Weightloss: Before & After Pics

So, if you follow me on Instagram (I'm not on other forms of social media...except twitter...but I use that to promote my etsy shop or sermons on youtube I like to share!) then you may have already seen the photo above. If not...please know that this is super embarrassing to post...but necessary as well.

The photo on the left was taken in 2012 or so, I think. Maybe 2011...I can't remember exactly...but it was when I was at my highest weight. After having my babies, not exercising and eating too much (homemade bread, cinnamon rolls and good ol' fashioned country meals etc.) I had really gained weight! I just wouldn't look in a mirror and just accepted that it was who I was and how I was going to be. Honestly, when I looked in the mirror (at my face) I didn't think it was *that* bad...as the weight comes on gradually. I knew my clothes didn't look awesome on me but I didn't want to be vain anyway..so it seemed to work out perfectly. If I was heavy, I wouldn't take pride in myself...thus thinking I was staying humble and actually pleasing the Lord. Oh dear....why does my brain not work sometimes!?

The truth is that it does *not* honor the Lord to overeat (aka: be gluttonous). It is overindulgence and truly sinful! I was actually being prideful when I was heavier because I was prideful about my humbleness! Talk about ridiculousness! I felt that since I was not being overly concerned about my appearance that I was being a more godly woman! I didn't even think about the health aspect...I figured I was "healthy enough".

June 2012 I knew I was too large. I knew I was eating wrong. I knew I wasn't exercising enough...(ok, at ALL). I needed to hear Chris tell me though. I needed that push to get me going. He always told me he loved me no matter my size. He loved ME. Although that is a beautiful thing to hear...it helped me stay content in my laziness (not that I was lazy....I kept my house clean and cared for my children etc....however I was lazy in caring properly for myself). I told him one day that I *needed* him to tell me the truth...was I fat? He finally told me that he did think I should lose some weight for my health. I cried and cried....I was ashamed for letting myself go. I was ashamed that he could not think anything but wonderful thoughts about me....but I am *so* glad he told me! After wiping my face (from all the tears) I determined it was TIME!

I cried out to the Lord...I needed His help. I repented of my sin of gluttony and sloth in that area of my life. He is so good and faithful. He gave me strength! It wasn't easy...but it had to be done. I signed up for spin (cycling class) classes and started right away to eat right (and logging all my food intake into myfitnesspal.com). I would eat a couple eggs in the morning with 4 pieces of turkey bacon. I lost 60 pounds in the first 6 months or so. I started 2013 weighing a much healthier weight than I had when I started 2012! I didn't completely let myself go again through the years....I continued to spin (and became a spin instructor) and run and be active. I was still careful of what I ate but started to indulge a little more than I should. For the past 5 years I never gained all the weight back but I would gain 10-20 lbs....lose them, gain them, lose them....and so on.

I started 2018 determined to get back on track and really get healthy! I wanted to meet my goals! I don't want to be a fitness guru or anything ~ I just want to eat right, be healthy and be pleasing to my husband's eyes! :)  I added weight lifting to my exercise as well...I take a class with lots of reps with lower weights...I don't do heavy lifting like the guys do. We work on toning muscles more than bulking. I do lift a little heavier with a couple friends once a week though. I workout 6 to 7 days a week. I usually take Sunday as a rest day....but sometimes if it is nice out...it's nice to go for a walk or run!

I took the photo on the right last week (have you made it this far in the post? Goodness...I have written a novel! Sorry!). Today I am 21 lbs lighter than I was at the beginning of the year and a lot toner and fit! I still have 13 lbs to go before I reach my first goal weight. Although I am enjoying fitting into smaller clothes and just feeling healthier overall ~ I also have such a peace to know that I am not being gluttonous any more and that I am caring for my body...and trying to teach my children good habits as well! :o) Oh...and don't get me wrong ~ I am not totally focused on this outer shell of a body that God gave me...for: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Prov. 31:30)

I really look forward to wearing sundresses and lovely things when the weather is nice (modest of course). I also look forward to getting my exercise out in the garden and just outside in general rather than the gym. Right now it is too yucky and cold out. We're suppose to get more snow tomorrow!

