Monday, May 30, 2011

Cleaning the Grill

Well, I don't want to use the excuse that we are single women or that we haven't had a grill for that long, but today we chose to make hot dogs, tator tots, and had Root Beer Floats for Memorial Day. Jenny asked me to cook the hot dogs but when I got out there, I realized that it was dirty. I could have just put the hot dogs on and then they would have been good but dirty. But, I did the right thing and shook what I could off and then took it into the kitchen and cleaned it. I had to use this scraper thing to take off all of the old. It took a little while to get off all of the blackness and what was left from the last time we used the grill.

Here's the thing. I was struck by how I had to get it wet then it was easier for everything to come off of. I felt like that's what God is doing to/for me now. I have to lean on Him for everything and pray, and be with Him, in order to scrape off some of the dirt from my past and in order for me to get it. It being Confident in myself and who I am in Christ.

Friday, May 27, 2011

It's been a while

It's been a while since I have blogged. I do have one entry that I keep changing and haven't posted yet. Today was the realization that this school year is quickly ending. I did wear my dress that has been in my closet forever and now finally fits. Just this morning I took the tags off of the Size 16 dress that I bought years ago. I even went with Mom to Target to help with bathing suit selection and tried on a size 14 pair of nice Capri pants. Yes, I got the zipper up enough to then fall when I breathed out. But, size 14 fit over my thighs and I was able to suck in, zip, and button up.

Today was Awards Day, which is why I realized the year is ending. I am a cryer you know. And got through my first Awards and then was in the middle of the second one when my eyes watered. Every year there is a Principal's Award. It was no question who was to get it in the second class. This girl is kind and sweet. "She is a friend to all".....her award began. I thought about how true that was. Keeping the special friend next to her on task, "Mrs. Gradwell said to color this blue, or you have to cut here." She always has a smile and is a friend to everyone in the class. She helps all who feel left out.

After a really tough year with work and home, and with the knowledge of me working with two new teachers next year. Next year, I pray that I am thought of in the same aspect of this Principal's Award winner. That I was a friend to all and did my work with a smile on my face. And if not, than I pray that I remember next year that it's all about the journey. From the first day till the last, what kind of person shall I be?

People have asked what I am doing this summer. I wasn't asked for summer school and haven't heard anything from applications that I have put in. I am going to be on a strict budget. I am going to work out hard everyday with my sister at the gym. I am going to read a lot. Every Weds. I am going to hand out lunches to the needy on a street that my church has decided to help. I am going to have good quiet time with God. And so I don't know when my next entry will be. I guess it will be when I decide to post something from my journal.

Lord, Thank you for this year Lord. Oh, how it's been hard. I have felt like for the longest time I have just sat at your feet crying and asking you to take hurts away. I am stronger mentally and also physically this year. I feel like I have pushed myself farther than I ever thought I could. Mentally, I feel like I have cried rivers at your feet. I also think, I know that my self-esteem has grown. Not overnight, and not without trial and error, but the way I see myself when I look in the mirror has changed dramatically. I like what I see. I am also honest with myself and I feel like I have opinions and I give them when I am asked. I have stood up for myself and have learned ways to ask for help. I really learned to be okay with asking for help. Lord, you have shown me that YOU are the one that is in control. You are in Control of:
-when I meet my husband
-how much I can physically take when working out.
-My breathe. My physical needs.
And how by being sick, being stressed, being unable to take in a real breathe, by having to stand up for myself. I have been brought to my knees over and over to realize that Lord, YOU are the one who makes my days and nights. You are in the boat with me during the storms of my life. You are at times paddling us to safety when all I want you to do is wrap YOUR arms around me and for me to physically know that YOU are indeed in the boat with me.
Thank you for this year Lord. Thank you for sitting in the boat with me. Thank you for holding my hand and allowing me to blubber cry at your feet.
Amen.


James 1:12
Christine, blessed is the woman who perseveres under trial, by when she stood the test, she will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who Love Him. And OH HOW SHE LOVE YOU.

Lord

Lord,
Help me to be mindful of things going on around me and for me to lay them at your feet.

Amen.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Warrior Dash Pictures!!

I am still waiting for the pictures taken by the Warrior Dash. But here are the ones taken by our Wonderful Photographer, My Mom!


This is before when we were putting on our numbers.


Jenny and I after the race. We don't look like there is a lot of mud on us, but there was!



This was me soaking wet after going through the lake, tires, and cars.



Here is me running to the finish line!! The girl in the orange shirt was pregnant and couldn't do most of the obstacles. I have no idea why you would want to do that crazy stuff while prego.





They had more cars to go through this year. I went through the doors instead of going on top.



Danielle and I for our before pictures!









All of us gals before the race!



Here is my fire picture!!





Right after I finished the race.


There is me trying to get over the cars!





Us right before the race


All of us when we finished!!!!


