As it is with anything in life worth learning, becoming healthier physically is a process. I have found that keeping track of my food and exercise, as well as the exercise itself, takes up some time and I often just don’t feel like writing anything more. So, that’s my reason for not being consistent with this blog. I’m going to work on that.

The fact of the matter is also that I’m still getting into the routine of this new life, after having moved from a place I had lived for 18 years. There are a lot of mindsets from which I had gotten used to operating that I’m now trying to change. This too is a process.

However, I am making some progress with this health journey. I’m recording my food and exercise in My Fitness Pal, which is a great app. I’ve found it difficult to make it to Anytime Fitness to work with weights, but I’m adapting by playing tug of war with our 50lb puppy. Even walking her has become more of a workout , since she tends to pull me along much of the time.

Food wise, I’ve eliminated drinking Coca Cola. Low carbs is still my goal, but for now , I’m just eating less of them, trying to gradually reach my goal without setting myself up for failure (especially during the holidays ). I am considering doing the Whole 30 challenge, sometime after the new year.

An important aspect of seeking greater health is visiting my doctor. Starting out with a new doctor, since I’m in a new location, is always a scary thing for me. However, I think I’ve found someone I can trust, who is hearing me, and is going to work with me in this journey to become healthier. She ran all the usual blood work and such, so we are on our way on this journey.

Now, here we are at the beginning of holiday season. My hope for Thanksgiving week is to maintain and not regress. Mostly, I want to focus on being thankful without having any regrets.

May God bless your time with family and friends as well as bring you a deepened sense of gratefulness in all things. I’ll catch you again after Thanksgiving week.

I’ve not found many things in life worth arguing to prove my point or establish my way is best. Most of my life I’ve kept my mouth shut when others have disagreed, unless a subject has been vital to life and to following Christ. 

Many times, I have allowed my needs to be walked all over for the sake of letting someone else have their way, putting them first because what they wanted seemed more important to them than what I wanted. I have had to learn in the last several years that sometimes I have to draw a boundary to protect myself because there are times that what I want is actually what is best for me, so letting the “other” have their way will end up hurting me in some way. 

This might mean protecting my time that I need for rest or reflection or to accomplish tasks that I absolutely have to do. Sometimes it means not eating certain foods because those foods will make me ill. Still other instances have brought me to have to step back from a friendship because being in relationship with that person has proved to be detrimental to my emotional health and overall more hurtful than is healthy for me to continue. 

Still, with all that being said, there are relationships that are so important to me, people I love so much, that I allow my priorities and feelings to be hi-jacked and decimated by theirs.  I put them first, out of love. I let them have their points of view, their choices, their way of doing life, and I set aside my own, even when my own might be something I truly need to be healthy (such as time to sleep or think…).

All this to say, my schedule for healthier choices has been thrown off a bit by my failure to insist on my own needs. I’m not sure if this is right or wrong in the grand scheme of life, but I’m surrendered to being transformed by God no matter what, in all things. 

As for my health journey, exercise has been off this week. My goal for the week ahead is to get back on track with it as well as to cut pop back out of my life. I’ll report back here next Thursday. 

Blessings!