After While Crocodile

I am going to take a blogging/Facebook hiatus for a few weeks. Please do not be concerned about me. I assure you all that I am just fine. I am going to continue on the path I've been on (not the past week's path but the overall path to health). I have every intention of resuming normal blog activity soon. So don't leave me!

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The shine has definitely worn off of this thing. It's February 20th. Not even two months into it and now is when I am really begining to feel the "burn" of weight loss. The whole process starts out easy enough but right in the middle it becomes intolerable. I'm trying not to obsess, but stay disciplined at the same time. I'm trying not to think think about food 24/7, but also trying to be mindful. Trying not to give into temptation, but also trying not to get down when I do. Trying to stay positive but also be real. It's like swimming up-stream. Running into the wind. Playing that game at Chuck E. Cheese where you knock down things but they just keep popping up. This is hard and I'm tired.

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Suggestions & Tracker 48

I LOVE this coffee cup and I LOVE the person who gave it to me. I like to think of it like a little note from her that never goes away. So many times I have been on the brink of melt down, naturally fix myself a cup of coffee, and this is the gem that greets me when I open the cabinet door. When I looked at it tonight I sighed in agreement. Yes, it is always okay to keep calm. It always makes sense to keep calm. And to carry on? Well, there is really no other reasonable choice. I'm so thankful that I've been taught to carry on through the funk. I know this will serve me well when the day comes that my funk has nothing to do with cookie dough. So you had a bad week. Might I suggest...Keeping calm and carrying on. This has never let me down.

Now, let's talk food. I usually eat a frozen dinner once or twice a week. I am pretty boring with them. I like the pizzas and Steak Panini from Lean Cuisine, the Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli from Weight Watchers and that's about it. I rarely try new ones just because I don't want to spend that money and chance not liking it. But today I was at my mom's for dinner and she had Tortilla Crusted Fish from Lean Cuisine. She told me it was really, really good. I was skeptical but went ahead with it. Best decision I've made all week! The fish was very crispy with a wonderful chip crust. It was not overly fishy, which is the problem I've had with other frozen fish dinners. The rice is special. Special, I tell you. Very cheesy and the poblano pepper confetti creates a legit Chile relleno-like experience. I was totally and happily surprised to be able to add this new dinner to my frozen list. Add a salad and you've got yourself a winner, winner tortilla fish dinner! So, if you're in the market, might I suggest this new favorite...

Funnily enough, just about an hour before I ate this I had a run in with some actual tortilla chips. I dropped the kids off and came home to run, but when I walked in to change shoes the chips were mocking me on the kitchen island. Without pause I rushed to them and began eating. One, two, three...small handfuls. Then I stopped. I literally screamed out a prayer something like "What is WRONG with me! Stop me!" Then I turned around, grabbed the bag by the throat and pummeled it against the counter until there were no recognizable triangles left. I went to toss the lifeless bag in the trash but thought better of it and brought them back to the sink. I filled the bag up with water and watched the little pieces floating in the water.  I went to the fruit bowl and grabbed an apple. I devoured it and then went for a two mile walk. Now I have made deposits into my good choice account so I can wake up tomorrow without being overdrawn. Dang this feels good. If you are battling temptation of the baked good or chip variety, might I suggest putting some food to death.

Okay enough weird stuff from me. Here's the tracker:

Tracker 47

I pray tomorrow's tracker will be much different than today's. I'm beginning to feel the physcial effects of not taking care of myself for a few days.

But I am thankful for and do not overlook the fact that this is the 47th day in a row that I have written down everything that I put into my mouth. Out of those days there are only a handful that are off target. The big picture is important!

But so is the little one. Tomorrow...

Slip Up & Tracker 46

Well, this is going to be one of those posts. The kind I write with my tail between my legs. But once I get it all out in the open I will move on.

I weighed. A couple of days ago I woke up feeling amazing. I looked in the mirror and my stomach seemed very flat. I just felt lighter. You know that feeling. All of a sudden I found myself having the inner war that goes on--usually it has to do with should I eat this or not eat this?--but this time it was about stepping on the scale.

I justified the decision to check my weight thinking that seeing a loss would bolster my spirits and help me keep going in the direction I needed to go. At that point I totally took matters into my own hands and took my eyes off of God. I went to my son's closet where I put the scale and brought it into the bathroom. Not a good "put away" spot, obviously.  I stepped on and saw 169. The last time I weighed right before I put the scale up it said 174. Naturally I was really excited to see this loss. I put the scale back up and that was that.

