Ready for a Challenge?

So here we are, almost at the end of the first month of 2012! How are you doing with your goals? Are you still focused on meeting the goals that you set for this year? It's so easy to get caught up in "life" and forget the things we need to do for ourselves to improve our lives. So I've been thinking, what if I (and we!!!) set a small term goal for February! This year is a leap year so Feb. has 29 days. What can you do for 29 days straight? Recently one of my closest friends, who is an artist, decided that he would do a tribute to some of his favorite guitarist and draw a different guitarist for 30 days straight. He did it and it was very cool! He really had a beautiful set of art work by the end of the 30 days. I have no doubt that I can make the same commitment to do something straight for 29 days. I believe you can too! When I set goals, I set them to see if I can really do it. I do it to challenge myself and prove how strong I really am. I believe and know for myself personally, that when you start overcoming those "impossible" things.. the journey gets easier. So what is something you'd like to prove to yourself that you CAN DO? Here's some ideas that I had. Journal everything I eat for 29 days straight, don't miss one day or one meal. Workout for 29 days straight, now I'm not talking hardcore sweat your face off workout, but get some sort of activity for at least 30 minutes a day for 29 days straight. Maybe a scale goal, be down a certain amount by the end of Feb. How about, not have any candy or chocolate (or your favorite indulgence) for 29 days straight. I would love to see us challenge ourselves and prove to ourselves that we can do it. Do you know how strong you will feel by proving to yourself that you are stronger than the obstacle you're facing. So my challenge is to take the next week and figure out what goal you'd like to accomplish by the end of Feb. and start that small goal journey on Feb. 1st. If you'd like, you're more than welcome to share that goal with me for accountability and so I can cheer you on :) Here's a little quote I read recently that I really love... "It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward." Let's make small steps and eventually we'll hit our goals!!!

Thanks for reading!!! :)

Are you on the Offense?

To be on the offense means to make an attack, having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends. 


How many times have we made excuses for why we CAN'T do what we need to do to reach our goals? I have been guilty of this. Ugh.. I can't exercise because of the kids, I can't eat healthy because of all the food around me at parties or work, impossible for me to do this healthy thing because I am the ONLY one trying in my house (insert your own excuses here ;) EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES!! At some point we have to take responsibility for ourselves and let go of the excuses. This last week I hit a milestone in my weight loss, I am finally now in my healthy weight range!!! A little over 18 months later and it doesn't even feel real that I am no longer, according to the healthy guidelines, am considered "overweight"... it feels amazing! I am still working on hitting my final goal weight and looking forward to that as well!! I do a lot of thinking and hitting that milestone got me doing some more thinking... I started thinking about all the times in the past I would make an excuse why I couldn't lose weight, I mean it was IMPOSSIBLE because of my circumstances around me (Yeah right.. this was just what I told myself!!) We allow things to just be as they are, not because we can't do anything about it but because we choose not too. I used to say, "Well it was just my time, that's why I lost weight at the time I did.." but really it's because I made it my time. I just as easily could have made up yet another excuse as to why I just couldn't do it. Thankfully I didn't. There is no better time than right now to get on the offense and stop making excuses. It really is amazing the goals we can reach if we put aside the excuses. I just want to challenge you in that, time will fly by and you don't want to be saying to yourself, "Well, I guess I'll do it in 2013" do it now! Just make the choice and start attacking those goals!!!
Thanks for reading my bossy post!! ;) 
It's only because I know it's not impossible to do!!!

"Put down the fork and step away from the cake!"

