The Breakfast of Champions

It's one week after the New Year- and what a week it has been. While I didn't make any "official" New Year's Resolutions, our family has recently begun making healthier choices. It's a bit eye opening when my eight year old said to me, "Mom, some day I want to be healthy like dad."

GULP. "Like dad??"

Not "like mom?"

She was right. While I have lost a fair amount of weight, I'm still not all that healthy. Josh has always been the healthy one..... and our eight year old knows it!

So with that in mind, we thought it a perfect opportunity to grant Hailey her wish sooner rather than later. She has asked that I make her eggs in the morning. While the thought of getting up 1/2 hour earlier than I already do wasn't a bit appealing, the thought of Hailey eating eggs as opposed to Pop Tarts is very exciting to me! So all last week we ditched the Pop Tarts and ate eggs and toast... and some days eggs with fruit smoothies. It makes me feel soooooo good to be helping Hailey be healthier!!

In the meantime, this past week I decided to eat eggs/toast/smoothies right along with Hailey, which meant I needed to ditch the morning Mountain Dew and Panera "Breakfast of Champions" (i.e. scones, crumb cake and/or bagels with cream cheese) I am normally accustomed to. Unfortunately, any caffiene-a-holic understand that when you STOP drinking it, a cruel headache will follow. Like clockwork, I had a four day headache. I had never experienced anything quite like it - I even tried a variety of drugs to kill the pain. Nothing worked. I am happy to report that 6 days later I have reached the threshold and no longer get a headache from not drinking the Dew.

I am truly thrilled about this because I do not want to be in bondage to anything or anyone!!! While drinking Mountain Dew is not terrible in and of itself, RELYING on it too much is! For my body to be addicted to it - IS terrible and certainly not something that I want to be a slave to.

So I'm happy to report that because of reducing my Dew intake (NOT eliminating), I too am eating healthier! Our family is getting healthier one day at a time... one food choice at a time! I'm THRILLED about this! We will press on and continue to make eating healthier a lifestyle for us all!

This is one step to being the ME I was meant to be!

The Me I Want to Be

"The Me I Want to Be." A catchy little phrase I'd like to say I made up myself, but I didn't. It's John Ortberg's new book! The subtitle is "Becoming God's best version of You!" Ohhhhh how I love this book and believe it's the best way to start my New Year's Day post!

While some believe in "New Year's Resolutions" and some do not, I propose a new sort of resolution to us all - to be the best ME you want to be!!!! There is something about a year changing (i.e. from 2010 to 2011) that is BIG! Whether you make New Year's resolutions or not, I believe deep down we all want change in our lives. Some want to lose weight, some want to gain financial freedom, others don't know what specific change they want - they just know SOMETHING has to change!!!

God created us for change. He created us with the intention of growing us into the person He created us to be. He knows our lives are marred by sin. He knows we are often tempted to do things we don't want to do. He knows we are selfish creatures who have the tendency to think about ourselves ahead of anyone else.

The good news is that He knows all of these secret truths about us, and HE LOVES US ANYWAY! He tells us that He has a plan for us... a plan not to harm us but to prosper us! He wants better for us than we do. He knows what's better for us than we do.

So as you ponder 2010 and look forward to 2011, I encourage you to team up with God to become the best ME you want to be. The power for real and lasting change only comes through Jesus Christ. He wants to help us every step of the way. He wants us to be free from the chains that bind us. He wants us to be FREE!!!!!

As I look back on 2010, I have wonderful memories!!! I have been blessed beyond measure by friends, family, co-workers, pastors, neighbors and even strangers. I have made mistakes. I am learning from my mistakes and growing closer to Christ with each and every one of them.

One of the highlights of my year was that it was the first year in 20 years that I wasn't in bondage to food. I wasn't trying to lose weight. I was ENJOYING the fruit of my labor. I barely have a memory prior to 2010 where I wasn't consumed with losing weight. Sweet freedom, my friends.

As I begin a new year, I do so with HOPE. I do so with PURPOSE. I do so with EAGERNESS. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me. I am excited to see how He continues to make me the ME I want to be. I look forward to overcoming fears. I look forward to trying softer instead of trying harder! I look forward to loving better!

It is my greatest hope and prayer that each and every one of you MAKE it a great year in 2011. Don't fear change, embrace it! If God's in it - it'll be the best change you have ever experienced!

Here's to being the best ME we can be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God bless!
Tara

Are you stuck in a pit?

