https://ball-pythons.net/forums/blog.php?1052-Judy-s-Weightloss-Journey Ball python care and information as well as community driven content covering all manner of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates - from boas to ball and blood pythons to bearded dragons and brachys. Have questions? We have answers! Come join our unique community and create your own photo gallery, compete in monthly contests, classifieds, calendared events and so much more. Got balls? We got you covered! en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 05:41:10 GMT vBulletin 60 https://ball-pythons.net/forums/images/themes/default/misc/rss.jpg https://ball-pythons.net/forums/blog.php?1052-Judy-s-Weightloss-Journey https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?60-Day-Seventysix-Haven-t-Given-Up!! Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:52:32 GMT

I know it's been quite awhile since I've posted here...but I can assure everyone that I haven't given up...not in the least. The last two weeks showed a significant slow-down in weight loss...only 1.5 pounds each week...so here's my little dancing guys for three pounds over two weeks. :dance: :dance: :dance: Because even though it's slower than I would like, it's still definite progress in the right direction!

I don't think it's because my eating habits changed...they haven't really. Maybe a little more whole grains in a given day...but I'm still very low on overall caloric intake and 100% healthy foods. I haven't slipped up even once during this last six weeks and I'm very proud of myself for that. I think the change came from a change in my activity level. The last two weeks I've been chained to my desk a lot more than I usually am and I haven't been nearly as active as I was the first few weeks of this endeavor. So...lesson learned. Get off my butt and move! LOL Took a nice long walk today, despite the significant chill in the air. It was still a lovely day.

So...today is the last day of the Six Week "cleansing period" of this program. My weigh-in day isn't until Wednesday morning. so I won't give a total weight loss for this part of the journey until Wednesday. But whatever the total ends up being, it's nothing to sneer at. I'm very proud. I feel really good. The cravings for junk are very much under control, and that is such a huge blessing, I can't even tell you! Not to say I don't still feel twinges of them...but I'm learning to shut those thoughts down very quickly and not let them escalate into a big issue. It's SO much easier to resist that first thought than it is to resist the mountain that thoughts can grow into if you let them. And if I'm truly longing for something sweet and dessert-like, I'll treat myself to some freshly cut melon...or a fruit smoothie. If I want something crunchy, a crisp tart apple does the trick. And for a salty snack, some toasted soy nuts are great. But all of that I still try to keep in moderation. I'm learning that I don't need to snack just for snacking's sake. All in all, some tremendous changes in my life, and I couldn't be happier. (Well...I'd be more thrilled if I could lose 8-10 pounds a week like the girls do on "Biggest Looser"... :P But I really am happy!)

What changes after today? The last time I did this program, I looked at the first six weeks as a goal in itself...a finish line. And throughout that six weeks, even though I was successful in practice, I was not focused on a bigger picture or on the lessons my body was learning. All I could think about was the finish line. And once I got there...I began to allow myself to slide back into old habits. Not right away...but I paid little attention to my choices or the reasons behind them...and the good habits built in six weeks took only a few months to dissolve away completely. THIS time is completely different. This time, the first six weeks is just for "cleansing" and there is no finish line at the end of it. In part it is cleansing my body of the glut of unnatural chemicals and preservatives that our typical diet is loaded with. And also a cleansing of the mind and emotions...to detach myself from the emotional attachment of food, and to learn not just new rote habits, but WHY these habits are so critical to my life. And also a chance to learn how to use these tools to avoid the pitfalls of temptation, holidays, visiting relatives, stress, etc.

So after today, I'll allow myself a little more flexibility. Coffee...for starters. I have really missed that. And I'm not a huge coffee drinker...which is why I feel it is ok to let it back in. The occasional cup of coffee will be wonderful to experience again. And I will allow myself small servings of lean, healthy meats from time to time...but not more than 2-3 times a week, at most. But really not much changes other than that. I still have too much weight to lose to up the calorie intake even a little bit...and this program has been the absolute best way I've ever found to control my calories and be happy doing it. I'm sticking with it!! Eventually...when I feel I've reached a weight/size I would be very happy living with the rest of my life...then I'll add back in a few special treats...like pizza once in a while. According to the author of this program, a life-time style of eating 90% whole veggies, fruits and grains...and 10% of whatever else you want...is a very healthy, balanced way to live. I look forward to reaching that point. But I know I'll always have to be very careful about certain "trigger foods". Diet soda will never be a part of my lifestyle again. Fast food is off the list forever. Bagged chips and similar junk food (even the so-called "baked" stuff) will be off the list forever. I've decided that if I want chips badly enough, I can make my own. (Tried some home-made whole-wheat baked pita chips the other day...was yuuuummmmmy!)

Anyhow...that's a lot for one blog. I do want to touch on one more thing though. I have been somewhat discouraged by how little attention the blogs have gotten. Not just mine, but all of them...and all the unwritten ones, too. So I'm thinking that this will be my last blog here. Instead, I will start up a new "member's forum" and hopefully that will encourage people to feel more a part of the journey with me, rather than just a handful of spectators. It seems fitting to start something new with the next new phase of my journey. So keep an eye out for it. Maybe tonight...but more likely tomorrow, I'll get that set up...and then will continue my daily (well, ok....not "daily"...but certainly more frequent than as of late!) blogs within the forum format.

