Showing posts with label Other Ladies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Other Ladies. Show all posts

Thursday, November 24, 2011

I'm back!

Hi Ladies,

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you:) I hope you all had a blessed day with family and friends.

I am back after being out of combat for 3 weeks! Aurgh! I really didn't want to do that, but I got under the weather first for several days then my youngest son was sick also, then my husband was gone for 9 days and my computer was not working right.
I also was super busy with my first ladies meeting in our new church and other wrenches were thrown in. I know these are excuses, just feel guilty because I hardly did any exercise except some yard work and walking.

This 7th week I am going to try to put in earnest my exercise as a priority. I can really tell when I have not exercised because I feel tired and with little strength. Starting tomorrow I will be in full swing with the Christmas activities at the church and at home, so I am going to have to discipline myself and get down to business. I do not want the extra weight that I gained last year around the holidays. It took me several months to get it off again.

Pray for me as I have been praying for you,

Sharla

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

CCCII Mary M.

Hi, everyone,
Thanks for including me in this great idea! I am praying it will help me to keep motivated to lose weight. I am 67 yrs. old and have been active all my life--had 8 children, taught them all at home, love gardening, etc. I was 112 lbs. before my first son was born, gradually going up over the yrs, until my present weight of 173-ugh!
I walked this a.m. for 20 min. straight (I believe it was-will carefully time it tomorrow a.m.), very fast, my daughters
with me around a large block of streets in my housing development here in Texas. Have been walking most every morning now that it has turned cooler.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Like Potatoes?

So I'm a potato freak, I admit it. I like tater tots, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and any other variation of potato that I can get my hands on! Mmmmm, just the thought of potatoes makes me want them!

Well, anyways, someone once shared with me a mashed potato tip/alternative. It was many, many years ago so I don't even remember who told me. I wasn't ever going to use the idea, but I thought about it again lately and gave it a try. It's a bit pricey, but I believe that my health is worth it so I tried this earlier during the week and my family loved it and so did I.

Instead of potatoes, I boiled cauliflower. (That's the expensive part. Cauliflower isn't cheap.) I boiled them so much that when I drained the water they were already falling apart. Then I put them back in the pot with some skim milk and some butter (actually Blue Bonnet Light). I mashed up the cauliflower just like I would my potatoes and it came out really good. I served it with fat free cheddar cheese on top. It's not as smooth as mashed potatoes, but my family and I like a little texture to our potatoes anyways so it worked for us.

Using cauliflower instead of potatoes saves my body from all of that starch that potatoes have in them and yet I still got to enjoy the taste that I like.
I thought that next time I would try steaming them to see if I could get the same result because I know that by boiling them I'm boiling away a lot of nutrients. I'm not sure if it will work, but if anyone tries it before me, please let me know.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Struggle

Hi Everyone,
I had decided to quit FFF because I was feeling down and extremely discouraged due to a knee injury. My doctor told me not to work out for 3 to 6 weeks. Of course, hearing that really was hard for me to hear. After Sherri B's encouraging words, I walked away saying "I quit." I wrote an email to Dani saying the same thing. Sherri continued with her kind words all day and I was quick to say "I can't do it." She gave me wonderful suggestions and I said "I can't" again and walked away. After knee surgery a few years ago, my doctor said I would be out for at least one year. I knew I wanted to compete at the American Cup and had goals of testing for another black belt. After I cried and licked my wounds, I was back on the mats training hard in three months. I placed 1st in the American Cup and earned my black belt. So thanks to Sherri, I will not quit. Hope she is ready to hear me cry and whine for the next couple of weeks. Alessandra G.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Murphy's Law?

Every time I try to begin something it seems as though the enemy has other plans for me. This week has been VERY hard to get focused and really work at this weight loss thing. It's been an emotional roller-coaster of a week and was hit by a medical surprise of another surgery this coming Thursday. (Please lift me up in prayer on that day.)

