Day 40: Time to Celebrate!

Update at the bottom!!

 

Well my dear dear readers - this is it... Day 40, the end of the first of leg of my journey, but just the beginning of my new life.  I will taking a break and most likely blogging only once a week for the next 3 weeks and then will be back in full steam when I start my next 40 day journey.  

Thank you for every moment of cheering, every word of encouragement, every hug, every tear shared, every laugh exchanged... You have been a huge part of of my success whether you realize it or not.  You see life should be lived like a community, not alone.  I am blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people and I encourage you to do the same.  Get rid of those people that make you feel bad about yourself, that make you doubt yourself, that make you want to give up and gather around yourself, cheerleaders, people who believe in you and are willing to do what it takes to encourage you.  Huddle together, plan together, hug together.  Live!!

I leave you with this:   

There is no victory without celebrating... Remember that. 

See you soon!!!  :)

My total weight loss at day 40 is:  39.4 lbs!!!

Day 39: The Bigger Congregation

So about five years ago, when I was living in Vegas, this lady at my church walked up to me and said:

Her: "Do you know that the Bible says our bodies our temples?"

Me: "Yes I do"

Her: "Then why don't you take better care of yours?"

Me: "Well our bodies are temples... mine just holds a larger congregation"

I laughed and walked away... then?  I went into the ladies bathroom and just cried.  Was she right?  Ab-so-stinking-lutely - Did it make it hurt any less?  NO!  Maybe if this has been someone I had a relationship with, someone that was a consistent part of my life, but it was someone I barely knew so it hurt even more.  We expect our friends to love us enough to be honest with us, but we don't expect "Godly" strangers to be so rude. 

Here's the thing, moments like this were a huge factor of not wanting to even try anymore.  I had reached a point where I just gave up. Now, living here in beautiful San Diego, why would I continue to do that do myself?  The land of beautiful beaches, wind surfing and fun!!!  And here I was hiding behind the words of people... Letting them blanket me into layers of excuses for being stagnant in my own life.

I am telling you this story, not because I need your pity, not because I want you to feel sorry for me, but because I know that I am not the only one this has happened to.  Any maybe, just maybe... someone out there needs to realize that you can break free, you can change your destiny and most of all that you are not alone.  That in spite of the dark around you... the morning will come and the light will chase away the shadows.  Change is never easy but it is possible!!!  VERY POSSIBLE!!  

" Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, that God gave you, and that he lives within you? Your body does not belong to you. For God has bought you with a great price. Therefore, use every part of your body to give glory back to God, because He owns it."

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19

 It is so easy to life in the land of "If Only" Sometimes not realizing that the land of "Possibilities" is just around the corner waiting.  Goodness, if  can do it... You most definitely can!!!! 

Day 38: Eye Didn't See it Coming

You see what happened was... (it's never good when you start like that) - So I went to this Errol Flynn convention and stabbed myself in the eye... Now that sounds sooooooo much better that what really happened.  Here is the true sorted sad tale:

4:30AM:  BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

4:40AM: *Groans*

4:45AM: Get ready

5:00AM: Head out for the morning run

5:40AM: Finish run, grab shower

6:00AM: Grab deodorant

6:01AM: Wipe eye (not realizing that some deodorant is on hand)

6:02AM: AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURGH!!!!!!!!!!

6:10AM:  AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURGH!!!!!!!!!!

You know how deodorant is supposed to keep moisture away?  Trust me when I tell you that IT DOES!!!  All the moisture was instantly sucked out of my eye, ran water on it for 10 minutes only to find out that I needed actual saline eye wash so I scratched my cornea and am now sporting a lovely eye patch... (Arrrr!).   

Obviously I need more sleep or I would have been paying better attention (seriously... WHO DOES THAT?) and will be running in the evenings rather than at the early wee hours of the morning.  I didn't even get a really cool eye patch like this:

Nope I had a regular old goofy one... (THAT WILL SHOW ME).  Who would have thought that deodorizing could be so dangerous??!?!  As a friend of mine likes to say: "What is wrong with you?"  Now I have a complex... hahahahaha

Day 37: The Mad Dash to the Finish Line

So 4 days... and then 3 weeks on my own... scary!! Spooky!!  mama!!  As challenging as this has been - the thought of no safety rails is daunting.  The ultimate responsibility to myself is here.  I fell like it is coming head on without letting up... Its funny how at first - I thought it would take forever and now, it seems like it has flown by.  It is right in front of me and there is a part of me that doesn't want to cross that finish line...

But when I really think about it... there is no finish line - not now, not ever... because this is a NEW WAY of LIFE, not a temporary fix to a permanent problem.  A decision to change FOREVER.  At first I was fooling myself, saying: "Once I get to my target weight I can eat whatever I want again... UMMMMMM WHAT?!?  Isn't that what got me here in the first place?  DUH!!!  So with that realization, renewed to be consistent and realizing that for me this is a marriage of healthy choices and fitness combined into the relationship of the new me.  My vows would be one of fast food chastity, commitment to daily work-outs and daily affirmation.

Funny how time can change your mind, sometimes without even realizing it until we are nearing the end. How we begin to change our mindset every so subtlety until we start to believe.  So I will run to that finish line, with determination and a smile - I will not fear it, I will not hate it - I will embrace it with joy... celebrating the first leg of my journey and gleefully anticipating the next steps.  Because I am worth it.