I'll miss my pretty green colors here...but my hummingbird can go with me. :D

And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
- Matthew 21:22

Until then...
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?60-Day-Seventysix-Haven-t-Given-Up!! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?59-Day-Sixtytwo-Anticipation! Mon, 01 Nov 2010 04:10:16 GMT

Soooo...Halloween has officially come....and is almost gone. The trick-or-treaters have all gone home...and we actually emptied out our candy bowl this year, which was a bit of a relief, let me tell ya. I've survived the gauntlet of candy sales...although for the next few days, it will be even more intense as the stores try to clear out the last of their stock and sell them extra cheap. :rolleyes: It'll always be something, won't it? The temptations have been a little bit stronger the last couple of days, but I've still managed to hold them at bay. I'm very happy with the overall success of getting through this holiday.

I told my husband the other day, "It's a good thing I've got curvy hips...cause look!" And I showed him my jeans...which are mega loose now. They're actually becoming a bit uncomfortable to wear because they're so loose and floppy and riding too low. But I refuse to buy new jeans until they're in real danger of falling off. LOL I can only afford so many new sets of clothes as I lose weight...but shopping in the future should be fun!

Speaking of shopping...we were out earlier today doing some birthday shopping for my middle son. We saw lots of really cute clothes and there are some very spiffy jackets and coats that I'm wishing I could wear as the weather turns cold, because they're so cute. And it hit me....that if I continue this trend...and even if it slows down some, but still stays steady....by this time next year I WILL be buying those cute little jackets and pretty clothes!! It's still so early in the journey that the end can seem very far away when looked at from the wrong perspective. But looking at it from the RIGHT perspective, it's so very exciting! This is the last winter that I'll feel embarrassed to wear big bulky coats (because they make me feel even bigger than I am). Come spring, I will be looking at whole new wardrobe shopping! Come summer, I may even be happy to wear a swimsuit! These things are seriously just around the corner...it's not far at all!

Sometimes, when I let my mind slip into the wrong gear, this whole thing feels like a marathon...and I'm tired. But such thoughts don't last long. It's not a marathon...it's a journey that will carry me through my entire life (which stands a much better chance of being a lot longer than it would have been on the other path!). I think what really gets me feeling the most tired is not the journey itself, but simply the anxious anticipation of some of its more titillating rewards. :D Shopping! (I love to shop!) Sexy clothes! I seriously can't wait to truly feel sexy for my husband again! The surprise on an old friend's face when they see me for the first time. The fun activities and adventures that I've shied away from because I've felt too fat or too slow or too tired and achy to be a part of. It's like being a little kid again, anticipating Christmas. I haven't felt anticipation this keen in years and years. Even when we were planning our trip to Disney World last year...I certainly looked forward to it....but it never had that child-like wonder of anticipation. (Once I got there though, the child-like wonder did take over...and one of the first things I plan to do when I reach my goals is to go back there and enjoy it as a lean, healthy, energetic kid!) What I'm trying to say is.......I just can't wait! LOL And sometimes, that waiting can make a person tired. But it's not a bad thing, I don't think.

I'm certainly experiencing some of the rewards now...they're just not as big and flashy as what will come. My husband is proud of me, and that is always a wonderful feeling. My energy levels are way up. My overall health is much better...rarely experiencing stomach upsets, headaches, or the other general aches and pains of eating a consistently unhealthy diet. And, of course, my pants are awfully loose. :D

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
- Matthew 6:13

-- Judy
]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?59-Day-Sixtytwo-Anticipation! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?58-Day-Fiftyeight-Great-Googely-Moogely! Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:04:11 GMT

Three and a half more pounds flushed down the drain!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

It's not nearly so hard at this point as I was afraid it might be. Certainly, it gets OLD sometimes. And occasionally painful...like last night when I cooked sausage for the boys...ohhhhh, the smell of it and look of it was driving me nuts! That's probably the hardest part of all, is simply when I have to fix "real" food for the guys. :rolleyes: Driving past fast-food restaurants...walking along aisles of junk food in the grocery store...these things I can let my eyes skip over and refuse to contemplate. But it's danged hard to do that when you have to stir and turn and stand there smelling and hearing something cool :irkd: But.....so far, I've not given in to the urge to so much as nibble a taste! And it really is getting easier. Like, right now, I'm hungry, but it's not a desperate feeling anymore. When I'm done typing this, I'm free to get up and go satisfy my hunger with a yummy banana or something along those lines. It's very satisfying to know I don't have to STAY hungry to satisfy some stringent diet routine....I just have to choose the right foods to satisfy my hunger.

oops....kids called and need to be picked up "right now"...so gotta dash!

-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?58-Day-Fiftyeight-Great-Googely-Moogely! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?57-Day-Fiftyfour-All-the-pieces Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:40:08 GMT

...are finally coming together for me. A question I asked myself the other day (and intended to answer sooner here but hadn't gotten to it yet) is "If all this is 'so easy' then why didn't you do this years ago?" There isn't really a simple answer for that, but I will do my best to try to define what makes me tick.

First off, we're talking about a lifetime of bad habits...multiple decades worth. :oops: :P Such habits are not easily broken, even with the best of intentions. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to get a bowl of M&M's and snuggle up in bed with a good book...I could read and slowly relish the candy for hours.