I started out attempting to do the Jillian Michaels 20 minutes shred. Well, I must admit, the first day I did about 2 minutes and I was dying the entire time! The second day just didn't happen. Due to scheduling, school, and trainings/meetings at my jobs (I have 3 jobs) I have been unable to do the things that I wanted to do this week. I'm please to say that I kept trying to do the video and I'm now up to about 8 minutes. (I feel like a snail when it comes to this stuff!) I also decided to wear my Curves Toning Trainer shoes most of the week which I'm sure made a difference because I could feel it on the first day!

I couldn't do any of the grocery shopping this week because of lack of funds. Don't you hate how the healthy foods like fruit and whole grain are so much more expensive than the junk?! I tried very hard to control portion size since I couldn't do much about the foods that I ate and I know I could have done better, but it was a good start.

For anyone that felt like me this week, where nothing seemed to go the way you intended, I have an encouraging verse for you. It's John 19:11 when Jesus is basically saying that the devil has no authority over us! Power comes from God alone and more times than not, when we forget to allow God to take the reigns of our lives we end up disappointed. God has given us all the resources we need to accomplish this weight losing task (and all other tasks) and all we need to do is remember that He is ultimately in control. He has given us the power to make this challenge a successful one. He has given us the power to overcome our scheduling, and our budget, and our lack of motivation. He is going to instruct us in the way that we should go (Psalm 32:8) so that we will get the results we want and in the end, God will receive all of the glory.

So this week did NOT go the way I had planned, but God did not allow for me to walk away empty handed. He gave me the wisdom to know that I need to lean on Him for the power to make this happen. He reminded me that He sees the full picture and is looking out for my best interest. He held my hand and told me that it was ok to start slow because I would indeed gain confidence along the way and would be able to do more as time went by. What an awesome, loving God we serve!


I will be praying that this next week goes better than the first and that everyone starts to show results that reflect their hard work.

Jay


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Measurements, Foods, Exercise

So I thought it would be a good idea to record my stats at the set out, so here they are.

Weight: 160 lbs. (not sure how exact this is)
Bust: 36"
Chest: 38.5"
Waist: 35"
Hips: 42"
R thigh: 26"
L thigh: 26"
R arm: 13"
L arm: 13.5"

Living by myself and working full-time make seem to help me watch what I eat more carefully. I cook once or twice a week, but most of the other times I microwave either leftovers or some frozen meal I bought for under a dollar. Eating out has truly become a luxury; one that isn't very appealing to do alone. So when I go to work, it is important for me to make sure I bring good food and healthy snacks (baby carrots, nutrition bars, fruit, etc).

Exercising...fun stuff. I took TaeKwonDo last fall for 5 months, but then had to drop it because of the cost. I would love to continue someday, but that will have to wait. So right now for exercising I've been doing the TaeKwonDo stretches, kicks, and forms. It's still challenging, and I've lost some of it, but it is a really good workout and tires me out.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Measurements!

I lost one pound last week, and while I would like to take credit for that, I can't. There no was exercising on my part. I will give credit where credit is due: Thank you Mr. Tummy Virus.

Moving right along...

My Measurements.

Biceps: 10 inches
Bust: 33 inches
Chest: 30 inches
Waist: 28 inches
Hips: 35 1/2 inches
Butt: 38 inches
Thighs: 20 inches

And here's a tip that works for me, when I'm absolutely sick of my workout and ready to stop the DVD I remind myself of why I'm doing this in the first place. Should you walk into my bedroom and find a somewhat jiggly person doing jumping jacks while saying, "Size 4...size 4...size 4..." don't be alarmed. It's just me. :)

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Measurements 10/12/10

Up against the firing wall!







Weight: 202lbs
Upper Arm: 14
Bust: 48
Waist: 40
Hip: 45.5
Thigh: 22.5

The good news is that I have been able to walk 2 miles each day this week using the Walk Away the Pounds DVD's and even played a little backyard Cricket with friends and family one afternoon. The diet has been going well, cutting out all snacks and lowering my carb intake quite a bit.

I leave for a youth camp next week and although it will give me plenty of opportunity to exercise, the food choices will not be that great! Anyone  have any tips for me about that?  I plan to take fruit and maybe some canned tuna . We do not have a lot of options here in Paraguay but I want to try!

I am thankful for a good start on the CRUNCH!

