Gotta Make Time!

Your first week or so of trying to lose weight, you find the foods that you so easily give into. You realize when you should've stopped eating because you experienced major bloating at the end of the meal. You eat that 2nd serving of ice cream, and then ask yourself, "Why did I eat that?"

What about the time you waste doing things you could otherwise be focusing on things that help you reach your goals...like working out.

Just this week, I had a friend share with me how bored she was and then the thought occurred to her: I could've worked out. For many, you haven't put out the time to work out, and so now those of you on a new mission - you are finding that you have to find the time & make the time for your exercise.

For some it's first thing in the morning...others it's the last thing. For some moms, it's when the last kid is dropped off to school, or the baby is napping. Whatever you have been doing during this opportune time....turn it into YOUR TIME TO WORK OUT!

You've gotta make time & you're worth it!'

- Chalene Johnson

So when is your time to work out? Look at your schedule and find the 30 min. to 1 hr. that you can devote to your health & fitness goals. Set an appointment with yourself & DON'T cancel it for any reason (unless of course you're sick).

You can do it! Schedule your workouts & stick to it!!!!

Find YOUR OWN Zone!

Have you ever gone to the gym, jumped on the treadmill, and you're pushing yourself, your in 'your zone', right? And then...let's say someone gets on the treadmill next to you...and they're walking...or they start off sprinting and take their intensity down a few notches.

What happens to you? Do you feel less ambitious on your treadmill?

Do you stay where you were, intensify the incline, increase the speed,

or do you start to slow down?

What about in the workplace? Let's say you're the most recently hired person, you show up to work on time, you're working when no one else is looking, you're sweeping/cleaning when all your other work is done - you take initiative and work hard all the time!

A few weeks go by & you notice that other employees are coming in a few minutes late, taking longer breaks than permitted, texting/talkin' on their phones when they're not suppose to.

What happens to your ambitious & superior work ethics?

Do you continue to shine in the work place & with your boss?

Or do you take your initiative down a notch?

Do you begin to run late from time to time?

Do you take/make phone calls when no is looking?

When I used to go to the gym, if someone got next to me (in good shape) strolled on the treadmill, I would go to the top corner onto a stairclimber to push myself ALONE! Now if someone who had obvious weight to lose got next to me, w/ their treadmill up high on the incline & they were sweating bullets, I was like "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"  And stayed side by side & let their energy & determination motivate me.

I love being around intense people.

It encourages my instensity!

Are you there? Do you find YOUR OWN zone? Or, do you let those around you dictate your dedication? Do you set your own goals? Or do those around you define your destiny?

This week, I want you to identify your goals. Whether they are weight loss, financial, spiritual, marital, parental, or personal - figure out what it is you want to achieve by the end of the year.

Then I want you to identify the things & people who discourage you from reaching those goals. And while I'm not saying dump your friends, pay attention to how much time you spend with people to encourage you, challenge you, and inspire you...and then pay attention to who is draining your ambition, distracting you from YOUR ZONE! And then be protective of your time & energy.

Your coworkers will not pay your mortgage if you lose your job because of your lack of productivity. Your friends and family will not pay your doctor bills if you're treated for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes from eating what they do.

These are the very people who sometimes come & take the wind from beneath our wings. And while we have to share life with them, we need to stay committed to our plan/our goals.  You're in charge of your life, take back the reigns from those around you. Carpe Diem - Seize the day!

In fact, it will be your unwavering

commitment to your goals -

that inspire others to

set their's and achieve them too!

Over my bathroom door, I have a clingy wall decal that reads:

 "Be the change

you wish to see in this world."

- Ghandi

Losing Weight Over the Weekend! - An experiment of mine...

Here's some key things I'm going to do to try and keep the pound I loss this week OFF and maybe even lose 1 more!

1. Intense 700 calorie-burning workout this a.m.
2. Tons of water.
3. Veggie soup for dinner tonight, lunch & dinner Sunday (plus 1 chicken breast).
4. NO eating fast food for the weekend - I swear the sodium jacks w/ my #s.
5. Chicken salad for lunch today.
6. Shakes for breakfast.
7. 1 pc. of fruit for a.m. snack each day.
8. NO cheese for the next 2 days.
9. High Fiber wrap w/ Cottage cheese or turkey for a mid-day snack.
10. Stay out of the kitchen.
11. NO bites of the kids' food/snacks. PERIOD.