I'm sure I rambled above and forgot to add things I should have and added too much in places too. I know some of you have followed along on my blog for years and heard my weightloss updates through the years...I just wanted to give the most recent update for any that may be interested.

Although I am working hard I truly, truly praise God for keeping me on track...giving me strength, encouraging me through His Word and loving me. He gives me perspective when I want to have a pity party...and He gave me a husband that is truly the *best* support system anyone could have asked for! It always makes me smile when I ponder God's sovereignty and eternal plans....how He works things out the way He does. I know it doesn't mean I won't experience pain and suffering in this life ~ I actually I expect that ~ but when you do see the good and beauty in your life...to know God is the author of it all makes my mind wonder-filled!

Ok...so it's getting late. I need to go, unwind from my day and rest. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me (link in left sidebar or my profile) or leave a comment below! Thank you for taking the time to visit me here. I pray you find encouragement and maybe even some conviction (if needed). I pray that the Lord is glorified and exalted here!

Have a lovely weekend ahead....and truly, thank you for visiting!
Warmly,
Katy

"Everyone carries an atmosphere about him...

...It may be healthful and invigorating, or it may be unwholesome and depressing. It may make a little spot of the world a sweeter, better, safer place to live in; or it may make it harder for those to live worthily and beautifully who dwell within its circle.” 

~J.R. Miller

I realized it has been quite some time since I last blogged! Life has a way of continually happening...moments ticking by and I get caught up in them! Since my aunt's surprise party nothing overly exciting has happened. The days go by and we work on our homeschooling and housework. Meals are made, exercise is done, games are played (the children and I enjoy playing yahtzee lately!) and it is my prayer that God is glorified in it all!

Pictured above is one of the latest books I am reading (as usual, along with many others). And below you will see our supper one evening...homemade vegetable beef soup (a family favorite!).

We've had weather all over the place with lots of snow for a bit...

...and now the snow has melted and it has been raining....a lot! I am *not* a fan of all the mud...but oh how thankful I am for the back porch Chris and our Brother-in-Love built last summer! It helps keep the mud from trailing right into the (appropriately named) mud room! I mean, it may be *called* the mud room....but I still want it to be a *clean* room! :)

A look at my recipe organization...just for fun...

Valentine's Day was sweet and simple. I taught a spin/cycling class that evening at the Y...when I came up to the Lobby Chris and the children had these flowers set there for me! It was so sweet and I love them! They are still living now too...although some are starting to wither a bit! I absolutely *love* flowers of all kinds. I love them in a garden, around a house, and fresh cut! I am so thankful the Lord put flowers on this earth for us to enjoy! How they can really brighten up a room! With the gray rainy days they are a real cheery spot!

I found this basket at Goodwill and thought it looked nice hanging on a wall in the bathroom!

A peek in the mud room...

My beautiful hyacinth is tilting....I keep turning it to try to get it to stand straight...and nothing helps! haha! The flowers are pretty though. In the jars on that window sill are dog treats. Cash needs grain free treats...so they are in one jar. Mickey has regular treats in the other jar!

I hope you are well and I appreciate you stopping by to visit! I know life is busy! I'm sorry this post isn't very exciting...just a little of what's been going on around here lately. Another quick little tidbit of news...I have lost almost 15 pounds since the beginning of the year! I have been striving to eat right and exercise daily. I have added a Body Pump class twice a week to my routine. It's lifting weights (not heavy weights....but lighter weights with a lot of reps and sets). It is challenging but great! :) 

I gotta keep going with my day! Have a lovely week ahead!

Joyfully,

Katy

HERE is a short Youtube video by Tim Challies about 5 of the worst books labeled "Christian"....it's worth a watch! :o) 

"I've never met Orcs or Ents or Elves --

...but the feel of it, the sense of a huge past, of lowering danger, of heroic tasks achieved by the most apparently unheroic people, of distance, vastness, strangeness, homeliness (all blended together) is so exactly what living feels like to me."

~C.S. Lewis

One of the books I am currently reading is "The Romantic Rationalist ~ God, Life, and Imagination in the Work of C.S. Lewis" (Edited by John Piper & David Mathis). I'm not too far into it but love learning about other men/women of faith! :) Just thought I would share it in case you are interested in it as well! Here's a quote in the book by John Piper...

