Eva's Biggest Loser Year: Week 4

 

      Goals for Week 4

• Drink at least 80 oz of water/clear liquids per day. Record food and keep calories @ 1,200.
• This week is crazy with doctor's appointments, 2 nursing home music sessions, and a birthday party for my mom, so I am not making an exercise goal except to do it as possible.
• Go to bed by 11PM each night.
• Lose 3 lbs. I am hoping to lose the 2 I gained plus at least 1 more.

This has been one of the those weeks.  I did drink at least 70 oz for the first 4 days of the week.  As for the rest, it was around 50.  I also didn't keep my food calories.  I really need to enter it on the website before I eat it.  I always think, "Oh, I will enter this in a few minutes.  Several hours later I am having a hard time remembering what I ate, or regetting eating something unplanned.  Bed time has also been hard.  I am such a night person.  I have been able to sleep in though so I have gotten at least 7hours sleep. So are you wondering how I did on the scale?

I met my goal! Woohoo! I lost the 2 I had gained and 1 more!  I know this seems kind of trivial to celebrate, but I am looking at the big picture.  Even if I gain 2 and lose 3 every other week, in a year I will have lost 26 pounds! LOL  I haven't lost that much in several years.  Also I know that many weeks I will do better than that. 

One of my down falls with eating has been emotional eating.  I want to eat when I am happy or something particulary nice is happening, and I want to eat when life is stressful or sad.  Learning to control those urges and pray, read my Bible, play piano or just talk about the emotions with someone are some of  the ways I break the snacking habit.

This week has been one of those weeks.  My mom had a birthday party on Friday and we had a wonderful day celebrating with her.  I did pretty well curbing my appetite, but I was sure glad I didn't bring home any of that butterfinger cake. I would have continued a party of one!

Then on Saturday I get a notice in the mail about substituting for the local schools.  We have been seeking God over our finances and feel that now is the time for me to go back to work outside the home in order to get out of our debt, but it has been stressful waiting for all the events to unfold.  Now I have a list of items I have to complete and more forms to fill out and the stress of it makes me want to calm myself with food. 

Typing here or writing in my journal helps me get a better grip on those urges, but I can't always write when I have the urge to eat.  I find that at least thinking about writing this down helps me fight those urges. Praying has also been so helpful.  I know that it sounds cliche but God does want me to remember to lean on His strength for all things.  The girls and I are reading Hinds Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard.  One of the parts that resonates with me is how long Much-Afraid suffers from her fears and those trying to lead her away from the Good Shepherd before she finally calls on him.  She knows He will come immediately.  She has called on Him before, but she always waits longer than she should to call him.  She begins to be plagued with her doubts and fears.  I relate to that.  When I am tempted to eat or skip exercise,  I often try to rationalize it.  Really, I just need to immediately seek God's help in prayer.  I am too weak.  I fail to easily.  I need the One who is so much greater than I am.

So my goals for Week 5:

• Pray every time I have the urge to eat. Ask for guidance and help.  Pray for help to mortify my fleshly desires.  Pray for peace to enjoy that which is good for me.  Food is not bad.  Eating to take away fear or even to make the joyful feelings of a celebration last longer is wrong.  My peace and joy must come from God.  Anything else is just false, won't last, and has terrible side effects!
• Write down my food before eating.
• Drink 80-96 oz of clear liquids.