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You have to read how this 8 year old explained God

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Out of the mouth babes- wisdom. When I read this from another blog, I knew it needed sharing. Check out this blog- http://thei53:5project.wordpress.com

Category: weight loss

Halloween Victory

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     Here it is again, another Halloween. Haven’t bought the candy yet. Guess I will later. Procrastination? Maybe I don’t just have the desire for more candy in the house. Celebrating freedom and victory.

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How I Ate This Weekend. Dieters Beware. Triple XXX Rating.

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I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8 NKJV

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Last week a friend asked how I ate. I tried to answer her questions. She wanted more information. I thought a picture is worth 1,000 words, so I’ll just take pictures of my food.

Disclaimer: I apologize to all who eat clean, carb free, or follow diet rules. These food pictures don’t fit any of those plans. This is how God instructed me to eat. I’ve lost 87 pounds,  gone from a size 18/20 pants to size 10 pants and from size X-L /14-18 tops to size S/6-10 tops. Wow!

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Taken May 2013, weighing 241.

I’ve failed every diet I tried with 41 years of failure. My first paid weight loss group was in 1974. We ate tuna fish 5x a week. Yuck. It’s amazing what we do to lose weight. I never tried surgery, only because I was afraid.

In May 2013, I weighed 241 pounds. In desperation, embarrassment, and total defeat I cried out to God. I’d tried everything only to end up in failure. I was broken in defeat with no hope, no other options and turned to God begging for help. Considering all the people in the world with severe needs, it was pathetic.

IMG_6156God didn’t care how pathetic I was, He reached out to help me. I was a food drunk eating almost 24/7.

God whispered to my heart, “Eat three meals a day with no snacks. Eat anything you want including desserts, but no snacks. Do this for 40 days.”

Seemed simple enough. I thought maybe I can do this. It took  60 days to achieve 40 days of three meals with no snacks. Then I asked Him, “What now?”

Again He spoke to my heart, “Continue eating your three meals with no snacks. Now cut your food in half.”

You won’t believe how I eat now, yet continue losing weight. I feel like a walking, talking miracle. So here goes, food pictures:

Friday: Breakfast- I/2 apple with  peanut butter & a caramel flavored rice cake. (I like the flavor and crunchiness.)

Lunch- Forgot what I ate, don’t keep a food journal. Mostly I just eat half of whatever, so I don’t need to write it down.  It may have been soup & 1/2 sandwich.

Supper- We went out with friends to a new Italian restaurant. I ordered house salad with Thousand Island dressing, Penne Basilica with extra mushrooms, and Tiramisu for dessert. (Shared dessert with husband.)

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New Italian restaurant. ***** five stars- great food. Highly recommended. Large portions, enough to take home for later.

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Our friends ordered an appetizer of fried onion rings. I ate one with the mariner sauce.

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The side salad. I ate the large vegetables and left half the lettuce.

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Penne Basilica- chicken, broccoli, pesto cream sauce with pasta. I ordered extra mushrooms. My plate was the largest serving on the table. Wow!

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Tiramisu- Hubby and I both ate half. Not my favorite.

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I took home half the entrée with a piece of bread. I ate a half piece of bread at my meal.

Now for Saturday’s food :

Breakfast: One large serving cheese grits from a gas station that served breakfast. I left about three large bites and threw it away. Hubby and I were out and about.

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Lunch served on a saucer, half the leftover pasta. The other half was still in the go box. I added three pieces of fried squash. (Southern favorite. The only way Hubby will eat squash.)

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A favorite dessert, ice cream with pear pieces and juice. I usually eat half a coffee cup of ice cream (about 3 large spoonful’s.)

Lunch: Leftover pasta, fried squash, and dessert, ice cream with canned pear pieces.

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Saturday supper: I ate one whole can of soup 200 calories. Don’t count calories, but thought it was okay to eat all the soup due to low calories.

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My dessert with Saturday supper. One, yes I said one Hersey’s kiss. Let it melt in your mouth, lot of chocolate pleasure for only 22 calories

 Now for Sunday’s meals:

Skipped breakfast. Hubby insists on being at church at 8 a.m. for his music practice before church. Hoping someone brings a treat to our Sunday School class.

No treats in Sunday school. After church we ate lunch at a favorite neighborhood restaurant, “Neighbors”. Large servings, plenty to bring home for later.  Great food, whatever you order. Five stars. ****

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Almost forgot to take a picture. Ordered three-piece chicken dinner with sides of turnip greens, mac n cheese, and corn bread. The plate came with four pieces and a roll. I asked for cornbread. You can’t eat turnips without cornbread.

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I ate half the turnips, half the mac n cheese, two small pieces chicken, and one half of the corn muffins. There were four pieces of chicken, so I thought I could eat two of the smaller pieces. That’s half, right?

Sunday night after church there was a reception to honor our pastors. Since I didn’t eat breakfast, I could now eat cake. Yea, my favorite. This would be my second meal today.

