Wednesday Weigh-in: Week 15

Drum roll please....

I lost 2 pounds this week,

bringing my weight-loss total to 23.4 pounds!

It was a pretty normal week.  I counted calories using My Fitness Pal.  I exercised twice on The Gazelle.

She exercised on what, you ask???

THE

TONY

LITTLE

GAZELLE!

I stand on the ski-like foot-thingies and hold on to the handles and then move as fast as I can without making myself dizzy as to avoid falling off. 

Because that has never happened.

Never.

I'm far too graceful to fall from an exercise machine.  ;)

Really and truly, this machine has been such a blessing.  I can exercise with zero impact which prevents the BIG pain episodes.  (For those of you just joining in, one of my reasons for wanting to lose weight is that I suffer from chronic pain and most exercises trigger that pain.)

Which leads me to my tip for the week...find a form of exercise that you can accomplish.  Be reasonable.  Know your limitations.

However, don't be an excuse-maker. 

If you're like me, that may take some work.  You may have to try several different activities before you find a good fit. 

Avoid mimicking others, too.  For years I have failed at this, in large part, because I have thought I had to make myself suffer to do the dieting thing right.

No pain, no gain, right?

Well, yes and no. 

I have tried getting up at 5 a.m. to start my day with a walk many, many times.  There's nothing inherently wrong with that.  I admire people with that kind of self-discipline.

However, my pain is worse in the mornings.  It takes a regimen of stretching and easing into the day to get me going.  Early morning exercise is a shock to my system that I just can't do.

So I exercise at night.

And walking...agitates my sciatica pain, sometimes so greatly that after two laps around a track, I can't perform my regular duties well. 

That's no help, so I ditched the early-morning walks.  In fact, I refuse to walk around the track.  Period.

I also won't go near a gym because exercising in front of others causes me terrible anxiety.  As a child, I had orthopedic problems, and gym class was a form of torture that created lasting emotional damage.

With these things working against me what I have done many times, which is just plain wrong, is allow these things to be the excuses for why I don't exercise at all.

It causes me too much pain.

I'll look like a dope, and people will laugh at me.

I just can't do it.

Oh well, too bad.

But look where that has gotten me...to a very unhealthy place.

A few months ago, God convicted me about these things, and I am not just exercising because I want to lose weight or look a certain way, but because I want to please God with every aspect of my life.

He has kindly provided the Tony Little Gazelle but more importantly, He has provided His grace abundantly.  Apart from Him I can do nothing.

For me, exercising is an exercise in faith in which I must humble [my]self under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt [me], casting all [my] anxieties (including exercise anxiety) on him, because he cares for [me].  (1 Pet 5:6-7, changes mine)

And I'm learning that I don't have to be an athlete or walk around the track or start my day with exercise or join in on the latest-and-greatest work-out-routine. 

Rather, in faith, I put one foot in front of the other and do the best that I can.

And by God's grace, it is working!

What is the Lord teaching you as you work toward a healthier lifestyle?  Please link in and share.  You can find the Wednesday Weigh-in Rules here.  Linky will follow my prayer requests.

Here are my prayer requests for this week:

1. For the Lord to continue to give me a teachable spirit.
2. For my continued sanctification as He works on this particular area of my life.
3. For continued success in counting calories and exercising on the Gazelle.
4. For those who link in to this post and who are dieting with me anonymously.
5. For God to be exalted in my life and through this blog meme.

Happy Healthy Living!

Dawn 

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for adding in the link to Amazon.com or for blogging about the Tony Little Gazelle.  I just wanted you to see what I was talking about!  However, if you do click that link and buy anything from Amazon, I will receive a commission.

Disclaimer:  I am not a health science expert and am only blogging about what has worked for me.