel like I'm simply returning to the basics. The basics of weight loss. Eat right and count your calories. Exercise. Drink water. Sleep. And ta-da! You'll lose weight. It was so nice to have 2 successful weeks.

Short post, but I'm out of time. Thankful ~ Bekah

Last week at a glance...

I know what you're thinking. It's been 4 days since I weighed in, so you're thinking that I must be upset about it because I haven't posted till now. Well, you're WRONG! And I'm so happy about it. (Not just because I love being right, but because I'm not upset about it at all. ) I had a great week! And I was actually happy with the scale for once. Why? Because it told me that I lost 3 pounds. It's been a long time since I've lost that much in one week, and it put a smile on my face!


I cut my calories down and varied it from each day. 1200 calories on Monday, 1300 on Tuesday, 1400 on Wednesday and Thursday. I made a conscious effort to drink even more water (I felt like a water balloon!) and to monitor my portion sizes. One of the things that I started watching again was my protein intake. I was reminded of the fact that I am a "balanced oxidizer", which means that at every meal and snack my food should consist of 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein. Now, I don't get too technical about the percentages, but I estimate the best I can. While I have been eating healthy, I glanced back through my food journal and noticed that my fat and protein intake was low. That creates a problem for this carb lover! Unfortunately for me, I can't eat a meal that consists of only carbs and veggies. I need the healthy fat and protein, too. So, my favorite choices of those have been eggs, chicken, nuts (raw and unsalted), plain yogurt, milk, natural peanut butter, cottage cheese, beans, etc. I'm confident that I saw weight loss because I upped my intake of protein and fat this past week. Backing off on the carbs (insert a big sigh here!) and rounding out my meals is my road map to weight loss.

I also tried to just get myself moving more throughout the day. Yes, exercising in the morning is great, but there are things that I can do during the day that will get my heart rate up and my muscles moving. Jumping on the trampoline with my younger sisters is a wonderful lower body workout. Riding my bike around with them burns calories, too. Pulling weeds in the garden while holding a squat position is another way to tone my leg muscles! Running up our flight of stairs instead of walking and holding the railing...walking to the mail box instead of picking up the mail in the car after arriving home...etc. You don't have to be in a gym to get some exercise!

Like I mentioned, I pulled out a few of my fitness books to get some more ideas. I felt like I had been doing a lot of the same exercises for the past few weeks, and it was time for a change. I switched up my cardio workouts, adding some new exercises along with the old goodies. And I got more ideas of ways to tone my arms and abs. It was fun to challenge myself in new ways at the gym. I'm making progress, but still have a lot to work on!

And on top of changing my exercises and my meals, I also prayed and asked the Lord for wisdom. While reading through my favorite "go to for help!" books, I asked Him to show me what I was needing to change and how I should go about doing it. I asked Him to guide my thoughts on this topic. And He did! Once I was able to quiet my heart and listen while thumbing through the books, I began to get some ideas.

I was able to be joyful about what I was eating, because I knew it was the right amount and the right kind. I was able to enjoy my workouts, because it seemed new and exciting...and sometimes painful. :-) And I didn't have any fear or dread of the scale on Friday morning, because I knew that I'd done my best - no matter what number popped up. It was an encouraging week! I also gained many insights from the Word, which I have to post later this week.

When we call, our God answers! ~Bekah

Adventure Land!

Leah and I were so scared of this ride. Actually, we ended up laughing at how not scary it turned out to be!
"6 in a raft and the little one says, "Move over! Move over!" We were always happy to find rides that at least half of our family (we had 11 people total!) could ride together.

Our last ride as the park was closing for the night.

Waiting in line. Yes, our family took up an entire section of the line!

Riding their hot pink motorcycles!


Smile! (Guess Grandpa didn't get the memo...)

More waiting in line = pictures!


On the teacups. It was the ride that never ended!!!

After my disappointing weigh in on May 29th, I was ready to get back on track. Our family spent the next day (Saturday) at Adventure Land, and it was a nice, hot day to spend outside. We left early that morning, so I wasn't able to fit in a workout. We were all scrambling to get things ready and packed, get the little girls dressed, do their hair, feed them, keep them happy, and then do the same for ourselves. The plan was to get to the park in time for lunch, as my dad's company was providing lunch for the employees and their families. (They also paid for our entrance tickets. Immediate family only, which still came out to 8 tickets for us! A huge blessing!) Anyway, I spent about 5 minutes that morning throwing together a salad and some snacks that I could eat during the day. I wasn't going to head to a theme park unprepared!

Turns out, after having to stop 3 times for a bathroom break on the way down there (it's 3 hours away) we barely made it in time for lunch. They served hamburgers and hotdogs, baked beans and chips. My salad was still in the van, and I wanted to save it for supper, so what did I do? Simple. I grabbed a hamburger and half of the bun, piled it high with lettuce and tomatoes, and I turned it into a hamburger salad. It was actually pretty good! Then the fun began. We walked all over that park, and often split up into small groups heading off in different directions to catch "big girl" or "little girl" rides. About 3 hours later, we all trekked out to the van for a snack of grapes and bing cherries. Yum! We also refilled out "illegal water bottles" (you can pack lots of stuff into 3 strollers!) and reapplied sunscreen. Well, everyone else did. I decided to go "all natural" that day and refused to put on sunscreen, thinking I'd get tan faster. Bad idea! My shoulder turned a nice flamingo pink and were quite sore for several days....

Even though we did a lot of walking, I still felt like I had a lot of energy to get out as we were leaving the park. Walking is good! But I didn't feel like I'd exercised a whole lot that day. However, it was nice to have a day that was different. I was hoping that maybe my body would like it, too.