Katie Carlisle, CCCII Journal, and testimonies

Hello! My name is Katie Carlisle and this is my first time trying a fitness blog. I graduated from college (International Baptist College, AZ) this past May, so I'm still getting into a routine of this new stage of life. The Lord has been providing in numerous ways over the past four years. Even though I'm not really sure what I'm doing now that I'm out of college, I can look back and encourage myself by seeing how God has led me thus far. I now work full-time in the church Print Shop, and I love making presentations, DVDs, taking photos, and doing graphic designing. My mom mentioned this group to me, and since I have a hard time motivating myself when I'm alone, I thought this would be a blessing and encouragement to exercise regularly. College helped me gain weight, but now I would like to lose some of it (I would love to lose 30lbs.) :-)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Hello via Paraguay!





My name is Jackie McCobb, I am the mother to three little girls, 5, 3, and 7 1/2 months. My husband and I are missionaries to nation of Paraguay, I'm also Rita Vernoy's daughter.

I'm 25 years old and have not yet begun our homeschool with my girls, most days are spent trying to keep their little hands busy and working along side my husband in our ministry.

I'm petite, only 5'1", and my goal weight is 110 lbs. That is a very low number for some of you blessedly tall women, but when you're as short as I am, a few extra pounds doesn't have anywhere to go.
We eat healthy, always have, but as I get older and with each pregnancy I find my metabolism slowing down, and needing to count calories. No fun, but I love the way I feel when I watch what I eat!

We recently came back from a furlough. Being pregnant while on furlough certainly played a number on my figure. (What exactly is food in America made of? Super glue??) I gained 30 pounds, most of it in the lower half of my body. Oh yes, I'm a pear shape, lucky me. :)

Upon returning to Paraguay I lost ten pounds fairly easily, the warmer weather, less time in the car, and being able to eat at home helped so much.

Now, I work out 5 days a week (Jillian Michales 30 Day Shred and No More Trouble Zones) I try to fit both of those DVD's into my day, but with small children it's usually just one. I do what I can, when I can, and try not to feel down about myself when I can't fit it into my day.

I use the LoseIt! app on my iPhone for keeping track of my calories.

I've been exercising and dieting for about three months and am weighing 117. Seven pounds more to go! (Most of those pounds are on the side of my hips...saddle bags. Ew.)

I love working out, I feel so much better, get more accomplished in a day, have more energy, and even find myself giving up a nap so that I can exercise instead.

I'm looking forward to getting tips, and ideas from this blog and watching everyone's pounds melt away.

BEFORE: Two weeks after the birth of my third child, 130 pounds.

AFTER: 13 pounds lighter! Only 7 more to go!

Being in my childbearing years I know it can be so easy to just let 5 pounds slide here and there after each pregnancy. I just don't want to loose control. Five pounds after a pregnancy is not a lot, but gaining and keeping 5-10 pounds after each pregnancy adds up, fast! I just want to keep on top of it and develop the lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise, not only for my well being but as an example for my little girls.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Crunchin' In Colorado

Hi All,

My name is Amy. I'm a wife of almost 12 years to my soul mate, Beau, and  I'm a mom to three beautiful children ages 11,7 and 3.  At the end of June I embarked on my weight loss journey. I found a great site, SparkPeople ,  that helped me track calories and make friends who constantly motivated me. My goal was to go from 150 lbs. to 125 lbs, Well, by the end of August I had met my goal, all by watching my calories. I'm now 112lbs. My goal is to find time for fitness. I had a great desire to workout because every time I did I found I had tons more energy. But, I found myself being overwhelmed by the thought of taking time to workout. Through one of my favorite blogs, The Shred Sisters , I came across this challenge. I was intrigued! I started reading and found encouragement when Dani Joy said something about starting out at 20 minutes a day. Now 20 minutes a day is completely doable, especially with accountability. I awoke this morning, read my bible and put in my 20 minutes. I get bored easily so I'm sure everyday will be a bit different, but today I kept switching between sets of leg lifts (for abs), push-ups, lunges and jumping rope. I was ecstatic when I had finished because not only had I met my goal for the day ( small as it may be) I also had something I could report to you all. Let's encourage one another as we enter in this 10 week jouney together!
Hello, my name is J'me. (No, there are no letters missing, that is really my name.) Friends simply call me Jay. Two syllables seems too long these days I guess. ;)

I have always been a larger person throughout my life but I was always active so it wasn't to the point of obesity. Once I became "middle aged" and my kids grew older my activity level was at a stand still and my weight was in full forward motion.

