Footprints of Friends

     This is the last post in my 3-part series “Footprints” - people who have inspired me on my journey to health.   Starting on any journey can be scary and difficult; that’s why it’s so important to find others who have either gone before you or are walking beside you to spur you on.  Their path can give you motivation to keep going or work harder when the going gets tough.  As you can read from my other posts “Footprints of a Classmate” and “Footprints of a Husband”, they can be from anywhere in your life.  (Even on tv – Jillian Michaels, I want your abs!)  Sometimes the people who inspire us are right before our eyes.  Like my friend Claire, who has tirelessly taught a First Place for Health Sunday School class for several years.  Her passion and her commitment for bringing women into wholeness, not just giving diet tips, pushes me to press on and to make a difference in the lives of others.  As a full-time executive and mother of three, Claire has introduced a “boot camp” at 7 am on Saturday mornings and is changing women inch by inch, pound by pound, spirit by spirit.   Claire truly walks her talk, and I admire her greatly.  Or my friend Jen.  When Jen and I first became friends about 10 years ago, she was a self-proclaimed couch potato.   With 3 kids and her youngest in diapers, she routinely said, “nah” to exercise.  Jen and her husband recently completed their first marathon, and I am so proud of her! The health switch just flipped on for her, and she hasn’t looked back.  She’s a great example to many women, to her children, and to their friends.  I admire her self-discipline and commitment.   And finally, my friend Ashley.  I’ve always loved Ashley’s creativity and her spirit.  When I was thinking of joining a gym, she’s the one who convinced me and now we go to the same gym, along with about 6 other people that we know.  She’s not afraid to work hard, and she pushes others towards achieving by her example. She also just recently started a photography business Ashley Elaine Photography (yes, that was a shameless plug), and I am so proud of her.  She kicked fear out the door and went for it. 

     So to my friends, for your genuine-ness, your tenacity, and your courage – thank you for laying down your footprints and inspiring me on this journey!

Footprints of A Husband

     Here is the 2^nd set of “Footprints” - a series of posts about people who have inspired me on my journey to health.  This set belongs to my husband who lost close to 100 lbs last year.  I am so proud of him!  For years, he carried this extra weight, this “monkey on his back” as he called it.  As with most people, the pounds creeped on a little here and a little there; lose 35, gain back 50.  He basically played chicken with his health - avoided doctors, bought bigger clothes, started, stopped, then re- started exercise and weight loss programs.  Over the course of 20 years as you can imagine, this started taking a toll.  It was affecting every area of his life, and there came a point where he had enough.  He started small, one step at a time, one change at a time.  First, he cut out caffeine and sugar.  Then he started drinking 96 oz of fluids a day.  He stopped eating fast food, began eating fruit for snack, and no longer ate late at night.  He also began going to bed earlier, instead of being a night owl.  Over the course of a year, he lost the weight and also had some other results.  Some obvious ones, but others not so obvious to most people like my personal favorite – his feet stopped smelling on a regular basis!  After cutting out sugar and losing 100 lbs, we were anticipating great things from his blood work.  We were shocked when he was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic and his triglycerides were off the chart – AFTER changing his lifestyle and losing the weight!  In short, even though he had made changes, his unhealthy lifestyle for years had done so much damage to his entire system that he was basically a heart attack waiting to happen.  Thankfully, he is managing his diabetes and triglycerides with medication and exercise.  And thankfully, he is no longer destroying his own body by his lifestyle choices.

     How does this bittersweet story inspire me?  In a few ways – for one, just his plain tenacity.  It’s not easy to lose 100 lbs.  Since then he has joined a gym, and he is sticking to it.  He has researched his disease and continues to make wise food choices that help to heal his body.  His experience has shown me that everything we put into our bodies really does count.  If he had those extreme health issues after he lost the weight, what was going on inside of his body while he was carrying the weight?  What is going on inside of my body after I over indulge?  And is it really worth it?  Seeing the changes in his body from staying hydrated also inspired me to keep my body hydrated.  I was simply amazed to see some of the differences that I know were from him drinking fluids.  I plan to post another blog on the benefits of drinking water, but seriously – if keeping your body hydrated, keeps your feet from smelling, imagine the other more significant benefits your body is reaping!

     So congratulations Ike!  And thank you for leaving me foot prints that I can learn from.

Pull Up Your Bootstraps

     For many people, the new year means a time for resolutions and new beginnings.  We already know this, so let’s just cut to the chase….

If you want new beginnings and you want change to occur in your life,
YOU have to be the driver.  No one can do it for you.

     This is true whether you are reading this in January or October.  It all begins with you!  Albert Einstein once said: 

“Insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over again
and expecting different results.”

     So if you want to succeed in your resolutions and experience new beginnings, jump off the crazy train and make some changes. Pull up your bootstraps and get busy with… 

…your mind – You can try to make all of the changes you want, but without a change in your thought patterns, you will be defeated. Thought tapes from the past need to go and new ones need to be made. Think positively.  Use empowering action words that give you direction and vision.  Live in the present.  Yesterday is past, it’s gone, it’s over, let it go – today is new.  Wrap your mind around it and embrace it.

…your emotions – Your thoughts also affect your emotions.  In fact, thoughts and emotions are like peanut butter and jelly; they simply go together.  Make up your mind that you are going to own your emotions.  Excuses and blame no longer have a place.  Your emotions belong to you.  Release what is dragging you down and replace it with positive, life-breathing determination and passion.

…your body – You only get one body. Make up your mind that you are going to take care of it.  (See how it all goes back to your mind?)  Start by getting a complete physical from your doctor(s).  Then make other small adjustments to your lifestyle like:  get moving doing something you enjoy, not endure; drink plenty of water; nix the soda, even if it’s diet; ditch the extra sweets, treats, and drinks; drink plenty of water; use smaller portions and add green to your meals; and finally, make nutritional substitutions – steamed or grilled instead of fried, an egg white veggie flatbread instead of an egg, bacon, and cheese biscuit, whole wheat bread instead of white, vinaigrette dressing on the side instead of a creamy dressing bath. Oh, and did I mention drink plenty of water?

     Overwhelmed?  Don’t be - remember from my post “Seasons Change”, for changes to stick they need to be approached holistically. You have to think it, believe it, and live it for change to occur. This is a journey.  Every change doesn’t need to be made at once, and permanent change doesn’t occur overnight. If you have a bad day, no big deal - begin new the next day and keep looking forward.  The key is that YOU have to do it. 

     It is your life, your mind, your body, your emotions – own up! Throw off your excuses and empower yourself because no one can make these changes for you. Pull up your bootstraps and get started today!

~Take an inventory of where you are and where you want to be. Make a plan on how you will get there. Include excuses that you use and other roadblocks and what you are going to do to circumvent them.  You can do this! ~