My first little re-posting of some super motivational gems to help us keep our eyes on the prize, one day at a time!! (click on the link under the pics to visit some great fitness, inspirational and motivational blogs!)
Thanksgiving week here in the U.S. Thursday we will give thanks for our many blessings and watch football, spend time with family and friends, and nap after a ridiculously huge and delicious meal. The next day many will head out and shop ’til they drop, thus signifying the start of a month-long season of eating, drinking and generally living in gluttonous excess in celebration of the birth of Our Saviour. Weird, huh?
The average weight gain during “the holidays” is reported to be about 7 pounds per American, other studies show its more realistically about a pound…..for my, it’s about 4. Average spending per American is about $700 during the holidays. No wonder we are all stressed. I was thinking about all of this the other day and decided THIS year I am approaching the holidays differently. Much differently.
I enlisted my girlfriend who I work with and another girlfriend who I know does EVERYTHING for EVERYONE all year-long and can use some de-stressing as well.
It’s simple, really.
One day at a time.
This season is about Jesus. Let us focus on Him. Let us treat our bodies as the Temples they are. If we don’t take care of ourselves, how in the WORLD can we love and take care of those around us??? The airlines don’t tell us to put our own oxygen on first and then the kids for nothing…
19 Or do you not know that your body is a [a]temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from [b]God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
I plan on blogging throughout the month-ish and re-blogging encouraging and inspirational blogs as well to cheer us on. Be blessed. Don’t stress.
To encourage you….this morning I did 20 minutes of P90X Cardio X. 20 minutes. It’s what I had time for. Bring it!
It’s Friday, so that means it must be: 7 Quick Takes with Jennifer Fulwiler et al. Join on in, it’s a super crowd!!
1) I don’t want to get anyone all crazy or anything but Advent is just around the corner, December 2, 2012…the first day. You ready?? Huh?? Huh?? Huh?? Me?? Uhhhhhh. Sorta. Our family does a little thing each Advent, for every day, this will be our 3rd year. I have procured the items we will need over the past many months. It’s something a good friend of mine started us on our first year in where we randomly and anonymously “gift” someone throughout Advent. It’s not anything big, just something small to hopefully brighten their day and spread some CHRISTmas joy. Yes, the cards even say “Merry Christmas”…..scandalous in this P.C. day and age, right??
2) Now I’ve just spent 2 hours trying to decide which site to use for our Christmas card with the right pictures and coupon code and the site freaked out and I had to start over. Grrrr.. Bedtime!!
3) We’ve had soccer and cheer all week, staggered so it’s been very DRAWN OUT! At least I’m getting my walks in!! However, joy of joys….it is the LAST week of both girl’s sports. Our last soccer game is tomorrow and it’s at HOME, and cheer finishes up with competition on Black Friday (can you believe the nerve?!?!?)
4) This week gave me a little reminder of how busy the holiday season is going to be and my girlfriend and I are going to start a little holiday health challenge/focus to get us through the New Year. It’s such an insane time of year with parties, plays, gift giving, meals, time off from school, juggling family visits etc, that, as a woman (and I’m sure a few men, too) we tend to get so caught up in taking care of others and focusing on activities that we OFTEN forget to take care of ourselves. Therefore, we are planning on being accountable for regular exercise (nothing crazy…just staying active) and watching what we put in our mouths. We need to remind ourselves our body is The Temple of Christ and I think we all forget that from time to time. Isn’t Advent a “good” time to focus on that? Anyone can join in…if there’s a big interest I’ll make up something “official-like”, for now it’s just email and texting and friends at work accountability, too!
5) Speaking of Advent…(apparently there’s a little bit of a theme this week since I continue to return to Advent), My blog is almost at 100 followers! So, I’ve decided that I’m going to do a giveaway of Dan Lord’s new book, “Choosing Joy: The secret to living a fully Christian life”. If you didn’t know, Dan is married to Hallie Lord, author of “Style, sex and substance” and blogger on marriage and style over at Moxie Wife. I’ll post a blog on the official giveaway and all that jazz once I hit 100 followers!
6) On style….for the past two Sundays I’ve participated in “What I wore Sunday” over at Fine Linen and Purple. It’s been super fun (awesome for visitors to my blog!!!!) and inspirational on paying a little more attention to dressing for Mass and other times when I’m out of my scrubs and workout clothes (95% of my time!). As timing would have it, Dwija at House Unseen posted about taking care of appearance in general and the subtle messages it sends to our families and loved ones when we do or don’t pay attention to how we look. It definitely made me think about taking a few extra minutes on regular days, too.