In my culture food is everything. It's how we express love, it's how we socialize, it's how we encourage one another, etc. And the more greasy the food, the more love that was poured into it! Chili rellenos, enchiladas, barbacoa, menudo, mmmmm, it's all so delicious! The bad part is that they are all full of fat! Because of this over the years I become what a call "fat and happy." When there is something to celebrate we do it with food and my life has been blissfully blessed in so many ways over the past decade.

Along with all of those blessings I have suffered many health issues that have caused emotional stress and mental anguish that has been at an all time high for the past year. I have not been that "fat and happy" person that everyone knows; now I'm just fat. Because of all my medical procedures recently I was unable to exercise and the pounds kept creeping up. It seemed that the moment I was actually motivated to start losing some weight, that's when I "wasn't allowed." Yesterday, October 11th, was a devastating day for my family in regards to my medical situation and things at this point seem hopeless. We have seen God's hand in all of this so we know that He has a plan for us, but right now while we are in the middle of the storm it is hard to see anything but our situation. Ever heard that song "Before the Morning" by Josh Wilson? Well, that is the theme song for this season of my life. We know that God has big plans for us but the waiting process will be a growing time for us as it is a very painful wait. I thank the Lord everyday for giving me such an awesome man of God for a husband. He has encouraged me and lifted my spirits through all our trails. I love him very much, but one of the things that he can never do for me is help ME to lose weight and get fit for ME.

Much like our God, my husband loves me inside and out so there is no motivation to lose weight. Yes, I realize that this is the only earthly body I will have and I should take care of it, but when you weight well over 100 lbs. like I do, you get the point of making excuses. Well, today is a new day. Today I am looking at my future and telling God, "I don't know what you are doing in my life, but I know that it's good, and I'm gonna be a good steward with what you gave me." Today I'm going to do my best to get into shape. (A shape other than "round.") I am going to start eating better. It's not like I eat pies and cakes all day, heck, I don't ever LIKE those things! But there are other alternatives to the food that I am used to eating. And no, I'm not going to deprive myself, but there has to be some form of moderation and control. Self control is one of the fruits of the Spirit that I have been lacking and it's time I make way for that fruit to flourish!

My goals for the next 10 weeks:

#1:
Include more time in my day for God. Just Him and I. Renewing my spirit. It's not enough to read His Word and pray. I have to learn to be silent and listen for Him to speak. (I used to be diligent with this and have somehow lost it along the way.)

#2: Start substituting high fat food items for better alternatives. (Low fat or non fat items, equivalent items with just a higher fiber content, etc.)

#3: Eat when I'm hungry. Stop when I'm no longer hungry. (Sounds so easy, but this is a HUGE one for me.)

#4:
Start a moderate exercise routine. At least 20-30 minutes a day, 4 times a week.

#5:
Find a work-out partner. Someone that will keep me accountable. Someone that I feel comfortable with and someone that I can also encourage along the way as well.

The weight on my body will submit to ME as I will be submitting to GOD.
Praying that I find encouragement during these next 10 weeks.
I'm glad to be a part of your group. =)

Jay

Monday, October 11, 2010

Hello From Paraguay

My name is Rita Vernoy and I am married to a church planting missionary in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. We have been missionaries for 26 years and I have lived in some amazing places including Mexico, Venezuela, the Amazon jungle and now, Paraguay. I feel very blessed!

I am excited and a bit nervous to begin this challenge. I am the mother of 4 children, only one still at home, and have three grand children.

I have struggled with my weight since my 20's but  never more than 15 lbs or so until I developed back problems which led to two back surgeries. Prior to the first surgery I was bed ridden for several months and on strong medications including a steroid. Not being able to move much at all and feeding my self pity with chocolate, I ballooned up to 238lbs! Of course, after three months of being in bed I had not stepped on a scale or seen myself in a full length mirror and when I did ...on my!