So here's my history with cake, I've pretty much been in love with it since I first met it! I mean, we go way back! And I don't discriminate against any kind of cake, I love them all!! So when it comes to a party, I'm all about the cake! It's my favorite part of the event! I'd rather skip dinner and have cake than skip the cake, but that's just me!! Well, I was at this sweet baby shower the other day and before I went I had decided that I was going to SKIP the cake (Whaaaat????) You see, I assist my sister as a wedding photographer and I have about 20 weddings or so this year and I cannot have cake at every wedding, that's just overboard! I wanted to see how easy it would be for me to pass the cake up for no good reason, other than just to pass it up. My friend is the cake cutter and here it comes.. the cake! Big delicious slices of cake, covered in what looked to be whipped cream frosting (yum) and she brings it to our table and asks, "Would you like a piece of cake?" I say, with some hesitation of course, "Ummm, no thanks" and she says, "Oh I can cut you a smaller piece" I say, with more hesitation because you know she's going to go out of her way to help me, "Oh, no really.. I'm ok" and then one more time "Are you sure, Mel?" and once again "NOOOOOO!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" well that's what my inside was saying ;) So I sat at the table, ladies around me were enjoying their cake (and they should!) and I seriously considered asking one of the ladies if I could have just a taste of her cake but I resisted because that might've have been weird and my feelings would've been hurt if she had said no! I seriously put the fork down and walked away from the cake that day!! I could've had it, I definitely had the points, but I wanted to see if I could do it based on myself, based on just the fact that I was choosing not to have the cake. I think many times while we're on a diet or a weight loss program, we do things "just because those are the rules" I think it's good to start challenging yourself and see how strong and determined YOU can be because that's what YOU have decided. Now, I know not everyone is as passionate about cake as I am, but maybe there's something else you simply love! Switching out pop for water for a meal, order a side of fruit or vegetables instead of fries to go with your burger, skip the bread or rolls at a restaurant, you get the drift ;) I think it says something for us when we make a choice based on what we think is best for us, it says we are strong! I am a die hard Weight Watchers girl, and they have helped me change my life, but I know that there comes a point that I can no longer do what I'm told to do and follow all these rules, I have to do some things just because I know it's best for me. When I walked away from that piece of cake I felt so proud! I thought, you know what.. I did that and I didn't HAVE to, I did that because I WANTED to :) I want to challenge you, if you're not already, to make this a lifestyle. Don't allow it to just be a set of rules that you follow until you reach your goal.. because then how will you keep up with it? I am encouraged by so many of you and I continue to cheer you on! See if you can pass up something you absolutely LOVE to eat!
*sidenote... I will continue to eat cake, just sayin' :)

When the end goal seems too hard

A friend of mine sent me this devotion to me this morning and we thought it would be perfect to share with you!!! Hope you are encouraged by it as much as I was!!

When The End Goal Seems Too Hard
29 Dec 2011
December 29, 2011
Lysa TerKeurst


“…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance…” 2 Peter 1:5a-6a (NIV)

No matter what your struggle has been, victory is possible today. Sadly, most of us don’t think that’s true. The problem is we tend to measure long term success while downplaying the absolute victory found in small successes.

Yesterday a friend of mine called to say she’d read my blog and, as a result, she walked away from indulging in a bag of M&Ms. That’s a victorious small success. Now, I can’t say that her scale will stand up and clap and reward her with much lower numbers today. But, if she builds upon this small success – choice by choice, day by day – she will see positive changes.

As the New Year approaches, many of us make some kind of healthy eating commitment. But even if that’s not your resolution, this principle applies to other struggles as well.

If I choose not to snap at my child and instead respond with tenderness, that’s a victorious small success.

If I choose to pause before responding to the rude sales clerk, thus giving her a smile instead of perpetuating her smirk, that’s a victorious small success.

If I choose to give my husband the benefit of the doubt rather than jumping to the conclusion he meant to hurt my feelings, that’s a victorious small success.

I like the way our key verse puts it. In 2 Peter 1:5-6, we are reminded to “add” some things to our faith. Two of those additions are self-control and perseverance. For me, I have to decide to practice the self-control and perseverance that is mine since God’s Spirit lives in me.

Think of it like a muscle. We have muscles as a part of our body. But we must add activity to those muscles to make them effective and strong. Our muscles will work for us if we exercise them. Self-control and perseverance will work for us as we practice these over and over. Start with the small victories and bigger victories will come.

Sometimes victory seems so far away because we measure it by the end goal. And end goals can seem overwhelmingly huge, daunting and just plain hard to reach. Instead, if we start measuring our victories by the smaller choices we make each day, victory won’t seem so impossible.

Big things are built one brick at a time.

Victories are achieved one choice at a time.

A life well lived is chosen one day at a time.

Dear Lord, I know that with You, victory is indeed possible. Day by day and choice by choice. Help me to believe this truth today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Ready, Set, Go!!

Well, it's that time of the year!! Many New Years Resolutions will be made, goals will be set and mindsets will be set! Do you have your goals set for 2012? I prefer setting goals vs. New Years Resolution. For me, it's much easier to reach a small goal than have to work at accomplishing those big New Years resolutions! I have some goals set and I've set some small goals to help me get there and not get too overwhelmed. I do love New Years though, because it feels like a new beginning. I look back at 2011 and I have accomplished some great things on my weight loss journey but I want 2012 to be even better. I plan on reaching my weight loss goal (which is only about 15 pounds away!!! Whoo hooo!!) I plan on running a 5K and by the end of summer I hope to be running 10 miles straight with no stopping. I have a long term goal of running a marathon, but that's something I have to take small steps to get too. I was thinking, in order to reach these new goals, and hopefully you have new goals to reach, we have to make sure we set ourselves up for a win! First thing I will do, I said this already but I feel like it's so important, is to set some small goals to get me to that big goal I want to meet. I'm trying to see it a month at a time, "How much would I like to weigh at the end of January?" "How far do I want to be able to run by the end of March?" goals like that. I think it's a good idea to take a look back at how far you've come (no matter what your journey is this is always a good thing to do) Even if you didn't accomplish as much as you wanted to, you still made some accomplishments! Don't beat yourself up over the things you "didn't do" rather be proud of yourself for the things you "did do!" Something else I have to do is get my house and kitchen ready for myself. I have to get all the junk out from Christmas and make sure I have lots of healthy options. If I don't do that I'll continue to sneak little bites here and there and I really don't want my kids eating all the junk, so I'll just throw it away. Surround yourself with some cheerleaders!! Maybe some people that have similar goals as you or people that will just stand by your side and cheer you on! Have a plan on some type of activity or exercise you'd like to try. I know come January first, you'll be able to find good deals on exercise videos and equipment, so if you are able to, invest into some of those! Stay focused! This can very well be your year of reaching those goals!! Don't quit when it gets tough, don't give up if you "mess up", just push yourself to do something you never thought was possible!! I am ready to reach my goal and I hope you are too!!! I'd LOVE to hear some of your goals you have set (even if they aren't weight loss goals) so please share!!! I'm rooting for you!!!!

