Next Monday…..

Welcome Weight Loss Wednesday gals!!!!

I look forward each week to our little cyber group that is cheering on one another in our weight loss journeys. After last week’s Proverbs 31 devotion about my triple-braided cord that invited new women to join us, I thought we might pick up a few more gals who would meet with us here once a week.

I about fell over when nearly 1,000 of them responded.

God is truly amazing.

And I feel VERY inadequate!!!!

Pouring over the comments, I saw women who were frustrated. Ones who felt alone. Some were scared for their health. Others were embarrassed and ashamed. A few were sick and tired of being sick and tired.

All of them wanted support and encouragement.

That is what WLW is all about.

Please be assured, I am no weight loss guru. Although I have lost over 100 pounds, I also regained a good chunk last year and am still trying to get it back off. I need this group as much as anyone.

And please know, we already have a core of amazing women. I love to see how they cheer each other on, offer gentle advice and heartfelt prayers for the other gals here.

We are thrilled to make our circle even bigger. Before we do, however, let me just go over a few things real quickly.

First, I’ve had many ask “Just how does this work?”.

It is simple.

  • Just click over here each Wednesday and read the post that is up.
  • Leave a comment about the topic if desired. At the very least, let us know how your week went. Did you struggle? How? Did you make some good choices? Pick that apple over the fudge brownie, etc…
  • You can also let us know what the scale did IF YOU WISH. (Not required.) Did it go up or down? How much? Please note our rule of thumb: If the scale went down, you lost solid fat. If it spiked up slightly, you are retaining water! ;-)
  • Finally, hop back on later in the day or the week if you can to read the other comments and offer words of encouragement if you wish.

That’s it!

Now, I have had some ask if I can set it up that the WLW posts come into your email box. I’m sure it can be done. I however, have no idea how to do it. I will get with my web gal, the amazing Vicky Hughes to see what can be done about that.

Now, for today’s topic.

Starting over.

How many times have YOU started over at losing weight? I have no way to accurately add it up, but I’m sure my count would easily be in the hundreds.

You know the routine.

You feel fat. Ugly. Disgusted. Compared to others.

You vow you are going to start over…first thing in the morning.

So, you eat everything in site that night.

Tomorrow comes. You do fine at breakfast. But by mid-afternoon, the munchies are calling.

You answer their call, fall off of the bandwagon and straight into a huge vat of gooey guilt.

So you again pig out, vowing you’ll start over.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow comes.

Tomorrow isn’t so hot either and by 2:00 pm, you are plum out of calories (not from eating plums, but from cramming cookies down your throat or opening the hatch and downing nearly a pound bag of peanut M & M’s!!) so you tell yourself, “I’ll start next Monday.”

Then you eat like a pig until Monday comes, try to start over, blow it again by noon and promise yourself… “Okay, let’s try next month. Yeah, that’s it, I’ll start the first of next month…..” and on and on it goes.

Enough already!!!

Let’s stop the “start over” cycle of defeat! Let’s all vow to begin again RIGHT NOW.

No, not once you’ve eaten up all the “bad food” in the house.

No, not once you get a large fry on your way to pick the kiddos up from school this afternoon.

No, not next Monday after you pig out at a fattening function this weekend.

Start RIGHT NOW!!!

And hey ladies…I am talking to myself here! I started off great guns last October, dropped a couple dozen pounds by February and then have been hovering around the same number on the scale ever since. And I still need to drop 20 more pounds. Dropping these last 20 is harder than the first 80!!!!!

So there you have today’s topic.

Please comment with your thoughts. Can you relate?

If you are a current member of WLW, also tell us how your week went. And for motivation, if you will, tell our new cyber sisters how much weight you’ve lost since you joined WLW.

If you are a newbie, let us know your goal. How much do you want to lose? Why? What habits do you want to break or to begin?

Okay….here we go….comments please!

Praying for you,

107 Comments

  1. I just started recieving these devotionals for a few weeks and last weeks devo on 3 strands spoke to my heart. I prayed for someone to come along with me for accountability and I emailed a friend who God put on my heart. She said wow, I just read this devo on 3 strands and then you emailed. I was like- me too! How awesome is God to show us both the same things at the same time. I’m thankful for the group and will be joining the journey with you all. My goal is to lose 100 lbs to be at a healthy weight. I’d also like to have another child, but need to be in good health before that happens. I have lost 1 lb. this week. So, 99 more to go!