"One of the things that makes him [Lewis]  admirable to me, in spite of all our doctrinal differences, is his crystal clear, unashamed belief that people are lost without Christ and that every Christian should try to win them, including world-class scholars of medieval and Renaissance literature. And so, unlike many tentative, hidden, vague, approval-craving intellectual Christians, Lewis says outright, 'The salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world.' And again: 'The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.'"

My children are under-the-weather unfortunately. As you can see in the picture above, I have essential oils diffusing into the air in the living room (where they have been camping out the most). It started with Jaxson last week. He got a cold and it just hasn't gone away! He feels lousy and his nose is running so bad (more than I have ever seen a nose run before!) that it is chapping his nose and face! We have tried vaseline and even chap stick on his skin but despite all the nose blowing and wiping we just can't keep up with it! 

A couple days later Madelyn and Xavier woke up with sore throats. I have had strep throat before and I don't think that is what it is. I have been looking and checking. If it is viral there is nothing the doctor can do so we have just been trying to make them more comfortable...however if things don't start to improve by the beginning of the week I may call and get them all in...just to make sure. It's awful seeing them all just feel "blah". 

Although our wood shed still has wood, Chris went out to the woods and got more just as back-up since the temps have been so cold here lately. The children were quite glad that they didn't need to come out and help us unload and stack all that wood! ;) 

I've been busy at home....keeping chores done as well as trying to keep things sanitary. We can't afford for Chris and me to get sick too right now. Too much to do and kidlets to care for! Thankfully, the Lord has been merciful to us and we are healthy. We've been really particular about spraying anti-bacterial stuff on door handles and phones etc. We are diligent about praying for the children as well. I've tried to buy some different medicines to help them be more comfortable (as well as natural remedies) but things haven't really helped a lot. I've also bought boxes and boxes (and boxes) of tissues (the plus lotion ones) for Jax. His poor little nose! 

I've been continuing with my healthy eating and going to the gym daily (I have added a strength training class to my cardio to help build muscle as well). I am excited to share that I have lost 10 pounds this past month (I hadn't gained back all the weight I lost previously....just a little of it...but I still saw my need to be in control of what I put in my mouth)! I am hoping to continue on that way and although I must admit that I desire to *look* thinner and neater ~ over all my main focus is that when I overeat I realize I am sinning against the Lord. I don't want to be gluttonous. I want to be wise with my food intake and use my body the way the Lord designed it to be used....not abused! :) 

This is *not* an easy thing (at least for me) because some food tastes really good. But the Lord tells us to be self-controlled numerous places in His Word (it is one of the fruits of the Spirit)! I think THIS link about the sin of gluttony is quite helpful! And a quote from Charles Spurgeon: 

"I believe that gluttony is as much a sin in the sight of God as drunkenness." 

Well, there was a quick summary of what's been happening around here. I just wanted to leave you with a snippet from in another book I am reading "Beautiful Living by J.R. Miller" that you may find encouraging as I did!!

"Christ wants daily to pour His grace through us to other lives, and we are ready for this most sacred of all ministries only when we are content to be nothing so that Christ may be all in all; vessels emptied that He may fill them; channels through which His grace may flow." (emphasis mine)

Joyfully,
Katy

Reaching a Goal

I am so excited to share with you all that I am reaching one of my goals. When I started spinning a year and a half ago I made a goal to one day become a spin instructor (as well as lose weight). I lost the weight (although I still have more I'd like to lose) and right now, I am in the midst of classes to become a certified spin instructor at our local Y! I am over the moon! By the grace of God I am getting healthier all the time and doing things I never imagined I would. It is *such* a blessing! Praise God from Whom *all* blessings flow!

It takes prayer, a conscious decision to exercise and choose the right foods, and lots of hard work. I find that being healthy isn't just about being *thin*...it's about honoring God in the choices I make. I still have pounds to lose but crossing this mini-finish line is so exciting to me! :)

For fun, you can see how I organize my gym bag HERE.

Thanks for sharing in this journey with me! 

