It's turkey time!!!

     I am excited that it's almost November! Why?  Because I love Thanksgiving, I love that it brings everyone together....... oh who am I kidding I LOVE the food.  Okay Okay I love being together too and I love the tradition that we have with both our families.  But I really do LOVE the food.  Turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing and squash and green beans oh my gosh my stomach is speaking to me!  I'm hungry! No, I'm not hungry just craving..... GUM ...... I NEED dessert gum!

     Okay, whew saved!  Okay, so what am I going to do this Thanksgiving?  And who's dumb idea was it to put out this 50 day challenge over the greatest holiday feast known to me?  Oh..... Me.  So WHAT THE HECK am I going to do on Thanksgiving....... I.....have....... know.........idea.....

     W A I T, I do know.....  And it could also involve YOU as well!  What better way to start your Thanksgiving morning than to start it with me?  Okay maybe it would be a better motivator to say you could start your morning by putting in a workout that will allow you to still eat that amazing turkey dinner!  Yep I'm totally speaking the truth.  Altman Fitness is putting on it's annual "Burn the fat, Feed the hungry".  You guys...... I love this program, I was a part of it last year and it is SO MUCH FUN!  You get an amazing workout, your donations go to an amazing organization: Second Harvest, and you get to be with a huge group of people that are as excited to be there as I am.
     All of you that are in this with me for 50 days...... I challenge you to show up and workout with me on November 28th and if you do.... I promise you can have your turkey dinner and not derail your progress.  And those of you that are out there reading and taking it all in and want to make a change...... Here is your first step...... step..... step, you can do it.  Don't make excuses, throw the turkey in the oven just before you leave and when you get home you will have the satisfaction that you can enjoy that amazing dinner.
Click here to donate and sign up for this great cause! Thursday, November 28th  BURN THE FAT FEED THE HUNGRY
4 weeks from today I hope to see you all there, I will be teaching the 9:30 class!!!!

In honor of fall and upcoming Thanksgiving I am going to list my favorite Pumpkin Protein Smoothie


1 Cup of  unsweetened vanilla Almond milk
1 scoop of protein powder or 1/3 cup egg whites
1/4 cup canned pumpkin - make sure only ingredient is pumpkin
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 frozen cubes of almond milk or coconut milk
blend together and enjoy!

Calories

Those pesky little things, which can quickly turn into big things!  Do you count calories?
That is the question... my answer I do and I don't.  I do when I am focusing on fat loss.  I also get on the scale everyday and lots of people debate over these 2 things.  I will leave it up to you to decide what YOU want to do, but I will explain why I do it this way.
     2 years ago I had KNOW IDEA how many calories I was consuming or what calories really even meant for that matter.  The only thing I knew was that the average person should have 2,000 calories a day.  If you were to ask me then how many calories I THOUGHT I was eating, I would have told you "oh about 2,000 a day"  Now that I know what I know, I was probably averaging 3,000+ calories a day.
     Calories matter.  Simple as that, and for those of you that are close to my age...... 25.  Okay kidding 31..... OKAY 39!  Calories really, really matter.  We don't have the metabolism of a 20 year old.  Most of us still eat like we did in our 20's or maybe we've decided on smaller portions but  we make up for the calories in alcohol consumption.  We don't exercise like want to because, who has the time? Between working 40+ hours a week and a family your tired and you just want to go home an RELAX, right?  What I am trying to say is:  your probably noticing a change in your body NOW because of how you are TREATING it now.  Calories matter!
     Right now I have 10 pounds left to lose.  It's hard..... I mean really, really hard.  I am sticking around 1,000 calories per day (I do not recommend this for you, you should figure out your own calorie intake to lose 2lbs per week)  I have to make choices like..... dressing or no dressing?  It always happens half way into my day I discover I am at 500 calories and I want olive oil with balsamic on my salad.  Olive oil (which is a healthy fat) has 118 calories per Tablespoon.  I like to get carried away with my dressing and do a little more so it may be more like 170calories.  170 calories... JUST FOR A LITTLE DRESSING on my salad! Oh what I could do with an extra 170 calories....  Let me tell you!
I could have:

• paleo bar
• protein shake
• 14oz of carrots (thats more than a bag!)
• 23 cups of spinach
• 2 1/2 cups of raspberries
• 2 cups of blueberries
• 3 cups of strawberries
• 5 cups of my homemade chi tea latte
• 2 whole eggs

     For me calories matter and that is why I count them when focusing on fat loss.  When I am not focusing on fat loss, when I am trying to maintain my weight....... I don't count calories.  But I do know approximately how many calories I am consuming on a daily basis.  If I start to see the scale move up quickly I need to start looking closer at my calories.  For you counting calories might not work, you will just have to decide for yourself.  I will say when you start paying attention to calories it's a little shocking...... Starbucks mocha grande frappe, 370 calories! OUCH!