I lost 40 lbs quickly just by being able to return to my normal family life and eliminating the medications. I was ably to lose another 15lbs slowly, over several months, with diet but still very little physical exercise. This has put me at about 185lbs for the last 5 years.

Until... my hysterectomy last December!

My weight has slowly creeped up and yesterday I stepped on the scales to weigh in for this challenge...202lbs! I have not weighed this much since my second back surgery! I feel that the hysterectomy has made it more difficult for me to maintain  my weight and I also moved a few months ago. I have a hard time with  changes in my routine and they  can be  an obstacle to my diet.

I finally feel that I have a better schedule and the ability to begin some simple exercise, like walking. Because of my continuing back problems and chronic pain, I am very limited to what I can do physically but I can walk!!!! Well, most days.

I want to lose at least 10 lbs during this challenge but know that proper food choices, exercise, and a healthier life style will be a blessing to my family and our ministry. My prayer is that I might find this group an encouragement and a way to be accountable for my daily choices.

And now...I'm off to take my measurements... (scary!)



 My family, March 2010

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Howdy!

First I'd like to thank Dani Joy for putting this together and all her efforts from now until the end. It is greatly appreciated.
My name is Kim and I'm new to the crunch. I'm really excited about getting started.
My fitness goals are to lose between 10-15lbs or one pant size. Whichever comes first. I've been the same weight for 2 years and have struggled to lose a pound. 
I'm weird in the respect that I really enjoy working out and am already on a bit of a workout routine. There are days that I need motivation as do most of us.
My starting weight is 180. I'm 6 foot tall and am a size 14. There I said it. LOL!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite verses.

Psalm 18:32

It is God who arms me with strength,
         And makes my way perfect.


Have a fabulous day ladies!
HUGS
Kim

Monday, June 21, 2010

Hannah and Esther's Testimony


Our health and fitness life style started about 3 1/2 years ago when we started reading food labels. We stared doing more research on the concerns of preservatives and additives in our food, we felt convicted to a more biblical diet of God made foods then man made junk! Our love for exercise began when we lived in the city and there was not much left to do but go for walks, this also has built us a great sister relationship with each other. Upon moving to the country 2 years ago we have kept up that walking and also added swimming, Pilates, some running and other fun things such as jumping on our trampoline. Our goal in joining this group is to keep us moving and to have a little fun!
As sisters we have enjoyed cooking and baking together. We love to make healthy tasty recipes and started our own cooking blog , you can visit us at http://www.delkitchen.blogpost/. Please leave a comment and let us know that you visited! Just this year we have started making our own sourdough bread and also raw milk cheese and yogurt. Some of our favorite foods are Greek and Asian Salads, 90% dark chocolateJ Sourdough bread with almond butter, oatmeal with bananas, pb, raisins, and cinnamon, as well as home made pizza on the grill. This next year we are hoping to have a cook book published called “Oats Redefined”, the recipe are all breakfast/brunch recipes with a creative healthy twist.
Thank you Dani for letting us join even though it has been going for a while!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Dani Joy´s Nix the Fix day 1 - Involvement!

I am soooo excited about the involvement I see! It seems that many of you are jumping on the extra points. How fun! It is motivating isn´t it?

Today, I started out so well. Had wasa crackers with soft cheese, half a banana, and my coffee. And lunch too was good lean pork, veggies, and a couple of potatoe wedges. 2 good snacks, cherries, and some sugar free chocolate. But by the afternoon, I bought the boys some candy and had one in my mouth without thinking. uhhhgg. they were my favorite licorice. -2  Then I had a small piece of home baked fresh white sub bread with my omelet. -2  Soo, my food points are 8 today.



My exercise was really exciting. My men got on their bikes while I jogged. It was so fun. Joseph biked the route with me. (pictured above) This helps me so much. Walked home. total of 43 min. Then I got home and did 17 minutes of ab workout. There´s my hour.

Be encouraged ladies. Exercise profits little as the Bible says ,but discipline is so important. Spiritual Food, and  exercise along with physical food and exercise. Let´s get it all in balance.