Second, I had long ago developed a need for food as a source of comfort. It was like medicine, almost. This probably began in my teen years, but really became an issue for me after I married an Air Force man and began moving around the country and having little-to-no social roots to connect me to my surroundings. I remember when my oldest kids were really small and my husband was frequently deployed for months at a time...I'd get sooo stressed out...until I could go grocery shopping and fill the cabinets and 'fridge with all my favorite junky comfort foods. Only then could I begin to relax and calm down.

Third, I'm horribly lazy. Especially when I get hungry. I don't want to have to clean, chop, and prep veggies for a salad or actually have to cook something. Not when there's a perfectly good bag of chips sitting right there...or restaurants right around the corner with people that will happily fix my food for me.

Fourth, I'm an eternal optimist. You'd think that would be a good thing, but actually, it's just a powerful springboard for procrastination. Tomorrow was always going to be a better day. Today I can allow myself to indulge or give in or outright fail, because I know...I just know...that I'll get it right tomorrow.

And lastly, I'm a person who believes in God and the power of His Spirit to overcome all obstacles in my path. This knowledge has been all that has kept me going through the hardest times of my life. But when it came to THIS obstacle...or "these" obstacles, if we look at each one separately...I couldn't figure out how to apply that power to my life. I kept waiting for God to "fix" me. And when I continued to fail, I could lay it on His shoulders because He hadn't "helped" me enough yet. :no:

SO.....the Eternal Optimist would start many a diet...and each time I just knew that this time would be "the one." I could muscle Bad Habits out of the picture and even trap Lazy behind the door with him....for so long as life stayed relatively smooth and calm. But the moment a storm hit, the Source Of Comfort would swing that door wide again. Some diets could feed Comfort...so long as his "points" were carefully counted. Bad Habits could be counted, too. Counting the cost of Comfort and Bad Habits will leave one mighty hungry by the end of the day...which sets up the classic opportunity for Lazy to come along and wreck everything. And I prayed, and pleaded, and wondered why I had to be so broken in this way.

I could find work-arounds for one or two of my issues, but another one always seemed to rear its head. After spending all my energies fighting off one and another...I had no strength left for a new battle....and I'd lose...again. But my Belief in God would never let me give up entirely. While I couldn't understand His seemingly distant ways, I never doubted His promises to me. And over the years, I've worked very hard to learn how to battle the voices of Habit and Comfort and Lazy, as well as many even more destructive voices that whisper to me constantly. I've learned not just to "love" myself (whatever that means) but to appreciate myself. I've learned to appreciate the person that God chose for me to be. He made me...very specifically me...with all my quirks and strength and wit...down to the very last freckle. I may not always understand me...but I'm finally beginning to LIKE me.

Which brings me to today...

First off, instead of trying to desperately to break bad habits....I'm simply focusing on building Good Habits. The old habits are still lurking and whispering, but I'm finding it much easier to simply not listen to them than it ever was to try and fight with them. Already, even after just a little over two weeks, they are a little quieter and a little more distant....and I do believe in time, they'll be almost entirely gone. So long as I continue to build those Good Habit muscles.

Second, I will always need comfort, but it need not be food. Instead of trying to find comfort in food, I need to seek out Peace. Peace within myself...peace within my surroundings...peace in the simple, quiet Love of my Lord. I can find Peace in a nap, if I need one. Or a walk outside on a beautiful day. Or listening to calming music. Comfort is just a bandaid to a wound. Peace is the cure.

Third, Lazy just needs to be shown the door. This is where the greatest Discipline comes into the picture for me at this time. Good Habits and Peace help make this possible. By only allowing myself certain options to choose from, and by being at peace with those choices, I find it much simpler to do what is necessary to create each healthy meal. There is always time for Rest when it is needed. Rest is refreshing and energizing. And feeding myself is NOT the time to rest.

Fourth, I'm still an Eternal Optimist. And I'm glad of it. But I will no longer use that as an excuse to procrastinate. I can believe that my feet will take me where I want to go...but if I never take that first step, I'll never get there, no matter how optimistic I am. I'm now stepping out...moving forward....and am just as confident (and even more so!) that I'll reach my goals and excel!

And lastly, I still Believe in God. But I now realize that He has already given me all the tools I need. His strength has been with me all along. Have you ever been looking frantically for something, only to discover some time later that it was in your pocket all along? All you had to do was to reach for it and it would have been there for you to use so much sooner. It's kind of like that. The strength I need to overcome bad habits, false comforts, and laziness has been there all along. Reminds me of an old joke I know....a kind of sad joke more than a funny one...

An old woman was trapped on her roof in the middle of a horrible flood. She prayed and prayed for God to rescue her. Some men came by in a row boat and offered to help her. She said, "No thanks, I'm trusting God to rescue me and He will." Later, some men in a power boat came by and asked her to get in. She said no and that God would save her. Late that night, a helicopter flew over and a man lowered down on a rope to reach her, but she refused to go with him as she was still waiting for God. In the night, the waters rose up over her roof and she drowned. When she stood before the Lord she asked him, "Father, I prayed and prayed and trusted You. Why didn't You rescue me?" And God answered, "I sent two boats and a helicopter!"

So there you go. I've stepped into my rescue boat....found all the right tools....and stopped waiting for some "miracle" to make it all easy.

