50 by Fifty: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Boy, have I been putting off this post! In case you're new to 50 by Fifty, I gave myself a challenge to lose 50 pounds in a year (average 1 pound per week)...by my 50th birthday to be exact. I started on my 49th birthday in March and got off to a good start. I lost 10.6 pounds in about 10 or 11 weeks. Then May hit. From mid May until now we celebrated (insert 'with food') 5 family birthdays, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, and 4th of July, plus a lot of just life in between. Although I was still careful *in general* about what I ate, I abandoned keeping a journal of my meals and their points values.

I suppose it could have been worse. I only gained back 2.2 pounds (I'm at 8.4 pounds lost overall), but I lost almost 2 months of progress - 1 step forward, 2 steps back. This is the point typically in my past weight loss attempts where I would just give up...especially if I was paying money for a weight loss program. So, unless I want this to end up like SO many other past attempts, I HAVE to keep going. And for me, that means writing down everything I eat and of course making better choices. Exercise is another must, but I could do an entire blog on just exercise excuses!

I am truly not beating myself up over this setback. I have certainly done that in the past. I am recognizing it as a natural part of the process, especially when you have made the determination that this is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. These celebrations will go on...life will get crazy and unpredictable...but if I learn a bit more after each challenge and apply those lessons, then I'll keep making progress. It may be a slow, but that's OK...I didn't get this way overnight...

If you are on a similar journey and have hit a wall or fallen way back, I just want to encourage you (and myself) to not give up. See the setback as a learning tool and launch forward from that point equipped with new insights and renewed determination.

I'll let you know next week how it's going. Thank you for coming back by to check in on me. Knowing you are there cheering me on has been a true blessing! Have a glorious weekend and enjoy these all too fleeting days of Summer!

"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

Galatians 6:9

50 by Fifty: Busy Days

Yep, it's been a busy week to be sure...I blew right past 50 by Fifty "Friday", although, I am happy to report that I am back on track and have lost 2 more pounds this past week for a total of 9.1 pounds in 8 weeks! All I can attribute the loss to is simply sticking with writing down what I eat and staying within my points...period. I have not done an appreciable amount of exercise and I could still make better food choices, but overall I am happy to say that I can see some good habits slowly taking the place of bad habits, and in the long run, that is precisely what I need to happen...  

The reason it's been a busy week is primarily because I've been pretty single-mindedly focused on a project and I have not made time for much else besides some family time that was much needed. (I WILL share photos of the crawfish boil SOON...it was so fun!) I'm excited to share that the project I am working on is a brand new calendar for 2011!! It is all starting to click now as the concept finally came together and the sketches are more refined and focused...and typically, once I have that in place, I just put my head down and draw...which is precisely what I've been doing. I promise I will tell you more about it soon, and share sneak previews of it as I go, but for now I will simply provide a one word clue:  'Bunnies'! Lord willing, it is really going to be a fun, sweet, encouraging calendar...one that celebrates friendship and creativity...  If my blog postings become even a bit more sparse than normal, you'll know that it's likely because I'm drawing a bunny or bunny "accessories"  :o) 

But today is a workday at the shop, and tonight is the Dancing with the Stars finale, so the bunnies will have to wait until tomorrow...

Oh and if you're wondering "why bunnies?", here's a glimpse at just a few of the bunnies in my world...

I definitely have a thing for bunnies....they've been demanding their own calendar for a while now! :o)

I look forward to catching up will all of you soon and seeing what you're up to...until then, happy Monday and a blessed week to you all!!

"Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance."

Jude 2

50 by Fifty: Familiar Territory

Yep, I've been here before - a bit stuck, a tad discouraged. No gain, no loss...exact same weight as last week. It's been 7 weeks, and I'm at 7.1 pounds lost. I know that is right on track for one pound per week for a year, but it still feels like I'm not really progressing...

I'm OK though...I'm not beating myself up or anything. I understand this part of the journey pretty well. It's where the mental game gets a bit harder for me...it's the point where old habits begin to sneak in here and there. The good news is, I am still painstakingly journaling every single thing I eat. And that has been so very helpful. That's how I spot the old habits...a few more sweets or snacks...a few less veggies and lean proteins...more eating out. Thankfully I can see it clearly...hopefully I can make the necessary changes...

I'm keeping this short this week as I am heading out soon for a full day of family activities. I'll share photos soon from our big family crawfish boil this afternoon...should be a blast! I'll be bringing some "sensible goodies" for myself so I won't be waylayed by all the not-so-healthy choices we'll have there (although boiled crawfish are not too bad points-wise...too bad I don't really like them...my brothers think I'm adopted because I don't eat them!) The main focus for me will be family, not food...which is always the best attitude anyway!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, sprinkled with family fun, creative endeavors, gardening adventures, bargain hunting, quiet reflection, glorious worship! Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi - I love it when our paths cross in Blogland!

