The Rules

Rules.  Sometimes I don’t like to follow rules very much.  Now, generally speaking, I am fairly well organized and I hold myself to a high standard-you can see it in my grades (remember, I am back in school), in the work that I do, the things I am involved in at church, even the way I engage in conversation.  I want to be the best me that I can be.  The one area where I lack discipline is in taking care of my body.  I developed some really bad habits at a young age, and I haven’t been able to break them yet.  My mother…I love her so much!  But, she learned to stuff her face to avoid feelings, and I learned at a young age that you can manage your emotions by putting food in your mouth.  I’m not blaming my mother for my weight.  I have been aware of my tendency to stuff my feelings (and my face) with food for quite some time, and it has been my decision to continue with such behaviors.  I just know that food has been a big part of my family life for soooo long, and it’s really hard to break that cycle!  But I’m gonna do it this time!  I am tired of beginning the battle that is losing weight.  I want this to be my last beginning of the battle.  I want to be successful at shedding some pounds.  I need to be successful.  My body isn’t as resilient as it once was.  My health is starting to become impaired because of my weight.  My blood pressure is a little high.  I can’t run on pavement because it hurts my knees too much.  Every time I book a flight, I fear that I won’t fit in the seat.  I skipped the trip to the amusement park for the same reason.  I don’t want to live that way anymore.  I LOVE being outdoors, and I want to be able to hike in the Rockies .  I want to be able to take a kayaking trip.  I want to play Frisbee and football and enjoy myself instead of being self-conscious. 

So I’m doing something about it. 

I started taking Phentermine.  It was such a hard decision for me!  I don’t like the idea of taking medication unless you absolutely have to.  I prefer to manage pain, moods, etc. naturally if at all possible.  And I know I CAN lose weight without the medication.  In the end, I decided to give it a try to give me a boost in the beginning of the weight loss.  They say it takes around a month to make something a habit.  Well, I hope that within a month, my body will be adjusted to eating less and exercising more.  I am praying that the Phen will work and that I won’t have any weird side effects (so far, I’m doing okay!). 

I know that if I am going to be serious and committed to this weight loss, then I need to have a plan for myself and some rules.  And I need to FOLLOW THEM!!  Okay, so here are the rules:

1. Record EVERYTHING that is ingested!  I need to keep track of what I am actually eating, so I can track calories, carbs, etc.  and know what my triggers are. 

    

2. Get enough sleep!  It’s amazing how much better I do with everything else when I get several good nights of sleep in a row!  So…I need to go to bed earlier.

    

3. Stick to the schedule as much as possible!  Do your homework, clean the house, socialize when you’ve allotted time to do so.  Keeping the planned out schedule helps alleviate stress.

    

4. GO TO THE GYM!!!  Even if it’s only for a half hour, it’s better than not at all!  Let’s shoot for 3times a week, maybe 4.  (and it is permissible to ride the bike outside in lieu of the gym-once it’s not 102 degrees outside like it is now!)

    

5. Attend to your spiritual needs!  It is crucial to have that healthy relationship with God and to spend time with Him daily through His word and prayer.

    

I CAN DO THIS!!! 

So, what might get in the way of me following these rules and attaining my goal?

~My busy schedule. work and school take up practically ALL of my time.  I’ll need to work very hard to get other things in, like cooking meals instead of getting fast food, and going to the gym.

~I love my friends!  It’s gonna be hard to turn down the chance to see them so I can go to bed early or go to the gym.  I won’t turn them down all the time, but I’m going to have to spend a little bit less time on them so I can spend a little more time on bettering myself…makes me sad though…  L

~I have this love affair with food  I like food.  I like cooking it.  I like tasting it.  I like eating.  I’m good at eating.  That’s how I got to where I am.  I’ll have to learn to like my health, my sexy new size better than I like the food.  I think this one will get easier as I start to see results (I hope so anyway!)

~I need more discipline!  I need to be serious over the next 4-6 weeks about developing new habits to replace the old ones I’m getting rid of…

Well folks, this is the point of no return.  This is where the rubber meets the road.  And it’s a race.  No hesitation.  I just need to do it and make it work.  So…here I go…I’m divin’ in!

Be encouraged

You are definitely on the right track.  You have to start somewhere and now is the perfect time.  Don't feel bad about using the phentermine.  Sometimes you have to take measures to get started.  I know a few people who have used phen w/ much success.  I definitely motivated them to eat better and to want the lifestyle change even the more.  Just make sure that you are not using them as a substitute for healthy eating and excercising.  I have not doubt that you can do it!!  The weight loss has to be between you and God.  I have come to the realization that it is not his will for us to be unhealthy.  We are not able to fully work the way he would have us to when we are unhealthy.  So continue with your daily studies and I will be praying with you that your reach your goal.  Remember you can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives you strength.