But...

That was not that. Let the mental games begin. After seeing the 169 on Monday and then having a really great day of eating yesterday I figured I could get away with eating some snacks. In bed. Around midnight. Cheese crackers, peanut butter, crackers, tortillas, Valentine candy, etc. Totally dysfunctional. Then today I was feeling bad about that and so it led to more poor choices. I will never be able to explain or understand this cycle.

I mean, really? When will I learn. I just keep wanting to think that I am actually going to figure out the "thing" that is going to be the solution to all of this. (Prov 26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.) It's never going to happen! There is not a "thing" that can fix me. This is a matter of the heart. Period.

The few days that I did not weigh were amazing. It was the beginning of freedom that I have been longing for. I just know it. I still think that the right thing for me to do is put the scale away. (Really away, like at a different house). But just doing that is not going to be enough. I need strongholds to be broken and idols to be cast down. My help comes from the Lord. 

"Not Hungry" is a real thing & Tracker 45

Something huge happened today. It was late afternoon and around the time I normally eat dinner. I started getting things out to make a large salad for myself. As I was looking down into the bowl I was thinking This does not sound good at all. Yuck. I don't want salad. At that point I determined to be very conscious of my thinking and impulses. I was trying to separate myself from myself if that makes any sense. At first I became anxious. The thought of eating and not thoroughly enjoying it just seems like something ridiculous. So I was trying to think of something that did sound really good. Of course I had to eat--it was "time." Cue: refrigerator door open. Shut. Pantry door open. Shut. What do I want? Not in there. (Funny because I have a magnet on my fridge that says "It's not in there.") I then think of all the Valentine candy we now have. Pulled out my son's Valentine box from school and rummaged through it. Yes, I seriously did that.  I found one little off-brand chocolate heart in his box that probably had rice crispies in it. I was about to eat it and I don't even like those. I decided against it. Mind you, my poor salad is still sitting patiently on the island through all of this. So I walked back over to the salad and looked down at it. It was a beautiful salad but I was still JUST. not. interested. Right at that moment I remembered a line I read in a book the other day that said, "If you won't eat an apple then you probably aren't hungry." And like a flash of lightening it hit me! You aren't hungry, goober. So I covered the salad with foil and returned to it, very happily, about an hour later. The fact that I did recognize "non hunger" and even more that I did not go ahead and eat anyway--these things are revolutionary. I hope to be able to report more experiences like these soon and frequently.

 

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Sunday Without the Scale

Finally! We have winter weather in the Lone Star state! The flurries are dropping as I type. I have enjoyed the mild winter we've had so far but I know many folks are happy to see the snow. So all you winter-lovers: enjoy!

A couple of times today I wondered about that scale. And what three numbers I would see pop up if I stepped on it. I wondered for a moment and then I moved on. I was able to focus on other things. I am only a couple of days into this and realizing just how much my choices regarding food have been driven by the scale. It's almost like I am having to sober up from the scale. The longer I go without using it the more clearly I can see what it was doing to me. I can definitely see a healthy realtionship with the scale emerging at some point in the future. Just not sure when that will be and I'm good with waiting to find out. In the mean time I am focused on abiding.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:10-12

Week in Review No. 6

Physical
I had a so-so week. I think I only had one 1200 calorie day (goal was 3) and went over on my calories once or twice. I did do a pretty good job eating balanced meals. I am enjoying the consumption of my coffee again. Eating the huge bag of peanut m&ms was the low point this week but thankfully it did not drag out into other mistakes. I did get my 6 mile run in on Monday! Felt good to get that behind me. Mom and I ran together. She is planning to do the half also, so hopefully we can do our long runs together from here on out. I purchased my third pair of running shoes this week with my birthday money. That was by far and away the most money I have ever spent on shoes...probably on any one item of clothing in my entire life! But like the employee reminded me--it's a small price to pay for health. That is true. And good running shoes are essential!

Mental
The "giving up my coffee creamer" thing had me all out of whack. It was a pretty cool experience though. Even just going a couple weeks without it helped me to see the role it was playing for me. And it is a role I am okay with for now. So I added it back. It is part of what "works" for me.

It is amazing to me the difference in my mind since I decided to quit weighing. It feels like there is so much more space in my head now! Ha. Today I really noticed a "weight lifted," no pun intended. My mind kept wanting to think about weighing in tomorrow but then it would remember I'm not doing that and then just relax. I truly think that had I been planning to weigh in the morning I would have overeaten today. Amazing the way I am seeing this pattern now.

