Transform Update

My one word this year is transform. I wrote about this word, making a choice to begin Weight Watchers, and a yoga program back in January.

I began the year with a desire to transform some clutter, my writing, our finances, my health, and to continue to transform to be more like Jesus.

The clutter is still there.  (So glad I still have 5 months to go!!)

I have taken small steps toward working on my writing and will continue to do so.

We have made some changes in our finances and will continue.

I am continuing to transform to be more like Jesus.

As for my health, that is the main focus of this post.

As firmly as I made the choice to begin Weight Watchers and the yoga program.  I have made the choice to quit both. Very soon after starting the yoga program I realized I did not enjoy it.  I want more stretching and less isometric movements. And as for Weight Watchers, I have nothing negative to say about it, but nothing works if you don't work it......and I didn't work it well. 

I have shared that I am an emotional eater. Food is my drug of choice.  I have shared struggles with health and eating. I have confessed that at times I binge eat.  I have on several occasions in the last few months. I recently took pictures of one particular binge, but deleted them days later....too embarrassed by what they showed.  I don't recall exactly why I binged on this particular day, I am sure I was feeling tired, tired of being tired, and tired of being sick.  I have dealt with one thing after another with my physical health since 2012.  This time was chronic issues with sinus, allergies, and asthma that were keeping from just about everything.  It is hard for me to not be all or nothing when it comes to eating well and working out.  Back to the binge, on this day I drove to the store and purchased 2 kinds of chips, 3 boxes of something sweet, a coke, and made a pb&j. (I did not eat everything and I covered what was left in the trash....that is an issue ya'll)  As I ate I watched a show about people weighing over 600 pounds.  
 
 Gari Meacham author of Truly Fed says, "This may seem extreme, but when we're deep in the throes of a binge, purge, or starvation cycle, common sense is lost, and we robotically cling to the bizarre behavior we hate. It's as though we lay the food on an altar-or countertop or table- and worship the momentary taste or the way it make us feel."

As I watched this show and lost my common sense I heard a woman's story that I could identify with.  She reminded me of myself.  Gari Meacham writes, "something in the past has pushed us toward our unhealthy relationships with food." 

I listened to their stories as I stuffed my frustrations with food a new light went off about my journey.

I need more help, more accountability, more Jesus, and  more self trust.

I need less excuses and less inconsistency.

When I tried out for Extreme Weight Loss I had to get introspective about my issues with food, in fact I made so much progress.

But, as health and emotional challenges came I did not know how to juggle it all. 

I have ended up gaining all the weight back. The first picture is in 2011, the second is yesterday 7-17-16.  There is a 4.5lb difference. I weigh more now than I did in 2011.  The heaviest I have ever been. 

 From a numbers perspective I am starting over, but from an emotional, mental, and spiritual perspective I have gained so much since trying out for the show in 2013 that with a little more introspection, a lot more accountability, and more prayer I know I will  transform my health in the last 5 months of this year and over the next year.

Realizing I need more help I have begun attending counseling sessions to help process food issues and as of today I start a year long coaching program with Precision Nutrition.  I can't wait to see where I am next July 18th. 

I began a page on social media after trying out for Extreme Weight Loss to hold myself accountable and meet others on this journey to health.  I have found that when I don't post much, I am not exercising as much or eating as well.  I also found myself feeling a little self-conscious about posting selfies, food, workouts ect....because this journey is not all about me!  It is the transforming work of Christ in me that keeps me fighting on this journey, but I also know that through the sharing of stories we can help each other. 

Whatever you addiction, issues, or struggle Jesus can bring healing.  

Transform.

One Word.

One Year. 

All Things Through Christ.

Open Letter To Harry Connick Jr.

Dear Mr. Harry Connick Jr., 

 

​I am looking forward to watching your new show.  I do not want to rush summer, but September can not get here soon enough!!  Who doesn't want a daily dose of HCJ??  I know it is going to be great. I have an excellent idea for it,  but before I share that thought, I would  like to share a few things with you. 

​I am a huge fan!!! I don't recall the exact moment I became a fan, it must have been about the time “When Harry Met Sally”.  I liked you even more when you made “Hope Floats” and then you came into the lives of my friends “Will and Grace”.  Tales about dolphins helped too!

​But....it was when I attended my first concert that I became an even bigger fan.  It was a Christmas concert.   I was about 6 months pregnant, the night started out rough, but when you and your band took the stage it was worth every minute.   I was mesmerized.  My second concert was “Oh My Nola” and my favorite song became “Yes We Can Can”.  The way you performed it, the motivational lyrics, the insrutments, and the notes all came together perfectly.  I love to blast that one in the swagger wagon, AKA, my minivan.  My third concert was a surprise.  I was given clues and had to guess each week, starting 13 weeks in advance.  I knew by clue 4 it had somehting to do with you, but I had already checked tour dates and wasn't sure how this was going to work.   Clue 6, confirmed it was you.  The clue was:  “You are correct in you assesment that the person at this event is also a musicain. In fact their first album was released the year you were born.”  I knew it was you!!! This concert was a blast.   You even played a few new tunes from your upcompoing album, which quickly became my favioite album.   Just a few months later I attended my fourth concert. I posted on social media: I love to write and read words, they help me process, but as Hans Christian Anderson says “Where words fail, music speaks.”  I loved hearing the music speak that night.  