A New Year & Trim Healthy Mama

I got to ring in 2014 with these sweet faces (and my husband's too!)...although I guess saying that finds me not totally telling the truth...as I (embarrassingly) didn't even make it until 9pm before I retired to my fleece sheets and quilts! Chris and the children stayed up a little past that but when I woke early January 1st...they were all sprawled out everywhere in the living room...snoozing away!

Before I headed to bed, though, I *did* manage to take a few pictures (we were watching The Hobbit **for the umpteenth time...we really need to get the extended version of it!**)...

Xavier and Ruthie...

Madelyn and Jaxson...

Usually, Ruthie is *my* sidekick...but I loved seeing her snuggled up with X...

With a new year now here, many begin a formal "diet" plan or trying to fulfill a resolution. Not me...as most of you know I have already lost a good chunk of weight over the past 18 months. Unfortunately, I had stalled. I love AboveRubies.org and had heard a lot about Trim Healthy Mama ...although funds were not in abundance, after talking with Chris about it, he told me I should order it (isn't he great!?)!

 I started implementing the plan mid-December, I think. I don't like to "wait" until a certain date to begin something. I don't want to "eat all junk food in sight and start next week". When I set my mind to something I like to do it *right now*. ;) I haven't been eating junk for over a year now (and had already decided to implement more whole foods anyway) so transitioning to their plan wasn't difficult for me! It had some "strange" ingredients at first...things I hadn't heard of..but as I read into them more, I found they weren't that strange at all...what *is* strange is all the horrible things they put in processed foods (the more things I read everywhere ~ the more convinced I am that whole foods is the way to go)! It has refreshed me to eat this way and I am looking forward to continuing it! Plus, I already exercise a lot so I had that part down! :o) 

Some of the things you buy can be a bit pricey...but I truly feel that if feeding my family (and my body) this way honors God and takes care of us, that He will make sure that we can afford it. I will do the best I can with what we can afford. Luckily, for me, my family has liked what I have served up to them so far (although some of the things I have made are single serving and I go the whole-wheat route for the rest of my family). If you notice in the picture above, I have my book well tabbed! There are actually tabs there that you can't even see in this picture! :)

Above, my first ever coconut flour pancakes (thus why they are not uber-pretty). They tasted like french toast!! They are topped with sugar free syrup! Deeeelicious! I have the recipe written down from the facebook group but can't find the recipe on pinterest or anywhere to give credit to who came up with it...but it is good and healthy:

3 eggs, beaten

3 T. coconut flour

3 T. coconut oil

1 T. water

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

Sprinkle of NuStevia (I don't have this so I didn't use it)

Mix and cook! Makes three pancakes!

S ~ Golden Flat Bread, pg. 270

(Not my favorite...but works when you need bread)

S ~ Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies, pg. 387

(again, my first batch so they weren't the prettiest!)

S ~ Creamy Broccoli and Cheese Soup, pg.335

(A huge family favorite here!)

The soup was so good and filling that we had some leftover. Jaxson and I finished it, happily, the next day! ;)

There are Trim Healthy Mama recipes all over pinterest and facebook! You can even (once you grasp the concepts they put forth) make up your own recipes to share! If you have adopted the THM eating lifestyle, I would love to hear about it! I would love to hear your experiences! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away and I will do my best to answer them...although you will never understand it all just from me answering a few questions.You really need to get the book to make it work! :) For me, it was worth the investment!

Happy New Year Friends!

Warmly,

Katy

It's all about Jesus Christ being first.... and second and third and fourth and fifth.   What I'm saying is, don't put Jesus first.   Jesus is everything.   He's not just first in the rank,  He is everything.  ~Paul Washer

.::Learning::.

Designing and writing thank you notes...

Full school days (this is Xavier's planner)...

Banjo playing...

I am so excited! I have wanted these DVD sets for a long time since seeing them on Vision Forum. They are having a liquidation sale and I was able to finally afford and purchase these sets! These will be wonderfully useful with our home education! I snatched them up before they were gone! I am not sure if they are still available or not!