     The scale.... I choose to get on the scale everyday when fat loss is my focus because it motivates me.  It motivates me in 2 ways:  If it does not move.... I work harder.  I look at what I can change in my diet to get it to move.  It might be that I have to adjust my carbohydrates or cut back on my healthy fats.  When the scale DOES move.... look out!  Celebration at my house.  I am a HAPPY MAMA!!! and that motivates me to KEEP GOING!  For YOU it could be totally different, the scale could push you into a bad mindset.  If this is the case don't get on the scale everyday. You could try weekly, or you could try doing measurements or doing a body fat analysis.  You have to decide what motivates you and keeps you going!

Healthy Fajitas! 

2 Chicken breast with
no salt fajita rub:
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or dried garlic

cook your chicken in a skillet with small amount of coconut or olive oil.
Remove and cut into cubes or shred

Roasted red peppers:
cut in half cleaned and placed on a cookie sheet in oven at 500 degrees
cook for 30 min until peppers are wrinkled
remove and let cool slightly

Add back to your pan the chicken,
1/4 cup corn,
1/4 cup black beans.
heat through

spoon mixture into red peppers and top with:
cilantro
diced tomatos
avocado cream (1 avocado, 1/2 cup greek plain yogurt, 2 limes squeezed - mix or blend well)

Have fun with it and add your own favorite healthy ingredients!!!!!

Who are you becoming?

     In every moment of your life you have the power to choose who you are and who you are becoming.... like my blog states: A Journey To Become Mended.  I chose a path that was laid out for me long before I even knew it.  This journey has happened in small ways and big ways.  Small ways like focusing on the conversations I hold, the thoughts that I think, the way I honor my commitments, the practice of telling the truth and being present with myself.  Being mindful of the care that I bring to my daily actions.  Correcting my actions immediately when they are less than desirable.  Allowing myself to be brave in moments when weakness pulls from deep within.
     And in big ways like closing in on a 100lb weight loss, lowering my cholesterol 100 points and reversing my pre-diabetes.  Motivating more people than I could ever imagine in this past year, some of you through this blog.....Going from 1 pageview last November 14th to over 11,300 pageviews today.
I feel blessed.  
     If you look at the people in your life, are they people that support you?  Are they people that encourage you to push beyond what you ever thought possible?  Or are they pulling you back to that self you left long ago?
     It takes courage to face the truth about who you are, the choices that you make and the life you desire to live.  I encourage you to look at every area of your life and ask yourself: am I growing mentally, emotionally, spiritually?  I have discovered that sometimes you have to make that tough decision to let some things go.  Release the things, habits and behaviors that no longer serve you.  You can be special, you can be AWESOME...... you just have to give yourself permission.

     It takes a level of self love, of dedication and determination to live out your greatest life.  I encourage you to do so, because it is so AWESOME!

You can be awesome!

Awesome Applesauce Oatmeal muffins

1 cup old fashioned oats (not instant)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup gluten free flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites 

1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
raisins or nuts (optional)

Soak the oats in milk for about one hour. 

Preheat the oven to 400
Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce and egg whites, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired.
Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Did you make it through the weekend?