​I love getting to see you perform, but I also love getting to see those gentlemen on stage with you perform.  The amazing Mr. Lucien Barbarin dueling it out on stage with you, there are no words. The talent of Mr. Jerry Weldon.  Mr. Jonahtan Dubose Jr. just about brings me to tears.  Hearing the talent God blessed him with is an honor.  When y'all played “How Great Thou Art” at the last concert I attended, my heart just about burst.   I purchased albums from Jonathan Dubose Jr., thanks to you sharing the stage with him.  And lets not forget the talent of Geoff Burke, Augie Haas, Dion Tucker, Neil Caine, and every other amazing muscian that gets on that stage.  I wish I could name every one of the them!!  The  language y'all speak on stage is captivating.  I love hearing how the puzzle pieces of each musician and each note fit together.   It is a language that speaks to people.   

​During my last HCJ concert you talked about your show.  You stated, you would be interviewing ordianary women.  The other day my husband surprised me with a trip to New Orleans and I thought this would make a great segment on the Harry show!!!  I have only been to New Orleans once, briefly.  We stopped for dinner on our way home from the beach...with our kids.  I loved the archticure, the history, the talented saxophone player I met on the street, but I struggled with really getting to take it all in because we had our kids.  I told my husband for our 15th wedding anniversay I would like to go back without our kids. At the end of June we are!!  Wouldn't it be a great segment to have you personally be the tour guide of a mega fan? This Mr. Harry Connick Jr., is my excellent idea!   I would loved to see Musciain's Village and tour the Ellis Marsalis Center!!!  I would love to know the name of every band member as well!

​Even if you can't be our tour guide for a few hours, could you at least give us a list of things we shoud see and do?  Is anyone playing in New Orleans we should make sure we see??​​

Thank you, 

Shelly, a mega HCJ fan

P.S. 

I even got my fan club card in the mail yesterday! 

 

 

 

Book Review: Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, written by Kristen Welch

Recently, I had the privilege of being apart of the launch team for Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, written by Kristen Welch.  You may have heard of her....just scroll through Facebook and momma's everywhere have shared her post from her blog http://wearethatfamily.com/.  Her writing is real on her blog and in her book. 

There are books for raising babies, raising toddlers, but there are very few books about raising kids.  I need wisdom for raising these humans that call me mom and Kristen Welch provides that through this book. There is so much in this book that excites me, validates, me, encourages me, and convicts me.

In a society where everyone wins it is hard to rear kids that don't feel entitled.  Kristen shares her struggles, her triumphs, and charges us to parent upstream. 

As I read, I felt like I was having coffee with a best friend who is knee deep in this parenting mess, just like me and together we wrestled parenting topics. I love seeing how other people do life and she offers excellent application ides to help raise less entitled kids and more grateful ones. And she moves me to be a better mom. 

If you are knee deep in parenting this book releases tomorrow.   I can't recommend this enough and I know I will read it again and again. 

My one word this year is transform and this book will help me transform my parenting. 

Back to Crossfit!!

 Due to my OCD tendencies, having a clean house is vital for me and for my family.  I tend to go off the deep end when the dust bunnies look like they are creating an army,  when the toothpaste in the sink takes over, or when the toilet no longer looks white.  I have been working enough hours that we have been able to budget in some wonderful ladies who conquered my mess for me and eased the anxiety that messy creates in me.  (By the way I envy those with houses that are lived in, I envy those who can leave things undone...but this is not what this post is about, I digress)

Despite my OCDness, I have chosen to make a sacrifice and become the housekeeper again. (Even the kids are making some sacrifice in this area for something they want to do and will be helping clean as well, however on heavy cleaning  day I am hoping to find some friends who want to have house cleaning parties once a month....with 2 or 3 of us we could knock out each other's houses before the kids get home from school!!! Who's in??)

As I have been focusing on the word transform, I can't help but recall the transformation being in crossfit brought to my life.  Here is a picture of progress I made! 

It is not just these physical changes that make me miss the impact of crossfit, it is also the changes spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.  I miss the community, the encouragement, the push, the competition with myself, and the lessons I learned.

Therefore I am sacrificing house cleaning for crossfit!!!

With all my injuries and asthma I will have to modify a lot!! I am not where I was in these pictures...the last few years was a lot health wise, but I know I will make good progress again.  I have been making a lot of statements about not being able to participate in crossfit due to these challenges and my health, but with modifications it can happen.  What I really meant was we can't really afford it, but with the sacrifice of getting my house clean we can make it work.

I very much love working out at my current gym and will continue to use it and my yoga videos, but I am thrilled to say I am officially part of a crossfit community again!!!