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I love, love cake icing. I know, pure sugar and lard.

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Since I eat half the cake, I eat my favorite part, the icing. Throw away the cake part.

When we got home from church it was soup and sandwich again. I overstocked canned soup so we’re trying to eat it.

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For late supper I ate a whole can of soup. In hindsight, I think I should have eaten only half because I felt too full afterwards. Lesson learned, don’t eat past full. Hubby has two slices of bread and two slices cheese, grilled in butter. Mine is one slice bread, one slice cheese, grilled in butter. That’s a half serving, right.

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Another half coffee cup of ice cream with a half cookie for dessert. I like ice cream. Can ice cream count as a milk serving?

Then for dessert, more ice cream. I always eat my ice cream in a coffee cup for portion control.

I haven’t weighed since mid-Sept. I’m seeking God’s will for my goal weight.           Now I can wear size 10 dress pants. Wow! I don’t ever remember wearing that size in my life. I plan to weigh on November 1. I’ll let ya’ll know how it turned out. Then I guess I’ll discover what maintenance is.

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87 pounds forever gone!

So far, 87 pounds of excess weight gone forever. Since I’m not on a diet, I have nothing to go off of. I am eating normal just less. I can live with that. I feel like a walking, talking miracle. God has set me free from a lifetime of obesity, obsessive dieting, (another form of bondage, and a failure complex. I’m walking in the gift of His victory for me. It’s not through my works, but through His grace. He has healed me and set me free.

Believe He Will

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Several years ago I heard one of my granddaughters singing and it ministered to my heart, the chorus of Trust and Obey:

  • Trust and obey
  • for there’s no other way
  • to be happy in Jesus,
  • but to trust and obey.

Easy to say, but sometimes hard to do.

. . . the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Lord, all my life I heard, “You need to lose weight. You need to go on a diet.” Long ago, the doctor wrote on my chart- “Obese.” That word stayed on my medical chart for years. Many people have advised me on how to diet. Some of those I paid money to for their advice. Now people are telling me I’m too skinny. They say, “Stop losing weight.” Even my doctor has now said, “Don’t lose any more.” Then she added, “Well, maybe five more pounds.” Continue reading

The Feeding Trough & Turning Green

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Lord, thank You for helping me at the Feeding Trough.

I chose to eat there instead of the Chinese Buffet. At the buffet you can’t bring food home, but at Lambert’s you can. I’ve eaten so many half-meals at restaurants that I feel cheated if I can’t bring food home. It feels like you’re getting two meals for one price, twice the enjoyment.

Hubby and I took the day off and went to the Shrimp Festival at Gulf Shores, Alabama. Because of a late start we decided to eat lunch first.

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First the fried okra. I ate half.

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Then the “throwed roll”. Really big.

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I ate my half of roll with honey. Yum.

After much discussion, we decided to eat at Lambert’s, “Home of the Throwed Rolls.” We call this place, The Feeding Trough for obvious reasons. At this restaurant customers are encouraged to eat. Servers walk between the tables offering free pass-arounds, fried okra, smothered potatoes, black eyed peas, macaroni with tomatoes, apple butter, and the best of all, hot fresh rolls. Just one meal in this place is a binge in itself.

Before walking in, I started praying. Lord, I need Your help. What do I eat? Help me not overeat. It would so easy to eat myself sick here. Lord, I need You right now. Help me.

Then this idea came. Take pictures of what you eat. Post on the blog. This will keep you accountable. Since several friends have asked about what do I eat, it seemed like a good idea. Now I can show them how I eat. Thank you Lord.

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Fried chicken gizzards with sides. My meal.

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This is what I took home. Ate off of this four more times. I think we got our money’s worth with this meal.

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Hubby’s leftovers.

I ordered  fried chicken gizzards, a southern delicately. The sides were mushroom gravy, carrots, and sweet potato and one of the free pass- arounds,  smothered potatoes with onions. I quickly got full and didn’t eat the sweet potato or carrots There’s no way to eat half of all this. So I got a go-box to carry home. Hubby carried part of his meal home too.

After lunch, on to the Shrimp Festival to look at all the art and crafts.     

There was live music too!

Live music

This is my favorite of all the artwork. Finally someone painted a plump woman in a very complimentary way. I thought it was beautiful.

Lord, I’m so ashamed. For the first time I gloated over another woman gaining weight. Please forgive me.

There she was in front of the stage clad only in her bikini, dancing and flaunting her semi-nude self in front of the crowd. I looked at hubby, and yes he was watching her intently. I turned green with jealously and filled with anger.

Hubby asked, “Isn’t she the same lady that danced in front of everyone last year?” I peered at her. “Yes, she’s the same one.” Last year he told me , “Oh she’s just having fun.” Now here he is again watching this exhibitionist flaunt her semi-nude self.  I remembered being irritated about it last year too. I turned another shade of green and gritted my teeth.  Self, don’t hit him now.