7) Last one, also in reference to style….last night I bought some boots. Target. My boot envy got the best of me, especially since I currently don’t have any boots and will need them on our surprise trip in January to Pennsylvania! So exciting. The only thing about boots is that my calves are muscular and sometimes it’s really difficult to find a pair of boots to zip up past my calves. Frustrating I tell you!!
Alrighty then….I’m out. Time to wake the kiddies and get this day rockin’ on into the weekend! Blessings and don’t forget to check out Conversion Diary for other great peeps!!
And this Friday finds our lovely children home with Hubby (as he actually tries to work with them around…good luck with that, babe!) as their teachers put together report cards wrapping up the first 9 week period of the school year. And you’ll find me…..at work. Whatever. At least I’m not waking/dragging kids out of bed, to the breakfast table and then herding them through general hygiene and dress to the car. A little break, if you will. I’ll take it. You’ll also find me “groupie-style” with Jennifer Fulwiler and peeps throwing down some Quick takes…7 to be exact.
1) I’ve lost my way this week. Eating healthy that is. It started with my sister and nephews in town for the weekend (I always like to blame my sister….it feels comfortable…), then rolled into a potluck lunch at work and now here it is Friday and I’m wondering where in the HECK did my mojo go??? Fortunately, I’m still moving. Each day I seem to pull it together a little more, however, it’s KOOKOO (for cocoa puffs) KRAZAY what sugar does to you….it’s like a drug. Serious. C’mon, just a taste. Everyone’s doing it. Before you know it…it’s Friday and your body is all kinds of confused and begging you to just. walk. away.
2) We let our oldest stay home from school one day. End of the semester. The older grades were doing PSAT testing and the 9th graders were stuck in home room all day. Not to fear though….I left him a list. *finish driving permit practice test *laundry. all of it. *dishwasher *vacuum house*mow lawn. front and back. and neighbors. front and back. It was sooooo nice to come home to a clean and tidy house. We should keep him home more often…
3) I had to make a difficult decision in the best interest of someone else this week. Sadly this resulted in cutting out a treasured annual trip. However, in doing so, and receiving affirmation from a friend in my decision, it was an incredibly FAST and certain answer to prayer. I’m not sure what God has in store for ME that weekend, but I know He’ll be busy and I’m happy to not be an obstacle, but rather an intercessor, and that’s OK. The most important work ALWAYS happens behind the scenes.
4) Our girl has her cheer competition this weekend and each practice I’m more amazed at how these girls have put so much effort in over these past few weeks and to see this routine come together. Tonight, I actually got a lump in my throat as they practiced in front of the older and younger cheer groups. Pathetic, I know. What can I say? I’m a sap. Her first year cheering and of this I am sure: Sunday will be quite the experience that is a certainty. Which also means the season is almost over. Can I get an AMEN?!??! **note to self, grab earplugs from MRI tomorrow….
5) We are one week into the Read the Catechism in a Year for the year of Faith. I must say, I am truly enjoying it. So is Hubby! It’s in small bite size pieces (so far) and it’s a great Faith discussion for us to focus on TOGETHER during this year.
6) It’s Biketoberfest here. Thinking about taking my camera this weekend and shooting some frames. An interesting mix. Soccer. Football. Romney/Ryan. Cheer comp. Bikes. We live in an interesting and eclectic area. Fo’ sho!
7) Now that I’ve stayed up too late…it’s time to go to bed….and get a walk in before work. Because I can. Happy Friday, all and have a super weekend!!
**in reference to a portion of #6, I will NOT be attending…mainly due to time constraints and kid activities, also I really don’t enjoy getting stuck in traffic, etc. I’m good, I’ve made up my mind….I completely agree with Calah Alexander on her article about Politics…I’m pretty sure she wrote it for ME…though with many more actual facts…I’m not really a detail person, so thanks, Calah!!
Well, 5 weeks and I made it through the Peak 313 Challenge. It was a good jump-start to getting a little more disciplined and NOT getting sidelined by life with healthier eating and exercise habits. For me, it’s more on the eating side, the exercise thing–I got it. I just enjoy food. I enjoy making it, serving it and fellowshipping with and around it. I just need to make friends with it. As my friend commented to me during this challenge, “I am eating for fuel…not just eating”. True.
So, to report…the scale didn’t really budge much, which is disappointing and truth be told, can quite easily depress me into a return to emotional eating. However…..my clothes are fitting looser and I have more energy, so I am motivated and encouraged to continue on with my journey…and if I’m making good choices and treating this body as the temple that it is and nothing changes on the scale then I’ll work on making peace with that, too.
And that’s OK.
Blessings!!
1Corinthians 6:19
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making the trek 