Here sharing my doodles. I love drawing and why not create something's to remind and inspire others to the greatness of God. When live throws me a chew bone, I remember that God is always good and the rough times are just as purposeful as the good times. I remember to lean on Him and to have faith in the bigger picture..
I'm back and no I didn't forget to post, I've been making a few adjustments to my workout routine. First of all, I still like doing Leslie Sansones walking at home DVDs and I'm getting a great workout especially all of her five mile tapes.
However I've recently discovered that its not a pattern for me to start switching up my routine, I now know that it's the way my body responds best. I used to think I didn't have much attention span to be loyal to one particular workout, but that wasn't so. I stay most focused and work out more effectively when I mix it up. It keeps my body from getting used to a particular workout but more importantly it keeps my mind refreshed so that I push myself to actually Do the workout. So instead of feeling bad about not following through on what I thought I would be doing, I'm happy about this breakthrough moment of honesty. After all the whole point of this is to get and keep myself healthy.
Lesson learned not to get stuck on doing something a certain way because it was planned that way. Life is changed and rearranged frequently as one progresses through it. I'm joyful to not box myself in and to have the freedom to create and recreate my path as I go. This week I've started part of the Hip Hop Abs cardio workout by Shaun T from Beach Body. I'm not the best dancer around but even I could do the moves and it's fun and a heck of a workout! I will be interchanging this with running on my rebounder for the week. Sounds like a good plan! Until next later, work it out in good health!
Last year I purchased an inexpensive trampoline from Walmart for around thirty dollars. It was one of the best purchases I've made. I have a knee condition which makes running on pavement impossible so with the aid of this little trampoline/rebounder I can get my run on anywhere or time!
I ordered a few Virtual Active Home DVDs from Amazon that feature a forward motion running experience. There are many scenic locations to choose from, like Los Angeles, Venice and other places. There's a helpful trainer built into the workout but he's not overly intrusive. I'm a huge fan of these DVDs and sometimes I will mute it and just go to my own music. A fun and interactive way for work out, especially for those in cold weather states!
A few weeks ago I attended church and the sermon was on the fruits of spirit. At that time I listened but it didn't really hit home until later. All during that week I kept coming across readings and videos on these fruits. It was obvious God was trying to guide me to study this topic in depth.
As I began to really study and let the fruits marinate in my spirit, It became clear how important this subject was. In the past I only attempted to memorize them but the fruits must be absorbed and wrung out through the pores of your life. The more I began to understand these fruits the more I was able to live by the and incorporate them into my life and the lives of others. These fruits are one of the best meals my spirit has had and I will be forever grateful for that sermon led by Gods hand.
The first fruit I want to pluck is the fruit of Gentleness.
This is one I go back to often as I need repeat reminders of it. Gentleness is learning to lean on God for everything. Relying on my own thinking keeps me from fully submitting to Gods ways, as His ways are above mine. Gentleness means to recognize that they way I view things is shaped by my exposure to sin which causes misinterpretation of the experiences I have. Gentleness is acceptingGods world view that is the real truth about spiritual and material worlds. It's about allowing God to lead me. I'm not always lead to a place of my choosing but if it's what He wants then that's what matters. Finally getting this and putting it to heart and mind is changing my world.
Matthew 4:4
Man does not live by food alone. People need every word that God has spoken.
It is week two of using only Leslie Sansone walk at home DVDs as my main workout. I've been using them five times a week, and yoga on the sixth day. I'm happy to say I feel great and much to my surprise some of my clothes are slightly loose.
I've been eating mostly clean, meaning not bombarding my diet with processed foods. I do allow a treat now and then, even though I said in the first blog I was taking away All sweets. I find with staying in my caloric range and working out, those small portion controlled treats are not derailing me. An example are the mini or snack sized snickers bars ( my fave! ), or a raw Carmel dip made of dates and nut butter for apples. These aren't daily eats, they're used as treats.