Emotional
A few emotions stand out to me this week. The first emotion is powerlessness. The beginning of the week was marked with an unhealthy focus on the unmet expectations I had for my weigh-in last Sunday. It had me down and I could picture the week ending up badly as I was already thinking about the next weigh-in and what I would do if it wasn't the way I thought it should be. Then Wednesday night happened. Ever since I wrote that post and put the scale away I have felt excited. (PS--If you didn't read that post but plan to keep following along, I suggest reading it so you aren't lost. Sorry, it's long.) Excitement is the emotion I feel because this is a kind of freedom that is different than I've ever felt before. I am also so grateful! I believe this new way of doing things is a gift and I am thankful for it--whatever it may bring.

Spiritual
On February 9th I wrote a post about putting my scale away. (Link in previous paragraph) Later that day I sat down to have my daily quiet time and mistakenly turned to the January 9th entry in Jesus Calling instead of the February 9th entry. I just realized that discrepancy as I was preparing to write this post. I believe that in no way was that an accident or coincidence but rather a divine appointment. This is what I read:

I am with you and for you. When you decide on a course of action that is in line with my will, nothing on heaven or on earth can stop you, you may encounter many obstacles as you move toward your goal, but don't be discouraged--never give up! With my help, you can overcome any obstacle. Do not expect an easy path as you journey hand in hand with Me, but do remember that I, your very-present Helper, am omnipotent.

Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things happen before their times have come. One of the main ways I assert My sovereignty is in the timing of events. If you want to stay close to Me and do things My way, ask me to show you the path forward moment by moment. Instead of dashing headlong toward your goal, let Me set the pace. Slow down, and enjoy the journey.       

Tears. Of. Joy. Thank you, Jesus!

PS--Jesus Calling is a devotional book in which the author shares her prayer journal as she spent a year focused on being more attentive to the Savior's voice and listening for what He was saying. The book shares the words that Jesus laid on her heart. The scripture references are interwoven into the daily devotionals. This particular day was from Romans 8:31, Psalm 46:1-3, Luke 1:37.

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Didn't See That One Coming

On Sunday when I wrote my "week in review" there was a sentence that I can't get out of my mind. I was speaking of what happened to me emotionally when I weighed in and had only lost eight tenths of a pound:

"It really got the best of me today and I just felt mentally and emotionally tired with no reward of weight loss."

It stung a little when that line popped onto the screen. It's a very honest statement but one I'm not excited to admit still belongs to me after all this time. I tucked it away into a corner in my mind but it has continued to resurface all week, bringing along with it cinnamon rolls and peanut M&Ms...

Last night I attended a concert at my church. The performance was given by a group of children from an African village called Watoto. This is an organization in Africa that rescues vulnerable and marginalized women and children and puts them together in families. The children are taught about Jesus and raised to be leaders of Africa's next generation. It's truly an unbelievable thing they are doing.

During the performance a video depicting the everyday life of these children was shown. At one point the camera panned into a well pump dripping tiny drops of water. The narrator was describing the daily, endless cycle of walking and pumping, walking and pumping for these children--this is their life--just to get that water. And it wasn't much water coming out.

But I don't feel sorry for them. No, I surely do not. These children, these families, are full of joy. Perhaps greater joy than I've ever seen. Certainly a different kind of joy than I've ever seen. Their joy doesn't come from getting water. Their joy is in Christ alone. That is why even though these people may have been mutilated, forced to take the life of a family member, ripped away from their families, lost parents to AIDS, or walk the majority of any given day just to get the water they need to survive, they remain joyful. They find their purpose not in the things of this world, but in the Everlasting God.

When I saw the water dripping from the well I immediately knew why that particular statement about the small weight loss on Sunday had been haunting me. Here I am, toiling all week long, getting to the well, only getting that little drip--and then I'm furious. I am entitled to more water, no? No. I am entitled to nothing. The breath that I am about to take is a gift. The ability to walk, eat, measure things, share this with other people--all a gift. Grace, grace, God's grace. I am entitled to nothing.

It can be really hard to explain what goes on in one's relationship with the Lord to others. These particular writings are are a reflection of my personal convictions and the Spirit's prompting in my life. This is in no way a suggestion for others. Sometimes it seems like it would be best kept private, because it's just easier that way and perhaps that is how He intends it to be in certain instances. But for this particular matter, given this particular setting, I can't really figure out how to keep it private. So here goes...