     It's been one week since we started this 50 day challenge.  That means we only have 43 days left!!  So how did you do? Did you eat exactly as you wanted too?  Did you have a few times when you found it really difficult?
     I was faced with 2 family events this weekend that could have derailed my eating.  But I went in FULLY prepared.  I brought my own meals with me and brought back up snacks.  So for me I was completely successful and it feels really good not to give in to temptation.
      The hardest part when you are trying to take weight off at this stage of the game, is that you really have to be perfect with your eating.  Gene is losing  quickly because,well....... lets be honest he is a sugar addict.  He loves his soda and his cookies and sweets.  When you strip that out, you will see big losses initially.  That weight loss will start to level out and slow down. For those of you that are in that stage DON'T get frustrated and give up!
     Most of us put in a really good day of eating, step on the scale and expect to see results right away right?  I mean you put the time and effort, in you want to see results!  I know I do, and it can get really frustrating when you eat really well for 3 or 4 days and the scale still does not move! AGH.... I hate that!!! That's when your mind will start to play tricks on you.  You start to say things like "I've done really well these last few days and nothing has changed, so I might as well have _________ "  Or "What's the point of doing all this work when it doesn't pay off?"  I totally know what you are thinking, I've thought it.  I've wanted to give up, I've wanted to just throw it in.  But I can tell you this...... weight loss does not happen over night.  You have to give up that desire for instant gratification, put your time in..... I mean a lot of time and effort in..... and eventually, you WILL see progress.  I PROMISE!!!!!!
     I also want to remind you that it's not just a scale that determines your progress.  You can do measurements, you can have body fat analysis done.  What was most important for me was to see the progress in my health.  In 2 short weeks I noticed I was not getting headaches,  I was not getting migraines, I was sleeping better,  my energy was slowly improving.  These changes will be subtle, you should take note of them.
     Symptoms like those listed above are not "normal" not everyone lives with them.  Funny I thought is was a normal part of aging.  NOPE! It's your body trying to tell you...... Your doing something wrong. If your having these symptoms don't kid yourself by saying "I eat healthy" healthy can mean so many things to many different people.  Listen to your body, make small changes and then ultimately enjoy the reward of having a healthy happy body!!!

This is one of the meals I had prepared this weekend:  Spaghetti squash, low sodium tomato sauce.. (this one is from trader joes), ground turkey.  For dessert: 1/2 apple sliced with cinnamon

How is everybody doing?

I have a little progress to report:  My husband is down 8 pounds as of this morning and I am down 2 pounds! Wha hoo!  It really feels good to finally be on a nice progress in the right direction and not this up and down slope.  So far the temptations that have come my way have been tolerable like my son eating chips in front of me and my daughter that HAD to get halloween candy already - chocolate! But I have been strong and held it together!  and yes I do let me kids have those things in moderation.

How about you? I know a lot of you are following along and have your own goals, so I hope you are sticking to them!  If you have fallen off Big or just a little.... it's fine!  It totally happens, the trick is to get back on it!  Here's a good way to start:  I want you to say right now.... " I can do this, I am in control of: what I eat, my thoughts, what I say and how I react"  I know it sounds silly but it can be empowering.  And when you tell yourself you can do something it sets off a chain reaction in your body that physically your body will respond to.  Try it!.... come on TRY IT!

"I can do this, I am in control of: what I eat, my thoughts, what I say and how I react" 

Good!!!!! Now let's plan what you are going to have to eat today:

Breakfast needs to start with a protein - eggs, bacon, protein smoothie. Now add in a little carbohydrate for energy - oatmeal, sourdough bread, potatoes.
If your following me on my strict diet -  today I made 1 egg and 1/3 cup of egg whites. Then I had leftover squash that I made yesterday so I made it into a pancake shape and put it in the skillet with a little coconut oil.  Tasted pretty good!
Snack: Lets have a balance you could do celery and PB, apple and PB, greek yogurt with a few nuts.
If your following me on my strict diet - I would have a half protein smoothie, or a bit of chicken with brown rice.
Lunch: again balance and add in those veggies if you can, pick a protein: chicken, fish, beans, beef, turkey.  My favorite is a cobb salad. YUM!  Easy on the dressing :)
If your following me on my strict diet - Chicken burrito bowl is my go to in a pinch because I always have those ingredients in my fridge and freezer ready to go.
Cooked chicken, brown rice, spinach leaves, fresh salsa, a few black beans and onion.  mix it all together and you have a top notch lunch.
Snack: Go for something you like just make sure it follows these rules, nothing processed (not in a bag or a box and has a very short list of ingredients) it contains either a healthy protein or a healthy fat.
If your following me on my strict diet - I would pick half an apple with cinnamon, 6 almonds.
Dinner: hmm burgers are good, leave the bun off, wrap it in lettuce.  It's really not necessary to have that bun I think it's a Minnesota thing, we always think we have to have bread wrapped around everything like a sandwich or a hot dog or a hamburger.  Really not necessary.... totally cool to eat it without.  I saw this saying the other day "eating healthy is the new sexy" I totally agree!
If your following me on my strict diet - I would eat broiled white fish with some lemon and rosemary.  mixed vegtables: yellow squash, zucchini, peppers, and onions cooked in coconut oil.