Thanks for reading :)

What's my secret, you ask?

I've been asked this question many times, "Hey Mel! What's your secret?!" and sometimes I know the person really wants to know how to do this "getting healthy" thing but sometimes I think people want a quick fix. Unfortunately there is no quick fix, well at least not one that is meant to stick forever. There are lots and lots of fad diets out there, ways to lose weight quickly, and obviously I've seen some of those work. But those aren't meant to become a lifestyle. I believe 100% that to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle FOREVER you have to do something you can do for the rest of your life. When it comes down to it, it's pretty basic. I wanted to give you a few tips that have helped me and these are things that are a part of my daily life. One thing I do everyday is I journal what I eat (this is something I've learned from Weight Watchers). This helps me be accountable and helps me remember what I'm actually eating. I try my best to write everything down. I exercise for 45- 60 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. There are days I work out a little more and days a little less. The key is to move! I choose the healthier food, most of the time ;) It has now become a habit to eat more vegetables and fruits, it has definitely taken some time for that to become something that's just natural for me. I don't cut any food out of my diet. I still eat cake and cookies. In my opinion, if you cut out foods then how will you ever learn to be able to control yourself with them? Now there are certain foods I don't keep in my house ONLY because I know I have the potential to overindulge in certain foods. But I still eat them. I make sure I have people around me that support me. I have my family, my husband, friends and my Weight Watcher group! You have to surround yourself with people that are positive with what you're doing and distance those that might try and bring you down (believe it or not, you will have people that won't support you... boo them!) The last thing I want to mention is that I try my best to pay it forward. I share my journey with others in hopes that I can help them! That is a great accountability and it's also nice to help others and also fun to do life with others! I'm sure there are MANY MANY more tips on how to be successful in becoming healthy... you are more than welcome to share!!! I would love to read some of your tips that you have adopted!!
Thanks for reading!!!! :)

Sometimes it just doesn't work!! Grrrrrr

You work really hard, exercise, follow all the "good eating" rules.. you even pass up the cookies and drink extra water and you step on that scale, of course only expecting a big weight loss and ta dah... NOTHING!! Or even worse.. a weight gain!! RAWR!!! It happens to the best of us!!! I am not a fan of those moments! Moments like these can make us or break us. I've had moments like this and I've responded in different ways. Most of the time, I use it as a motivator to work harder or to just stay on track (given I'm already working hard). Although, I have had my moments of just saying, "Oh forget it!!!! I'm so frustrated I'm going to set the scale on fire and go eat a cake!!!" I've never done those things but have wanted too!! :) This is one of those weeks for me. I've worked really hard this week, followed all of my WW rules, exercised.. blah blah and my scale says I'm up 2 pounds. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I say, read between the lines scale!! READ BETWEEN THE LINES!! ;) You know what I'm really going to do? I'm going to keep working.. keep moving forward.. and I won't let this get me down. You see, anything can cause a little weight gain and it very well might not have anything to do with how hard you've worked. When I first joined WW I would get soooo upset if I gained a little weight, now don't get me wrong I still get a little upset, but I don't let it control my actions. What I do now is I look at my entire month and judge my results based on that. Or I'll try on a pair of jeans to see how well they fit, ummm.. or how well they don't fit. The key is to stay consistent! Don't base your commitment on the result you see today! If you work hard and are doing what you set out to do, you'll achieve your goals!! I have no doubt in that!! Don't ever let the scale dictate your level of dedication!! You dictate your level of dedication! When it comes down to it, it's up to you how much you'll invest in yourself and how far you'll go. I say go all the way!! Giving up is not an option!! :)

Thanks for reading (and letting me vent for a bit :)
:) Mel