I haven't had a chance to chat with many of you about how you are progressing in this journey to good health but I know from experience that some days are better than others. Today I want to address the discouraging days and what our response is to them. Our actions are ruled much more by our mind set and thoughts than most of us realize. What we think and speak from our mouths in monumentally powerful! Whatever you concern yourself with in your thinking and speech is what you will get more of. So today, I encourage you to pay close attention to the random thoughts that are rattling around in your head. Ask some questions. Are these thoughts true? True according to whom? Do they line up with how God sees me? Do they line up with how God see the people I am mad at? Do they line up with Gods Word? Are they kind? Are they positive? Do they encourage me and make me smile?

How about our speech? Are my words encouraging? Are they honoring to the people I am speaking to? Are they positive and hopeful? How do you receive a compliment?

I hope these questions make us all think about how we treat ourselves as well as other. Our random and casual conversations are the ones that define our true charter.

In keeping with he theme of honor that God has been working in my life, I had to get really honest with myself and realize I did a pretty good job when I was in a group of people, especially at church! Then God said, "What comes out of your mouth when you are watching American Idol?" Ohhhh....I was less than honoring in my comments about the people on the show. I let all kinds of things fly from my mouth, never choosing to see a person that God died for. A person that he loves just the same way he loves me.

Honor, at is very core, covers over and protects the weakness in others. Think about it, do you need someone pointing out your weakness or are you all to familiar with the areas of struggle in your life? Yea, that is what I thought. I know my failures and weaknesses and want I long for are people that can look at me and say "I don't pay attention to those things, I pay attention to your strengths and call out the gold buried inside you". That is what our heavenly father does! Are we listening to His voice or the voices of so many others?

How do you see yourself? What is the first thing you think of when you see yourself in the mirror? Lets pray for Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and minds so our thoughts and words line up with how Gods sees His amazing daughters! He is so NOT disappointed in you! Dis...appointed means that someone changed their mind. NOT SO! God has never changed His mind about you! You are an appointed daughter, dearly cherished and loved just as you! Let's let that soak in today!

Hi girls, so sorry for the long absence. Life has a way of distracting us doesn't it?

We are 1/3 of the way through this challenge! Wow, and so many changes taking place because we decided to play a game!

This is a good time to reexamine what is and is NOT working in your efforts to change your lifestyle. Short term, extreme measures are not sustainable over time and a "diet" mentality always leads to weight gain in the long run.

Here are some reminders...

Write down EVERYTHING you eat. You wont have to do this forever but it is an amazing tool. You will learn so much about your choices and you portions. Why and when you choose to eat. It is very enlightening!

Drink your water, lots of it!

Get in some form of exercise everyday, even if it is just a quick 10 min walk. (walk fast!)

Give yourself lots of grace! We all have bad days and sometimes bad weeks! Just get up and go at it again. Consistency is what wins out in the long run. Slow and steady! Ever thought of what it would be like if you stopped brushing your teeth for 3 months! Think about it!

Make sure you are eating enough! Too little calories over time will mess with your metabolism in very detrimental ways!

More later, have a great week and as always, if you have any questions or need prayer or encouragement let me know!

How does diet soda make you fat?

You have to watch this! This is vital information about the effects of what many americans consider harmless foods. Knowledge is power when it comes to your health!!!

Here we go girls! We have had our first official weigh in on Thursday and Friday and the results are AMAZING! First of all the top 3 losers are....

1st place Kerri DeRenzo 6.4%

2nd place Mary Costas 6.3%

3rd place Michelle Postel 6.0%

Congratulations on a job well done! We are well on our way to a healthy new year! There will be small gifts for the top 3 losers each week after our weigh ins.

Now the most exciting part, ready for this? In just 2 weeks our Biggest Loser contestants have dropped a total of 135.5 pounds!!! You lost a whole person!

Even more amazing than that is the fact that your choices are having an impact on those around you. We are hearing sorties of husbands and children benefiting from your commitment to health! You have the ability to impact an entire culture! I believe the day is coming when we will have a hard time finding an overweight person in our city! There is talk of other ministries at WOL jumping on board in a challenge of their own. See what you have started! You have become a catalyst for change!

Keep up the good habits!!!

Day 14

Tomorrow is Thursday the next day being Friday. Profound, I know. But it is a MOPS week, our 1st meeting since we began our Biggest Loser adventure! This, for some, may be fraught with excitement, renewed motivation, disappointment, discouragement or just wondering how you are gong to navigate a table full of food that is most likely not on the "A" list for your new, healthy way of eating!

Remember this is not about the scale, or a number, or a size! It is not about what you can or cannot eat. The only thing you are depriving yourself of by giving in to old habits is a lean healthy body and lifestyle and a legacy of health to pass on to your children and grandchildren and beyond. Todays struggles are NOT about you! It's not about food, its not about weight! It IS about the habits and attitudes we pass on to the next generation. Heavy, I know, but lets face it. It is easier to joke about it or avoid it. This season in our lives we have made the choice to face it head on and watch what God will do when we partner with Him in our struggles.

Instead of avoiding the food table tomorrow (and Friday), lets face this mountain together. Zechariah 4:6 tells us that "It is not by might or by power but by MY SPIRIT, says the Lord. He promises to make the mountains in our lives level ground!