Some time has passed since I last wrote! Things have calmed down as I'm not training to run the Blueberry Stomp any longer. In fact, someone recently referred to me as a "runner"! I immediately set the record straight; for I am NOT a runner. I am a person who had a dream to run a race she had always dreamed of running! That doesn't make me a runner but it does make me someone who realizes I can accomplish ANYTHING I set my mind to.

I was recently reminded of that important fact in other areas of my life. The fact that if I want change, I can choose change. I was reminded once again that I am not victim to consequences of bad choices, but rather I have the ability, the right, and the power to make the changes in my life I want to make.

I recently read an AMAZING book written by Beth Moore, "Get Out of That Pit." This book spoke to my heart like no other book in my life!! Beth talks about how we can find ourselves in a pit. We are either thrown into a pit by no wrong doing of our own. Life circumstances have pushed us into the pit. Loved one's choices have sent us into the pit but we choose to remain in the pit out of self pity. We can also end up in a pit by just not paying attention. We sort of tried to straddle a fence and wound up knee deep in mud and mire. Lastly, we can end up in a pit by our very choice. We want what we want when we want it, and as a result we're paying the consequences in a big ole hole that seems impossible to get out of!

GOOD NEWS friends.... we are NOT stuck in a pit! It doesn't matter how you ended up in your pit, you CAN get out!! God loves each and every one of us. He knows the things we struggle with. He knows how we ended up in our pit. Even if we caused our own fall, He wants us OUT OF THAT PIT - NOW!!!!!! You're not alone. Help is on the way!!! Help is just a choice away!!!

I am out of pit that trapped me for so many years! I can't express to you the feeling of freedom from this pit! Yes, we may find ourselves in a pit for other reasons, but we must remember what we've learned along the way so we don't stay stuck in new pits for long! We were never promised an easy life.... but friends, it could be SO MUCH EASIER if we stick close to Christ and lean on Him for the strength to help us GET OUT of the pit once and for all!

From one pit dweller to another.... let's get out of dodge and enjoy the life God gave us!!!!

Race Day!

This weekend was a special weekend of sorts for me. It was Blueberry Festival weekend, which ALWAYS equates SPECIAL. In years past, the BBF meant one thing to me, and one thing alone - DEEEEEELICIOUS FOOD!!!! I would go to the festival all four days and literally stuff myself silly. I had no other interest than eating. I didn't really care to see people because I was too embarassed of them to see me! I recall on race day sitting alongside Michigan Road, watching the runners for the Blueberry Stomp. I remember shakin' my head in amazement - wondering what it would be like to be like them. I wondered what it would be like to actually care enough about my body that I would say NO to myself instead of a continual YES regarding the food I ate. I wondered what it would be like to be strong and muscular - to be proud of myself and confident in my abilities. I've wondered for the past 10+ years; unfortunately the wonder never propelled me into action. Year after year I would get up from my seat and head straight to the blueberry donuts and then smoothie booth, and then and then and then.........

THIS YEAR, was different! THIS YEAR I didn't wonder anymore. THIS YEAR, I made it happen. Yes... I still enjoy my favorite foods at the festival.... but not in near the quantity and I made sure to burn off every last calorie of it! THIS YEAR, I looked forward to seeing others and was not embarassed if anyone should happen to see me. THIS YEAR, I ran that 5K for the first time in my life and I loved every second of it!

I loved my strength,
my confidence,
my ability,
and mostly my freedom.

I loved the friends and family cheering me on because they know the difficult journey I have been on. I loved that my husband ran the 5K to support me... but ended up finding a newfound passion and confidence in his own abilities. I am still amazed that he earned 2nd place in his age group! SO PROUD!!

Today was a memorable day, one that I will forever cherish.

I encourage anyone reading this..... TODAY could be your day! It is never ever too late to gain back your life again. It doesn't matter if your 30 lbs overweight or 100 lbs overweight - I want to shout it from the rooftops that it's never too late!!!

You don't have to wonder anymore!!!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

I can't believe it's been over two months since I've last posted. My excuse: I am livin' life to the fullest! This has been my first summer I've NOT been in "losing weight" mode. I've kept my 90 lbs off and am maintaining just fine! A very unfortunate thing happened this summer... I discovered an ice cream shoppe called Maggie Moos. Yep, it is my new weakness (next to Mountain Dew of course). I think about meeting up with Maggie often and I use every excuse I can think of to visit her. Want to hear the good news? I can visit her GUILT FREE! Yes! I (as do my hubby and daughter) order the kid size cup everytime we go. Now, if you've ever been to Maggie Moos you'll know the kids size is about four bites. Those four bites give me the delicacy I need to satisfy my desire for Maggie Moos (for that day at least).