I am taking a little break from blogging over the weekend. Stay strong and push on through the weekend!!!! And let me know your progress so far!

this is butternut squash  1 cup = 82 calories not bad!!
I have about 1/3 of a cup here

scrambled egg whites and butternut squash

Day 4

Who loves a good workout?  Well..... I can honestly say I never liked a hard workout, especially how my body felt the next few days after a workout.  But now that I have a routine... I couldn't LIVE without it.  So much so that I went after my trainer certificate and I am furthering my education in training.

So how do you start and what is considered a workout? The way I see it, you ONLY have two options: come workout with me at Altman fitness OR come workout with me at Altman fitness!  haha just kidding! 

I would encourage you to try many things and see what you like.  Some possibilities are: fitness clubs they hold lots of classes, Barre' seems to be a new trend, Zumba, and then there are individual facilities that specialize in certain types of workouts and there is always personal one on one training.

I have tried fitness clubs in the past and found that it lacked personal attention.  Nobody new my name, I was not missed if I was not at class, the workouts were okay and class size was very large.  When it comes to personal training..... that really just comes down to the "right fit" with the trainer you pick.
The reason I have stayed with Altman fitness is because it fills ALL those things that were lacking.  And it is FULL of committed people that are all goal orientated and lead a healthy lifestyle.  So for me it has turned into an extended family.

I encourage YOU to find your place, YOUR home or "thing" that makes you WANT to exercise.

How much exercise should you get in per week?  According to my training.... the American Heart association recommends 30-45 min of moderate activity that gets your heart rate up -  5x a week.  I know it seems like a lot, and how do you get all that time in when your working full time?  You have to make time, you just have to make the step to your health first.  At first it can me frustrating fitting everything in... which is why you should focus on your eating FIRST.  Then when you have a good rhythm, that is when you add in some exercise. And you don't have to go crazy, start with walking then move onto something new, but make sure you enjoy some part of it!!!!!

If you want a SUPER awesome workout that will totally kick your but you can download an App. called 14 day fat furnace   I often use this when I can't make it to my classes or when I am out of town.

And if you feel inspired...... come take my class! Tuesday and Thursdays at 10:30.... you can participate for a week, for FREE!  Altman Fitness located at:  7417 Washington Ave South Edina, MN  (HW 169 and Valley View Road)  

Meals for today
Breakfast: Omelet like yesterday
Snack: vanilla protein shake
Lunch: left over pot roast
Snack: Celery and humus
Dinner: Bison hamburgers with lettuce no bun vegetables steamed on the side
Snack: Chi tea latte (homemade, 1 cup un-sweetend vanilla almond milk heated, add chi tea bag for 3 min, add cinnamon and nutmeg and a little stevia)

come see me!!

You can do it!!!!

Between meals

 My problem time is 4:00, I seem to ALWAYS get hungry at 4:00. Go figure? I think it's because I eat lunch and then it's a looong time before dinner.  You really should eat every 3 hours, I just tend to push it till dinner because I have another problem time... 8:00pm. Oh who am I kidding the day is FULL of problem times! But 4 and 8 seem to be the hardest.  So what do I do? I don't really like to munch on a bunch of carrots or celery, that just does NOT satisfy my hunger or craving.

I have 2 "go to" things.  One is a paleo bar - oh paleo how I love thee.  These bars are the best, no really they are the best.  They are filled with the best ingredients, they help you to feel full and they taste amazing! They have very little sugar so I won't go on a big swing and have a crash later.  When looking for a bar you want to make sure it has very little ingredients, low in sugar, a good source of protein and fiber.  You can click HERE for Paleo bars  that I use .... I pick the PB meal and Vanilla Almond, Yummo!!


The other thing I do is a protein shake. I use these frequently between meals or when I just can't get to my lunch.  The base of ALL my smoothies is:  Unsweetend vanilla Almond milk, Paleo Protein (again best ingredients for your body) frozen almond milk cubes that I make in a ice cube tray. 1/2 frozen banana. And then add whatever flavor you like: coco powder for chocolate, pumpkin and cinnamon for a nice wintery smoothie or frozen berries and no not the kind that is a mix from target, just berries and only a few.  Mix in a blender and enjoy!!!
Here is a link to the protein powder as well:  Protein Powder  I buy the vanilla and add my own flavor.

