As I started sliding out of my sixties and preparing for my seventies, I realized I couldn’t keep going with my out-of-control lifestyle. While it’s been decades since I abused alcohol and prescription drugs, I still had certain “addictions” I had to deal with….mainly sugar. I’ve always had a sweet tooth and it had started taking its toll on my health. It got to the point where I’d buy our “weekend cake” on Friday and it was gone on Sunday night. It was just awful and had to stop.

Having worked as a Diabetes Educator many years ago, I know the HOW of weight loss. It boils down to expending more calories than what you take in. Pretty simple. The piece I’ve always been missing was the WHY. Why do I overeat? Why do I lose weight only to gain it back? I started Noom on May 1st because I knew I needed support and accountability. 

It takes a lot of planning to follow a healthy meal plan. It’s more expensive to eat fresh so you have to shop around for bargains and plan your menus more carefully. It’s a lot easier to grab quick, processed or fast foods. I got lazy…complacent…self-indulgent. I fell back into the habit of rewarding myself with food. I want food to be fun again. I want to be mindful when I eat and focus on the pleasures of freshness and what better time to do that than in the spring and summer!

One problem I’ve been running into is meeting my minimum calorie recommendations. If I don’t eat enough, my body will respond by slowing down my metabolism making it even harder to lose weight. It’s discouraging when you watch so carefully and stay the same weight for a whole week. But yesterday morning the scale moved down at last and I attribute that to INCREASING my caloric intake and physical activity. 

It’s getting easier and easier this week to steer away from sweets. I treat myself with frozen grapes and fresh fruit. My latest treat has been Wasa Crispbread with goat cheese and as many sliced red grapes as I can fit on the cracker. So, so yummy and satisfying with the herbal crunch of the cracker, the tart creamy goat cheese, and the sweet juicy grapes. 

I continue to enjoy my cup of RYZE in the morning. I’ve been playing with it…a little more sweetener, a little more milk, and my latest addition…my home brewed vanilla extract. I think I have it down to the perfect balance. I sat outside yesterday morning under the cover of an awning, watching a gentle rain fall. The birds are outrageous right now. They make a racket starting before the sun comes up.

Mr. FixIt is going over to help the soon-to-be newlyweds put a new roof on their house. So, I’ll work on the binding on the quilt while he is gone. I’m also planning out the summer trip to Colorado. We still haven’t figured out if we are going to take the camper or not. We need to get those plans in place this week.

I hope you enjoy a blessed Sunday!

?

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

No ads on Sunday on the Lord’s Day. Be blessed!