To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen
- Romans 16:27

With love to all who read...
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?57-Day-Fiftyfour-All-the-pieces https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?56-Day-Fiftytwo-Three-more Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:43:03 GMT

...pounds...down the drain! :dance: :dance: :dance:

It's crazy late...but I wasn't able to sleep and didn't want to let the day go completely by without sharing my good news!

I hope I can maintain about a 3 pound loss per week. I don't know how realistic that is, especially at my age...but I'm hoping even so. Even at that rate...I have to be careful not to get discouraged at "how long" the journey still appears to be. Looking ahead that way makes time stretch out like taffy. :rolleyes: But if I consider how fast a school year goes by with the kids...or how fast our time in each house we live in goes by...a year or two doesn't seem like much time at all. Still....I truly hope it doesn't take that long. But even if it does...even if it takes longer...I'm committed to eating healthy for my body's sake, primarily. Health is the primary goal, not some number on a scale.

This one will be short. It's so very late and I'm finally starting to feel a little sleepy. Gonna take advantage and go catch some dreams...

-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?56-Day-Fiftytwo-Three-more https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?55-Day-Fiftyone-Hold-the-Course Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:32:53 GMT Image: http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/files/1/0/5/2/journey-div.jpg I totally spaced on writing yesterday. And almost did today, too. :cool: I go through....phases...I guess...not sure what to call it....where it seems like my brain just flips off and stress levels rise for no discernible...

I totally spaced on writing yesterday. And almost did today, too. :cool: I go through....phases...I guess...not sure what to call it....where it seems like my brain just flips off and stress levels rise for no discernible reason. Could be hormonal? I'm hoping that the frequency of occurrence will decrease over time as my body's overall health dramatically increases. But until then....guess I still have to endure them from time to time...which is what the last couple of days have been. I can't tell you how painful it is even to write this little bit...to force my brain to actually work for me. It can be very frustrating, especially when I have important tasks that need to be done. People think it's just "being lazy"...but it's not. There are some genuine mental blocks, and physical issues going on as well. As I said, the feelings of anxiety and stress go up, and often severe fatigue. It can last anywhere from 2-4 days. I'm feeling a tiny bit better this evening...so hopefully will feel more on top of things tomorrow morning.

A phase like this makes temptations particularly insidious and difficult to resist. I was sorely craving fast food at lunch today, in a bad way. In the end, I allowed myself a little compromise and went to Subway. They don't have any true whole-grain bread there, but they do have a nice 9-grain bread with lots of fiber. I got that, with just vegetables...no meat or cheese...and just a splash of vinegar for dressing...no oil. And no chips or soda or anything else like that. A veggie sandwich that I brought home so I wouldn't be tempted by anything else out there. That, and a big glass of ice water hit the spot and seriously helped ease the worst of the cravings.

But now I know...even in this bad phase...I can hold the course and not give up!

I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
- Psalm 16:8

-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?55-Day-Fiftyone-Hold-the-Course https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?54-Day-Fotynine-Catching-Up Mon, 18 Oct 2010 05:35:51 GMT Image: http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/files/1/0/5/2/journey-div.jpg It was about impossible to keep up with this while my Mom was here. Plus, I spilled water on my keyboard the other day and frizted it all to heck. I could still type, but had to constantly go back and correct all the random...

It was about impossible to keep up with this while my Mom was here. Plus, I spilled water on my keyboard the other day and frizted it all to heck. I could still type, but had to constantly go back and correct all the random characters being thrown in. And even the arrow keys were sending me extra characters, so it was a serious pain. Ok to get me through small typing chores, but not something I wanted to use to compose anything serious.

So, finally, Mom went home today, and I was able to get a new keyboard. Time to get back in the swing, for I certainly haven't given up!

And speaking of "not giving up"....I have NOT given up on my new lifestyle...even with the challenges presented while my Mom was here. I did not fall of the wagon (so to speak) even once. Sometimes it was hard, and I had to deal with higher levels of stress on some days, without giving in to the urge to nom on anything in sight. Plus, I got some good exercise while she was here...especially on Saturday when we all went to the zoo. The zoo out here is built on the side of a mountain. Quite stunning and beautiful...but is a good workout all on its own with very steep slopes up and down between exhibits. Add in pushing a very heavy wheelchair up and down those slopes and you've got yourself a serious workout! LOL It was such a beautiful day though, and we all had a great time...so it was well worth the effort. I seriously can't wait until Wednesday morning when I step on the scale to measure my progress again.

So...how did I get through the week with the stress and various temptations tossed in my way? On my most stressed day, I was so cranky and was having a hard time not looking at the various tempting goodies around the house. I felt like I was gonna explode with frustration....the first real frustration I'd felt since starting this. But instead of giving in to the call-of-the-snack...I snuck away upstairs to my room and locked the door and called my sister and vented on her shoulders for a bit. She understands. Her and mom live together...so she understands very well. Seriously, I love my mom to pieces....she's crazy-funny and ALWAYS there when we need her. ALWAYS. But sometimes the two of us can rub each other the wrong way until a lot of static builds up. My sis understands all that perfectly...and also understands the constant battle-of-the-bulge. (NOT saying she is bulgy! :rofl: She's much smaller than me and always beautiful in my eyes...but she has her own demons to fight as well and knows the battle.) Anyhow....that's how I got through the stress. I called someone who cared and could listen and understand. I talked it all out until I was calm and collected and happy to go eat some salad. :P