Then he said those words. “I believe she’s gained weight since last year.” I peered at her again, “Yes, I think she has.” That wonderful man spoke again, “You’re looking good, honey.” I smiled. Love that man.

Lord, forgive me. First for my jealously, then for my gloating over her weight gain. How can I? I can’t believe after all my struggles with excess weight that I’m glad someone else gained weight?  I’m so mean. Yep, guess I’m just a mean girl. God forgive me.

This is the first time I’ve been glad someone else gained weight. As I watched her dance, parts of her body bounced that shouldn’t have. If I were dancing by her there would be more parts of my body bouncing than hers. I knew this.

But she wasn’t bothered or ashamed of her bouncing parts at all. Hmmm? Why am I embarrassed by mine?

 This is a bikini I can wear. Not.

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.                    

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.  Galatians 5:22-26 NKJV 

              

Who Did It?

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20130411-094416.jpgLord, I want to say I lost 91 pounds.

Why?

So I can say I did it.

You did it?

Uh- No Lord, You did it. You delivered me from this 87 pounds. But what about this last 4 pounds, so I can say I lost 91 pounds? Continue reading

New Hope, New Life

Lord, can I start over with You?

(Sensed God smiling.)

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Weighed myself. Ugh. Looked for my phone charger, plugged it in, fixed a cup of coffee,  and updated the Apps on my cell. . . Uh. . .

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Eau de Butter Cream Parfum 

(True story.)  When she walked into the room the fragrance of sweetness followed her. As she stood still, the aroma settled over her. Everyone could smell the sweetness that surrounded her. I leaned back to breathe in the sweetness. Hmmm.

I whispered to my sister-in-law, “What’s that fragrance she’s wearing? I love it. I want some for myself.”  Continue reading

Oil of Gilead (Fat-free, Calorie-free and Sweet)

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IMG_0441Lord, where are You?

I’m here, waiting for you.

I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do, think, or what to say. What’s wrong with me? Continue reading

Almost 200 pounds gone! (From My House)

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  IMG_5654 Lord, I want to scream! Hubby’s fussing, “Get this house clean. Get this clutter out. I want my house free of clutter. Look at this mess. Your friend’s house isn’t cluttered like this.” Grrrrrrrr! Fighting words. Lord, help me not yell at him.

IMG_6197Give me patience. I don’t want lessons, I just want to get through this. Help me keep my mouth shut. (Uh-oh.) Lead me as to what is best and Your will.

Before when I was anxious or stressed at others, I ran to ice cream for comfort. I ran to anything sweet to sooth my feelings and kept my mouth shut. Now that I’m following Your plan for my eating, I have these emotions I don’t know how to handle. It seems I’m gritting my teeth daily just to get through the day. People that didn’t used to bother me now irritate me to no end. Lord, I need help. HELP! Today, it’s him, the one I love.

Listen to him, My child, for I have given him a spirit of wisdom that I didn’t give you. I gave you a heart-cry for others that I didn’t give him. I created both of you and put you two together to serve My purposes. Do not criticize what I created.IMG_6188

For God is not  of confusion but of peace, . . . I Corinthians 14:33 NKJV  

My child, you tend to get full of religious, spiritual pride. I also see selfishness and greed. That’s all clutter in your life. Let it all go. Come to Me. Let Me fill you with Myself.

Let go of these material things you can touch and see for I intend to fill you full of things you cannot touch and see. These are of greater value than these objects you see and touch. Let go My child of what you hold in your hand so that I can fill your hand with what I have for you. You can’t receive when your hand is closed. Let go,  for I have much to give you.

 There is too much clutter in all of your life. I want to empty you out so that I can fill you with Myself.

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Does this look like 200 pounds? The Home of Grace called for donations. They’ll pick it up. I cleaned out three closets and de-cluttered the house per Hubby’s request.

Yes Sir, I want all that You have for me. Help me to let go of what is not important to You. (And help Hubby too.)

And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”  Isaiah 25:9

Let all things be done in decently and in order.                  I Corinthians 14:40

Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the Lord to the court of the house of the Lord. . . .  2 Chronicles 29:16

Lord, I guess if Your priests had to clean house and bring out all the debris, then I shouldn’t complain. By the way Lord, did You know that we had out-of-town company  coming? Hubby was proud of my work and our house. Thank you Lord for helping me.

The now uncluttered kitchen table.

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The Guest bedroom, all clean and fresh. Totally uncluttered.

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The now uncluttered dining room.

 

Hubby cleaned off the patio where we have our morning coffee.

The now uncluttered family room. God gave me the rug. The name under the corner is “Victory”. How about that.

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The most peaceful spot in the house. This is where I meet with God for my counseling sessions. My grandchildren call this, “The Prayer Room”. Hubby calls it, “The Parlor.” But I have my exercise bike in there too.