  2. Hi Everyone! I just discovered all this great encouragement the other day and it is an answer to prayer. The devo couldn’t have been more appropriate for me where I’m at with this weight issue and having diabetes… The comments to Karen’s encouragement and honesty have really been “manna” to my heart. Thank you – I’ll be praying for you all.

  3. Karen,
    Thank you so much for your post. That was exactly what I needed to hear. I have often felt that if I made bad decisions for the day, I might as well continue to make bad decisions until I can start over tomorrow or on Monday. That thinking needs to stop. I need to see this as a life long journey that will have ups and downs. I need to make the best decisions each day, understanding that if I make a bad choice, it doesn’t ruin my whole day.
    I am new to this group. I need to lose about 90 lbs altogether. I did not have a weight problem until I started having my babies 20 years ago. My last pregnancy was 10 years ago. I don’t think I can use that as an excuse anymore. :) My main motivation is health reasons. I am insulin resistant and the doctor says I must lose weight to keep from getting diabetes. I have already lost 18 in the last 6 months, but have been on a plateau lately. The amount seems overwhelming, so I am breaking it into groups. My new goal is to lose 25 lbs. I’ve started working more diligently on this goal this week. I will post next wednesday how I am doing. I am very thankful for this group!

  4. Well I said the other day I was eating when I am truly hungry and stopping when I am satisfied, but this lunch I ate abit more than I should of and feel more full than I should,….. however it was’nt on extra chocolate it was extra fresh pineapple….. so that’s a step in the right diriction of choosing and enjoying the healthier choices! Keep on going Friends every step is a step closer to being healthier.

  5. I got busy and missed you guys on Wednesday. Will try to look on next Wednesday. I just trying to eat good things. Tuesday was a bad day for food. Visiting with my Sister in law we went out to lunch, I tried to do good choices but the Cajun Chicken came lightly breaded and the meal came with dessert. Then we went to my Dad’s and his caregiver, Lana served us pie.
    That evening we met with our marriage mentors and she served berries on angel food cake. I was able to forgo the cake and just have berries. I have not felt good since, but am trying to eat good now one day at a time.

  6. Your starting over really struck a cord with me. I’ve struggled all my life with weight. Lost over 60 pounds as a teenager by just not eating (where did that will power go?). After have three kids I’ve gone up and down but when I decided to go back to school I put on 15 pounds on top of the 20 I needed to loose already. Every week I go to the store with grand intentions grapes instead of a sweet etc and well I have the grapes plus the sweet. Feel like a failure a lot. So as I was packing my lunch for work and stopped to check out the blog it was fitting. Thanks

  7. Wow!!!! I just told my husband a couple of days ago that this is exactly how I am. If I fail during the day I feel like I can’t start again till tomorrow. My husband keeps telling me, ” If you mess up just try the next time. Do what you can and don’t beat yourself up about it.” He’s right but its so hard. Thanks Karen

  8. its thursday and i forgot to post yesterday…and its my first time on wlw. In my defense, i have a 2 month old, a 2 year old a 7 year old, and our house is for sale! I did weigh yesterday and am down 1.5 pounds. I have decided only to weigh on wednesdays from now on because i beat myself up over the weight fluctuations during the week. will write more next week and look forward to reading your comments.

    Karen, your “start RIGHT NOW” was just what i needed… we are headed to Chick fil lay for school spirit night..no french fries tonight, thanks :)

  9. So many times I have said the same words that you wrote. I’ll start after… Even today, I thought, I’ll start tomorrow. What has already happened today I can’t change, but I can change the remainder of the day. It’s time to be honest with myself and make life changes that will improve my health. Thank you for reminding me that I don’t have to do this alone.
    Regina

  10. It is so great to see our little group grow! Yeah! Please know if you are just joining us that we are praying for you and I hope you will pray for me (us) too. I have had a pretty good week after a rotten end of last week and weekend. It always seems to be a roller coaster ride. The ups and downs. I’m a day late checking in but Mon-Thurs have all been pretty good. I use a website called Sparkpeople.com to log my food to keep track of my calories. I find it very useful and now I even have it on my blackberry – talk about no excuses. When I’m honest with myself and put my food in online I know I have accomplished something. If I had a bad day I used to just skip putting it in but now I make myself so I can visually see that I ate some crazy amount of calories in one day. Learning how many calories are in things is also a great way to help you make smarter choices. Have a great week and come back again next week – no matter how your week went. We’ll be here for you!