These are the extreme measures I have to take to drop weight. When I was bigger, the weight came off easier. I could pick one of the above and stick to it for a week or two and drop weight, then add another. Now I have to stick to them all. 

Let's see if I can do this. I aim to be a person to practice what I preach. If I ask people to not drink diet soda, I better not be. If I ask people to log their foods, I better be doing the same.

Lead by example, right?  If I want that lean look, I gotta eat lean!

Have a great Saturday!

Don't be afraid!

When you're working out...don't be afraid to push yourself!!!

There is a difference of pain leading to injury...and then there is discomfort leading to transformation.

There is a point in your workout where you have to just push harder, breath harder, and let yourself sweat. I think that we get to our 10 reps & we're done, but it is nearly effortless - stop it! You are not changing your body, your muscles or physique when you are easily doing 10 reps.

Let's use curls for an example. Last week during my arms workout, I was doing 15 reps of 10 lbs...this was not challenging. I got heavier weights (actually blessed w/ them)...and today, I was doing 10-12 reps of 15 lbs. That was hard.

The key is to 'reach the point of muscle fatigue'. If you're using weights, that place where you can't do any more without getting all squirly.

If you're doing cardio, go as long and hard as you need to, to get a good sweat. If you're walking on the treadmill and you're chatting comfortably on the phone or with the person next to you....nuh-uh! None of that. I want you to kick up the incline 1-5% & the speed a couple notches. I want you breathing hard & sweating.

When you're working out - work out! You've designated that time to change your body so do it!!!!

I'm in the midst of week 3 of my workout program. I'm keeping 4 lbs. off. (This is good, because I fluctuate soooo much (because of my eating)). And since I'm doing this, I might as well do my best, right?

Just to let you know, I've really cut bars of all kinds out. No protein bars, Fiber 1 bars, etc. for me. While these are great for some people to use instead of reaching for the chips, candy bars, and burgers...these bars have become like candy for me. Eating 1-2 a day, as a snack...after a meal is not what will lean me out. So I too have to make changes to change my physique.

This was me, February of 2010...just about 19 months ago. My waist was about 35 inches I believe.

I was 6 weeks postpartum & 159 lbs.
I did NOT want to take this picture either...but I did because I knew it would be a piece of the puzzle that tells people where I came from!!!



Yes, this pic was taken at 5:47 a.m.


Here I am at the end of August, 2011. I'm 131 lbs. in the pic, my waist 29.5.

This is post-Insanity. 67 days of crazy cardio conditioning. I did not execute every move, every workout, but I showed up daily (6 days a week) and put out the effort. It was hard work...and I'm here to prove to you that

HARD WORK PAYS OFF!!!

IT IS POSSIBLE!!!

Now, my personal goal is to really build muscle & see it!!!!  I've got to eat lean and enough protein, but watch the fat & carbs to lean out. My goals are my own personal ones. I'm not on a huge weight loss plan. But as I am pushing myself with my intense cardio, sweat dripping in my eyes, drops of sweat all over the floor, I know that I will get the results I want.

It's all about making a commitment and not being afraid to keep it! You're body will love you for your determination...and after time, you will have more motivation because you will see the pay off!!!

So don't be afraid to get crazy intense with your workouts. Change comes when you push yourself!!!!

Water is soooooo good for you!!!

A refreshing glass of water - is so good for the body.

The more people I get to help, the more I realize that it's just little things that we can do to assist our bodies to run more efficiently.

One of them being drink - MORE WATER!

When you reach for water, you fuel your body with what it needs to run on all cylinders. Imagine what would happen if you put gasoline in a car that ran on diesel, or diesel in a regular/gasoline car. Not the best results, right?

Imagine your body as a machine and water is the proper fuel for it to be healthy & useful to you! The rule of thumb is: 8-10 glasses of 8 oz. Now some may really go for just 64 oz./day.