Another trick I have is Dessert Gum.  My favorite is Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream gum.  Oh it really helps, especially when you just really desire "sweet".

Breakfast today is an omelet.  In a small skillet I use a very small amount of coconut oil then I saute onion, green red and yellow peppers and mushrooms.  (these veggies are always pre cut by me and put in baggies in the freezer so it's really fast)  Then 1 egg mixed with 1/3rd cup of egg whites.  pour in a omelet pan cook egg mixture through and then add the veggies and fold.  You could add some feta cheese if you like! YUMMY!!!

pre cut veggies, Okay Gene really cut these!

Beef pot roast, recipe on the right!

Lunch: is left over wild rice soup
Dinner: is beef pot roast

Enjoy your day!!!!!!

Day 2

Well my 10 people have turned into just over 30 people jumping on board! LOVE IT!!! Now how many people can YOU get on board? How many people can YOU motivate????  As you can see it's contagious! All of you doing this be good examples, get the word out, share what you are doing, share this blog anything to make a healthy change!

MY mission is only to inspire you to make changes it's up to YOU to reach your goal.  I am documenting my 50 days on here.  I will post what I am thinking, eating and doing.  It's up to YOU to make the commitment to change and hang with it the entire time!!!!  Keep a journal, post on your FB page, post on MY facebook page.... I would love to hear your progress, remember it's contagious!!!!!

To make life easy I like to pick about dinner meals and then just rotate them.  My 5 meals will be: Skinny Chicken wild rice soup, Fish Taco's, Chicken burrito bowl, Beef roast and Chicken and vegetable stir fry.  Not to bad huh? The recipes are listed over on the side, yep right over there on the right... riiiiight, there :)  My lunches are simple, either left overs or a salad with protein.

Breakfast was my normal egg and oatmeal.
Today's lunch is on the run:  salad with mixed greens, Chicken breast and 1/4th cup of brown rice. I will put some balsamic and  a very little olive oil on it for dressing. A little boring and not a lot of food but I am on the go today.  I will for sure need a protein smoothie along the way which I will make at home and pack in a coleman cooler.....it for sure keeps it cold!
Dinner tonight is Wild rice chicken soup, recipe to the right. nope no crackers or bread, but if you choose to do bread during this, stay with sourdough.

So many people want to know what I eat..... weight loss IS mostly in the kitchen. But more importantly you have to have the right mindset.  If you don't have that, in 2+ weeks I promise you.... You will give up.  So lets not set you up for failure.

• Set your goal, set your date... 50 days is December 9th. 
• Set your consequence.   
• NOW what is going to keep you on track when you are tempted?  

For me it's this blog, it's posting notes all over the house, it's dumping the things that I just can't keep myself from like: chocolate and peanut butter and brownies ohhh and chocolate chip cookies.  Oh wait I also really LOVE chips and guacamole.  Okay now I'm getting hungry! Oh good point HUNGER.... we need to talk about that.  You need to ask yourself "are you REALLY hungry?" or are you just craving something?  For me when I am hungry I get this feeling in my chest or upper stomach and then I think about the last time I ate and what I had.  Which right now I am hungry but I ate  about 1 hour ago so my body does not NEED food..... I am just craving!! A good idea right about now would be to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! remove myself from the temptation and it WILL go away.  So that's all for now, going out in this lovely MN weather :)

yep this is my cupboard, sometimes you need the reminders!!

Here we go!

Day 1 of 50 days

I have about 10 people that want to do this with me, some who are going to remain anonymous and some that can feel free to post you progress on my face book page.  So how are we going to do this is the main question I am getting.  Well..... I happen to know fat loss, so your in luck!  Very first step you MUST take is to write down your goal weight or pounds you want to lose and your consequence.  Your consequence has to be SEVERE. Something that is really going to hurt to take away.   You all know mine, pretty severe.  I will do everything in my power to make sure I hit my goal... how about you? What will it cost you if you don't make it?  

Now that you have those two things, message it to me either through FB or email at: mendedbygrace@yahoo.com  

I will post on here as often as I can, the foods that I eat, the menu I have for the week and any extras that I am doing. So if you are taking part in this challenge or if you are just curious, you will get all the info you need to get you through these next 50 days.  