Combine this with the gym, yoga, a 10,000 step goal (I wont lie this is not always easy), Weight Watchers, and Jesus I know I will transform.

One Word.

One Year.

Transform.

Candy Land and Weight Loss

Have you ever played Candy Land?   You play by flipping over cards that tell you where to go on the path, your goal is to be the first to reach the Candy Castle.  There are few shortcuts on the path, there are also a few places that you get stuck and you miss a turn, there are even times you draw a card and must go backward,  further away from the Candy Castle.

My weight loss journey reminds me of this game.  I keep flipping over cards that tell me how to get to my Candy Castle, AKA my health, cute clothes, and a smaller waist line.   I have felt like without the cards telling me where to move I can not get to the end.  I have flipped over cards that have gotten me stuck, cards that have given me a shortcut to my goal, only to have me go back to the start.  Playing the game of Candy Land can seem to take forever....playing the weight loss game can too.

The cards in my weight loss game have been various diets, trying out for Extreme Weight Loss, carb cycling, Crossfit, Paleo,  knee surgeries, dental issues, more various diets,  thyroid surgery, asthma issues, trainers, everyone's 2 cents, ect.....constantly flipping over the cards, but never seeming to get to the finish line.  Some of the short cut diet cards have been great. I have come so close to the finish that I tasted health and it was good. I want that back!!  The Crossfit card was AMAZING.  I really miss that card.  I have met some fantastic people because of the cards that were played.  I have felt that I needed cards to tell me what to do, which path to take, and I have felt that I can't do this on my own. 

Although some of these cards would have been great...like making the show,  staying in Crossfit, or being able to pay someone to train and help me, none of it would work unless I did the work!!!!
  
I have come to the realization that I can keep flipping cards and searching for the right path to my Candy Castle or I can stop flipping cards,  pick a path, and take it.

My one word this year is transform.  I am never going to transform in this area if I just keep flipping cards.

By continually turning over cards food, dieting, and searching for a path has become an idol in my life. My thoughts have been consumed with what do I do, what do I eat, what I should and should not have, and that I needed someone to help me. It was keeping me from moving forward, but I must admit it was also my excuse.

I know that I can do all things through Christ, but I also know I am required to stop making excuses and take action.  Stay on a consistent path.  Walk it, don't try to go around it.  Obstacles are going to come, but I have to stay the course. 

With that said, the path I have chosen is Weight Watchers.  I love my fitness pal, however mentally, and spiritually right now,  I need the freedom of not counting most veggies and fruit.   We each have to do what works for us.  What we will stick too.  I may make changes down the road, but right now  this is my consistent path with food.  I joined before Christmas to see the new program before I took serious action.  I changed my weigh in days to Monday to help hold myself accountable over weekends, and on 12-28-15 I stopped flipping cards. In the last 2 weeks I have lost 8.7 pounds.  I am thrilled with this and feel like food and dieting is not consuming my thoughts.

I also plan on continuing to hit the gym, get in at least 10,000 steps  (I am changing my goal on my Fitbit now before I keep typing, however it also needs to be charged, so this may not occur today), and I am adding DDP yoga.  I will be doing my second video for this today.  

And last, but for me the most important key is to continuing to grow in Christ, because I can not transform without Him.


Now that I have picked a card and plan on sticking with it , I can almost taste my Candy Castle... health, cute clothes, and a smaller waist line.

One Word.

One Year.

Transform.

Transform

Two years ago I threw out the idea of making New Year's  resolutions.  My list of goals only seemed to be ideas in my head.  I rarely wrote them down and if I did by the end of the year, I mean January, most of them were forgotten or not accomplished.  When I quit the idea of resolutions, I began to focus on one word for the year.  In 2014 my word was CHASE.  In 2015 my word was BE.  In 2016 my word is TRANSFORM. 

According to Webster Transform means:  to change in composition or structure,  to change the outward form or appearance of,   to change in character or condition.

While this may sound like a specific goal, its not. It is a word that will journey with me through the year.  Who know what will change, but I look forward to unfolding this word in 2016.

With that said, I do have a few ideas of things I would LIKE to see transform over the next 365 days:

I am OCD, however in some areas it is an out of sight out of mind kind of thing.  One area that I would love to change the appearance of, is the clutter that has taken over my cabinets, my drawers, my fridge, and many other nooks and crannies.  Do you see the bend in that shelf??  I seriously need to transform my clutter!!!!



 I would also like to transform these areas:

(collage made with WORDSWAG)

I want to continue to learn more about putting words together, therefore transforming my writing.  I would love the appearance of our finances to change.  And of course I want to continue to transform my health - (that's a blog post coming soon).

 

 

I also pray that I transform to be more like Jesus.

 As I focus on this theme/this word I look forward to what God will do as I dive onto His word with my new bible and begin 2016.

 

Focusing on one word for one year takes the guilt out for me.  There is no specific goal, just one word, for one year. I can't wait to see what transforms.