Here's what I do (because I am a coffee drinker):

• 1 big glass upon rising - my body has not had any hydration for 8 hours & it definitely needs it a.s.a.p.!
• 2-3 big glasses during my workouts, I just keep going to the water machine downing it during breaks.
• A 1 liter water bottle, or my sports bottle full of water, w/a spare 16 oz. bottle for just in case I run out - while I'm out running errands...(my kids always have water in cups to go too!)
• Water with all my meals.
• Water in the eve.

Reaching for water before each meal also helps stave off the cravings. Some of you think you're hungry when really you're thirsty. Try that tactic and see what happens over the next 2-3 weeks. At the first sign of hunger, guzzle a big glass of water and continue w/ what you were working on...you may make to the next meal time.

I realize water only is a little hardcore and while some can do that, not all of us can. I admit that I do enjoy some iced tea, black or green in the afternoons, kind of distracts me from wanting to snack, especially if I'm in the kitchen cleaning.

Plus, rumor has it that green tea can naturally stimulate your metabolism too. I personally use Stevia by NuNaturals to sweeten my tea & coffee. It's the best tasting, non-artificial sweetener we've found that we like.

I have ditched diet sodas. I realize after not drinking them for 2 months and then having one, they make me feel lethargic and not well. Can't really describe it, but it was like my body was reacting to the chemicals in it. I think that when we live on them, we're not sensitive to the negative effects of diet sodas & all that fake sugar. But when we get rid of it completely and then give in here and there...we can definitely feel the difference. Which, who wants to feel lethargic & icky...makes it easier to give it up. Experiment and you will see what I mean.

Another benefit of more water is you're reaching for less sugary drinks, less caffeine, and less alcohol drinks. Water is the only natural 0-zero calorie drink. The sodas/sugars take you on a high and then you crash...you reach for more caffeine...get that high then crash again...what all you're body is asking for is proper hydration.

Some of you lack energy because you are so dehydrated from all that caffeine, and not enough water.  When you start drinking more water, your metabolism is going to kick into a higher gear because it has what it needs. Your kidneys will love you, your muscles & blood will be healthier. Check out the diagram above of the what water does in our bodies.

And to convince you more, just google benefits of water...and google diet sodas and metabolism to get more info. It's interesting that all that diet junk actually interferes w/ weight loss efforts.

So - lesson of the day: WATER, WATER, WATER!!!

"Admitting the problem is the first step...."

One thing I've always believed, but may seem cliche, is that 'admitting you have a problem is the first step'.

Are you broke? Then do you have an income problem, or a spending problem? Where the problem lies, there is a solution.

Are you bitter? Do you have a forgiveness issue, an anger issue, are you controlling and mean, and anyone who doesn't let you bully them around - you grow bitter towards?

Are you overweight? Do you have an eating problem? A lack of exercise problem? Or both? Where the problem lies, there is a solution.

Many tell me they want to lose weight. But not very many know where to start. I always start with asking the person, what do you eat? What are the big-offender foods? When people make lists of what is going in, then the fog is lifted off the problem and people see clearly.

Perhaps you don't think you make unhealthy, food choices. Here's my suggestion, WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN THAT YOU EAT for a week. Every bite. Don't worry about calories up front, just figure out what is going in. Write the size (ex. large, medium, or small fry...don't just put 'fry' since there is about a 150-200 calorie difference per size). Write the food.

Then after the week, you can review what you ate that you didn't need. You would be surprised.

Then, if you don't exercise at all. Why? Is lack of time a factor? If you believe so, then here's where I would suggest that you track your time. Track how long you talk on the phone w/ friends catching up, gossiping. Track how much time you are on FB/Twitter, just going thru to stalk. Track how much time you spend watching t.v. a day/night. Then I want you think about how those sedentary activities are affecting your life, and how if you traded just one of those activities w/ brisk walking/jogging or a workout dvd, how much less would you weigh?

It's not rocket science really. All you need to do is CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT!  You can do this by eliminating 1 bad food a day + adding 30 min. of activity/day...at the start.

So tell me, what is your problem? And what is the solution?

Back from the WOF Conference & Wow!!! Change is good!

Amazed, challenged, encouraged, uncomfortable, refreshed, refocused....these are the things I've felt the last 48 hours at the Women of Faith Conference.


