Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Every Calorie Counts!!


I have one last day in this month of January. This morning, I am still exactly 17 pounds down in my weightloss, from January 1st. I know I should be really happy about that but this past week has just dragged on without any further loss. I would have loved to have hit the 20 pound mark, you know what I mean?! Being sick as a dog hasn't helped though. I have kept my caloric intake down low, but I didn't exercise for the past week and a half because I was having a hard time breathing! Although I am still sick, I am going to get back at it today. I am hoping this cold is making an exit. The coughing and heavy breathing is still here but at least my face doesn't hurt anymore because of my sinuses.

Weight Loss Tip of the Day

Ice Water:

Drinking ice-cold water makes your body burn calories, because your body has to work to raise the temperature of the water to your body temperature.

Drinking an 8-ounce cup of ice-cold water burns 8 calories.

Drinking 8 glasses of iced water a day at 8 calories each = 64 calories burned per day.

Over a year, 64 calories burned per day equals 2.9 kilograms of lost fat.


I drink about 3 litres of water a day. Most of the water I consume is hot or warm. I have a tooth that is giving me grief if I drink anything too cold. I will try to add some ice water to my intake though to get a few extra calories burned!! lol

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

That Spooky Bird


I have always found the poem, The Raven -By Edgar Allen Poe, to be very spooky and creepy. I can recall reading it as a child, perhaps I was only 12 or 13 at the time, and I found it simply fascinating. I was also able to view a short film depicting the poem, which was even more chilling to me, because it was paired with the mournful voice of the narrator. I do not know who read it, but I can still hear that voice as I read over the words, all these years later.

Yesterday was the 162nd anniversary of the initial publication of The Raven.
It appeared in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845.

You can listen to Basil Rathbone read it by clicking here: The Raven



The Raven
By Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;-
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'Tis the wind and nothing more."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed
he;But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and
door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or devil!-
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Eat Less, Exercise More


I am always fascinated by the plethora of diet/weightloss books that are available out there on the market. It seems you can go at weightloss in any way imaginable! You can do low carb, low fat, low calorie, low glycemic, vegetarian, hunter/gatherer, dairy free, Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, SugarBusters, etc, etc, ad nauseum. I have said it before and I will say it again...all of these plans will work...IF you follow them!! The obvious problem we have is the fact that many of us fail to follow the plans that have been laid out. We cheat, sneak, and binge our ways off the plan and end up in despair because we have failed...yet again.

Curious how God tells us what to do, yet we choose not to listen to His advice. We have all heard the phrase, "Every thing in moderation" yet we do not seem to be faithful in applying it to our lives. The Scriptures speak about self-control countless times. My personal desire to lose weight is not just a vanity issue. It is a health issue and it is a spiritual issue. When I made the decision to confront my weight head-on, I knew I had to insure that it was not just for carnal reasons. I chose Galatians 5:22-24 as my motivation...not only for weightloss but for my entire life. As a Christian, I *must* display the fruit of the Spirit and continue to grow daily. I know my *fruitbowl* has become more full over the years, but there is so much room left for more. I want more. I want to have more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is a life long journey of sanctification that we are in as Believers in Jesus Christ. If the Lord wills it, I look forward to having a number of years of seeing that fruitbowl fill up. Although, it will never be truly full until I am glorified (Romans 8:29-31)..but that is another post.

So, what is the answer and what are the best tips for losing weight? I am no authority on this, especially since I am still in the midst of the journey. But from what I can see, if we strive after becoming molded into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ and continue to seek after the fruit of the Spirit, we are going to be well on our way to a healthier life, both physically and more importantly, spiritually.