I am also back to homemaking things all the time. I am realizing the unhealthiness of low-calorie/chemical laden foods. So now it is whole wheat, lard, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, plain yogurt and other healthy ingredients only in this house! :) I am also looking into raw milk. Our chickens have gone on strike during this cold weather so I am buying fresh eggs from our family's meat market. 
I have found that eating a whole foods diet helps me stay full longer. That stops me from desiring to snack all the time! :) So, now, I am praying that by eating healthy with whole foods and treating my body well (plus exercise and discipline) that I am truly honoring God and pleasing Him in my behavior...as well as preparing healthy foods for my family! Heavenly Homemakers has a lot of *great* recipes!
Since it is deer season, Chris is working at the meat market till late at night after work every day. I used to go down and wrap...but someone else has been down helping wrap the meat so I haven't needed to go down much (which is nice for me!). This, however, means I don't see my husband as much. So I have been occasionally staying home in the early mornings from spin class so that I can lay a little longer next to Chris. 
I stayed home Thursday morning but then attended a spin class later in the evening. I woke this morning with a headache so I didn't spin today. I probably won't go into a class later either. Waking up with a headache is the worst! I am thinking I need to hydrate more and that will help. I will be back at spin tomorrow morning! :) It really feels good to exercise. I haven't been out running for a while...the air is much-too-cold for that (I am not fond of the knives-going-down-your-throat feeling when breathing in ice-cold air!). 
I have been, in my spare time, busily knitting some last minute Christmas gifts and keeping up with housework. A woman's work is never done! ;) So that is what has been going on in *my* world...how about you? 
I hope your weekend is blessed and joy-filled.  Thanks for stopping!  Warmly, Katy

It's all about Jesus Christ being first.... and second and third and fourth and fifth.   What I'm saying is, don't put Jesus first.  Jesus is everything.  He's not just first in the rank,  He is everything.  ~Paul Washer

Updated Weight Loss Pic

Ok...here it is. An updated weight loss photo! I was asked to share it...so here you go! :) It was taken in my bathroom mirror since I don't have any full length mirrors in my home and hate when others take photos of me when I have to *pose*. So this is as good as it gets. (It's so embarrassing to post pictures of myself...so please be kind!)
I have been steady at this weight now for probably 6 months. I still exercise daily and am mindful of what I am eating. I still have 30 pounds that I would like to lose...but it'll happen when it happens. I am going to keep up this healthy lifestyle and continue to glorify the Lord in the process. 
Tomorrow is our family's big fall festival (over 50 vendors this year!). It will be a super busy day for us but I will try and get photos to share! Hope your weekend is *wonderful*! Thanks for stopping!
Warmly, Katy

5K = 3.1 miles

My first-ever 5K race was today. My nerves were all jumbled up...my anxiety was through the roof. I kept wondering if I had over-estimated my abilities! Chris was a constant encouragement! I am so thankful for him because truly, I wanted to crawl back under my quilts and hide. I have never been a "runner" and I just couldn't imagine that I would be able to finish a race that was over 3 miles long! I prayed...and also had the encouragement of my friends and family so off I went! 

 It was *cold* outside! This is what it has been doing the days leading up to today...

The snow is beautiful as it lays gently upon everything outside...but I think we've had our fill! We've already passed the first "official" day of spring...with no actual *spring* in sight! And you know me...I am quite anxious to get my clothes out drying on the lines! :)

The two older children spent time outside shoveling (so thankful for them)!

So...as I mentioned earlier in the post, today was race day. I was *not* in it to win it...but rather to *finish* it. Here is a photo of my friend, Ann (this was her first 5K too! We ran it together!), and me (we spin together in the mornings)! I hate when I smile so big like this (it makes me look as though I am overly-giddy!). Also, the shirt I had ordered was too large so it looks like a night-shirt on me (but afterwards, Chris bought me a long sleeved shirt from the race in a smaller size and it fits nicely!)...

The race started at 11 (well, it truly got started a few minutes after that) and we all took off...music in our ears and the road (plus snow, ice, gravel and slush) beneath our feet! Down through alleys, around buildings, up hill and down hill and across bridges we ran....and ran and ran! 
Here I am *after* the race (below)! Yes...we finished ~ with a time of 33 minutes (about an 11 minute mile) which I incredibly pleased with. I had expected to take a lot longer than that! Two of my little darlings were with me (aren't they sweet in their hats?) in the car. Chris and X went in the Jeep! (Yes, they all came to cheer me on, despite the frigid temps!)