I think what is about to happen is that I'm going to put the scale away. Possibly for good. I can't believe I am writing this. I hesitate so much in writing this. Because I might be wrong? Because someone may think it's silly? Because it is in direct opposition to things I've thought/written in the past? Because writing it means it's real? Yes.

I realize this is not a new concept. I have put the scale up before as have many others. When I did this before, I quickly realized that it was just a cop-out. But this current choice is being prompted by something different than it has been in the past. It's not because I'm afraid of what I'll weigh this week. It's not because I'd like to eat whatever I want for a few weeks without being bothered by the scale. It's the opposite. It's because I truly want to walk in freedom and this is the thing that has been identified to me as the major area of bondage. (Not coffee creamer. Duh.)

It is scary to me to think of not weighing every week. Very. Scary. But I will trust that this is His plan. And maybe I'm WAY off. Lord knows that's happened before. I could be back on the scale next week. But I don't think so. It seems like the Lord is really refining this whole process and taking me deeper and deeper into the heart of the matter.  I have never lived "healthfully" and not been simultaneously tied to the scale. What will this be like?

What it seems He is asking me to do is to stop living week-to-week when I am not promised the next hour. Stop being a slave to these weekly weigh-ins. I believe that He is asking me to continue taking care of my body, continue walking in the path of life (as He has shown me), continue dealing with my emotions...but in His presence, in His way. Not mine and not the world's.

I know He wants me to stop living as if weight loss is my life-water.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) What I've always wanted is freedom. What I've been praying for earnestly is freedom. And I know He wants it for me, too. That's why Jesus came. And so It will be. I believe that truth and claim it.

What is coming to my mind as I finish up this post is a C.S. Lewis quote that has always been dear to me, and today more than ever: "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."

And then my life verses:John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So, what does all this mean in simple terms?

• I will continue to post my tracker daily
• I will continue to exercise
• I will continue to set goals
• I will continue to blog regularly
• The time and energy I spend thinking about what the scale shows will now be directed to other matters
• My actions will not be affected by the scale
• I will abide in His word.

If you read this far, then you must really love me! Or be really fascinated by my neurosis, although I think for once, that's not what's happening here. At any rate--prayers are appreciated.

Going down the road less traveled...

Tracker 39

Okay. I have decided that I am not going to go further with trying to break the coffee creamer habit. I may in the future but for now I am going to regulate it to 2 T per day (or less) and see what happens. I am not going to talk about this anymore. :)

For now I am just going to focus on my tracker habit, making my quiet time a daily habit...and pray about what habits I need to break.

Exhaustion to Glory

That awkward moment when...

You know you are not, could not possibly be, in any way, form or fashion--hungry--and yet it seems as though you will explode if you do not shove food in your mouth at an alarming rate until that feeling goes away.

I think that much progress has been made in my life where my eating habits/lifestyle are concerned. But I still bear the burden of this one, really nagging thing that happens to me. It seems like if I could just overcome this then I would be golden. It also seems like I will never be able to overcome it.

That feeling, in those moments...is like no other feeling I can describe. It is irresistible. It is a force. It has the ability to shroud any sense of right or wrong or previous decision I might have made, like in this post. In those moments it seems that nothing can quench the desire for...something...that I have. And it's not food. But for some reason that is the way this desire manifests itself through me. I eat.

I hate it. I hate it about me. It is the thing that will make me want to slap myself, pull my hair out, go into another room and scream into a pillow. It is thing that (hasn't done this in a long time) makes me look into a mirror with disgust and just cry. Because this pattern of failure is exhausting.

An excerpt from my devotion this morning in Jesus Calling (and I'm a day off if anyone else reads this)

Come to me for rest and refreshment. The journey has been too much for you, and you are bone-weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead, see it as an opportunity for Me to take charge of your life. Remember that I can fit everything into a pattern for good (Rom. 8:28), including the things you wish were different...Your main responsibility is to remain attentive to me, letting me guide you through the many choices along your pathway...Your desire to live in my presence goes against the grain of "the world, the flesh, and the devil." Much of your weariness results from your constant battle against these opponents. However, you are in the path of my choosing, so do not give up!

Now that's a word for the weary!