Eating out at restaurants is another challenge I faced much more than usual this week. And in all of those, I simply chose not to look at all the tempting stuff and yummy pictures....but rather, to focus only on what fit my needs. In one place, I ordered a fancy salad with grilled apples on it (hold the cheese, please!) and it was quite yummy. In another, brown rice and veggies...also very yummy. At Macaroni grill, they have whole wheat pasta you can choose...with some spicy tomato sauce, broccoli, spinach, and pine nuts. Again, very yummy. All in all....the stuff I can get in restaurants is way better than I'm currently able to fix for myself at home. Have to be VERY careful....and watch the portion sizes very closely as well. But I'm learning that eating out is nothing to be feared...no matter how good the grilling meat smells. :P

Grocery stores can be quite a gauntlet of temptations as well. One big thing I learned is to NOT go to the store when you're hungry! :colbert: LOL Bad mojo if you do that! It's like all the junkfood in the store starts lunging out at you if you're hungry. But even without that weakness, it seems like at least 85% of the food in the market is pure junk....and you have to walk past and through all of it to find the good stuff. Especially at this time of year, with mazes of halloween candy to weave through...soon to be replaced with all the Christmas candy. :rolleyes: And like I do in the restaurants....I just have to make myself not pay the slightest attention to such things. I let my eyes pass right over it without ever allowing them to focus. I know that if I allow myself to think about those things...to contemplate how tasty they might be, or how "satisfying"....I will only cause myself pain. Why bother with the pain of regret pining away for something you can't have? Or even worse...giving in to the temptation, and then dealing with the self-loathing that comes afterwards? NO THANK YOU! It's SO much easier if you don't let it escalate to that point to begin with. And once the temptations are past....the pain is gone...and I'm left with the VICTORY of having run that gauntlet without so much as a scratch. :D

I know I've typed a lot tonight...sorry! Had a lot on my mind to catch up on. I'll try to wrap this up for tonight.....but tomorrow, I want to talk about the question, "If it's so easy, why didn't you do this years ago?"

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- Philippians 4:13

Goodnight....
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?54-Day-Fotynine-Catching-Up https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?53-Day-Fortyfive-HAPPY-DANCE! Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:38:15 GMT

Wooohoo!!! Lost FOUR pounds since last Wednesday! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

I probably won't write much today (watch it turn into a full page...often does when I say I have nothing to say! LOL)....my Mom is here beside me and rather distracting. And I can't ask her to be quiet like I can my daughter. :P I meant to write yesterday, but got caught up in getting ready for Mom to arrive, and then her arrival, and just never got to it. And we want to get out and do stuff today. But I definitely wanted to share my good news! :D

I am firmly fixed on this road now and the journey will be exciting! (For me anyhow...I don't think I'm particularly thrilling with my prose. :oops: )

But exhort one another daily, while it is still called, "Today."
- Hebrews 3:13a

I guess it really is going to be short today. :P
Until tomorrow,
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?53-Day-Fortyfive-HAPPY-DANCE! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?52-Day-Fortytwo-Of-Salads-and-Kids Mon, 11 Oct 2010 04:59:10 GMT

Things are going pretty good so far! Feeling better every day. Sometimes I think, "Geez, I really don't want to eat more salad right now!" But when I think that, I either come up with something different but equally healthy, or I just knuckle down and have some salad.

But ya know...as much as I sometimes get tired of eating salad...I also get tired of talking about it. :rolleyes: 'Tis why I skipped writing yesterday...just didn't have anything new to say. Right now, I'm struggling with a teenager acting like the world has come to an end because I asked her to be quiet for a few minutes while I try to write. She's been chatting on Skype with a friend for the last 3-4 hours...I come in and sit down to write...and I TRY to write with her talking constantly beside me...but it's just not working. So I ask nicely, if we can have a few minutes of quiet until I'm done. You'd have thought I asked her to shave her head and burn all her teddy bears. :rolleyes: So now...instead of a peaceful sort of quiet, I've got simmering petulance. :cool: It's almost harder to compose under this atmosphere than it was under the constant chatter.

Ah well...she's really a great kid. I'd say 95% of the time she's understanding and considerate. But when she IS in that 5% zone...ouch! She's a blessing though! I truly have rare treasures in all three of my kids. (That's them in the picture to the right) Petra is 17...growing up WAY too fast!! I can't believe she graduates this spring...and in less than a year will be moving out of our home to go to school in Texas. As much as moments like tonight irritate me, I don't know what I'm going to do when she's gone....seriously. :tears:

Then there's the boys. Austin is 14...and just as sweet as you could ever want a boy to be. He's always helpful and considerate. He's often trying to make people laugh, and getting better at it all the time. Every now and then, he'll come out with a one-line zinger from out of nowhere that will have us all rolling on the floor laughing. Nathaniel is my baby...he's 8. He's my romper...constantly outside with friends running all over the place on scooters or bikes, or building "club houses" out of all our still-packed boxes in the garage. :giggle: He's not as demonstrative with his affection as my older two, and that sometimes makes me sad...but he's super sweet and super smart and sometimes I think I'll just burst with how much I love my kids.

