Crossing the Finish Line

Well the end of the challenge is here and for those of us who made it to this point, we can say "we did it!"  We've crossed the finish line.  As Phil said at our Celebration Meeting this evening, "the power to do this is in you." And he is so right. I do have the power to do this because it is in me, just as it is in you.

I thought the challenge would be about losing weight and getting in shape, but I also learned a lot about myself. There were emotional times, there were failures, but there were successes too. What I have learned over these past 90 days I will use while continuing this journey toward a healthy life style.

Thanks Phil and Amy Parham for meeting with us weekly to teach us and encourage us. Many lives have been changed over these past 3 months - changed for the best. This challenge has been short term, but the journey continues. I agree with Phil . . . don't stop!

As we end this challenge together, I wish you the best in your health and fitness endeavors and pray God's blessing upon each one of you.  I don't know what you have planned for tomorrow, but I will be up bright and early rowing, drinking lots of water, eating 5 or 6 small healthy meals a day, and then getting a good night's rest. Yes, the tools I learned will go with me. I hope you will use them too. And remember . . . DON'T STOP . . . this is only the beginning!

Getting physically and spiritually fit in 90 days . . . 

first a challenge, then a way of life.

Self - Evaluation

Tomorrow night is the celebration and end of our 90 Day Fitness Challenge with Phil and Amy Parham. Before we celebrate, let's evaluate our progress. By doing this we will see our strengths as well as our weakness and this will help us as we continue forward in this life-style change.

• What goal did you aim for at the beginning of the challenge?
• Did you reach your goal?
• Did you keep a food journal?
• Did you drink enough water?
• How often did you exercise?
• Did you eat 5 to 6 times a day?
• Did you get the proper amount of sleep?
• What foods did you learn to eat?
• What foods did you have to give up?
• How dedicated to the challenge were you?
• What part of the challenge was the easiest for you?
• What part of the challenge was the most difficult for you?
• Did you incorporate weight training into your exercise routine?
• And most importantly, are you different than when you started 89 days ago?

When I think of my progress I realize I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I was. Tomorrow night I'm going to do the happy dance because I did accomplish what I set out to do . . . a 90 Day Fitness Challenge. The next 90 days and beyond are up to me. I think I'll just make the happy dance part of my weekly exercise routine. Works for me!

Second Effort

I grew up with an athletic dad. As a child I played under gym bleachers and threw rocks beside baseball fields. Since my dad played sports, he thought his kids needed to play also, and we did. When I got older my dad signed me up for basketball and softball teams. My brothers were signed up for football and baseball. We were no longer playing under the bleachers and throwing rocks -- we were running up and down gym floors, tackling on football fields, and throwing soft balls and base balls.

He never let an opportunity go by without teaching us something that had to do with sports and life. I remember watching Sunday afternoon football games and listening to him say "Did you see that second effort? See how much further he went? He would have been down the first time he was hit but he gave it a second effort. Always try for a second effort, you'll always be more successful."

Those words have echoed in my ears and heart all my life as I've gone through challenges and trials. Many times I could have been down with the first hit, but I put forth a second effort and was able to succeed far beyond what I ever thought. Some say "go for it," others say "give it the 'ol college try."  Leland King taught me to go for it, give it all I've got, then give some more.

As you come around the bend with the 90 Day Fitness Challenge finish line in sight, give it a second effort, because as my dad used to say "you'll always be more successful." Not only will you be more successful, you will reach far beyond what you ever thought.

Go for it, 

give it all you've got, 

then give some more!

Thanks Daddy . . .

Long Term Success

How to be successful long term:

• Stay accountable to someone
• Be willing to rethink how you do things
• Continue the process
• Learn to love other things instead of food
• Always set new goals
• Decide to do this by yourself
• Don't seek the approval of others
• Put winners around you
• If you fail one day, tomorrow is a new day so start again
• Plan ahead
• Keep yourself out of situations where you will fail
• Always have food with you in the car when out all day

Counting down . . . after today only 3 days until our celebration! Remember to finish strong so you will have momentum to continue even after the challenge.

Sunday Reflections

Today I have been reflecting on Thursday night’s meeting as Phil began preparing us for the end of the challenge and the beginning of the rest of our healthy lifestyle.

