So how did all of this change come about? And what is keeping me going these days? Well, I am currently four pounds above my lowest-ever adult weight... circa 2001. And I am determined to bypass that spot in time for my upcoming April 7th birthday! Having a relatively short-term goal like this is helpful in keeping my focus in the day-to-day. From that point I have perhaps another 35 pounds to go? And who can guess how many inches?! 
To be honest, calculating inches lost really is the fun part! Perhaps it is my nerdy side where I do love math? Or maybe it is the fact that we only do the measurements once in awhile and that is so much better than the love/hate relationship that many of us have with our bathroom scale?? Or perhaps it is the fact that my husband has been SO encouraging and he is the one who helps with my measurements and photo journey... Mr. Precise who also has quite the twinkle in his eye! Our daughter is now age 7. I very much want to be a good example for her. She has really been getting into our meal planning and workouts. It is neat that we are able to make these changes as a family. Side note: the little guy wandering off in the photo? That is our son. We will be celebrating his 5th birthday next week! Disappearing at the first hint of a "posed" photo op is predictably his response! 
Yesterday was monumental. I did the BIG sorting and cleaning out of my closet! There were quite a few items that just needed to go. They were too big! Many to donate, a few to sell and I have to admit that there were a handful that just needed to be thrown away. Progress! And also a drawing of a line in the sand... there will be no going back! But here is the thing that is so different from any other time in my life that I have made a change with menu/weight loss: the clean eating truly has been a lifestyle shift. I can not imagine doing a 180 degree turn and heading back in the opposite direction. A bonus is that this has been a family adventure and I was actually the last of us sisters to make the leap. Combine this with the fact that both of my sisters have always been smaller than me, I am now the cheerful recipient of my younger sisters' closets!!!??? Who could have ever predicted this?? For example, just now I was looking for a photo of me wearing this gray t-shirt. This is actually one of two shirts that I went ahead and threw away yesterday! It was beat. But HERE is the FUNNY part!!!! Looking at the 2012 summer photo above, Bethany (in the middle) is wearing a navy blue shirt that is currently in my closet. I wore it last week! And Rachel (far left) is wearing an animal print that I debated yesterday if it would ever be "me"? It was actually in the "sell" pile and I pulled it out at the last moment. Perhaps I will be able to wear it by the end of the summer? What a surprise to open this photo and see both of these shirts! 
I am excited to see what the next three weeks will bring! I am about to officially begin the "21 Day Fix" and am geared up to work hard and stay focused! Daily workouts that are enjoyable, drinking Shakeology for breakfast and keeping the menu clean and balanced with an eye toward portion control. I am learning so much that it is in the small choices made each hour that we begin to alter the direction of our entire self. While doing my workout the other day I heard a line about how it is not that things get easier but rather that we become stronger. Whoa! This is just so true and applies to many aspects of our lives. So many of the Bible verses that I have read this week have a common theme. Obedience! It keeps coming up each day. In Isaiah, Malachi, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Romans, Matthew, Colossians and Job... as I am now reviewing my past week's reading history via my Bible Gateway app. Sometimes the Lord is wanting to get a message across to us and then somehow wherever we turn we keep hearing that same theme! Job 23:10-12 has long been a section that is an encouragement to me. Job writes these words while feeling as though he can not find God/understand His ways while in the midst of hard times. Then he reminds himself of this angle: “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food." There are so many times where we can not see what comes next but if we will just keep our feet moving forward on His path, we will come out stronger on the other side! This week has brought about some "next steps" in an area that has been a matter of prayer in my life for quite a few months now. This is an area completely unrelated to clean eating and new workouts! Bottom line, I am thankful that the Lord has helped me to trust Him along the way and I am excited to see how the rest of the story unfolds. I pray that He will help me to remain obedient to His path and gentle nudges!
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