this blog brought to you by the number 5

So my official weigh in day isn't until tomorrow but I did my measurements yesterday for the first time since February 16th and I am officially down a collective 5.25 inches (chest, neck, waist, hips, arms, thighs, calves)and a whopping 12lbs down so far. I'm feeling pretty accomplished even though I missed two morning walks this week. I'll make it up tomorrow laying the rest of the laminate flooring in my apartment.

In other news....today is my Matti girl's 5th birthday! Hard to believe she has been with me for five years and yet I can't remember life without her. Happy Birthday Matti girl and here's to many many more good years!

The Amazing Race

Last night we had an event that we called the Amazing Race. Students were placed in teams of 4-5 and given a clue card taking them to 7 different locations in the Pineville/Alexandria area...our local hotspots. Once they figured out the clues and got to the locations there was a UB member waiting there to give them a challenge card to complete as a team. Groups had to do a number of things like finding three items at Walmart that had the word "fresh" on the packaging, using the pick up lines on the taco bell sauce packet on someone in the restaurant, buying the most creative/unique thing they could find for $5 in Goodwill, seranaging the patrons at our local coffee shop, making towel animals at a local hotel and so on. It was a great event and most everyone had a blast. Of course there were some students who acted like turds and got elminated from the competition but for the most part it was an epic event.

Here's the UB members that put the event on for the night. We are at the final location of the evening...my favorite frozen yogurt place in town...SPLURGE!!

becoming Rachael Ray

I love the food network and I really love the Rachael Ray show. I TiVo it everyday and watch them on the weekends. If nothing else she has inspired me to be creative in the kitchen. I've always been told that the sign of a good cook is one that doesn't follow recipes and slowly but surely thank to Rachael and my own father who is an excellent cook, I am fearless in the kitchen about trying new creations.

There is nothing like being broke at the end of the month to really get you creative in dishes. Every Wednesday night we have our Life Group and we all bring something to contribute to the meal. Each week we have a specific item that has to go into each recipe. This week's item was TOMATO. So on Wednesday into the pantry I went to see what I could throw together without going to buy any groceries and this is what I created...

ENCHILADA PASTA BAKE

I still had a few items left in the pantry that I needed to get rid of like regular penne pasta (not wheat) and a pound of hamburger meat (not ground turkey) and so this was a great way to get rid of it and when I make this dish again the wheat and turkey options are just as good.

Boil the penne pasta and drain. Place in a casserole dish.
Brown the hamburger meat and drain. Add a can of diced tex mex tomatoes. Add a large can or two small cans of enchilada sauce. Add a half a cup of sour cream and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour the meat and sauce mixture over the noodles. Cover the top with shredded mozarella cheese and bake until bubbly at 325 degrees.
It has a little bit of spice to it because of the tex mex tomatoes so these can be substituted with just regular diced tomatoes if you like.
It was yummy!! And really not that high in calories even with "real" meat and "real" pasta.

Detox/Cleanse

So it's a slow Friday in the office so I am about to catch up on some blogging....get ready for several blogs coming up you quickly!!

First Up....today is the last day of the first ever cleanse I have ever done. This was suggested by my doctor just to flush out all the toxins in my body and have a clean slate going on in all my "parts." A clean slate is right.....I have gone to the bathroom a whole lot in the last seven days. It also didn't help that I started a low grade blood pressure medicine that has a diuretic in it. I am getting exercise in just making trips to the bathroom. At work I am the furtherest office from the bathroom and at home I am a flight of stairs away. No kidding, last Sunda I probably went up and down the stairs no less than 40 times.

Good times. In three weeks I am officially -10lbs and counting.

Weekly Weigh In

Well I've officially finished 2 full weeks of this lifestyle change. I started this journey at 299lbs (man that was tough to write) and after 2 weeks I am down 9lbs. It's been an expensive endeavor because healthy food ain't cheap but well worth it. I'm feeling good and seeing a difference in the way I feel and the way my clothes are fitting. And who knew I'm really loving my morning walks with some great friends.

I went back to the doctor this past week to follow up on my blood pressure and though it had come down a little bit she still put me on a mild medication temporarily. It was funny because she was surprised I came back. She doubted me! She told me I made her day because it was obvious that I got it and was ready to do my part to change. Not going to lie it felt good to know she believed in me. As I was leaving a patient came in short of breath and her heart racing. They took her BP and it was 160/106. Needless to say that's a problem. They told her to call her husband and go to the ER. I totally butted in and offered to take her to the ER and just meet her husband there. It was God ordained...she was 41, overweight, high BP and a history of depression and the Lord was gracious to allow me to see where I could be 6 years from now if I don't stick with this change.

Well only the Lord can get the credit for the discipline he is growing in me right now and I'm so thankful. I am currently on a four day weekend where I could easily undo all that's been accomplished in the last two weeks but I'm taking it one smart choice at a time. So far so good!!

Woo'ed By The Wildcat

As the Director of Student Activities I have the privilege to oversee the Union Board. UB is a student led organization that host all the fun events on our campus year round. I am constantly amazed by their creativity. Today for Valentine's Day they put a new twist on an old high school classic "candy grams." Our mascot at LC is Alex the Wildcat so for the bargain price of $5 you could send a candy sucker bouquet to someone and the Wildcat would deliver it to them while they are in class. It was such a fun day watching people be embarrassed while sitting in class. Reactions were absolutely priceless! And a big shout out to our LC professors who graciously allowed us to interrupt their classes all day. Here is the flyer advertising the event.... Here is me with Alex... And here is my first attempt at attaching a video but this is Alex "wooing" our band director, Andrew Hunter....


Turned out to be such a great event and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to spread the love all day around campus! Happy Valentine's Day!!

small victories

I don't have any witty things to share for Monday's My Way but I do have a small victory to share. As of this weekend I have lost 7lbs since going to the doctor a week ago. Praise the Lord that is 7lbs in the right direction. I know the reality of losing that kind of weight every week isn't possible so I choose to celebrate this victory while I can.

Thank you guys for your encouragement through the process. I have been so blessed by your words of wisdom. The one thing I have heard over and over is that we place no confidence in the flesh but nothing is impossible for God. Amen! Though one of the rewards of this journey is going to be a healthier body the ultimate reward will be seeing God reveal himself to me in truly unique and intimate ways. How awesome is it that the creator of the universe cares enough about me today to help me control what I put into my mouth? More importantly he cares enough about me and others to help me control what comes out of my mouth. As I walk this journey may I see each day as an opportunity to bring glory to his name and not my own.

Here is a message I got this week from a sweet friend that encouraged me so much. I wanted to share it because I don't know where you are today and what battle God wants to help you fight in order for you to know him more....may this message encourage you too!

I pray that the Lord will teach you wonderful things about himself. I pray that in the losing of the pounds there will be a gaining of his soul and spirit like you've never known. I pray that He will be the one who drives you. I pray that when you look at your 200lb self someday that all you can think about is how the Lord worked in you and how he spiritually sculpted you along the way. And that every time someone says, "you look great!" or every time you fit into those cute jeans you think "the Lord is so very good!" because you know how more and more of how He loves you.

I don't think it's going to be easy at all. I think satan's going to get word of this and try to stop you. I think the Lord doesn't work to make our lives easy but to mold us into the person we need to be for him. And many times it's the fire that makes the gold the most pure.

Take time today to enjoy the small victories and give credit where it is due. And if you need a small victory or a big victory in your life let me tell you where the best place to start will be....on your knees. We can't but God can.