But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature
with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:22-26

One other note of interest. If you are a sister dieter, then you will have heard that cutting back calories without exercise will lead to muscle loss, which inturn leads to lowering your metabolism. I just read an article that you may be interested in if you sometimes struggle with exercise. I think exercise is very important for me, when wanting to live a more healthy lifestyle...however, for those days where I might miss, this article encouraged me!!
Read it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070126/hl_nm/diet_exercise_dc

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Counterfeit Beauty


This video has been all over the web and I saw it months ago. However, I was reminded of it today and thought I would post a link. The perception we have of ourselves is often warped, is a statement that most women can identify with. The thing is, the perception we have of the models and stars out there is also warped. When you see everything that is done before the actual glossy magazine cover rolls out and onto the check-out stand at the grocery store, you will be amazed. I found this video clip to be fascinating and yet spooky, too.

See the *Evolution* here: http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/home_films_evolution_v2.swf

The whole issue of what the world calls *self-esteem* is another story!!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Fast Food...or is it?


I do not know about any of you, but if you read my blog regularily, even though I am not so regular in my posting, you will know that I made a News Years Resolution to lose weight. To date, I have lost 17 lbs and I am feeling pretty good about myself! In my journey along the way, I have done some reading that led me to this horrific Fast Food Experiment that is posted on YouTube. If any of you have trouble staying away from Fast Food, or you just want to make yourself feel even better about already staying away from it...watch the the following video. Oh yes, show it to your kids too!! It will really make you think twice about stopping for a quick meal at the drive-thru...and it should make you feel really guilty as a parent!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEM0T1Ar5Qo

As to the title of my post...I don't think those fries could be classified as food at all!!!

Monday, January 22, 2007

The Dreaded Scale


Not many women I know tend to declare their love for the bathroom scale. Most women shy away from it and view it as an arch enemy. The reason that tends to be so, is because it tells the truth. The plain and simple stark reality of one's weight is right there between your toes. No dark colours or flattering style of clothing to fool anyone. The numbers don't lie!!

I am experiencing something that I have not experienced in a long time. I am actually loving my bathroom scale. That beauty measures right down to the decimal and I love it for that feature. Every day I wake with eagerness to step on that scale and see what magic was wrought due to the previous days eating/exercising regime. This morning was no different. I am so pleased to say that I am now down 16.8 pounds!! And good riddance to them too!

Saturday, January 20, 2007

For Our Daughters


Women and girls have so many issues with body image in our society. The statistics are staggering. They reveal things like 40-60% of fourth graders have already been on a diet. Need I remind you that fourth graders are 9 years old.

Here are some revealing facts:
  • The average woman is 5'4" and weighs 145 pounds.
  • The average fashion model is 5'11" and weighs 120 pounds.
  • 95% of Real Women do not naturally look like the models we see in magazines.
  • By graduation, the average teenager will have seen 350,000 advertisements
    Advertisers deliberately intensify anxiety about weight because it makes them rich!
  • Images in ads have been "air-brushed" to remove all flaws, computer-elongated (with legs, torsos and necks stretched on the computer to make them appear longer) and sliced (with thighs, stomach and arms carved away to make them look thinner). We become programmed to believe that the women in ads, no matter how unreal, unattainable or unhealthy they are, are ideal!
  • 70% of college women say that they feel worse about their bodies after reading women's magazines
  • We buy products that we hope will make us feel better about ourselves.
  • Teenage girls spend over $4 billion annually on cosmetics alone
  • Americans spend $50 billion each year on diet products which DO NOT WORK!
  • 40-60% of 4th grade girls are dieting
  • 63% of high school girls are dieting
  • A dieting teen is 8 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than her non-dieting friend----SO DON'T EVEN GO THERE!
  • THE PROBLEM IS THE MESSAGES IN THE CULTURE, NOT YOUR BODY!

I got those facts from a great website: http://www.edin-ga.org/index.asp

What got me thinking specifically about our daughters was a comment in my previous post. I also had a link to a Mary-Kate and Ashley Shopping Website appear in my web surfing...which made me shake my head. Why would I, as a mother, want to encourage my daughter to desire to buy clothes from two celebrities who send out the wrong kind of message. Mary-Kate has often been in the media with concerns about anorexia. The last thing I want is for my daughter to desire to look like her. It is such a shame that these girls have been twisted and warped by Hollywood and it's expectations.

