Me prior to starting my healthy lifestyle journey

Growing

This has been a tough week!  It's spring break and all I wanted to do was relax and have fun.  This meant eat my FAV Foods everyday all day!  I need to get a life.  I talked to some coworkers this week and we discussed food and how we view good food.  We pretty much agreed that we have our comfort foods, foods that we don't won't to give up.  We also talked about the foods that we need during that time of the month.  Chocolate, cheese, salty/sweet anything, any junk food are all foods needed to get through that monthly cycle.  I cannot say that I am not one of those who eats that way because unfortunately I am.  I can eat a medium sausage pizza and cheese sticks from Papa Johns all weekend.  I must say that would have been ideal two months ago.  I guess I am finding that I don't have to necessarily indulge and totally loose control eating anything regardless of the effects on my body, but more importantly my health.  I am concerned about not only the number on the scale but the blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  That's what scares me the most.  So I have to really consider if that feeling of contentment after eating that special meal is enough to sustain me for more than a few hours.  It's not worth it nor will it ever be worth my healthy life.  Yesterday we went out for lunch and I had mild wings with a side salad.  It was pretty good.  I enjoyed every bite and must say it was enough.  I don't have the desire to go back for more as I would if I were eating peanut M&Ms.  That's a story for another day.  I have really found that I love the taste of granola, strawberries, and yogurt thanks to my good coworker Devan.  That is the best snack!  It is totally yum!  Although it's taking time, I am finding that there is another life out there that doesn't revolve around food, but my love and renewed thirst to know and grow closer to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  That's totally the best life.

A New Beginning

Week One of My Healhty Lifestyle Journey

My name is Jennifer and I am on my way to a healthier life.  Here is my story.  As a young girl, I was small and didn’t eat much, at least not foods that I didn’t like.  As a teenager, I was even smaller weighing only 102lbs.  I was active, energetic, and ate very little on most days.  It was inevitable that I would be small.  That was very tough for me because unfortunately everyone else was bigger.  I was teased constantly by family and friends.  I will say that my parents and siblings didn’t tease me about my weight.  They teased me about other things. LOL!  Here I am years later on the other end of the spectrum.  I am seriously overweight, actually obese.  Today I officially weighed in at 170.5lbs.  That’s heavy for a 5”2 person. I want to change the scales, change my life and become healthier.  I am concerned that I’ll end up with health issues that I know I could  have controlled if I had taken better care of Me.  I have elevated cholesterol levels.  I need to stabilize those numbers, reduce them if possible and never return there again.  If only it were a simple as speaking and boom, I am there.  I have decided to take charge of my life and put in the extra work required to be a healthy person.  NO, I don’t want to be 102lbs.  It’s not for me, but I do want to be healthy.   I just want to make healthy food choices but enjoy the food that I eat.  I am learning to cook, bake, fix a mean salad, and EXERCISE!  So today, and everyday, I will make better choices.  I will choose a better life.  I will succeed.  I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13 NLT)