Here's what I got to do this weekend...
Next year's is Sept. 14th & 15th - Who wants to go?

Amazed that I'm not the only imperfect woman on the planet. Amazed that so many women love God and go to great lengths to get to this conference. Amazed at the variety of hardships, catastrophes, and trials that so many have gone through in life, deaths, accidents, illnesses, affairs, divorce, obesity. Amazed by God's continual faithfulness in other women's lives.
Challenged with my opinions...something to the affect of "Our opinions are a form of judgment". OUCH! - Right in the kisser. :) But a good thing. I need to be told that not everything that comes out of that hole is necessary! Yes, I will be working on a lot. Challenged with being a better friend by being a better listener, not always having the answers/offering solutions/advice...but just letting friends unload and be hugged and comforted. Challenged with my words, my "buts", my attitudes toward the things I disagree with, and challenged to be a more submissive, respectful, admiring, and a purposefully appreciative wife.

Encouraged that I am 'not invisible to God'. While I wear many hats in my home: Cap as Molly Mommy, Hard Hat as Wendy Worker, and a feather boa as Linda the Love Slave...I am seen by God when I am the chef, the chauffeur, the accountant, the psychologist. And when I go to great lengths to squeeze in time to take care of my body, those efforts to honor my spouse and health with care is seen and accounted for. Encouraged that while "a good day is a day of multiple tasks, we all have our bad days of multiple personalities". This encouraging message was so well illustrated through an awesome skit. Reminded through another one that moms are like the men of old that built cathedrals. They were unnamed with men, yet God knew each one. He saw all their hardwork, and sacrifice in building these ginormous building of exquisite architecture. They built with the satisfaction and confidence that the audience of ONE is who they lived for. Reminded that God sees all we do as mothers - all the things we give up for the kids and our spouses...He doesn't miss a thing and He is so blessed by your continuel dedication to do whatever needs to be done to take care of your family.

Uncomfortable in knowing that because I have heard these words - change needs to happen within. Being there with friends, who heard what I now know...will be my accountability to let the Word of God change my inner most being. Uncomfortable that while I have prided myself in being 'transparent'...I am not one to leave myself vulnerable. Uncomfortable to realize that by this, I keep many out in fear of disappointment. I need friendships. I need best friends. I need closeness with other women. Other women who will speak truth in my life, hug me on a bad day, help me, let me help her...I need people in my life. Not so comfortable and easy for me sometimes...trust issues, fear of disappointment, fear of abandonment. They all want to well up in my heart and they do...making it tough for some to break on in to the other side. So long I've worked at keeping people at arms length to avoid pain and hurt. Life has seemed easier this way, yet not as joyful or as fulfilling.

Refreshed with a new vision of my role as a wife and mom. Understanding that it continues to be the respect my husband receives that makes our world go round. Refreshed that I'm not the only one who hates folding laundry, but do it anyways because my family needs me to. Refreshed that all the energy I expend preparing meals is motivated by my love for my family's health, and it's an honor to care for them all. Refreshed to be to be able to go for a couple of days to have love and passion stirred up for my family...to devote more of my attention to them and less on this screen. Thank you Amy Grant for your words and song to remind us we need to give more attention to the people who depend on us and less on the nightly news.

Refocused on the few years I have left with my kids. Refocused that it's the bedtime stories and prayers that will leave lasting memories in my kids' minds. Refocused that life is short. As Brenda Warner shared her stories of tragedy after tragedy...it's not the circumstances that run our life but how we respond with honor, courage, and integrity when no one is looking. Refocused on who needs my attention, my eyes, my affection, my love above all...my husband and my kids. Refocused that the way to respond and make this renewed perspective a living reality is to continually be in a close, intimate connection with God. Refocused on the fact that He does have a plan and purpose for my life, and because I am here w/ breath in my chest, He's not done with me yet. So I must show up, and embrace where He leads me. As eternity is only one phone call away for anyone at anytime, I must make this life count daily. Finding Him first thing...then Him pointing the way.

As Mandisa sang "the shackles off my feet"..and the worship team singing, "If He is for me, than who can stand against me" - I was reminded of His enduring love and acceptance for me. Jesus Christ loves me just the way I am...and I will be more like Him when I let Him live through me to touch other people's lives.