So now, other than some sore leg muscles (around my knees)...I feel great! This is a big accomplishment for me and I hope to get to run some more of these through the summer! Chris mentioned wanting to run one with me in July! I can't imagine anything better when running a 5K than getting to run it with your best friend (except the hard-to-swallow fact that he will probably out-run me!). 
Thank you, so much, for all the prayers, well-wishes, kind words and encouragement you have all given to me. To some, running a 5K is quite easy...but for me, this was something to show me that I am really getting healthy and all the spinning, right-eating and hard work are worth it! Who would have believed 10 months ago (remember THIS?) that I would be over 60 pounds lighter now and running a 5K?? I truly praise God for the strength He gives! 
Thank you for coming by!  Have a great Lord's Day!
Warmly, Katy

It's all about Jesus Christ being first....and second and third and fourth and fifth.  What I'm saying is, don't put Jesus first.   Jesus is everything.   He's not just first in the rank, He is everything.  ~Paul Washer

Here It Is...

 ...the post many have asked for...full-body weight loss photos. I must admit to you, it's very embarrassing taking photos of yourself and then posting them online. Put my children, husband or home in front of the camera and I am happy to snap away...but of myself...oh dear. But I *did* want to show proof of the 60+ lbs. I have now lost.

So here you have them...just a few. The first two were taken this morning right before I left for spin class. My hair is back, I have *no* make-up on...but it's me...in all my ready-to-workout-glory! ;)

And here is a photo (although blurry) of me in my normal-ness...typically a skirt and top with my hair down...

I have 11 pounds to go until I am at my high school graduation weight! I would like to lose more than that though...but I am just going to continue on with my healthy lifestyle (eating healthy and in moderation and lots of exercise). 
So...there it is. I posted pics of myself. I'm so glad that is over with. :)  Thank you for your encouragement in this journey. I pray you are doing well with your journey to health as well...and if you haven't started ~ I hope you do. 
Kindly, Katy
It's all about Jesus Christ being first....and second and third and fourth and fifth.   What I'm saying is, don't put Jesus first.    Jesus is everything.   He's not just first in the rank, He is everything.  ~Paul Washer

God Honoring Choices....

With so many advertisements and "cheaper" foods out there, it often seems easier to just eat fast food or whatever we want that sounds good. Most people are putting an abundant amount of calories in their body but not expending enough...thus the pounds start packing on! Most of us were not born with a metabolism set at warp-speed for our lifetime. To get lax-i-daisy about it and just eat what we want, when we want (and even throwing things in our mouths without even thinking about it through the day) results in an expanding waistline before we even realize it! Unfortunately, it's terribly easy to do and being our sinful selves...we go along with it. 

As Christian women, we take care to make our decisions well and God-honoring. We dress modestly, watch our tongues, spend time in the Word, care for our families to the best of our ability  and try to keep germs and sickness far away from our loved ones. We are dedicated to living out the Proverbs 31 woman ~ striving and failing often (but getting back up and trying all over again, right?). So knowing this...why is it so easy for us to just eat...and not try to make healthier decisions about the food we put into our bodies (and those of our loved ones)? Is it God-honoring to become gluttonous or lazy with the care of our bodies? 

It bothered me that I was over-weight. To me, it truly affected my Christian witness. I would be striving to honor God in all areas of my life...except that one. I would cry to my mom about it and just feel like I had tried (and failed) to lose weight so many times. *This* time though, it wasn't about "just" wanting to be thin....it was about honoring God, repenting from my sinful ways and getting healthy. The first thing I did was sign up for a spin class....immediately! (Don't think you'll *start* next Monday....no matter what day it is...start your healthy way of life NOW!)

Does it take extra time to exercise? Yes. But do I enjoy it now? Absolutely! The second you start losing that extra weight, you want to continue...push harder...do more!  Is it quite time consuming figuring out my food intake and what I am going to eat? Yes...but it becomes more routine and natural over time.

