getting healthy

This has been quite a week!! God has done something wonderful in my heart. It's truly been remarkable. I'm not kidding. I've been asking Him for a long time to help me with my hormonal highs and lows. As I've gotten older, they seem to have gotten worse. And often, I struggle with periods of sadness, anxiety, and all around just feeling overwhelmed.

Anyway, Clint and I have been praying together for a "plan of action" so that I don't have to live like that every month. And He began to place in our hearts some strategies for me to get healthier.

Last Sunday night, I went to a mom's meeting at my church. It was a sweet time of fellowship and I reconnected with some ladies that I hadn't talked to in a long time. One of the ladies came up to me after the meeting and shared some things that she felt that the Lord had laid on her heart for me. She ended up praying for me and it was so encouraging. One of the things that she prayed for was alignment. That God would line up everything in my body and in my life as well in the way it should go. And she really encouraged me that she felt that the rough season that I have been in for about the last year was ending and a new season was beginning! So so encouraging.

Monday morning, I woke up with new resolve and vision for a new lifestyle.  I got out my Weight Watchers materials and started the program again from home. And I dusted off a Leslie Sansone workout video that I love and started exercising. I took these "before" photos on Monday:

I don't know if you can tell, but the T-shirt I am wearing says "Yes I can with Jesus!" 

Here I am - no sucking in. :) 

these shoes have been used A LOT this week! 

Here's my food journal. I write down everything I eat each day. It really helps me stay on track! 

And this is one of my new favorite snacks, usually post-workout.
Fresh pineapple and cottage cheese. 

 Before I started this new lifestyle, I totally would have had sour cream and onion chips! haha 

This is me ready to start my workout the other day during naptime. I have been doing a workout routine that consists of lots of intervals of walking/jogging/leg lifts/knee lifts, etc..
It is a total of 2 miles. 

The kids' naptime used to be the time where i watched tv on my computer, stuffed myself with lunches like hot dogs and chips, and had "me time". God is changing my desires! Now I look forward to naptime because I can work out! Yes! God is redefining "me time" for this happy girl!

I'm also taking more time to rest and be away from the computer and other distractions. I am trying to make more of an effort to sit still and have a cup of coffee and read each day.

I am already feeling better about my body. I feel tighter in my muscles. And I swear my jeans are looser! Here's me in my pretty new top that I got the other night from Goodwill. Isn't it cute?! 

I not only feel great in my body, but I feel FANTASTIC in my mind and emotions. I was telling Clint last night that I am convinced that regular exercise (as well as healthy eating and drinking lots of water) is the key to my mental health. My mind feels clearer and brighter, if that makes sense. I've only cried once over the past week, and that crying was happy crying. I had just finished one of my workouts and just broke into happy tears during the finishing stretches. I was just so overwhelmed at the goodness of God in my life. And I was so so proud of myself! It's truly been amazing, y'all!! 

I just wanted to share with you what God's been doing in my life lately!

"With God, all things are possible!"

 Matthew 19:26

Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Lora