His Love is OVER THE TOP for us!!!

 A refreshed perspective, filled with direction and confirmation is what I received this weekend. And just in the nick of time. My days had recently grown weary, and I needed a refill. Thank you Mary and Rachel for taking me along to the Women of Faith Conference. My goal is to attend each year. I need to go for myself...and for the sake of my family. Closing my eyes tonight with such a grateful heart for what God has done in my life...and all that He has in store. He is so very real. I hope you see His grace through my life somehow. May God bless you all as you go to church and visit with family. Be open to what God has to say to you, and to what He wants to do through you...your life greatly impacts so many others, so walk it out with Him by your side.

G'night -

He thought he could cheat!

Dave's lowest was 179 lbs. one week. The week he went to the 700 Club TV show. (You can view the clip on his site: http://www.thislittlepiggywenttothegym.com/, it's in the left hand margin).

Upon his return, he was feeling great, looking fantastic & totally in the zone. And then people really started telling him over and over of how he 'looked TOO skinny'. He heard it all: frail, gauntly, sick...he was even asked if he was on drugs. These discouraging bubble-busting comments started taking it's toll on him, as he had to hear it daily from people.

Couple observations here:

• NO ONE ever told him he was TOO FAT when he was over 400 lbs.
• David was never SELF-CONSCIOUS when he weighed 425 lbs.
• Again, I was one of the few cheering on his efforts (just as I was one of the few warning him to lose weight).

What was the deal? He was finally healthy, no longer OBESE...and people weren't happy. Here's a lesson: don't live to make people happy. NO MATTER WHAT you will never please people. Do what is good for your body, your life, your family, etc.

Because of these comments of 'being frail, petite looking, etc' Dave became very self-concious. Actually,  the first and only time in his life that he was insecure. How ridiculous it that? One, he didn't look bad at all. He was lookin' so fine, super-hot & lean...yet, he felt insecure? And two, he had been 400+ lbs. and very confident? These negative opinions from others had devestating results. He started having a CHEAT MEAL. One on Sunday evenings is where it started.

Now real quick, imagine an ex-alcoholic who had been sober for a few years, not a drop of alcohol, starting back up & having 1 drink on the weekend. Imagine a pothead, staying clean for a few years...and then having a puff, once a weekend. Do you think that they could just have 1?....I'm afraid not.

So then, a person whose drug was food...going from clean eating to 1 cheat meal on the weekend..."There's no harm in it"....right? WRONG!

Calories in 1 slice: 298
Calories in whole pizza: 2,384

Dave's first cheat meal on that first Sunday in September of 2010 was pizza. His fave: pepperoni w/ mushroom on pan from Rusty's. At this first meal, he could only eat about 2 1/2-3 pieces. By the end of his cheat-season, he could put away a whole large pizza.

And soon, cheat eating started on Saturday afternoons and/or evenings...then Sunday lunch, and sometimes followed by a Sunday cheat-dinner......What foods was he eating??? His old 'faves, that's what:

• Pizza w/ super wedges & ranch
• Super Burritos
• Ribs
• Steaks
• Combos at the Mexican restuarants w/ sides of beans & rice
• Tortas
• Tons of chips & salsas
• Chili Beans @ family bbqs
• PB & J - w/ it thick!
• WHATEVER HE WANTED!

Now check this out: Monday thru Friday, he was going to the gym, continuing to burn 800+ calories a workout. And all of his meals from Monday thru Friday were home-prepared, clean foods. Dave started all this cheat eating in September last year...and took advantage of eating whatever he wanted through the HOLIDAYS. (This is why I am helping people w/ the 100 day Battle of the Bulge thru the Holiday Season.)

THE RESULTS: WEIGHT GAIN!

Of course, the entire time, I was reluctant to eat with him. That would just be encouraging the behavior. Plus, I DID NOT WANT TO GAIN! In fact, I was on my own mission to lose my baby weight from giving birth to our second son in Jan. 2010. I ate my clean healthy meals as he binged on all the fatty, red meat, high-carb stuff he wanted.

I was dying inside. Here I had watched Dave lose 246 lbs. in 2 years...and in a matter of months...he was packing on the pounds. I began to pray again.

