Um... oops.

As way more of you than should probably know... I had a rough week last week. And I did a great job of whining and complaining about it. I also did a horrendous job of keeping up with the challenge.

Oops.

Here's the problem... when I'm down, I eat. When I'm stressed, I eat. When I'm tired, I eat. I even realized in the past couple days, when I'm happy, I eat! I like to eat.

The point is, while I was having the worst labor day weekend in my memory, I could not wait for bed time when the house was finally quiet and I could turn on some netflix and browse pinterest and eat. Specifically animal crackers and mountain dew. I found comfort in those things.

Oops.

Well, finally Derek got home and different discipline ideas I tried with Marie were working and I was feeling better. So I finally looked at what the challenge was for the week and began working on my verse. And whatdyaknow, I could have used this verse days before!

Oops.

... Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light...

Thank You, Lord.

Now it is almost Wednesday of week 3 and I just looked at what the challenges are.

Oops.

Week 3 - September 8-15

• Light arm work
• One soda a week
• No food after 9pm

Memory Verse: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him." Psalm 28:7

Thankfully we just ran out of soda. I'm excited to get some arm work in. I totally forgot that was this week. As for the no food after 9pm... that's gonna be a lot harder than I thought it would be! If I really wanna lose this pesky weight, I just gotta do it! But man, even these simple challenges are so much harder than I thought they'd be!

Source: atalante.co via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

On to much happier things... yesterday (one day short of five weeks after my entire abdomen was sliced open and my sweet Kempy was yanked free) I went for a jog! Not only did it feel great, it was so easy that we (my BRF and I) did the first two days of Ease into 5k. And tonight we totally skipped week 2 and did the first day of week 3. And I still feel great!!

I was so afraid that I would be all the way back at the beginning... before I became a real runner. When I hated every minute of it. 

But no, as soon as we started jogging, I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy!

I'm still a runner. And I have the goal of attempting that beloved 4-miler next week!

So just be prepared... many running posts will likely follow. :)

Source: nice-pictures.info via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

Self Challenge - Wk 2

Week 2 - September 1-8

• 9 cups water each day
• One dessert a week
• Meals fit on small plate (no seconds)

Memory Verse: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30

Yesterday was the start of week 2 but I totally wasn't thinking about it and did a terrible job. Thankfully I did not eat any dessert! But I did decide to make minor tweaks...

• 9 cups water each day
• One non-chocolate dessert and one chocolate dessert
• Meals fit on small (dessert) plate (no seconds)
• Cup of raspberry leaf tea daily

My problem with desserts is chocolate. I LOVE chocolate and usually find some way to eat it every single day. So I wanted to give myself a little leeway or I would probably be just plain miserable the entire week.

I added the tea because it seems to be helping shrink my belly still just a tiny bit. So I'm sticking with it!

Now for an overview of last week:

• 8 Cups of water - 6 out of 7 days.
• Vitamins twice a day - 6 out of 7 days (just missed one morning dose)
• Daily easy walk - 6 out of 7 days 
• Verse - memorized!

I did not mess up all on the same day so that's good! I decided that I'm not gonna be strict about taking my vitamins twice from now on because they are seriously expensive.

I've been fluctuating between the same 4 pounds so no real weight loss during week one. :/ Serious set back but I still feel confident because I know that I'm growing in my desire to please the Lord in my eating and my desire to eat well!

How are you doing?