Remember when they looked like this?


Thursday, January 18, 2007

THIN


If you would like to learn about a fascinating documentary about Eating Disorders, check out Lauren Greenfield at http://www.laurengreenfield.com . She is a photographer who has captured the essence of western culture in regards to women. You can view the entire documentary online at You Tube...just do a search using *thin hbo documentary* and the 11 parts will come up. It is a very sad thing to watch. The girls are so messed up and are truly lost.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Tips from the Pros

No, I am not the pro. This tidbit was gleaned from a weightloss website. I am not claiming that they are healthy tips, but they are tips nonetheless.

Water! Drink lots of it.

DON'T stick to one set number of calories; variation tricks metabolism!

If you feel like eating...take a warm shower/bath or brush/floss your teeth.

Frozen Meals are a great way to count exact amount of calorie intake in one meal.

Dont eat one thing constantly! (ex. only apples for a month) [DOH!!]

Take vitamins.

Green tea has been proven to increase the metabolism... drink it!

You know what I find amusing? No matter what plan you follow, which tricks or tips you try to do, the bottom line is always the same....eat less, exercise more, drink water. That about sums it up, doesn't it? Curious how we have such a difficult time doing that though, isn't it?




Since the Golden Globes were on last night, the web is filled with photos of starlets accomanied by comments being made about their hair, their choice of gowns and of course their weight. This photo of Jennifer had the following caption, "Here is Jennifer Love Hewitt, who seemed to make quite the mistake in selecting her gown. She looks beautiful and radiant as always, but the dress highlights all of the weight she has gained in the past year or so." My goodness...if that woman is an example of *all the weight she has gained* there is no hope for any of us!!

As for myself...I am down an even 12 lbs now. :)

Monday, January 15, 2007

Victory is MINE!!!!

Okay, it is a victory, but I am victorious in a battle...not the war. I spent four days at my in-laws this weekend. Big deal you might be saying. I will tell you, it IS a big deal. The woman can COOK! Not only can she cook, she can bake too. She is the model housewife. The reason I am victorious is because I completely stuck to my diet plan while I was there and did not eat one thing that I shouldn't have. I am SO pleased with myself. I will weigh in tomorrow morning and let you know the official numbers.

One of the most difficult things I have experienced in trying to lose weight over the years, is that events pop up that give me a *reason* to eat things I shouldn't. We tend to *celebrate* everything with food in our family. We have celebrated a bit too much over the years! I have decided to change my thinking. Instead of thinking that I have to celebrate events with food, I am choosing to celebrate in attitude. Having a good attitude about the event while eating something healthy can be more fulfilling than having an attitude of *I deserve to eat this cake*...in the long run, it is an investment in the future, more specifically, in my future health. The other benefit is that I do not feel guilty after the celebration is over.

I have also decided to change my thinking directly about food. Instead of thinking about all the foods that I am missing, I am really trying to enjoy the foods that I am choosing to eat. Being positive about the fruit, the low fat yogurt or the lean poultry is so much more empowering than bemoaning the fact that I cannot eat a greasy hamburger. It is all how you look at it, isn't it?

I read an interesting diet motto once....it said,
Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.
I believe I agree with that...for the most part!!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The Battle of the Bulge


I have been dieting since New Years, or as I prefer to put it, eating healthy. So far, I have lost 9.6 pounds!!!!!! YAY for me!!! I have reduced my caloric intake drastically and I have started to exercise again. I drink 2.5-3 litres of water daily and basically deny myself anything really tasty! The results have been very favourable though and I will continue on. The Bishop has even hopped on the band wagon and has been trying to eat more healthy and has lost about 6 pounds, so he is feeling pretty good about himself too!

This photograph is something I found online in my search for dieting tips. Since I do not watch television, I just found out there is a reality show called Make Me A Supermodel, on which these two lovelies participated. Well, the woman on the left (Jen Hunter) was told she is too FAT since she is a size 12. A voluptuous, Marilyn Monroe'esque figure it seems to me. The girl on the right (Marianne Berglund), who is only 18, is emaciated and definitely underweight by medical standards...with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of only 16.1. A BMI of 18.5 or less is considered anorexic. Guess which one was praised and which one criticized?