And then, in April of 2011, I looked at him...his belly beginning to get a little round again & I asked the forbidden question (in my nicest tone), "What are you weighing in at these days?"

As he glared at me and asked why, I was nervous, but I knew I would be doing him a disservice if I didn't share my heart and concern..."Well, you're lookin' a little rounder these days and I'm curious if you are still weighing yourself...remember what Trainer Tom says, 'stay accountable to the scale'".

This was not what he wanted to hear...yet it was truth...and he knew it. I buckled down & prayed and prayed again. And he decided once again that 'starting on Monday'...he would start eating better. (Oh, if there was no such thing as Mondays, how many people would not eat crazy for the weekend just to start eating good on a Monday?).

So on a Monday, weighing in at 232 lbs...Reality sunk in...in a matter of 8 months of eating what he wanted on weekends only (thank goodness), Dave faced the fact that he had gained 53 lbs.

Imagine that for a minute...how many calories was he eating on the weekends to gain that much weight...despite the clean eating thru the week...and the 800+ calorie-burning workouts thru the week?

And so he faced the facts and the truth that he could not cheat-eat on the weekends. PERIOD.

He continued to go to the gym and started eating better on the weekends...but as old habits are hard to break...it did take him a bit to master the 'lean eating all week long' habit again...more on this later...

And then the answers came....

How appropriate for a Sunday to reminisce on the many answered prayers for Dave's weight loss to begin...

As I mentioned the other day, I prayed for him DAILY. I began praying for him to have a desire, self-discipline...As I prayed over time, my prayers changed. At one point I prayed that God would give Dave self-control over his eating. I prayed a variety of things. His friends who spoke words of love to him about doing something about his weight, was an answer to my request, "Lord, please send someone to talk to him, since he won't listen to me".

If read my post on Sept. 1, I shared that we started our home version of Weight Watchers...mearusing out food and counting points.



Dave, July '07 w/ Baby Daniel...weighing around 425 lbs.

 After 6 months of Weight Watchers point counting...he hit a plateau. He had gone from 425 to about 360/365...and nothing. And the way Weight Watchers is...you deduct points when you've lost a certain amount of weight...and Dave was maxed out on his points from the start and needed to reach something like 315 to start 'eating less points'...and so here was my solution:

"Babe...you just need to go

to the gym &

burn some calories."



Now for the record, my conversations with Dave re: his weight and needing to lose it, was NEVER degrading or mean. I never, ever one time called him names. No manipulative, abusive putdowns! My words were always motivated by love, concern, and care...and yes, fear that I would be a  young widow w/ a young child. I kept them seasoned with love, but very straightforward & to the point. (And in sometimes were TOO frequent...I'll confess. Always reminded to TALK LESS - PRAY MORE!)

His response, after my 'helpful advice':

IF YOU TELL ME TO GO TO THE GYM

ONE MORE TIME...I'M NEVER GOING AGAIN!

Let's consider somethings that I was not seeing:

1. He wasn't familiar with all the gym equipment to begin with.
2. He was still big, so I'm sure that made him feel uncomfortable to go to the gym.
3. He was also just plain stubborn.
4. He still hadn't taken ownership of the idea of going to the gym. (Lose weight = Yes, Exercise = No)

So - back to the prayer closet I went. I prayed and prayed. I asked God to change his heart toward the gym. I asked God to send someone to be his workout partner. I asked God to move in a mighty way...and then, one day, as Dave was starting to not quite stick to the eating plan 100%...I got crazy, holy-roller style...I asked God to divinely intervene...in the name of Jesus & get my husband to the gym!!!! And some other things I'm sure were added as I plead with God to save his life, save our life together, save my son's dad. This was an emotional thing for me as Dave's wife.

(Overweight spouses, hear my heart here for a minute: When your spouse comes to you and talks to you about losing weight, consider what they are feeling inside too! They love you, they need you...but you are eating yourself to death. You're reluctancy/stubbornness to go to the gym or work out...it's all threatening the future they have planned to spend with you. Your kids are going to miss out on playing sports with you. You may not even see your grandkids. Take your eyes off the food, off the desserts...the primetime tv shows, and set them on God who can help you, and set your mind on your goal to LOSE WEIGHT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!!)