I have a couple of things that I love that I will share with you. One is the My Net Diary App for iphone.  I love it because I can plug in exactly what I am eating and it tells me how many calories I have consumed, how many I have left for the day and all sorts of other great information.  I don't always count calories but in major fat loss..... it's a must!!! For most of you about 1,500 calories a day will help you lose 1-2lbs a week.  This is just a GENERAL number, again that app I just listed will have you put in all your personal information and help you figure out where you need to be.  

I am following a: No dairy, no gluten, low sugar type plan.  Also my healthy fats and starchy carbs will be minimal.  I will not eat processed foods, and I can promise you if you decide to eat this way as well, you will feel amazing!   Just get through the first week of sugar and caffeine withdrawal and you are good to go!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

So are you ready? Here we go!  Gene is doing this with all of us too.
 

whew.... feelin' fat

my staple breakfast food

Breakfast!

Here is my go to breakfast. It's 1 whole egg and 1/3 cup egg whites.  Fresh salsa on top.  The oatmeal I made last night by putting 1/2 cup dry oatmeal in a bowl and 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk in it, mix it and put a plate over the top of the bowl and by morning... ready to eat. Just heat if you like! I cut my oatmeal portion in half so I will have the rest tomorrow.  And my green drink (veggies in a glass)

I know what you are thinking...... no flavor.  But what you are really saying is "No sugar" and yep your right, no sugar. Get over it, your body will thank you for it!  

My breakfast - 202 calories Packed with everything my body needs and will leave me feeling full!

compared to: bowl of cheerios with milk -190 calories will leave you feeling hungry and reaching for something in an hour

medium skim latte @ caribou - 150 calories  I don't have to answer this one do I?

EXTREME!

Extreme goals call for extreme measures!  I am tired of saying I want to lose another 10-15lbs and not taking action to do so.  For the last 3 months my weight loss has taken a back seat, and with me a back seat can turn into in-action.  Over the summer I tried to maintain, but ended up gaining 10lbs. Then I took those 10 off and now I have just been hovering at 155.
In January it will be 2 years since I started on this journey and I really want it to be finished, finished in a sense of.....be at my final goal.  Be over 100lbs down and have an extremely fit "almost 40" year old body.
How am I going to get there?  I have a clear plan.... it starts in the kitchen! I know exactly what I need to do with my eating to get their.  My workouts, push even when I don't want to push!  Commit to 5 days a week of hard workouts and 1 day of recovery workout.
Take 15 pounds off my body by December 9th, or are you ready for this?.........  I will SELLLLLL my C A M E R A!  oh it hurts just writing it.  Am I crazy?  NO!  I am extremely confident that I WILL make my goal and let nothing stand in my way, and maybe a little crazy!  For those of you that have a wedding booked with me... no worries! I WILL make my goal, or I will be shooting your wedding with a disposable.  LOL so kidding!

Why such an extreme consequence?  For those of you that know me my camera is like a body part to me, so why would I want to cut off a body part?  I wouldn't, that's just it.... I would NEVER want to sell my camera and I will do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.

 50 days from today I will be at 140lbs!  Anyone with me for 50 days? I plan on posting every few days, I will post what I am eating, doing and maybe a little complaining! I will need some shout outs and support to keep me going!!!!

**just a side note I recently discovered my scale is off about 10lbs, so in reality my end goal of 140 will be 150 according to my physicians scale.  I started with my scale so I want to end with my scale and my final weight loss at 106+lbs.  just want to make sure we are clear that people don't compare their own weight and HOW they look with another persons weight.  Everyone can look SO different even at the same total body weight.

HERE WE GO! Once I hit this publish button there is NO TURNING BACK!!!! ONE.....breath TWO...... I am nauseously excited, THREE.... I can do this!

"We all have bruises"

It's one of my current favorite songs..... and it's true, we ALL have bruises don't we?  It could be an area of our life that we are working on; like a marriage, a friendship, a job, personal growth, spiritual growth.  

I look at a bruise like this:  it's not DAMAGED, it's not beyond repair...... it's just bruised.  Sure sometimes people can SEE the bruise, you may even feel judged by it.  Or you may have been able to cover it up, disguise it.  But to YOU it still remains and it can be painful at times especially when it gets bumped. Remember..... it's just a bruise, and we are all bruised..... even me.

Find a way to let your bruise heal..... don't let it run too deep.  Then watch how beautiful your life can become.  

Have an AMAZING day and know that YOU are a beautiful creation!

Jen