Also...a shout out to my yournger brother Dave - it's his birthday today, though ironically he won't be at our gathering - he's the head track coach at a local University and they have a track meet out of town today. Good luck at the meet Dave and Happy Birthday sweet brother - I love you so much!

"Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again,

my Savior and my God!"

Psalm 42:11

50 by Fifty: Adjustments

Just a quick (and late) 50 by Fifty update...I had a small gain this week - .5 pounds...  I'm at a total of 7.1 pounds lost since March 27th, 2010.

I know from experience that there will be weeks where there is a gain, and it can have one of two effects on you - you can either get discouraged and start a cycle of defeat, or you can make adjustments and get back on track, moving forward. Although I did have a moment of discouragement when I thought the cute blue butterfly on the weight loss ticker (above) would turn brown and upside down if it had to go backward, I got over it and realized that I am more determined than ever to see this journey through.

One of the best things about keeping a food journal is the ability to review past weeks, good and not so good, and look for clues for improvement. It was fairly easy to see what went a bit awry this week, and make adjustments going forward. One mistake was having two days this week where I went over points and had to use a lot of extra points to cover it - poor planning and impulsive eating were the main culprits there. Another observation is a more tactical error - as you lose weight in Weight Watchers, your daily points allowance goes down, and I had reached a place in my weight where I needed to bring my daily points down and I didn't. SO - I'm making adjustments and moving ahead...

One thing we did do this week that I was happy about was go bike riding - it felt so great to ride again! We plan to do that each week on Friday mornings, which is a good start. Still, more exercise is essential, so it is still a priority to get back to working out with my exercise ball and hand weights. I'm keeping my goal simple - just get started...even if it's just one session on one day for 10 minutes this week, DO IT!

I'll be back tomorrow with a Mother's Day post for all you sweet Moms out there, especially my very own wonderful Mom whom I adore! Meanwhile, have a glorious weekend filled with God's goodness - it's everywhere, in abundance, if we'll only open our hearts to see it!

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

1 Timothy 4:8

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

2 Peter 1:3

50 by Fifty: No Sweat

This week was a blur as we have been working pretty much non-stop to downsize our space at the shop. (by the way, our new space is looking  pretty darn cute - I can't wait to take photos to share!) It was, however, still a pretty good week for weight loss - I lost another 1.1 pounds for a total of 7.6! The key for this week has definitely been journaling my meals - when I have a crazy schedule like I have this week and we are eating out a lot, it is even more imperative that I make the time to accurately record the points...

I dropped the ball on exercising this week though...even though I did a fair amount of moving with all the downsizing, that's not quite the same as concerted strength and flexibility work that I wanted to do. But, I will simply move forward and get the exercise in next week. One of the biggest lessons I am trying to learn through this challenge is to not sweat the small stuff. If I mess up, simply dust off, try again, and learn from my mistakes. This can sometimes be as hard a lesson for me as learning to eat right - I have a tendency to beat myself after a mistake or shortcoming, which is just not productive. So, once again, I need to turn to the Lord to help me to learn and grow, through both success and failure...

Thanks as always for stopping by - I work at the shop tomorrow, then it's two whole weeks before I have to work there again (one of the nicest benefits of downsizing). In those upcoming weeks I am really looking forward to getting back to doing some illustration work as well as more crafting time in the studio... I'll be taking photos of the new space tomorrow and will do my best to post them on Sunday...

Hope you have a wonderful weekend - and remember...don't sweat the small stuff...

"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"

Matthew 6:27

50 by Fifty: Balance

Welcome to the fourth week (third weigh in) of my challenge to lose 50 pounds by my 50th birthday! Well, it was a great weight loss week - I lost 3.3 pounds!! That makes a total of 6.5 pounds lost overall. Thank You Lord! I simply must give Him all the glory...He has made this so very do-able for me! He has given me dear friends who are praying and cheering me on and journeying alongside me, He is adjusting my appetites, and He is giving me heaping helpings of hope...

I think balance is really a key factor in this lifestyle change (I'm trying not to call it a "diet" because it will be a permanent change in the way I eat). I was looking back at some of my older illustrations this week and I found this one that I did for Illustration Friday back in 2007 - the prompt that week was "Extremes" and I did a piece that was focused on balance as an alternative to the extremes of over-indulgence and starvation dieting...

It's the over-indulgent eating lifestyle that got me to this place to begin with, and although I'm sure a starvation/radical diet would provide a pretty quick weight loss, it would not help me change to a healthy, realistic, sustainable way of eating in the long run. I need balance - life is real; full of pitfalls, crazy days, and good intentions gone bad, and I must have flexibility, based on a solid foundation, to deal with it all successfully. Food is neither my friend, nor my foe...it is simply my fuel....

