clocking in

At LA Weightloss yesterday I got to an all-time low of 148.2. Now I am finally back to where I was before that cruise disaster - (and I didn't even eat that much!). They gave me an extra 4 weeks free to reach my goal weight of 145. Oh the pain! YEsterday I exercised (fairly hard) at the club for three classes - spin, yoga and pilates. WOW! Tonight is a fancy dinner in which I am going to enjoy steak, veggies and desert, a coctail and probably one glass of wine. There goes the scale up three pounds. But, as long as I get right back on track, I'll live to tell about it. I am going to enjoy Ruth Chris steak house with my husband. Live and learn!

Day by Day

Things are going well in Tennessee as far as keeping on my "diet plan." It is kind of hard not eating all of the offerings offered up in our society, but that is why Americans are fat and unhealthy. The devil's happy when we hurt our bodies. It is hard standing alone. I am FINE the way that I am now. I am NOT complaining but am thankful. But 145 is my physiological best weight, so I am trying to get there.

As far as exercise, I have nearly no opportunity to exercise. Well, I take that back. I can walk - right now for example, I could walk, but I am feeling a little lazy. I do so much enjoy my exercise routine at home and pray that the Lord would enable me to continue that routine, as well as exercise out of the routine and excel still more.

I've been meaning to find out about Christian type stretch exercises that resemble yoga on the internet. I think I'll do that now while I have a chance.....Five minutes later: Well, that was fast. I'm back. There is a Christ-centered yoga class and program out of the Alabama area, that has expanded to a whole bunch of states, including California, but only one location in Southern California. I think that I requested information sent to my email address back home about starting a Christ centered yoga class! Oh my! Just the excitment I like! We'll see what happens.

That's all?

I lost 0.2 pounds this week. Oh well!

How quick is quick? A quick update!

The last couple of weeks have gone a lot better. Tomorrow is my check in to LA Weight Loss. Last week I lost 1.2 pounds, but I am still up a couple of bpounds since before I went on that cruise. I had NO IDEA that things could go that for astray. Well, anyway, exercise is "fun" no really it is. It is a blessing to be able to exercise. God is good.

I kind of came to the end of myself in trying to reach this "145." I am really so undeserving. I would undermine my efforts because I don't deserve to be in that good of shape, to have that much "self-control," to look that good in clothes that my husband of 23 years says that I have the "perfect sized" butt - imagine that!

So, I gave it all to God, again. And again now, in brief:

"Dear Father, I do not deserve to have the body that you have allowed me to have. I know that You have empowered me to become this way and to have the self-control, which is Your control, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, to eat better than I used to. Father, help me to be humble and to carry myself with the humility of Christ, if it were at all possible. But through You all things are possible. Father, I give You my body and ask that You possess my body, my mind, my whole being for Your glory. I want to live for You and to die for You because You have become my whole life. What do I have on earth or in heaven beside You and who is for me but You alone? You are my defender and my life and I want You and nobody else. In Jesus' name. Glorify Yourself in my body. I know that You have given my body to my husband and to me as a gift and as a testimony of what You can do. Amen."

"Oh no..."

So I finally made my "weigh in" to LA Weightloss, right, and the lady at the front desk calls my name because I am next to be criticized, I mean, critiqued - ahh, counseled for my, uh, "problem." I go to the scale and step on it and it says, "151.4." I hear the lady behind me announce, "Oh no." Seems I upset her day. I was up almost three pounds from before my "vacation" of two or three weeks before. (Boy, if she would have seen the scale the week before!)

So, anyway, we're sitting behind the gray fabric paneled cubical, right, and the nice woman commiserates with me with a great compassion (sarcastic…) and sneers and says, "Now you know how real people feel with real weight issues because you're all sad about gaining a couple pounds!" Well, that wasn't perhaps exactly what she said, but pretty darned close.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I am not failing more miserably at my weight loss program. I'm sorry that I am trying to be actually successful. I'm sorry that I'm not fat enough for you for me to be considered normal, but I am an uptight witch who wants a couple of vanity pounds off so she can look better in her latest fitness work out clothes. I'm sorry to "waste" your time. Let me go so you can help a real person with real issues."

Well, that isn't what I said. I said, "I used to weigh 220 pounds and had a lot of trouble for a long time getting it off."

She said either by her actual words or her expression, with new found respect, "Oh, I didn't realize."

I felt like spitting across the table and screaming, "I'm really fat, can't you see? I'm still fat on the inside! I'm OKAY with the NEW ME! Or am I? I have conflicts and issues and I am trying to get a handle on it through your help!!!! Haven't you ever heard that the sober alcoholic is not supposed to stop attending the AA meetings? I haven't forgotten who I am. I just gained 8 pounds eating an extra 2 pounds of food at a cruise for goodness sakes!"

I tried to end the meeting. She lost me and I wanted to LEAVE. But she said, "STOP! I'm not done speaking yet! S-I-T DOWN!" (A little exaggeration to make a point.)

She continued, "Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa...Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa...Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa...Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa...Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa... Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa...Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa, Blaa Blaa Blaa..."

"Can I go now?"
"Yeah, you can go now. Is there anything else you need?"
"An appointment for next week, even though I make you feel uncomfortable because, unfortunately, I have become successful with weight loss, but I have these darned 6.1 pounds to go before I die of old age and wrinkles."

Actually, she never met anyone who actually has had long term success with weight loss because of course it really can't happen...EXCEPT FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO SET ME FREE AND HEALED ME AND ENABLED ME TO BE SUCCESSFUL BY HIS POWER INSIDE OF ME.

And that's all I want to say right now. Thank you for listening. (Wink.)