Below are some of the statements he made and I hope they will help you as much as they are helping me. 

• Celebrate your victories! And don’t stop . . . hang in there.
• Think about 1) where you started, 2) where you are now, 3) how do you want to go forward
• If you don’t continue making good food choices, remember . . . it goes on easy, but it comes off hard.
• Think about who you are now compared to who you were when you started the challenge.
• See that change is possible. And remember the Bible says “All things are possible with God.”

I will share more of what Phil said during the week, but I want to emphasize the above statement. Yes, “all things are possible with God.” He makes the impossible possible. He is still in the miracle business, the prayer answering business, and in the creating business. He will not only create a new heart in a person, but He can help create a new, healthy lifestyle too. We don’t have to do this alone, and I hope that's one thing you have realized through this challenge. . . All things ARE possible WITH God. 

We have traveled far but our road doesn’t end here. Hope you take this next week to plan beyond the upcoming celebration meeting on Thursday night. This IS just the beginning  . . .

Walk – Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Each day when we rise we have a decision to make as to whether we will follow God or follow our own agenda for the day.  Learning to make our agenda walk with God takes a lifetime, but the reward is indescribable.  Make your life keep in step with God.  He keeps the pace.  He determines the direction.  He knows the distance.  Walk with him.

Living in the Moment

"Live in the moment" was a statement Phil said last night at our weekly meeting and it has been bouncing around in my head ever since. I have been searching within to see if I do indeed live in the moment and I've come to the conclusion that I don't.

Sometimes I live in the past that's wallpapered in remorse, guilt, failure, disappointment, as well as missed opportunities. This is NOT a healthy place to be. Yes, I can LEARN from the past but I don't need to LIVE in the past. So much of today will be missed.

Most of the time I live in the future chasing after dreams, the what if's, and what can I do next. I won't finish one thing before I'm looking for the next thing. Again, this is NOT a healthy place to be. Yes, I can PLAN for the future, but I don't need to LIVE in the future. So much of today will be missed.

I need to live in the moment -- today -- where I am right now. This moment needs to be enjoyed, embraced, captured, shared, and consumed . . . for it will be gone, never to return again.  The past helps me realize where I have failed before and the future holds my plans, but I need to live today.

Where are you living? 

Search within to see if you are living in the moment. 

LEARN from your past, 

PLAN for your future, 

LIVE in the moment!

Weekend Munchies

One thing I have liked about Phil and Amy's 90 Day Fitness Challenge is they have given us bite size portions of information along the way. Too much at one time and we may have all stopped in our tracks, but the way they have presented their material and taught us has been helpful and do-able.

Weekends are always difficult for me . . . seems I want to snack on something.  Phil and Amy's book is full of hints so I picked out a few to share and help me over the upcoming weekend. Hope they help you too.

• Never only eat carbohydrates. For example I (Amy), always try to eat an egg with my cereal. If I ate cereal by itself, I would feel hungry again in about an hour. Adding just a bit of protein keeps my body more satisfied, and I won't feel like eating again until three or four hours later. (Glad to finally realize why cereal never kept me until lunch!)
•  A great appetizer at an Asian restaurant is edamame, stewed soybeans in a pod. You can even buy them in bulk and make them at home. Just put in the microwave and heat them up, sprinkle on a little low-sodium salt or salt substitute, and enjoy.
• When making a quick and easy meal in a pan, such as scrambled eggs or seared tuna, use cooking spray. Cooking sprays help you control how much oil you sue and most of them are very low in calories. PAM cooking spray is one of my favorites (Amy). If you have to cook with oil, you can buy a refillable spray bottle and use that to spray your oil.
• Olive oil is one of the best oils to use for cooking and salads. Buy the ones that say "Virgin" or "Extra Virgin" on the label. These oils are the least processed and are healthier for your heart.
• Popcorn is a great snack, especially if you're watching a movie. Always make your own plain and unbuttered popcorn. Try the air popped kind, its less expensive and has less calories. One of my (Amy) favorite things to put on popcorn is Crisco Butter Flavor Spray. It takes better than some of the other sprays, and you get all the butter taste without the calories. 

Hope this gives you more ideas as you go down the home stretch . . . I think I will have a movie night this weekend with POPCORN!!!!