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Warrior Dash

I didn't want to do it. I was talking myself out of it the night before. My wonderful friend Danielle met at our house and then we picked up my mom for the two and half hour trek to Mountain City, Georgia! When we got onto the bus, I was reminding myself that I was not the same person from last year that barely made it through the course last year. Oh, how I hated last years Warrior Dash. I hadn't worked out in a month before and really didn't think that it would be that bad. I wasn't able to jog, I walked the first half mile and was last for the longest time last year.


This year Jenny saw me jogging ahead of her and even though many people passed me by, I wasn't the last one in my time this year. I jogged until I got to the first obstacle, which was getting into the water. Last year there you could stand on planks, but you had to just jump in this year. I think that's how they get you really be a Warrior b/c you are soaking wet, head to toe right at the beginning. I stopped trying to feel the ground and began just to swim across. You had to then go through cars, which I went through the door and seats to get through instead of going on top of them. We then had tires that already had mud in them so I tried to step into the ones that weren't covered. Next there was a HUGE wall that wasn't there last year. I met up with Jenny and Danielle. I waited until Danielle went to the other side and went around to cheer Jenny on. In retrospect, there was a lot of obstacles that I didn't do, but the whole point is that I jogged the course.

I ended up finishing at a really good time and I wasn't so drained at the end. There was more time in the woods than last year. There was also a lot of trekking up in the woods. It was muddy so you had to watch your step while going up.

I didn't get hurt/scratched like I did last year. I have a small amount of scratches on my leg and while going down a wet slope, I stopped before coming to the end. I was trying to get up to begin to crawl when I heard, "Watch out!" A woman rammed into the side of my arm and leg. It did get me to the end of the slope and helped me stand up.

Overall, it was worth the drive and the waiting to begin.

Pictures in the next post.

Monday, May 9, 2011

The Finale!!!

Pictures are first, and then me talking about the Finale!!



Here is a picture of all us together!




Here's a little better of a picture of us.



Me after the race was finished. We were
walking to the car.


Standing with my Purple Team.
We were getting our Certificates.
Regina is on the left, and Randy is
the one on the right and won the
whole thing!


Purple Team getting our Award!


Smiling throughout!!


Almost crossing the finish with my
friend Christy!!


Running to the Finish!!


Still Running!!


Waiting with my teammates
to begin the race!


The race has begun!


Starting out with a good stretch!


Talking with everyone
before the race!


You don't have to ask me
twice!!!


















And now it is over. I still can't believe that I won't be working out three times a week with the people that I did. I think that I really did well at the 5K today. It was one of my fastest times in all of my races. I jogged the whole time without stopping to walk. It was nice to not have to catch my breathe or be too worked up for the race. Then I had my Biggest Loser banquet. It was so nice to see everyone in real clothes and not workout clothes. My teammate Randy won for overall BMI and pounds loss. My friend Regina got an overall change award. B/C my friend Christy worked so hard, she was given a gift certificate to come and do the Biggest Loser again for free. She so deserved it. Christy was even my running partner.



In the back there was before and after photos. CeCe usually keeps them to put on a board for her new cast to see, but this time she has let us take ours home. I couldn't stop looking at the expression on our faces. Yes, you could so see the change in weight, but no one had a smile their face. I know that I didn't want my picture taken, but I just seemed so sad.



Again, like my last post, I feel like I am just in the middle. I am at the point where I could falter and go back, or I can finish and get to my goal. I have yet to now what my goal is, I don't have a weight number or a pants size.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Changes.......

Romans 14:7
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in The Holy Spirit.

Oh, how these months of the Biggest Loser have been different. I have tried all of the diets and exercise programs and his has been the one to work. I remember sitting at the pre-lim. meeting to find out about the Biggest Loser. I was ready that night to change. I am not a size 6, but I have changed in different ways. I have lost pounds but even more in inches. I am wearing size 16 jeans that I can easily pull off without unbuttoning them. I now need a belt with them. Dresses that I have been wanting to wear have now become too big. I like working out, even when I get into a funk. I don't want to binge and gorge on food. I like running. I can jog 2 miles straight and not even stop to walk at all. I have my breathing down that i don't overexert myself when working out. I haven't had a panic attack since I don't know when. And so on the night before my Big 5K race and Biggest Loser banquet, I am thinking that at this time I am climbing the mountain. I am about half ways up and feeling good. I have been so long at the bottom of the mountains, I couldn't even see the top. Even now I'm sitting with my size 16 pants and my large shirt that I bought long ago, and finally I really fit into it. Another FYI is that I haven't bought new clothes. These are clothes that have been pushed away in my closet for when I lose weight.

I am proud of myself for how well I have done during the Biggest Loser.I really can't wait to see my before picture and then my after picture that was taken this past week.

I am planning on doing what I did for Spring Break all summer long. Working out in the morning and evening. I am planning n having real quiet time with God and to work on some self-esteem and approval issues that have come up. I worked so hard on my outside, I need to give that much attentional to what's going on with me.