Welcome to the challenge Hannah and Esther. I hope you really enjoy the blog and have a wonderful fitness journey for life!

Sweatin it,
Dani Joy

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Calorie Counting Website

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but here is a link to a really cool website.

You ever have trouble counting calories when you're following a recipe or whipping up something at home? Ever wondering how much calories are really in that homemade lasagna?

Click on the link and type in your recipe and it will calculate the calories for you. This is a great way to figure out how many calories you're really eating at dinner, and no measuring!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Hello,

I'm Tami Jackson, and this is my 3rd challenge to participate in. During the Christmas Crunch, I really worked hard, and lost over 10 lb. During the Spring Challenge, it was more difficult for me. We had company from mid February to just a week ago. It was really hard to keep a consistent exercise time, and for the past month I haven't really exercised much at all. I just don't feel comfortable exercising when there are people there in my house.

So, now I am needing to get into the habit of exercising daily again. My daughter, Ashley (12), joined me for the last challenge, and she is going to join me again this time as well. Here is a pic of us recently. We got matching exercise outfits. Don't we look cute?



I have really enjoyed the fellowship from doing the past challenges. Getting in shape again was wonderful too!

Here are a few things about me. My family and I are missionaries in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia. We have been here for 10 years in June. I'm 36, and want to lower my risk of heart disease, lose a few pounds, and get toned. My husband, Steve, and I have been married almost 17 years. We have 3 kids, who are home schooled.

I hope to lose about 5 lb. (Yes, I did lose it all at the end of the last challenge, but I've gained some back from eating some sweets and not exercising.) I also need to work more on toning my body. I don't have any measurement goals, as I am right about the same size that I was during college, but want to look more toned. I would love to trim some inches off my hips, but what I have now seems to be permanently attached.

Here is a picture of my family from last week. We climbed to the top of a very large steep hill at Lake Baikal. It was a very strenuous climb, but we all made it!

I still need to measure and post my measurements. I will get that done and post later on today.

Summer time is very busy for me. We have a very large garden where we grow almost all the vegetables that we eat year round. I look forward to working in the garden, and hope I will still have time to work out too!

Looking forward to sweating with all of you,

Tami

Hi, I'm Nan


Hi, I'm Nan and this is a picture of my family and I. This picture is actually a few years old, but it's the only full body picture that I can find at the moment. This is the weight that I am trying to get back to.

In the last few years, since this picture, I gained twenty pounds and I have to say I didn't like it! I tried hopping on board with the Christmas Crunch, but I got sick and my asthma flared up and then I got busy and blah, blah, blah.....you get the picture. I lost my motivation.

I am now motivated to once again lose those 20 pounds. I have already lost five of it, so fifteen to go! I am currently doing The Shred, by Jillian Michaels. I am doing it five to six days a week. I also bought something called The Accelerator, which is put out by the Pilates people. This was about $60 but it comes with five dvd's and I have to say that I am having a blast with it! I hope it actually works......they say it does.

Beyond losing the weight I just want to keep working out because it is healthier for our lungs and our hearts. Also, as I age, I know that exercise is good for balance, the joints, etc.

My downfall is my sweet tooth. I love chocolate and love munching on m&ms or fritos during the day. I'm a snacker.

I just want to take care of the health the Lord has given me, and hopefully continue to exercise and work at eating healthier, so that it becomes a lifestyle for me.

The way I see it, summer is coming and it's going to come whether we lose the weight/inches or not. So I'd rather kick it up a notch, and be more disciplined and have it come with me weighing a few less pounds, than have it come and go and finding me at the same weight and wishing I'd been more disciplined.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Springy Journal, Becky R., SSFC

Whoopi!

Good Wednesday morning here in Spain. I say good because I have weighed (-2 lbs.), measured (-3.25 in.), walked all of the second mile with Leslie, and I'm sharing my improvements with you all. Honestly, I am surprised at what has been done, since I didn't actually do much with diet this week. I did try to watch the sweets (a little) and the bread, but we ate about like usual. It must be the walking and sweating. Anyway, I have made it through the first week and am excited about the coming one. I hope everyone else has managed to faithfully fulfill our commitment and sees results.