Two weeks after my desperate fleece to the Lord to do something quick - Dave came home, we sat down to our 'healthy dinner'...and he says, "Guess what?" - "My brother got me 3 months of personal training...with Tom Strongin."

Yes - I nearly fell out of my chair...I nearly choked on my food...I wanted to jump up and scream "HALLELUJAH!"...I wanted to cry....tears wanted to well up....but I kept my composure...appearing unphased, as though it was common discussion at the dinner table. I didn't want to react in any way, in fear it would be the wrong way & spoil it...but asked, "So are you going to go?"...in the nicest, curious, sweetest tone. My insides were buzzing with joy...as he said, "Yea, my brother wants me to go, the trainer says he can help me".



Here's Dave at 306 lbs. Jan. 2009
Weight loss total: 120 lbs. in 9 mos.



And so that was the beginning of his journey with Tom the trainer. His 5-day/week, 5 a.m. - 6 a.m. 800-1000 calorie burning workouts began...and the pounds began to shed.

In his first 3 months, Dave lost 60 lbs.

What's crazy is that finally after 120 lbs. were gone, people finally started telling Dave, "You've lost a few lbs., huh?" And I thought "WOW - the bigger you are the more you have to lose for people to notice"...but at home, it was a glorious season...and the weight was just falling off.

No secret potions...just lean, clean eating & serious hardcore workout routines 5 days a week, w/a food log, measuring out everything...and Monday weigh-ins...w/ some surprise Friday weigh-ins to keep folks on their toes. It was serious work that was paying off!!!

And then the 3 months of paid training was up...and Tom was amazing to offer Dave a special deal...and I went to prayer AGAIN - asking God to provide...while it was a great deal...we needed the cash.

And then Dave's dad speaks up, "Mijo...you've done so good and we're so proud of you...we'll cover the next 6 mos." I was blown away - again God provided beyond my expectations.



Here's Dave at 187 lbs. March '10



God provided in amazing, miraculous ways for it all. Tom told Dave that he would see him to his goal...and Dave reached 180 lbs. in April of 2010.

All the while Dave was motivated. Continued to stick to his meal plan (despite the boredom w/it). He was a man on a mission.

I did my best to try and change up the way I made chicken (the lowest calorie, most filling meat I could cook healthfully). I baked it, shredded, cubed it...made fajitas, every kind of salad w/ chicken. (I still search for fun recipes to change up our healthy eating.)

And I will admit...I eased up in the prayer department, once he had this kind of success. A total loss of 245 lbs. Who does that???? I thought it was in the bag. Done deal...we're done. Let's move on, right????

And then...something happened the summer of 2010...naysayers. People who thought Dave was 'too skinny'. Can you believe that no one but me, initially, ever spoke up about his weight problem when he was over 400 lbs.? However, when he looked amazing, getting ripped, lean, and super healthy....people picked that time to tell him that he was looking "gauntly", "petite", "frail". I think they had it backwards.

I couldn't believe that people would say that. Look at the pic above...did he look 'gauntly'???? Errr. He was finally healthy. Living a healthy lifestyle. Not everyone around him was used to his not-so round face, his cheeks were gone...no gut. Me, I was in hog heaven, I was like, LOOK AT THE DIAMOND THAT WAS IN THE ROUGH!...Mmmm, mighty fine, mighty fine.

Well...this negative feedback about his new found health & amazing transformation got in his head...and Dave thought...well, I don't want to look frail & petite...I can afford a cheat meal. I am intrigued by people and their reactions here...I was also fascinated by Dave's response to eat some of his favorite foods. And while 1 cheat meal is actually 'okay' w/ some fitness experts...the cheat meal, soon became a 'cheat day'. I could foresee where this was going...and so it was back to the prayer closet for me.

One serious PIGGY!

So yesterday's questions from my FB post were these:

Where did he start?

• Dave's weight loss pursuit started at 425 lbs. He was a 4X Hanes T-shirt...pushing into a 5X with a 48" waist. He only wore t-shirts & shorts from Wal-Mart because the plus size clothes at CasualMaleXL were too expensive.