Which one of these ladies do you think is most attractive? Personally, I am hoping to look more like the one on the left than the skeleton on the right, that is for sure!!!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Another One Bites the Dust


I despise our egalitarian society. Why can't women be women and men be men? Why can't people just be happy and embrace their gender role without having to fight every thing around them? I know, I know...it is sin plain and simple. I have a sneaky suspicion that it might have something to do with this.

My rant today is pertaining to the Beefeaters of London, England. A 522 year old institution and tradition broken. Why? Because of feminism. Something tells me it is just not going to be the same experience, standing in from of the Tower of London when it is be *guarded* by a female Beefeater. Takes away the historic sense and definitely deprives the position of some major testosterone. Read about it here.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Thinspiration


Make a decision to lose some weight, decide to do some research online and you will be amazed or horrified at what you find. I have read quite a bit about Anorexia in the last few days. It is a scary thing. Whether it is a choice, an illness or a disease...I have not come to a conclusion yet. However, it is a very frightening thing to read about women who are literally starving themselves to death.

I had set out to find some weight loss tips online when I stumbled upon some scary images. They are called *Thinspirations*. They are images which inspire the Anorexic or Bulimic person to continue to starve or purge themselves. They are also referred to as *Triggers* for those who are trying to overcome their Eating Disorders. Sometimes they will run across an image that triggers or renews their desire to be thin. It pushes them off the wagon, as it were.

With all the images of thin, svelte, under-fed bodies found in our culture I really struggle to see how images such as these are attractive to anyone. Being a healthy, fit weight is one thing...being a skeleton with skin and no muscle is truly another. My heart goes out to the young women and girls whose minds have been captured by the lie that they must be bonerack thin.

Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year!!!


It is now 2007. We have said our goodbyes to 2006 and, as I told our children last night, it will never be 2006 again. Profound stuff, right? ;) We took the children to an early evening of family fireworks in town, which were awesome. I cried as I looked back over the year 2006 and expressed my joy to the family and my praise to God. It has been a good year. God blessed us, as usual, more than we deserve. The most wonderful news is that all of our three children publically professed Christ as Saviour and went through the waters of baptism. All at different times....with the last one being baptized on Christmas Eve Day..Sunday December 24, 2006. I am humbled by God's grace to our family. In spite of my sin and failures as a mother, He has poured His mercy out upon us. Praise be to our God who blesses us more than we can ever imagine!!!

I generally do not make official New Year's Resolutions. I always have good intentions, but you know what they say about good intentions!! Instead, I am generally a *goal setter*. I know what I desire and I go for it. Generally speaking, I usually reach my goals, by the grace of God. I figure that if I make my goals public...okay, only a few souls actually read my lovely blog, but still, that is more public than my personal journal..I figure that will help me hold to them with more gusto!! So, without further ado, here are my goals for 2007.

1) Read through the entire Bible in a year again.
It has been a few years since I have done this, and obviously I think it is a worthy pursuit.
I am using this plan because I like the way there are 4 different passages every day.
http://www.navpress.com/Assets/PDF/Product/Sample/1576839745.pdf

2) Be more hospitable. We like to have people into our home for meals and fellowship but I think that we can increase the number of people we minister to even more.

3) I desire to be more like Christ. There are so many things I see about myself that need improvement. It can become disheartening. If I could pick just three areas...out of the dozens...they would be:

i) To be more patient.
ii) To guard my tongue.
iii) To love others more.

4) Lose weight, exercise and eat healthy. Yay. How could I not have this one as a goal? Homeschooling has brought many things into my life over the past two years...*more of me* being one of them. Staying home all the time, feeding children meals and snacks all day long, has definitely compounded my struggle. I hope to be able to report my weight loss on here!

So thar ya go!!! It is official. Now, please be a friend and encourage me to hold to these goals!