Beginning on Sunday and going through till my next weigh in, I was having trouble getting my body back to where it was before. I felt hungry a lot, even though I'd eaten plenty at the previous meal. My body had gotten used to eating very frequently, especially when I was going to so many graduation parties, and it was a struggle to get back on track. I found myself eating bigger meals and snacks, because I didn't want to have to fight against the urge to eat between them. I did record my meals, though, and was trying hard. And I had great workouts! I spent an hour on the treadmill one day and went almost 5 miles, which I hadn't done before. I did about 65% running and 35% walking, and my legs were quite sore the next day. ;) So, I was hoping that my exercising would be enough to compensate for some extra calories I'd consumed. The weekends are the hardest days for me to be disciplined, and I'd eaten more than I should have. It's hard to not feel deprived and to not give in when you're REALLY craving something!

Anyway, I gained a pound last week. My exercise wasn't enough to make up for some wrong snacking, which had me frustrated with myself and with the whole weight loss process. Why? Why? Why? That's what I wanted to know. Why me? Why is it so hard? Why can't I lose this weight? Why does one or two dumb choices have to ruin an entire week of work? Why isn't there another way to lose weight? Why? Why? WHY???

I wasn't ever contemplating quitting, but I spent a lot of time griping and complaining in my heart that Friday morning as I was driving into town. I was discouraged and I let my guard down, and that's when thoughts of doubt and jealously began creeping in again. Let's just say that I wasn't exactly a happy camper! But I began to pour out my thoughts to the Lord and just take some time to get everything off my chest. I talked just like Jesus was sitting in the car next to me. And I was reminded again of this truth - you can't spend time in the presence of the Lord and not be changed. Because let me tell you, when I got into the car and started driving into town I was an unhappy, discouraged, and frustrated person. But as I spent time communing with my Savior, I became living proof that "In Your presence is fullness of joy", and "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom". As I was praising and thanking Jesus, confessing sins and asking for strength, and simply spending time with Him, my whole attitude changed. I felt peaceful and calm, knowing that I am His and He is still in control. Gaining a pound didn't change that. I'm not a loser or a failure. No, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me and gave Himself for me! And so are you, my friend.

So now, I'm excited about this week. I thought it would be a good idea to pull out a few of my resource books and read through them again. I've gotten more ideas and tips that I'm putting into practice this week. Again, I had a rocky weekend (not catastrophic, but there is still room for improvement) so prayers are appreciated. But overall, I'm walking in His strength and believing that in Christ, I can do all things!

Our God reigns ~ Bekah

Back again!

No! Not again! I'm so behind that I don't even know where to begin. I guess I'll very quickly give a recap and then get caught up to recent happenings.


After having a week where the scale stood still, I really pushed hard the following week. I gave it 100% in the gym; I counted my calories. I was disciplined. I was focused. I wanted success! I was expecting to see that I'd lost a pound or even two when I got on the scale that Friday morning. But I didn't get it. The scale didn't budge. I was stuck at 176 again. Refusing to feel defeated, I simply focused on the other victories I'd gained that week. I felt energetic and strong. I had remained disciplined throughout the whole week and didn't have any regrets. It was a good week, whether the scale was my friend or not.


The following Monday, my family headed to the Twin Cities. While the rest of my family spent the week with our relatives up there, I jumped on a plane bound for Denver, Colorado to spend a week with my dear friend, Stephanie (and her wonderful family!). We had a fabulous time together! I immensely enjoyed being there for her high school graduation ceremony and party. It was a trip that I'll always cherish in my memories. With everything going on, exercise was out of the question, and I knew that would be the case before going. To be honest, I actually enjoyed the break. It was nice to not have to worry about it. But when I got back home, I was right back with the program!


Stephanie and I went to 6 graduation parties in two days, which made for eating more than we normally would. We kept looking at each other and thinking, "Good thing graduation parties only come once a year!". With the lack of exercise and higher calorie intake, I knew that I would gain a few pounds. It was going to happen, and I didn't get all wound up or stressed about it. What comes on will come off with enough work and sweat!


I weighed myself when I got home and had the attitude of, "What's the damage this time?". Came out to be 4 pounds of damage, so I'm back up to 180lbs. My work is clearly cut out for me. This morning, I was back in the gym for the first time in almost 2 weeks. It felt SO good! However, I felt rather pathetic. What was once relatively easy felt unusually difficult today. I'm going to work to get back to where I was, and then I'll keep pushing forward.

When I pulled out my bucket of "spring/summer clothes" a few weeks ago, I thought it would be fun. I was tired of my winter clothes and was ready for the bright colors and fun patterns of spring! But I found that as I was pulling shirts, shorts, skirts, and Capri out of the bucket and trying them on, it wasn't as fun as I expected it to be. I had to fight thoughts of failure and discouragement as I stood in front of the mirror, modeling my new wardrobe. "You've made absolutely no progress in a year! Look at you. Those clothes fit you the same they did last year. In fact, aren't you up a few pounds then you were a year ago? Well, just face it. You're stuck here at this weight and size. You might as well accept it and stop pushing so hard for what you can't achieve."

I'll be honest - it was hard. I was having a power struggle in my mind. Would I focus on the negative or the positive? Would I succumb to a pity party or would I choose to keep my eyes focused on Jesus?

It's at times like those that I have to remind myself of the goal here. It's not to be a size 4, to run a marathon, or to get compliments everywhere I go. My ultimate goal is Christ-likeness. That's why I'm doing this! I want Christ to be Lord of every area of my life, so that He can freely shine through me. This life I live is not my own - it's His. May I keep that truth in the front of my mind all day long!

More soon ~ Bekah