If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

(Image from Adventures in LuLuLand) 

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Would you change your skin type, your crooked or stained teeth, your eye color or height? For me, I would change my weight. I've been heavy for more than half my life, I don't even remember what it's like to be normal sized. The thing about wanting to change something about yourself, like your weight for example, is that a lot of times it is possible... that wish is something that you can make a reality. Now there are a few things I mentioned above that may take a bit of creative thinking to change, like changing your height or eye color... heels and contacts are the solutions that come to mind for me. Hahah With the other things I mentioned it takes a lot of time and discipline, but they are possible. The problem is that it is a process. In this instant world anything that takes more than 5min doesn't satisfy us. But there isn't a magical wish, where poof, I am a healthier me and your a blemish free you. The process is the important part and it is also where I always find myself floundering. I've made choices in the past and started different diet plans but none of them lasted because I wasn't disciplined. Even though I said I wanted to be healthier, skinnier. My actions were working against my so called desires. I lost sight of my goal because I was focused on the sacrifice. It is in the process where we create new habits and break old ones. It is in the process where we see the benefit of sticking with something and pushing through obstacles. Yes, we have to give things up but what you get in return is always better.

I'm in the beginning stages of my process. At the beginning of February I started to cut back my daily calories, down to 1200 a day. I started keeping a food journal with an app called, My Fitness Pal. I started replacing my diet soda and Starbucks coffee with water and cutting out most fast food and replacing it with meals made at home. All of these actions weren't easy for me, but as I made them I kept reminding myself why I was making them. Reminding myself what I wanted for myself, a healthier life. One without limits because of my weight or the width of my hips. So far I am 14LBS down. It is a step in the right direction and the choices I started making in February that were hard for me are now coming easier to me in March.

I've reached my first plateau, I've held firm at 14LBS down for the last 2weeks. I know this means two things... I need to stay focused and push through and I need to stir up my routine. So, this is my first step to stir things up. I've decided to start writing about my weight-loss. Not because I think my journey is special but because I know there are so many others out there in the same boat as me and I know accountability and encouragement are lifeblood when it comes to facing trials. My second step was to add more activity into my every day. Today for example I took a 30min walk with the pup and I did 30min of Zumba. Last week I was keeping steady at 20min of activity a day.

In February my church did a series called Bod4God, we were challenged as the body of Christ to check ourselves and our hearts on whether or not we were a true reflection of God. As a christian it is important to recognize that your life is not your own, you've given it to a higher purpose. The term christian means to be Christ-like. That applies to how you talk, what you do and how you live. I don't want my physical body to limit what the Lord can do with me here on earth. At the beginning of March we started a 12week Bod4God small group that meets every week. We are going through the Bod4God book and then discussing our personal journeys to living a healthier, Godlier life. This group has been such an encouragement to me. Our Pastor, has personally lost over 30lbs in the last two months and he has been an amazing example to us. I feel like the online world has the ability to be a support group like this small group. I know I'm coming back to blogging at a time where it has reached its peak and I am excited because that means there are lots of you out there.

This is my journey through the process.