So, I'm embracing the concept of balance for this journey. Mexican food and chocolate cake (yes I had both this week and still lost) balanced with smaller portions, more fruits and veggies, and much less sugar overall...you get the idea. By the way, please don't be offended if you are doing something different/more restricted as part of your own weight loss journey...I'm just sharing what is working for me and trying to apply the concepts generally... Everyone must ultimately walk this journey themselves with God's personalized plan for what is best for them.

Next week, I will be introducing exercise back into my weekly regiment...I'm looking forward to sharing more details and updating you on what/how I did next Friday...

Thank y'all again for your prayers and support! I appreciate it so very much!!

______________________________

"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)

50 by Fifty Friday

Steady progress; that's the best way to describe this week of weight loss. I lost .8 pounds and I am at 3.2 pounds lost in 3 weeks. SO, I'm right on track at this point with my goal of one pound per week for a year! I have to say that writing down/tracking everything I eat has been very important to my progress. I'm very encouraged that it has been relatively easy to keep up with recording my meals. It actually gives me a certain level of comfort knowing right where I stand on points in a given day...even on the days when I have slipped up and over done it. At least I know where I stand and can more easily make corrections than if I was just guessing my status.

My food tip for this week involves the necessary evil of eating out, particularly at fast food restaurants. I don't know about you, but a certain amount of eating out each week is pretty much unavoidable for us. Therefore, I have to have a strategy going in, or I'll be sunk. I have a Weight Watchers Dining Out guide which lists points values for common foods from numerous popular restaurants...everything from Applebees to Whataburger...so I try to review the selections and their point values BEFORE I go. That helps me to stay on track and not be swayed by higher point food selections.

Our favorite fast food restaurant these days is Chick-fil-A - yummy chicken sandwiches and salads with a number of lower point options. We are especially loving the "Chick-n-Strips Salad" which is just 8 points, plus one more point for a packet of non-fat honey mustard dressing. It makes a very substantial meal and is very filling and satisfying. They have a number of other moderate point chicken salads that are equally appealing that I haven't tried yet...looking forward to sampling those soon. Even the classic Chick-fil-A sandwich is just 6 points...a great alternative to a burger. Eating fast food doesn't have to be a disaster - it just takes a little planning and research.

If you would like to see the points value (as well as the calorie, fat gram, and carb counts) for LOTS of restaurants all across the country, check out Dotti's Weight Loss Zone, Restaurant List - Dotti has been accumulating restaurant data for years and has entries for most every restaurant I've ever heard of, including smaller regional chains...

With God's help, I am feeling more and more confident each day that I will stick to this and not bail out like I have so many times in the past. It will take some vigilance on my part (and trusting God when I am feeling anything but vigilant), but the rewards are so worth it! If you are on a similar journey, I pray that the Lord will exchange our weakness for His strength!

Thanks for checking in! I will do my utmost to post during the week about more things than just 50 by Fifty - thanks as always for your patience!

"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

2 Corinthians 12:9

50 by Fifty Friday (um, Saturday)

A little late with my update, but after finishing our taxes yesterday (yay!), sweet hubby and I, Maddie our dog, and my Mom and Dad took a little road trip to Brenham, TX. Goodness gracious, the weather was GORGEOUS! And there were LOTS of bluebonnets and other wildflowers blooming all along the way. If you've never seen bluebonnets covering a Texas hillside, you've really missed a sight!

We also did a bit of junkin', which is always a fun thing! (sorry no pics right now). It was a REALLY wonderful afternoon!!

Anyway, back to 50 by Fifty - I am happy to report that I lost 1.4 pounds this week for a 2 week total of 2.4 pounds! It was a good week - no big challenges or hurdles (I didn't have to deal with the Easter potluck after all, so that helped). I did want to share a food find that is now a staple in our household - bread/sandwich rounds. You may have seen these at your local grocery store...if you've wondered if they are any good, I can say without hesitation, YES, they are great!

At only 100 calories per round, whole grain, and 5 grams of fiber each (1 point in Weight Watchers), they are a versatile and low-point alternative to regular sandwich bread or buns. I use them for toast most mornings with my yogurt or for sandwich making at lunch. I even use them if I want a bit of bread with soup or a salad. Yummy stuff! For a bread lover like me, it's important that I have a good alternative to all the high point bread options out there...this one is a keeper!

That's it for this week's 50 by Fifty - thanks for checking back in to see my progress! We're heading out to go see a local car show and check out a sale at a nearby storage unit complex. Our kind of Saturday! I hope YOU have YOUR kind of Saturday today!