One of our biggest blessings in life is how well they all get along together. Sure, they have their spats...sometimes Petra can get a bit sharp and/or bossy with the boys....but such moments are ALWAYS short lived and quickly forgotten. Most of all, they just laugh together a lot and the older two dote on their little brother. Petra and Austin are both in high school this year...and both in band together. One day, Petra was in the band director's office and he mentioned to her, "I really like your brother." And Petra grinned and said, "I do too!"...which totally floored Mr. Olivas. He told her in all his years of teaching school, he'd never heard a kid happily admit something like that about their sibling. :D

So yeah...she's irritated me tonight. But like the spats between the kids...it's short lived and quickly forgotten.

I want to be around for a VERY long time...to see them all grow up...to watch them marry and to play with my grandkids with all the fun and energy of a much younger person. THAT is why I have to stick with this and love each and every salad I eat.

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
- Matthew 19:4

So...go eat some salad! :D
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?52-Day-Fortytwo-Of-Salads-and-Kids https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?51-Day-Forty-Getting-Easier!-(and-a-recipe-to-share) Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:05:44 GMT

Felt pretty darned good today! I'm not feeling deprived or unhappy in my food choices. My incidences of upset stomach (heartburn) are decreasing markedly each day. I think I'm already over the hardest hump, and it wasn't nearly so big or so painful as I'd expected it to be.

My next big challenge will come in a few days, I think...when my Mom comes out to visit. She flies in on Tuesday and stays through Sunday. Part of the challenge comes just from having my personal routines disrupted. Part of it comes from the fact that Mom's as much of a junk-food junkie as me...and likes to eat out a lot. But I'm ready for it. She can eat whatever she wants, and I'll be happy to eat my salads and fruits right alongside her. When we go out, I'll just make sure we avoid fast food altogether and aim for restaurants where I know I can get a good, hearty salad made my way. She won't try to undermine me or anything...not intentionally, anyhow. She'll do her best to be supportive. And hopefully while she's here, I can be a good influence on her and be a living demonstration on how good eating right will make you feel. Maybe I'll inspire her toward making a similar commitment. I do believe this lifestyle would make the most astonishing changes in her life...if she would do it. As it is now, she's borderline diabetic, has thyroid issues, had breast cancer (small, caught early, and she's fine now in that regard), seriously allergic to refined wheat and/or yeast, and she can barely walk and can't climb even the smallest steps. I can see my future in her if I don't get a handle on my own weight and health issues NOW. I love her so much...and pray that she will find the same sort of inspiration I have. I know I can't force it on her or "talk her into it"....heck, if I were capable of that, I'd've talked myself into it years and years ago. But I can share my own personal insights and how my thoughts have changed to bring me to where I am... and maybe the seeds will be planted in fertile ground.

Here's a very easy recipe for anyone to try if they like...it makes a fine meal!

Hummus & Veggie-slaw Rolls

Hummus:
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste...find it at health food stores)
2 tbsp lemon juice
3-4 cloves garlic - crushed or finely chopped
1/2 of the juice in the chickpea can

Blend all ingredients together until mostly smooth. Chill.

Veggie-slaw
1/4 head iceberg lettuce - finely chopped
1/2 large cucumber - finely chopped
1/4 red onion - finely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots

Toss the ingredients together and chill.

Spread hummus on whole wheat tortilla.
Cover hummus with a generous handful of slaw.
Roll and enjoy!

Would work well with whole wheat pita bread as well. And whatever your favorite veggies are, chopped fine and mixed into a sort of slaw. (No dressing needed!)

I like it a little heavy on the garlic...it tastes strong if you eat the hummus alone...but when spread on the bread with the veggies mixed in, the seasoning comes through perfectly!

I guess that's enough rambling for tonight! :D

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 1:6

G'night!
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?51-Day-Forty-Getting-Easier!-(and-a-recipe-to-share) https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?50-Day-Thirtynine-Keepin-on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:28:39 GMT

Seems like Tuesday was definitely the worst day to get through. Yesterday was not much fun, but not as bad. I got my stuff done and made it to church for Wed night classes. It wasn't until just around bedtime that the lurking headache finally exploded into spikey drills. I even felt it in my sleep some...but by morning, I felt fine. And today I'm feeling pretty good so far. I'm pretty hungry now, and ready to go fix lunch...but it's not a sickly sort of hunger feeling...at least not as sickly as the last few days. Even this will eventually fade and the hunger will no longer be "pangs" but simply a knowing in your body that it's time to eat. (Been there and felt it...and it really is remarkable!)

So I'm keepin' on...as they say. I know sometimes the newness of a program makes it easy to stick to for a little while before it begins to get tedious or boring...but I'm committed, no matter what. If it gets tedious or boring, that will just be a signal that it's time for me to learn some new skills...to bust out some new recipes and learn to like new things.

Just a short update today. Be well, my friends...
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?50-Day-Thirtynine-Keepin-on https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?48-Day-Thirtyeight-Ugh!-Withdrawal Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:23:58 GMT Image: http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/files/1/0/5/2/journey-div.jpg Yesterday was bad. I mean baaad. Horrible headache, and felt very sick to my stomach and achy in my body. Almost flu-like symptoms. I pushed myself through my daily tasks and chores as much as I could before I finally...