All this to say, being FREE to eat ice cream (or anything else I want) is a great place to be. Some people think that they have to give up all their favorite foods once they commit to a life of lighter living. This is just not true. Moderation is the key.

Living with 90 lbs less on my body, feeling great, looking great, being active and most importantly feeling ALIVE again - are all the motivators I need to stay on the path of lighter living!!! I find myself walking down the street thanking God for my chance and choice to live lighter! I don't take it for granted, not for one second.

For 8 months now, I "log" my weight every Saturday morning on a piece of paper inside my medicine cabinet (NOTE: the log is placed directly above one of my "fat" pictures). Every Saturday, Josh asks me how my "weigh in" went that morning. It's just the right amount of accountability I need. Josh and I know that if I gained weight two weeks in a row, I need an intervention!!! I know me! He knows me! Two weeks of weight gain means I've gone off the path and I NEED to get back on!

I am thankful for this accountability. I am thankful for a husband who knows me - and what I need to succeed! He has been cheering me on every step of the way and his compliments to this day are never ending.

I'll say it again - and again - and again. The sacrifice and "pain" of not eating whatever you want whenever you want IS WORTH IT. I say this from experience!! Food isn't worth it robbing you of the life God intended for you to have!!!

I am living my life to the fullest - enjoy all the little things once again!

Just Do It!!!!!

You really can do it!

It's seems so simple really...... Nike's trademark phrase... "JUST DO IT!" Change occurs as a result of DOING it... making the change.... making a different choice! To this day, there are times when I think about bingeing like I used to. There are times when I'm overwhelmed with life and desire to turn to food for comfort like I did for 20+ years. The difference between now and then is that I STOP, and think about the choice before I make it. I weigh the pros and cons of my desire to binge. I instantly think about how terrible I am going to feel and how my clothes will INSTANTLY feel tight. I HATE wearing clothes that are too tight!! I think about my daughter who reveals her hidden thoughts here and there in random conversation. "Mom, I used to be embarassed when you'd pick me up from school because you were fat." I think about my husband who compliments me on a daily basis - usually multiple times in one day. I think of all of those things now... I think of the consequences of my choices instead of numbing myself with food. I STOP, I think, I choose!

If you're at a point in your life where you're feeling helpless, remember that you are NOT helpless. You are a choice away from change. You're a choice away from living the life you've always wanted. The choice is hard, YES, YES it is..... but I promise you with everything in me that the choice is 100% worth it!!!!

YOU ARE WORTH IT - so just do it already!!! You'll be so glad you did!!

Maintenance - I thought we'd never meet!

In all my years of battling my weight, I never thought I'd have a need to learn how to maintain my weight. I've always been either losing... or gaining.... or losing.... or gaining. In fact, people would say to me, "Losing it is easy, keeping it off is a whole other story." Their words went in one ear and out the other, because I believed in my heart I'd never lose all the weight I needed to lose; therefore I'd never need to maintain. So much for positive thinking!

Well guess what.... maintenance and I have met.... and we're getting along quite nicely! Yes, I went through a couple of weeks of pushing the limit with my eating. Just like our children, I wanted to test the waters to see just how much I could eat without getting in trouble. I gained four pounds during that "trial period" and just as a child, I learned the lesson from my consequences!

Those four pounds gained are long gone and I feel as though I've found my groove! I would disagree that maintaining is harder than losing. Every single day of my life I am sooooo thankful for the 86 lbs I've lost! I do not lose sight of the hard work it took to lose that weight. I let that fuel me to make good choices every day! The cool thing is that I can still have my Dew. I can still have my Panera Bagels. I just continue to do so in moderation. I still eat only when I'm hungry and I still play the game of "how much can I leave on my plate!"

A lifestyle change is the only way to experience long term freedom from the bondage of food!!! I've had people ask me, "How did you do it?" as if it I could sum it up with one word. I did it by following through with alllll the tips I've shared in my blog. All of them together lead to my breakthrough!!! And it's the continuing practice of those tips that keeps the weight off!!!!

Every bit of sacrifice is worth it my friends - every bit!!! I have never felt so great in my entire life! Thanks to my weekly personal training sessions I've done for the past four months, I have muscles in places I didn't know muscles existed!! I have seen myself move into smaller size clothing, even though the number on the scale is not decreasing. This lifestyle change is one of the best decisions I've ever committed to in my life!