This pattern that I wish was different seems so futile and tiring but as Romans 8:28 and the devotional states, He can fit everything into a pattern for good. He is not surprised by my pitiful pattern. In fact, He is so powerful that He uses it for good. From it He crafts the very best, perfect prescription for my problem: More of Himself.

The pattern is this:
self-reliance > fail > become weary > turn to Him > HOPE > praise Him

The end of the pattern is always to glorify my Savior. This is for His purposes, not mine. All for HIS glory. Not mine! Ahh! How quick I am to forget this. The purpose is not, nor has it ever been "to get me fixed." Not possible. At least not here on earth.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11

Lord,
What a Creator you are! Why do I try to do things apart from you? Why do I try to fix myself? You have got this. Help me every day get over myself faster and on to you even faster. Let your glory shine!
Amen

This song has gotten me through many a long runs:) Enjoy!

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Choosing to get out of the funk tomorrow. That is all.

Do I Eat Enough Protein?

I have had several concerned readers wonder if I am getting enough protein. I have never really questioned it, just assumed I was, but it sounds like the dangers of not consuming enough protein are pretty serious. The eating habits that I am trying to establish now are ones that I want to keep for the rest of my life. Once I get to goal I may be able to add 100-200 calories but that's about all that will change. It's very important that what I am doing currently be a good plan for my health in the long run. So I decided it would definitely be worth it to do some research to answer the question...

Do I eat enough protein?

The long answer:

This is a chart from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ which is the USDA's nutrition website.

This chart aligns with the amount my FP4H Member's Guide suggests: 5 oz. equivalents of protein per day. As far as I can tell, 5oz. equivalents of protein per day is a pretty standard recommendation for most women. This has been my target for quite some time.

I could probably get away with 5.5 oz. if I really wanted to, and considering I'm not perfect with my measuring/weighing, I likely do. But I fall into the 31-50 range (see above chart) which recommends 5 oz. equivalents per day. I rarely exercise more than 30 minutes a day. Only on my long run days, which is about once a week.

I wasn't satisfied with just these findings, so I researched how many grams of protein that I should consume daily as I know that various food items, no matter what their weight, would contain varying amounts of protein. Sources I found (and I looked at a lot!) suggest anywhere from 45-75 grams per day for a female with all my stats. The results from one of many protein calculators I used:

If I want to consider myself an endurance/resistance athlete (which I don't really) I could increase that amount up to 85 grams per day. That sounds like a lot. But from what I can tell you can't really get too much protein. Anyway...

Let's say 50-80 grams of protein per day is a good amount.I took a few random trackers (since I have a tracker library now!) and tallied up the grams of protein I consumed in those days. I added up the protein from all of the food groups, not just the "protein" category foods. What I found really shocked me.

First of all,  I found that on average, I consume over 80 grams of protein per day! I had no idea.

Second, the whole grains that I eat contain lots of protein! Check out the protein content of these grain items I consume on a regular basis:

• Whole grain English muffin--5 grams
• Piece Whole grain bread--4 grams
• 1 c. Quaker oat cereal--8 grams
• 1/2 c. Old Fashioned oats--5grams

I was really excited about this as I am slightly self-conscious of my grain consumption. It seems outrageously high but I have been able to lose weight while eating them and I don't like the thought of life without cereal and bread. (5-6 oz. equivalents of grains per day is my goal) I do not eat whole grains exclusively, but on most days more than half of my grains are whole. The "white grains" that I eat contain little to no protein.

I wondered if the grain protein was "as good" as the meat protein since you don't really hear people encouraging the consumption of grains to up your protein. I decided to research the difference in the whole grain protein sources and the protein that comes from meat. My hunch was correct. Kind of.

I'm probably the last person on the planet to know this but in case someone else has been under the rock with me...Protein coming from animal sources (meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs) are considered "complete" which means they contain all of the essential amino acids. Plant sources of protein, like the whole grains I consume or nuts are incomplete proteins because they do not contain every single essential amino acid. The science involved with this is a little too much for me to go into here but basically, because I eat a combination of many different protein sources they combine or "complement" one another to make complete protein. Yay.

Finally,(feel like I'm beating a dead horse here) the amount of meat (usually chicken) that I normally eat in a day provides 40 grams of complete protein which, according to several sources, would be nearly enough for me on its own.