Here are some tips....

Stay away from "trigger" foods at all cost. Know what your trigger foods are. Mine is bread, such as danish, bagels, that AMAZING french toast dish! If it is sugar, don't start! ( by the way, bread immediately turns to sugar in the blood stream) It awakens a pattern of insulin response in your body that will eventually cause diabetes. If you want more information on body chemistry and how food effects our body on the INSIDE, contact me!

Do not tell yourself "I cant eat! You CHOOSE not to eat non nutritious food that harms your body, and you CHOOSE to eat life giving food in reasonable amounts.

Drink at least 16ozs of water before you arrive and either have breakfast and choose not to eat, or practice making good choices with the food available. This is a skill you will use ALWAYS! Food is everywhere. We are not avoiding it we are facing it!

Choose food that is rich in nutrition

Eat reasonable amounts of protein and carbohydrates together such as, fruit and cottage cheese, veggies and lean meat, eggs and whole grain toast.

East small amounts often.

Dont skip meals and snacks. This reinforces a horrific patter in your body chemistry and adversely affects your metabolism. (the bodies ability to burn food as fuel)

Find a MOPS buddy for accountability that will call you to your greatness, not call out your weakness. Someone that will be your biggest cheerleader! I am available by the way!

Hang in there girls! This is a lifestyle change, so regardless if you have had a good, great or miserable 2 weeks, we are facing this together and we will see God move mountains in our lives!!!

Day 12

Well, 2 weeks in and if your anything like me you have one of two things going on. Either you are really making progress and feeling motivated or the initial motivation is waning and old thought patterns and habit are desperately trying to creep back in. I hope the first is the case but those that are struggling, I have some thoughts.

Much of our success or failure is not so much rooted in our outward actions but our inward thoughts. The things we think about, the thoughts we identify with and agree with. They are most likely very familiar and comfortable ways of thinking, reinforced by years of experience. Where do we get our identity? Here are a few ways. Our family of origin, our career, our children, our money, or lack of money, our appearance, our strengths our weaknesses. I am sure you get the idea. As I listed these things, one or two most likely stood out to you. The question to ask is not is this true about me but is this the way God sees me? If you are not convinced that God sees you as perfect because of who HE is, you will tend to believe the words of others, the lies of the enemy or your own thoughts. God always calls us to agree with Him. God says that every promise written in His word is for us and He says yes and amen to it our our lives! Jesus is truth and His word trumps every other so called "truth" that we are living under. Do you live in fear? Gods love casts out all fear! Do you live in regret? He says there is no condemnation for us! You think you are undisciplined? He says you have the very mind of Christ. Whatever you are aware of is what you will be under the influence of.

This spoke volumes to me because I have struggled my whole life with eating compulsively. I would tell people, "I am aware that I am a compulsive over eater and I know I will always struggle with this". Wow, talk about setting myself up for failure! This revelation has been huge in my life! When I choose to be aware of the words God speaks about me I begin to live under the influence of His truth in my life, not my own thoughts that do not line up with who He says I am!

IDENTITY, who are you? Here is a list.

YOU ARE

chosen

accepted

called

forgiven

free

delivered

complete in Christ

highly favored

blessed with EVERY spiritual gift

healed

disciplined

the apple of God's eye

the very image of God

God's daughter

beautiful

YOU ARE A NEW CREATION

We can choose what we are going to agree with. Which thoughts are you going to believe and which ones are you going to challenge? Which thoughts will you be under the influence of today? When a thought comes to you, ask yourself if it lines up with who God says you are. I am getting MUCH better at this. Not only are my thoughts lining up with God's, but now my words are lining up as well! This is a good thing!

Be encouraged today! If you have lost some momentum, just pick up where you left off, just like you do with the never ending pile of laundry. Just because is looms large some days and you are a few days behind doesn't mean you stop doing laundry. Now that a good word!

Day 7

Well, here we are. One week into the Biggest Loser. I have to say I have been overwhelmed with ideas of things to share! We will have some guest bloggers and come away from this next 3 months transformed from the inside out! Lets encourage one another and call out all beauty, strength and talent in each other! You are all such precious daughters and when your heavenly father looks at you he is so pleased. Good days, bad days, successes and failures. No matter what you are his favorite. He only made one of you so everyone could be his favorite! I know I am! He just loves me! Keep that at the forefront of your mind and heart. Be patient and kind with yourself as you form new habits. Remember this is NOT a diet. Everything you eat IS your diet.

A few tips to keep in mind over the next week. Write down EVERYTHING you eat and how much! This will help you become aware of how much you eat and when. Be honest! This process is all about honesty. Truth is what brings freedom. Keep track of your water intake. As you lose weight you need lots of water to flush your system. The worst of the hunger and dissatisfaction should be over. This next week your energy should be increasing provided you are eating enough and making healthy food choices.

Know your weak spots! Don't go to the store hungry, don't buy your favorite cookies for "the family". You know how that can end! Pray, a lot! God wants you healthy more than you want to be healthy! Rely on him to give you the grace in this season.

You go girls! Remember you are amazing, beautiful and strong women and where you are weak, God promises to be your strength! More later......