Yesterday was bad. I mean baaad. Horrible headache, and felt very sick to my stomach and achy in my body. Almost flu-like symptoms. I pushed myself through my daily tasks and chores as much as I could before I finally crashed and slept half the afternoon away. :oops: Felt a bit better after the long sleep. But through it all, I didn't give in to any temptation to relieve the symptoms by feeding the addiction. I stuck with my plans and made it through the day. Today is a little better, at least so far. I can feel the headache lurking and ready to explode, but hopefully it'll just stay in the background today like it did on Monday. Got too much to do today to be sick again.

If anyone is reading this and wondering "Why would you do this to yourself? That's just not healthy".....I beg to differ. If a cigarette smoker decides to quit, they go through several days of hell before they begin to feel better. Same with alcohol or any drug. The withdrawal is part of the healing process. And I'm looking at it like this: If the withdrawal hurts this bad...then how badly have I been poisoning my body all these years with unhealthy foods and unnatural chemicals? I want that crap out of my body...and going through this is the path to real health. So...while all this sucks right now, I'm actually glad to be going through it. I'm thrilled with the commitment I've finally made and extremely excited about getting to the other side of this phase, where I start to feel the rewards of journey in increased energy and health.

I did this once before...and that is a big part of how I can be so confident that the sickly feelings are temporary and feeling really good is a true reward. The problem with the last time I did this was that I took it as a six-week challenge. I made it through that challenge successfully....and after that, I was no longer fully committed, because I'd succeeded and finished my challenge. The good habits lasted for a few months, but gradually, old bad habits creeped back in...and it wasn't long at all before the addictive nature of typical American food had me in its full grip once more.

THIS time, it's not a six-week challenge at all. This time, the six week period is a cleansing phase, and merely the beginning of a lifelong commitment to treat my body well. So there is no "looking forward to this being over" like there was last time. There's no "pizza reward" at the end of the tunnel....there's no tunnel at all, in fact. If I look at it as a tunnel or some kind of trap of a diet...then I'll get weary of it and start to falter. For once in my life, though...my head is in the right place...FINALLY where it should be to be able to look at this journey in a positive manner, instead of always looking back at the stuff I can't have or yearning for things I want. I'm not stuck in some dark tunnel looking for the light ahead....I'm IN THE LIGHT right now! I'm where God wants me to be, doing what God wants me to be doing right now, and the freedom of that is tremendous!! All my life, I've been chained to a bitter weight of addiction to unhealthy foods...and now I'm FREE of those chains. I don't have to ever eat that crap again!

I know there are a myriad of challenges ahead...changes to my personal routine....family visits...holidays...parties....all sorts of hurdles and obstacles to work my way through. Some of them may be very hard. But I am as committed to this new lifestyle as I am to my marriage. And in a good, strong marriage, when those challenges and obstacles rear their ugly heads, you do whatever it takes to get past them in a way that does not hurt your marriage. Same goes now...I'll face the challenges and am committed to finding my way through them in whatever way it takes that does not sabotage my own body.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
- Galatians 5:1

Hah...so come on, withdrawal symptoms! I dare ya! :D

-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?48-Day-Thirtyeight-Ugh!-Withdrawal https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?46-Day-Thirtysix-Success! Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:17:42 GMT

It's only the first day of a life-long journey...but it was a SUCCESS! I ate as I have committed myself to. I'm feeling it, too. LOL But not so bad as it might have been. Some mild headache, but nothing severe. Some hunger pangs...but it's amazing how those dissipate when I stop considering things I WANT to eat and consider only the things I WILL eat. It helps to differentiate real hunger from mere habitual eating. I'm ready to go to bed now, and feeling quite sated.

I promise I won't detail every menu or morsel...but I'll share today's as it will be fairly typical.

Breakfast was a banana, an apple...and later, some grapes, since I was still hungry.
Lunch was a huge garden salad with ground flaxseed and a bowl of lintel soup with some fresh-chopped onions added in.
Dinner was a huge bowl of broccoli, cauliflower, and green onions that I did a quick-boil with, enough to soften the veggies just a tad...then sprinkled half a can of sauteed chickpeas (sauteed in their own juice...no oil) over the top.
Dessert was a "fruit smoothie" which is nothing more than a mix of frozen fruit blended with water and ice.
Snacks included a small handful of raw cashews and a small handful of triskuit crackers...and some more grapes.

Got lots of new recipes to try and new foods to experiment with. It'll take awhile to get into the swing of things well enough to begin to have more of a variety of meals, but I'm game!

Anyhow...I'm awfully tired and ready to hit the sack! I'll try to write more tomorrow...right now, my daughter is chattering away beside me on Skype, so it's hard to write anything coherent in the first place. :rolleyes: :)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
- 1 Corinthians 6:19

Goodnight!
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?46-Day-Thirtysix-Success! https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?44-Day-Thirtyfive-Back-on-Track Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:12:47 GMT

It's been way too long, for sure. But the last week has been a roller-coaster of mental and emotional drama. Nothing particularly bad or upsetting...just very, very frustrating. But on the heals of that frustration came our 20th wedding anniversary...so big downs followed by big ups....and all of it keeping me from writing. To be honest, I still am having a hard time finding the words to write with...it's very forced tonight. But I simply could not let yet another day slip by.