I am wanting to continue to blog even after the Biggest Loser ends. Thank you to all who reads this.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Learning

What have a learned from doing the Biggest Loser?

I remember the first workout and it being so hard. CeCe had us doing things 50-100 times the other night and holding a plank for more than 20 seconds. She reminded us that we were only able to hold the plank for a couple of seconds and could only do sets of 10s.

I can do push ups. We had to wear the amount of weight we have lost and do some exercise. They had only 4 backpacks of weights, so we cheered others on, others that have lost more than 30-40 pounds put on these backpacks. It was my turn to wear the ten pound backpack and it was heavy, but REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. We had to do 5o jumping jacks, 50 squats, and 50 push ups. I was already tired from working out so when it came my time I was a little tired. I honestly didn't think 10 pounds would be that much difference, but it IS!!!

That I can finish something. Remember when I wanted to become a missionary? When I wanted to learn Portuguese? When....... There has been a lot of When I finish this......then I will get what I have been wanting. I have learned that The Biggest Loser is only a beginning. It's a stepping stone. Being/Becoming healthy is a day in and day out thing to do. It's a constant thing of yes and No's. Yes I will go workout. No, I won't eat that dessert, or I will choose something good to eat when I go out.

I feel healthier. I can go up the stairs at work and not have to stop or feel out of breathe at the top. I can keep up with my kids when they play outside.

The new wardrobe has been nice also. My friend Friday told me that I should be wearing more form fitting shirts b/c they look nicer. You tell that to a once overweight girl that always had the tent sized shirt hoping that her muffin top won't poke out. The new wardrobe consists of clothes at the back of the closet and from the top of the closet that I was never able to wear. Or shirts that I have worn and were too big that now fit just right.

I have also been reminded that you should always have people on your team. Your family and God Given Family that will help you. I have learned that it's okay to ask for help. From living a life where I constantly want to fix things and help others, taking the time to ask for help is a nice new thing that I have been encountering. I am so thankful for my friends that I can call with a prayer request and they will either calm me down or yell at me and bring the words that I need to so hear.

I am okay being alone. Ask Jenny how many times I have been to Starbucks this year and you will know that I am okay with being alone. Yes, it would be nice to have someone, but I am more comfortable going to work out in a class that I don't know anyone, go to the movies alone, or just sit in Starbucks and have conversations with God.

I think that The Biggest Loser has shown me, but also this year has been a wide opening surrendering of my life over to God. My tendency to control everything and to help in so many ways hasn't come to life like this year. I have had many things taken away and I have had to lean on God more than any other time in my life. I thought that my time in Guatemala with the Lord and a parasite would be the last time that I would need to be shown that HE is the one in control of my life. Daily reminders through work, family sickness, car troubles, and money troubles have brought me back to my knees in front of the Lord.

CeCe was saying one night that some of us don't have "it" yet. Some people it caught on at the beginning, some in the middle, and some have got on to "it" right at the end. At times I have questioned myself whether or not I will keep up with my new healthy living. I know now that yes, I will have cheat days, but the way I feel after a hard workout, how I feel when I can wear something out and not feel judged on the way I look, and how I have leaned onto God so much that I know that I will be good/just fine with keeping this all up.

Jenny asked me today if I was going to keep my blog up. I get in these moods to type and not type. I am hoping that this Summer will not only bring great one on one time with the Lord, but also time to write.

Thank you for listening.

The Results Are In!!

From the Beginning till the End:





Measurements:



1/18 4/30


Bust 40.5 41


Waist 40.5 36


Abs 46 40


Hips 47.5 44.5


Thighs 25.5 23.5


Arms 14.5 13.5





Weight 217.4 205.2





Body Fat % 40.9 39.9

BMI 35.1 33.1


All Over I have lost 20 inches.

I went from wearing a size 20 jeans to wearing 16 that I took off without unbuttoning the other day. I went from wearing an XLarge or 1X shirt to a large shirt that fits comfortably and my stomach isn't sticking out of it.

At Last

Well, this is my last week of the Biggest Loser. We had our FINAL weigh in and measurements. We have workout on Monday and Weds, and then this coming Saturday we end it with a bang by having a 5K and then banguet in the afternoon. With talking with my other team members, I am ready for it to be over, but will be missing the structure of working out Mondays, Weds, and Saturday mornings. CeCe has said at other times that we should already have a plan on how we are going to keep everything up, with either doing Biggest Loser again this summer, working out with her, or gym memberships. I am ready for the summer for many different reasons, but the best is, is that I will have more time to go to the gym. My gym has now began to charge everyone to do the Spin class, so I am going to do as many other ones that are FREE that I can.

Back to the Biggest Loser, here is the 5K that I will be doing and then the weekend after that a bunch of friends and I will gather again to do the Warrior Dash. My sister has been running her heart out, while I have been working out like I always have. This year I will have done a 5 K the weekend before, rather than taking time off from running and trying to accomplish the MUD!!


www.kennesaw.com/swift-cantrell-classic-5k/