The short answer: Yes, I do eat enough protein. :)

I just wanted to share these findings because I felt like a scientist and/or an investigator today. Hopefully this information will be helpful! And if I missed something crucial in my research let me know;)

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Week in Review No. 5

Start weight:228 lbs
Current weight:171.7
Total loss:56.3
Weekly loss/gain: -.7

Physical
This week was just about as disciplined as I get when it comes to food. (Until about 3 hours ago. Today's tracker will document.) I set a goal to have two days of eating 1200 calories as opposed to the 1400-1500 I usually aim for and was successful. I also set a goal last week to exercise everyday for at least 15 minutes. I did not meet that goal. I have been getting my long runs in but walking a lot during the week. Doing the short runs throughout the week becomes essential now as the mileage is increasing on my training schedule and race day approaches. I really need to get motivated to move more this week.

Mental
The mental battle early on this week was me giving up sugar in my coffee. Which ended up being me giving up coffee almost entirely. I did have a cup this morning with Equal and regular half and half but it wasn't worth it. I just don't like it that way. But I don't really miss the coffee. I haven't had headaches or any side effects like that. After the first couple of days I didn't really think about it.

Emotional
Again, the tiny loss frustrates me. Especially since I feel that I truly gave it my all this week. I can't say that this has happened many times--giving 100% and small loss. In the past it seems that a week like this might yield at least a 2 or 3 pound loss. It really got the best of me today and I just felt mentally and emotionally tired with no reward of weight loss.  I don't think the gall bladder is in danger (lol) but I did not eat well today. Which is a shame because if I was going to veer off course I would have rather done it last night with homemade desserts. But, I digress. The last time I had a day sort of like this it came on the heels of a .2 loss. Apparently anything less than a one pound loss is not acceptable to me. In my head I know that it's not all about the numbers. "A loss is a loss." I preach that all the time. It's so easy to say. I guess that truth just hasn't made it to the deepest parts of my heart yet. I will continue to pray for that end. In the meantime, what I weigh today and how I messed up today will not diminish my recognition of what was otherwise a perfectly wonderful week on plan and  just in general.

Spiritual
Most days I was able to sneak into the bathroom for 15 to 20 minutes with no interruptions for a quiet time with God. I had a little chuckle studying in Mark chapter 1:35-37: Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”  Ha! Jesus truly does know how I feel! Can't I just get a few minutes alone in the bathroom, people? :) But seriously, the quiet time that was provided for me this week was just perfect. I continue to pray that this would become a habit. I am excited as I sense the Lord leading me into some uncharted waters in my life. It is amazing to look back on the past few years, even months, and see how He has paved the way for new opportunities and cultivated my heart so that His desires could grow there. Scripture memory for this week was Romans 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "the righteous will live by faith."

Weekly Highlights

• Talked throughout a 3 mile run, never been able to do that before due to lack of breath. This was a milestone!
• Fun times with family
• 1200 calorie goal met

Weekly Goals

• Three 1200 calorie days (Tues, Thurs, Sat)
• Run 5 out of 7 days (Mon (6mi), Tues, Thurs, Fri., Sun)
• No overeating if my weight loss isn't what I expect on Sunday

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Night Out & Tracker 34



In the "best coffee" bathroom.



We had a blast tonight! First stop was the restaurant I asked for your help with earlier today. There was actually an item on the menu tonight that was not on the menu I found online today. It was roasted chicken with root vegetables. That's what I ordered. My hubby got the pecan crusted catfish. Both dishes were excellent. I exhibited great restraint in only consuming 1 piece of some incredible sourdough bread.

(Oh my gosh! I just remembered the fried green tomato with buttermilk ranch dressing that I ate. I did not put that on my tracker :( Need to add about 120 calories for that. It was worth it)

After dinner we headed to a coffee shop and ordered the french press. I did add one packet of raw sugar and some cream. It was okay but a little too acidic for my taste.  Kind of a downer after I had waited all week for it. But, oh well. As we were leaving, the server suggested a little chocolate shop around the corner, so how could we resist?

**Warning! This post now abruptly turns into a chocolate shop spectacle!**



Here's the chocolate--chocolate, chocolate & MORE chocolate!









 









Crack in a Box! I sampled this one. MMMMM.




Yup--cheese n' chocolate. Unbelievable!




Me and my date ♥




My little brother and his wife ♥



This was such a fun night. We ended it at yet another coffee shop. Here I had an iced coffee with sugar free syrup and half & half. There was a great local band playing while we were there. So fun!

Here is my tracker minus the fried tomato :-/ I think that puts me right at 1600 calories.