Final Stretch...

Yep! I'm on the "Final Stretch," of my YEAR! In SEVEN days I will celebrate 1 year since I woke up and made the decision to change my life. Sitting on the couch of a friend, holding back tears as I watched my first full episode of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," and connected immediately with the inspiring weight loss story of Season 7's Kristin Steede.

From that point on, by the STRENGTH I've found in GOD and support I've gained through friends and family I've been able to continue pushing forward on this LONG, HARD journey that many find themseleves on with discouraging statistics that haunt them. You always hear about people LOSING just to turn around and GAIN all over again - seems like the cycle continues on for a lifetime in many instances.

I'm not going to boastfully fall captive to "pride" and say that I'm above that statistic, if it was that easy to beat more people would lose the weight and KEEP it off. Gaining 12 lbs over the holidays was humbling to say the least and helped me to recognize just how "easy" it is to relapse. However, I will BOLDLY say that I'm using those negative statistics as my motivator as I set out to PROVE those statistics wrong.

I hope to make my family, my friends, YOU...MYSELF proud as I do it!

With all those mentioned above though, I cannot forget that the #1 reason I set out to do this is to turn this TEMPLE, created by God, into one that is more pleasing to HIM. God loves us whether a size 30 (start size) or a size 2, but I want to honor HIM with my life as I take care of the body He's given me. I can't take it with me, but while I'm here I need one that is able to live, breathe and MOVE for Him!

STAY TUNED FOR 1 YEAR OF SUCCESS COMING SOON!!!

Verse of the Day:

Proverbs 16:17-18 (Amplified Bible)

"The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

A body that is WHOLE...

It's time for another good challenge!

As of January 6th, I began hosting my SECOND 9 week "Biggest Loser" competition at work with 18 motivated contestants for 2010.

With the #1 Resolution being to LOSE WEIGHT/GET MORE ACTIVE and a close competitor being FINANCES…I thought:

"What better way to kick off 2010 than the HCB “Biggest Loser” Competition with a chance to win some cash!"

Not to mention…our competition ends JUST in time for those healthier bodies to be ready for SPRING!!!

If any of you know me, I LOVE this stuff! I'm competitive - YES - but more than that I love the opportunity to encourage others on this journey the way I've been blessed with encouragment from all of Y-O-U!!! It's rewarding when you watch people change their lives and pursue better health. In one week the small changes are already occuring, some feedback received:

• One co-worker went from snacking on Girl Scout cookies to Kashi Go Lean Triple Berry Crunch at work.


• One cut out her DAILY morning stop to Burker King and is now drinking Protein Shakes or eating Special K cereal bars for her breakfast.


• SEVERAL cut out pop and sugary beverages and saw the payoff on the scale for our first weigh-in.

38.5 lbs was lost between all the contestants this week and I managed to lose 6 pounds for week one! We are off to a great start and I'm excited to see what happens over the next 8 weeks.

This year I really want to focus on being WHOLE! I hope to blog more about what God is doing in my life not just physically, but spiritually, emotionally, mentally and even socially. I can excel for awhile in BODY or in MIND or in SPIRIT but in order to truly be WHOLE...ALL of me should come in order with CHRIST being my center. This year I am out to gain ALL of my life back...my body, my mind AND a right spirit inside me that has been purified, tested and tried by the Holy Spirit!

ARE YOU READY...here's to 2010!!!

Verse of the Day:

John 10:10 (NKJV)

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

MISSION HOLIDAY(s): Failed

~2010~

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!

NEW YEAR...NEW ADVENTURES...NEW RESOLUTION...not!

It is a new year and I'm looking forward to the new adventures, however, I'm not one to make resolutions. Just as many resolutions that are "made" are "broken"...why make them at all. Setting out to be a better ME shouldn't be something that just comes around with the start of a new year, that decision can and SHOULD be made every day.

There has been SOOOO much going on since I last wrote and let's just say MISSION HOLIDAY(s): FAILED

I started my weight loss journey the first week of February 2009 and I'm nearly approaching my one year anniversary of weight loss. This was my FIRST time going through holiday's while attempting to lose weight. I never set-out to really lose before because I didn't have the drive or faith in myself that it was possible. I PRE-planned for these holidays but with all the snow and getting stuck in the house...A LOT...I quickly saw how food accompanied my boredom. I've always said, "I'd rather be busy than bored..." Well, I was busy eating to overshadow the boredom.

Add to the obvious boredom of snow days, my best friend is going through an INCREDIBLY rough time right now and I'm so thankful that I've had the opportunity to be there for her...for obvious reasons that causes stress though because you never want to see someone you love in so much pain and hurting!

Throughout all of this, I've gained nearly 15 lbs and am still past my 100 lbs down mark, but not if I keep at this pace.

GOOD NEWS: I'm hosting ROUND II of The Biggest Loser challenge at my job lasting 9 weeks with 18 participants. 9 brand new contestants and 9 returning!

In addition, I was featured in the Dec/Jan issue of KC Fit Magazine. It was an article titled "half-way there" including answers to a set of interview questions. It was a neat experience and now I HAVE to meet up to the expectations and prove what I set out to do in the beginning...beat the statistics and SUCCEED at losing ALL of the weight and keeping it off!

So, here's to a new year folks! MAKE.IT.HAPPEN....let's change our lives one day at a time and not "JUST" because it's a New Year!

Verse(s) of the day:
Deuteronomy 23:23

"Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth."

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 (NIV)

"When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin..."