I'm using the app called Lose It! It's a great app for keeping track of what you eat. You can set goals for weight loss or just maintain and you can add your own foods if they're not in the large listing of given foods. I find this app to be a motivator for me as it lays out my caloric intake I have for the day and subtracts from that as I record my meals. It's easy and provides me with the boundaries I need to keep in control.
I'm really enjoying my walking DVDs and I'm not in pain from complicated moves or body strain. I'm aiming for great health and I'm well on my way.
Today October 8 2012 I begin a new journey to regain my optimum health through simply walking with the use of Leslie Sansone's walk at home workouts. There are numerous walks available in her walk plans, ranging from one up to five mile power walks.
I have many home workout DVDs but over the years I always come home to Leslie's walk at home walks. They are easy to follow for uncoordinated people like myself and are great on the knees and joints. Can one get an effective workout from these walks? Absolutely! I'm diabetic and I keep my blood sugars in control and gain energy with these workouts.
I went through a period when I pressured myself to join the ranks of the super high intensity, survive if you can workouts like P90X but for me, even though I could get through some of the workouts I didn't want to. If I don't at least somewhat like what I'm doing for exercise I won't keep at it. I've proven this to myself time and again. I just stop altogether or end up aggravating a shoulder and knee injury. I'm not knocking these type of workouts, they will give you results if you stick with them, if you want this type of intensity. However, for me for this time in my life the walk outs fit my lifestyle perfectly.
I've lost weight using them years ago and I know I will reach my ideal weight using them again. I choose to share my experience of this through this blog. After stopping and restarting various workouts and falling in and out of the right mind frame for fitness(terrible isn't it?), I have finally arrived at a point in my life where I am talking responsibility for my well being, because if I don't no one else will and I'll be left sick and unhealthy with no one else to blame but myself.
So, it is here where my journey begins. This is the start of a new day for me (in the words of Jennifer Hudson!). I will post bi weekly my progress and thoughts on my journey. My eating habits are also getting an overhaul. I'm putting my sweet tooth in check by adding higher protein foods and increasing my raw foods intake. I've been involved with raw food eating for some time now. However even with that I would find ways to sneak in tasty sweet treats made of seeds ,nuts, dates and other raw but high calorie goodies! No more raw cheesecake or brownies for me for a while. I need to regain control and any treat even raw only pulls me further from my goals. More on my foods in my next blog.
For now I'm off one step at a time walking on the road to good health!
As of late I've been getting the repeated message that I have to stop trying to run ahead of myself. I keep tripping over the same rocks, accumulating the same ' injuries' and wondering why.
Growing where I am planted is a seed that is finally beginning to take root. God speaks to us often through unlearned lessons that must be repeated until we hear...
Learning to stop, wait and listen for Gods guidance is allowing me to see why I continued to repeat my own mistakes. I realize that by filling my life with my 'stuff' that being to do's and have to's and self imposed deadlines I was unknowingly seeking worth and value as a person. As long as I filled my time with stuff that we're all supposed to do then I'm important and adding value to myself.
My fumbles were a part of my process of learning to seek my worth and value through the Lord. I thought I was, but my actions showed me otherwise. All of my busyness left me little space to follow the Lord when he called for me in whatever area needed.
It also believe that some of my actions were an attempt to hide the fact that I felt not qualified enough to do the Lord's bidding, that I would screw it up or misunderstand somehow.
I also realized that there was some selfishness involved, being that it required that I move into an uncomfortable place in my life, or give up some of my time and plans. Service is sacrificial and not going to be convenient for my personal satisfaction.
Slowing down has been humbling, moving, and scary like walking a tight rope without a net. I realize I've always had a net, the Lord... So now, I operate at a new pace, reset priorities, listen and grow. I will push through my feelings of inadequacy and get off the hamster wheel. My worth has always been in and through Him, not worldly achievements and successes. I realize that any service I do in the Lords name is valued by him. That's real success.