Twenty years with my hubby! Those twenty have been filled with ups and downs, too. But the "UPs" outdistance the "downs" by light years. There's been tremendous amounts of self-sacrifice...on both our parts. And to this day, we both believe it is worth it and would do it all over again. I never want to forget or take for granted how incredibly blessed I am to have such a man as my husband, my partner, my lover, my best friend. But I'm not here to wax poetic about having a lasting, loving marriage... (maybe that's a whole 'nother blog topic! LOL)

Tomorrow starts a new chapter in this journey I've been sharing. Since I began, I've pretty much felt rooted to the spot...mired in the quicksand of my habits and addictions. All my good intentions were not enough to pull me out. So...I'm throwing "good intentions" out the window. I'm not going to "try" any more. I'm just going to DO.

If anyone reading this is struggling to lose weight, or struggling with chronic health issues, or just wants to feel better overall....I highly recommend that you find a book called Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, MD. This is what I am using to leap into a new life, so to speak. How well will it really work? Well, all of you will be finding out if you follow along with me. If it works, I guarantee you, you'll hear it from me! And if it doesn't work, you'll hear that, too.

This is essentially a program of extreme nutrition....of eating nothing but foods that are nutrient-DENSE and have a high nutrient-to-calorie ratio. There are no limits on how much you can eat, but there are definitely limits on WHAT you should CHOOSE to eat. I'll explain more as I go, and there will definitely be updates along the way. I expect at least the first week to be pretty hard as my body flushes out all the CRAP I've been feeding it. The addiction to crappy food is very real, I believe, and the withdrawal symptoms will be just as real as I quit cold-turkey.

So come with me....and let's find out together if Dr. Fuhrman has hit upon a hard truth that most Americans (and most of Western civilization, for that matter) simply don't want to hear...or if he's just another guy who wants to sell books. Personally, I believe he's got the truth of it, and I believe his methods are the way God intended us to treat our bodies in the first place, and so I'm willing to walk this path and make a full commitment to it.

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Matthew 4:4

The fridge and cupboards are stocked with everything I need to succeed. Until tomorrow, then....
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?44-Day-Thirtyfive-Back-on-Track https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?40-Day-Twentyeight-Dreambuilding Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:06:00 GMT

I decided to add a little bit of a descriptive title to my daily count...might help spark a little interest. And btw...if you're reading these, feel free to comment if you'd like. Feedback and interaction are welcomed!

So anyhow, I've been "dreaming" a lot lately. I'm a perpetual dreamer, I guess...eternally optimistic about the future, even as "today" slips through my fingers. I'm really...really...good at doing things tomorrow. :P Therefore, I'm seriously looking forward to next week when I begin a new dietary regime that I hope will jump-start the better habits that I MUST incorporate into my lifestyle. I really am looking forward to it...and am optimistic that this time things will stick. Of course, there are the practical voices inside (I have a lot of voices in my head!) that remind me of all the multitude of times before that haven't "stuck". They remind me of how difficult it will be once I get going. It's not hard to anticipate...but it is definitely hard to actually live through. I know all this. But I'm still optimistic and anticipating. It's just the way I'm built, I guess. And I sometimes wonder if that optimism is part of what holds me back....I may screw up today, but I'm confident that things will someday work out...somehow. See how optimism might be a pair of cement shoes? :cool: But knowing this....surely...knowing and understanding the weaknesses I have will help me overcome them. More and more each year, I become aware of those traps....and I've learned a tremendous amount about my own strengths as well, and the tools I have to build the future I dream of.

So...I'm dreaming. Dreaming of being the person I know I was created to be. And dreaming of other things as well....

Anyone who knows much about me is aware that my hubby is in the Air Force...we've been at it for 20 years this year. That's an awfully long time....but the "light at the end of the tunnel" isn't much more than an illusion yet. Because of his career, it's simply impractical for me to keep very many animals...especially animals that may or may not be legal after any given move. :rolleyes: On top of that, he has a bit of a thing against snakes. :( Snakes in particular...but also, a bit of a phobia against having his home turned into a "zoo." He likes animals...says he even likes snakes...just doesn't want them in his home. Over the years, we've learned to compromise and I now have a maxed out collection of four ball pythons and one colubrid. One of our compromises is his promise...his solemn word...that when he finally retires, we'll buy a home with some land and he'll build me a "snake house" on that land...and in it, I can keep as many animals as I feel I can be comfortably responsible for. :D

More and more lately, I've been dreaming of that future. It could be as early as only a couple more years, if his career takes an unexpected spin downward. (If he doesn't get promoted to Col. at the end of this year) Could be 4-5 years from now if his promotion comes, but does not play out as he'd like. Or....it could be 10+ years if his career continues to rocket forward. ..... ~sigh~ ..... And so I dream...and plan. It's fun to figure out how much space I need for my own little reptile sanctuary. I want to keep torts as well as snakes (and a few geckos for fun...LOL). I want to breed my own feeders as well. And I'd like to have a little office space out there. I've printed out floor plans...and sometimes I make up my own floor plans. For now, it's all I can do. It's fun to dream....and I'm confident that someday, these dreams will become reality.....all of them.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
- Philippians 4:8

(I think I've shared that verse before...but some things are worth seeing again. ;) )

Until next time...
-- Judy

]]> JLC https://ball-pythons.net/forums/entry.php?40-Day-Twentyeight-Dreambuilding