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

Matthew 4:4

Good Friday & 50 by Fifty

We have a small dogwood tree growing on our property, and it is in full bloom now. I have always loved dogwoods...their blooms are so beautiful and showy in the Spring. I also love the Legend of the Dogwood, which tells of the symbolism of the tree and its blooms as it relates to Christ's crucifiction. I thought it was particularly poignant to see this dogwood blossom next to this thorny vine, reminiscent of Jesus' thorny crown. Here is the poem called Legend of the Dogwood. It is of course just legend, but it is a sweet reminder of the supreme sacrifice of our Savior - the perfect Lamb of God...

The Legend of the Dogwood

In Jesus time, the dogwood grew

To a stately size and a lovely hue.

'Twas strong & firm it's branches interwoven

For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress at this use of their wood

Christ made a promise which still holds good:

"Never again shall the dogwood grow

Large enough to be used so

Slender & twisted, it shall be

With blossoms like the cross for all to see.

As blood stains the petals marked in brown

The blossom's center wears a throny crown.

All who see it will remember me

Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree.

Cherished and protected this tree shall be

A reminder to all of my agony."

Author Unknown

I'm so grateful to you Jesus, for coming to save a lost sheep like me - thank you for your ultimate sacrifice so that we can live with You for eternity...

"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.

Yet the Lord laid on him

the sins of us all."

 Isaiah 53:5-7 (NLT)

______________________________

Just a quick update on my 50 by Fifty Challenge - I lost one pound! (One pound per week for a year is the goal) It was, however, a short week. I bought a digital scale on Sunday, but when I got it home it was dead on arrival. So Monday, sweet hubby took the dead scale back to WalMart after work and got another one and brought it home. So I didn't get to weigh in for my official start weight until Tuesday morning. But, this week will be a full week and I will have much more to share with you about some food finds that have helped me as well as how I dealt with an Easter potluck...should be interesting!

Speaking of the Easter potluck, I will be making a super-easy dessert to take and I will share the recipe and step-by-step photos tomorrow. I may not be tasting my own dessert, but that's OK...I've had it before...too many times :o)

I wanted to thank all of you for sharing this journey with me and praying for me...what a blessing you are! I definitely feel the grace and courage flowing to me through your prayers! Thank you!!

Have a blessed Good Friday and a wonderful Resurrection Sunday if I don't see you beforehand!

The 50 by Fifty Challenge!

Welcome to the official kickoff of the Just Bee 'n Me 50 by Fifty Challenge! A few weeks ago as my 49th birthday was approaching I had an idea...what if I used my blog to chronicle a personal year-long 50 pound weight loss challenge that would culminate on my 50th birthday in 2011...? After thinking about it and praying about it, I decided to take the plunge and go public with my weight loss journey. I started something called "Weigh in Wednesday" way back in 2005 when I started my blog, but the effort fell apart during that very difficult/divorce year and I dropped it. So, here I am again...ready and willing to share this new adventure with you!

I have much more to lose than 50 lbs., to be sure, but I know from MANY years of losing and re-gaining weight that it is best to stick to realistic, attainable and maintainable goals. SO...one pound a week for a year...can I do it? On my own steam and with my own "will power"...not likely if history repeats itself, but with the Lord's help and guidance, you bet!!

To keep this real and to provide a proper record of the journey, I will be posting a weight loss ticker at the top of my posts, which I will update weekly after I weigh on Fridays (to be known here as '50 by Fifty Friday"). In addition, my hubby took a full length "Before" photo of me at my birthday party on Saturday and I'm sharing it here. I'm hoping that the follow-up "After" photo a year from now will show a 50 (or more?) pounds lighter me. (I may also share some in-progress photos along the way as appropriate)...

In addition to sharing my progress, I plan to share some highs and lows, challenges and victories, and lessons learned from my weight loss experience which I hope will be a help and encouragement to anyone who may be on or who is contemplating being on their own weight loss journey. I will be using the Weight Watcher's points plan as my "diet" (lifestyle change) as I have LOTS of materials, booklets, etc from them from the MANY years of on-and-off participation in their program. As a money saving step, I will not be joining and attending a weekly meeting, but instead will make my "50 by Fifty Friday" posts my "meeting" with all of you, my new accountability partners...

So, here goes! I would appreciate your prayers dear friends as I know they will play a key role in my success. Also, I'm not asking anyone to share this on their blog like we sometimes do for giveaways (although you can), but I would LOVE it if you would become a Just Bee 'n Me "follower" if you aren't already, and also please add Just Bee 'n Me to your blogroll pretty please so more people will hopefully make it by here and be encouraged...  I'm also working on a Just Bee 'n Me banner for posting on your sidebar if you so desire...I hope to have it ready by next week. THANK YOU in advance for sharing this journey with me!!!

"Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed."

Proverbs 16:3 (Amplified)