Some suggestions:

**One thing I will highly recommend to you: if you go to picnics with friends or other things where you are unsure of the food served (so you can make a proper choice ahead of time)...then *pack* your lunch. Get yourself your own, special (mine is monogrammed) insulated tote/lunch bag and pack it with healthy items for you to eat. I pack my lunch anytime I go anywhere! Friends and family know that I am and now it is just "normal" for me! :)

**Also, if you *are* planning on eating out, use the restaurant's online resources to find out *what* you can eat and be ready for what you will order before you even leave the house! :)

**Hard boil eggs and eat them as a protein at lunch or supper...alone or on a salad! 

**Get a food scale (or if you already have one ~ USE it!). Measuring and weighing out your food is so important so you know the true serving size you are eating.

**Boil or bake chicken breasts then cut them up and save them to use on salad or to make a healthy wrap with a bit of cheese and lettuce! Store it in the fridge to use when you need it! 

**Cut up veggies and keep them stored in the fridge for an easy, healthy snack.

**If you need something sweet opt for a sugar-free pudding (that is low cal) or a light yogurt! They will help quench that sweet-tooth! Fruit is also a great option!

**Going to a birthday party? Don't eat the cake! You will regret it! Take a healthy alternative to eat while everyone else is eating the cake. Don't take celery or carrots...or you will feel deprived. Take a sweeter healthy-option. Then you will enjoy something sweet as everyone else does...but without the guilt! :)

Exercise!

Today, (although I won't publish this until tomorrow) I spun for an hour at the Y early this morning...then after schooling, the children and I went for a run. We went a good mile and a half. I am getting my bit of practice in before I run that 5K at the end of the month!

Start walking....and as you start losing weight...start walking faster! Do you have bad knees? Then cycling or spinning will be good for you! Find something you *enjoy* and keep going with it. Just don't give up!

Most importantly, realize you are doing this to be healthy and God-honoring (as well as a good example to young ladies around you). Stay in prayer...and praise God in it all. Keep Him as your center focus!

I am now down 62 pounds...healthier than I have been in a *long* time and truly, I give God all the glory. I am so thankful for the strength He gives. It's not always easy....but life *isn't* easy anyway...so He is my source of comfort and strength in this along with everything else! I think that is the way it is suppose to be! :o) I am only 11 pounds away from weighing what I did when I graduated high school. I can fit into sooo many clothes now and can even wear my class ring (it's fun to do just because I can!!!).

If I can help you or if you have any questions...please feel free to let me know! I hope you found this post helpful and encouraging (maybe even convicting). Please know I am speaking from experience...not in a judgmental way towards anyone. I just know the hurdles I faced and am not afraid to admit them. Now, if you are in the same boat ~ I hope I can help you face those hurdles too!

♥ In loving kindness,
   Katy

**Fifty**

After six long months....with a touch of glee (okay...maybe a lot of glee) and excitement in my voice, I can finally exclaim that I have officially lost 50 pounds! I am absolutely thrilled....and sit in complete gratitude before a most-holy God. *Any* and *all* goodness, strength, will-power and motivation in me is from Him alone.

I am so thankful to have so much weight gone! I feel better and look better too! I still hope to lose another 25 pounds or so (at least)...I am continuing on with what I am doing already...healthy eating/wise decisions and lots of exercise (by spinning daily). I *hope*, Lord willing, that I can lose this next 25 pounds by the summer!

To celebrate...let's have a giveaway, shall we? My sweet friend Linda (who lives in Holland....isn't it incredibly fantastic that this world-wide-web can create friends through the miles?) owns a shop called Amarese, where she sells super-cute fairytale jewelry (at absolutely fantastic prices!). She, in her extreme thoughtfulness, sent me one of these neat bottles she makes with one of my favorite verses on it (Isaiah 40:11). And she has offered to send one of these fantastic necklaces to one of **you**! She will ship worldwide! So this giveaway is open to everyone (you don't have to be a blog follower). This would make an absolutely fantastic gift for a loved one (or yourself!).

So, all you have to do to win is let me know you want to be entered and check out her shop HERE and share with me something you loved! Please make sure you leave me your email address or a way to get in touch with you. The winner will have 2 days to respond or I will pick another! This giveaway will end on Monday, December 10th at noon. :)

**You can have a second entry if you share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook and leave another comment saying you did so! :)

Thanks so much for coming by and sharing in my excitement with me!

♥ In loving kindness,
   Katy