Had a great day!

Had a great day yesterday. I made it fun!! Well it was all about me, soooooo, it was really fun!! Ended up getting a Pedicure, spent some time in the tanning bed (I know bad, but with no sun around here, I needed a pick me up), went to the craft store and ended up having my hair done. Then I went to subway and had a sandwich and actually ate in the store. In my old days, I would never do that.....never alone. Yesterday, I felt good just sitting there enjoying my meal. Felt normal! Love that I can fit in the booth with ROOM to spare! I love that!

Because I spent some time on myself, well OK the whole day, I realized that I need to do that more often. After the day was over, I felt accomplished and fulfilled! You see, I don't take that great care of myself. The last time I had a Pedicure was in September, the last time I tanned was last May, the last time I just went to the craft store for fun and not on a frenzied shopping excursion was.....well ~ Never. I never go there for fun! The last time I got my hair done was in October and the last time I ate in a restaurant by myself ~ Never!

So even though it WAS all about me yesterday, I really needed it. I needed to get these things done. Today, I feel like a million bucks!!! And even though that scale showed .8 ounces down (which is really nothin' real) I feel like I've lost 10 pounds. A whole boat load of stress and pressure has been lifted and I feel great!

Another fun thing. Usually when I'm at a store, I'm always looking for something to Bless someone else. Usually it ends up being something to eat. Like candy for my hubby or grand children or something for my neighbors or co-workers. But yesterday, after fueling myself with healthy choices I just could not bring myself to select anything that would be unhealthy for someone else. So I wanted to get my Grand Babies something and instead of the yummy Easter candy, I chose a fun Easter coloring project. A much better choice!! They will love it!

Today, I'm off from work...Yeah for me! And I'm going to do a little bit of work around here, then it's creative time and I will end with time at the gym!!

Looking for fun today!

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So while I was driving around yesterday, I don't know why it bothered me so or even why I'm telling you this, but here it goes....Anyway, while I'm driving around...it was a beautiful day. I could hear the birds chirping and a lovely tune was on the radio. Here's where I don't know what happened. Anyway, I just happened to notice this car ahead of me and I was feeling like I knew that it was making it's choices.....And in this area we have many options to choose from. We are truly Blessed as in a little amount of space, we can choose a lot of things.....There was a grocery store, a tire shop, nail place, mail place, healthy restaurants and not healthy restaurants, there's a gym, gas station etc. Really a lot of choices!! Well this car in front of me was going it's way and all of a sudden....it made a turn into the unhealthy food choice. And I'm in my car.....yelling at the top of my lungs "NOOOOOOOOOO ~ Don't do it!!!!"

If I could play it all out for you it was like the scene went from serene and wholesome to a scene of horror. DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN! Oh the horror of it all!

That's what fast food places feel like to me. I know you can(?) make a good choice at those restaurants, but for me, I need to stay away....far far far away!!!

Anyway, not sure why I needed to share that (even deleted it once), but there you have it!!

Keep focused!

Making it fun!

I am still up about 8 pounds from my Austin trip in January. When I left I weighed in at 204 pounds and came back, after 1 week at 213. I'm still coming in at 212 pounds.....even with all of my extra focus, diligence and exercise! What in the world?

I have to take you back to when I first started. All I did to start losing pounds was journal my food and drink water. Then after a short time, I added exercise.

Back then, I did not have the fancy smancy Bodybugg, calories books, fancy fitting shoes, no BPA Free water bottles, no dry fit workout clothes, no blogs, no trainers, no nutritionists, no fancy vitamins, protein bars, no statistics, or anybody watching me...I did not have any of this.....All I had when I started was my enthusiasm....that's it and I lost weight!

The minute I got a little success I started making this journey hard. Now not only do I journal my food, but I have to make sure I get my calories under the right value, I have to drink so much water, I have to get so much exercise. I even have a thing that tells me when I did not make my goals. I have more information and tools now than I've ever had and I'm not losing weight! I'm stuck. In fact, when I really focus and really put my energies into my plan. I gain weight. HUH!?!?!?!

Somethings not right!!!

Have you ever heard of this? You know...when you get an idea about something, at least for me, when this happens I chew on it for a while. Then within a short time, I will either hear something, or someone tells me something that mirrors the same thing I'm thinking. It's like a confirmation, that what you are thinking is right. It even better when you get more than one confirmation. If I get three, then I really start listening and rethink my thinking.

So here it is......

My first thought is...."Joy, you are putting waaaay to much into all of this. You live, "eat" and breathe your weight loss and fitness plan. You schedule your whole life around getting to the gym. You plan every meal, every calorie, measuring everything. You've put so much into trying to help others that you are not even helping yourself. You are worrying every day that you are not where you want to be. You've put a lot of stress on yourself, to perform at the gym and on the scale. You've totally taken the fun out of this journey."

I was thinking back to the good old days....when I was actually losing weight and I kept thinking to myself, at that time, that this journey is so much fun! I was having a blast and could not even think why everyone wasn't doing it. Well then I mucked it up by putting so much stress and pressure on myself and worrying about my progress, that I made it no fun anymore.

So that was the first thing that made me think I'm need to make a change.

Then I ran across this scripture that helped remind me that I needn't worry:

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Then finally last night, I was listening to this radio program and they had a guest on there that was saying when we put so much emphasis, stress and worry, on our plans instead enjoying the journey, it will stall out our progress. He had a lot more to say about this, but this is the one thing that caught my attention.

SO there it is again......3 times I was reminded to not worry about the plan in my life. And I am so ready to listen. So here it is.....I'm still working my plan. But what I'm not going to do is beat myself up anymore if things don't happen as fast as I want them.....("It's not a race....it's not a race!!!!") I'm going to put the fun back into my life.....I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS PROCESS, ENJOY THE PLAN, ENJOY EATING AND EXERCISE. I'm going to have some fun with this!!

I'm taking the dread, the stress, the pressure out of my plan and replacing it with enthusiasm, miracles, excitement, and fun!

I will reach my goals, I will work hard and I will focus, but I'm going to do all this with some fun!!

Whew....feel like a load has been lifted from my shoulders.

How about you. Are you having fun with your journey?

Keep focused!

Day 53 - 7 Month Focus

Truly Blessed today. My precious Grand Babies stayed the night last night and right now they are waiting for hugs, kisses and fun!! So I gotta run!

Stats from yesterday....

Exercise: 40 minutes on Treadmill
Steps: 4043 (Geez I need to work on this!!!!)
Calories: 1830 (Need to work on this one too!)
Food Tracking: Done
Water: 100 + Oz
Blog: Done

Have a Blessed and focused day!!