How serious did he have to be to make progress?

• Dave gave up all the bad foods. He was a frequent pizza eater, hamburger & fry kind of guy. Mounds of ribs, bowls of chili beans w/ a side a of mac salad at bbqs. He loved those super burritos filled w/ beans, rice, meat, sour cream, and cheese. 
• He says, "the pain had to become greater than the pleasure"...and after plantar fascitis developing in his feet, and his blood pressure moving up a bit...he realized that his weight was beginning to affect him physically, beyond just being big. Doctor visits were nearing his list of 'appointments for the week'. 

What simple things did he add to see progress?

• He first began with measuring out his food and keeping track of points as we did our home version of Weight Watchers. 60 lbs. came off in 6 months.
• Cutting fried foods, pizza on the weekends, drinking more water, and not eating whatever he wanted at family bbqs.
• Once he plateaued - working out was the next step. 

What things did he have to sacrifice?

• He sacrificed going along w/ what everyone else was eating.
• For a couple of holiday seasons, while everyone else was having stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie - he was eating his lean meat and veggies.
• Once he started working out, he sacrificed fun in the eve to sleep to get up at 4:30 to go to the gym.

How do you keep yourself motivated for such a long weight loss goal?

• Dave's #1 motivation was for Daniel, our 1 yr. old (at the time he made the commitment) to never know him as an obese dad.
• Then for the journey...and what kickstarted it overall: PRAYER!

The power of a praying wife is an amazing motivational tool in a marriage. When you see your spouse committing a behavior that you disagree with, does not glorify God, and puts his life in jeopardy, you better believe that prayer will work. I believed that it was not God's will for my husband to die young from preventable disease. So I prayed.

My prayer journey started as soon as he put weight on in the first couple months of our marriage. I prayed that he would have the desire to work out again, that he would have self-control. That's why when he said he needed to do that 'carb-depletion' in May '06 - I joined him. Because I realized, as I am praying and Dave is showing desire, I, his help-mate, needed to FULLY SUPPORT HIM!

Because I ended up pregnant in the midst of that, I could not continue on w/ the no carb/protein-fat only diet...and it seemed to go downhill with his eating from there. Fortunately, I did NOT give up. I prayed for 2 years for David to have the desire to lose weight...among a ton of other things, I prayed:

• God give David a love for his family that he refuses to eat himself to death.
• God give David the self-discipline to say 'no' to bad foods.
• God give David the desire to healthy and fit.
• God convict David when he wants to binge eat bad foods.
• God send people into Dave's life to speak to him about his weight (since he's not receiving from me.)

As a response to my prayer, toward the end of '07 after we had Daniel...a friend of David's went to him, with tears in this man's eyes, and said, "what are you doing to yourself?"..."I don't want to see anything bad happen to you (death) because of your weight!"...and then his friend just left, crying. This got Dave's attention because his friend was a man of few words, so when he spoke, Dave listened.



"Big"...is an understatement...as Dave looks at
this pic now...he says, "Dang, I was huge!"

Immediately following this conversation, another good friend of Dave's came to him and asked, "Man, Dave what are you doing? You're getting big buddy..." These were friends speaking truth in love...and were greatly used by God to get Dave's attention.
It was after these friends reached out to Dave that he realized he had to do something...and he began to take ownership of the idea that he HAD to lose weight...or else. Or else, he would die at a young, premature age from preventable disease.

At the beginning of '08, he had a couple of family members who started going to Weight Watcher's meetings, and Dave saw how easy they were losing weight...just by portion control. Since I was persistently & fervently praying...I was eager to join him when he showed the desire to start measuring out his foods.

I'll never forget...it was Easter '08 and I said to Dave, "So I have to know what you weigh to come up with the points you can eat..." His response, "Okay, I will tell you...but you have to promise me you will NEVER tell ANYONE..." I gave him reassurance that my lips were sealed...and then he said:

 "I'm about 425 lbs."

I had never known his weight before...tears welled up in my eyes...and I said, "Dave, this is a 911 emergency that you lose weight babe...we have to do something NOW!". The next day, we BOTH (since I had baby weight to lose) started measuring out our food & counting our points...and the lbs. started to drop for both of us.