  11. I’m once again looking at a tummy that looks bloated and filled up over the weekend with cookies, chips, and junk. Even had a burger and fries. Well, I’m trying this week, but last night after I had a nice protein filled dinner- I headed for cheese-nips, and chocolate. Why? I don’t know- I believe it’s psychological because there is no earthly way I can be hungry after eating dinner. I notice when I’m tired, frustrated, and stressed here come the cookies and junk. My mom is struggling with her health and she is on a feeding tube along with oxygen assistance. That is stressful and I see myself reaching for whatever may fill the hole in my heart. Anyway, thanks for allowing me this blog express my feelings. Take care.

  12. I, too, laughed out loud when I read Karen’s blog today about “tomorrow, wait until Monday” and especially the one about since I’m starting tomorrow, I’ll eat all the junk food today, so it won’t tempt me tomorrow!! How I can relate. I had just been craving peanut butter and chocolate and was getting ready to make a s’more when I read this entry. . . Thanks to the message and encouragement, I was able to resist.

    I would LOVE to lose 25 pounds. God has been dealing with me on why I want to lose this weight. I confess I like the praise of others and for them to notice when I look good (I’ve lost weight before). God, has been speaking to me about being content in the skin I’m in and that he looks at the heart, not our outer appearance (II Samuel) . . . . BUT I still need to get healthier and make that my focus, not simply looking good. .

  13. Hi, this is my 2nd post here and I am committing to you all to stay focused and come here often for support. I want to drop 40 pounds. I weight the most I have EVER, aside from my pregnancies. I am a short woman so these 40 pounds are really starting to affect my body. I need help, Lord! Please pray for me – I am an emotional eater and having a bit of a family crisis right now that has me wanting to stuff my face.
    Blessings to all of you, I will pray for our WLW group.

  14. I struggled this week too. All that Easter candy still laying about the house. I need to tell my son to pack it up and take it over to his girlfriend’s house, there are 2 little boys there who won’t feel as guilty as I do when they eat it.

    Meanwhile, I have begun riding my bike to work, I rode last Friday and again yesterday. It’s about 9 miles each way. That’s in addition to my weekend and evening rides. I started “eating clean” again this week, only backslid a little this morning when the boss brought in bagels and cream cheese. Tosca Reno’s eating plan (plus exercise) helped me lose 15 pounds in 2 months last fall and I am going back to finish off the final 30 I want to lose. I banned sodas from my diet last fall, I never drank diet soda, only fully leaded (sugared). I have been drinking more water and watered down Crystal Light (okay, okay, more CL than water). I know I have a sugar problem but am fighting it and I know that is with the Lord’s help. This will be a huge help as well, accountability and support always make the tough road easier. Thank you all for being here.

  15. I am late getting to this – the past week has been extremely stressful. We were notified last Friday evening that our close friend with cancer was told there is no more hope – not only of no recovery – but of no longer being able to extend his life. So the vigil began. Yesterday’s report is that death may come within the week. Middle child is Alice in “Alice in Wonderland” with community theatre, and oldest child in college is now considering transferring schools for fall – and it’s so late in the season for this type of arrangement! Needless to say, with these things going on (and Karen knows the whole musical thing – with her family just finishing Seussical) I am feeling overwhelmed. When visiting the hospital over the weekend, the only food available was their “Wendy’s.” I knew I could get a chili – but you know, somehow emotionally I “needed” that bacon blue cheeseburger. And as I ate it, my mind was going a mile a minute. My kids knew it, too. THey don’t miss a thing.
    However, I have dropped a few pounds this week. Not even sure how, other than that last week before the “news” I had gone for an hour long walk nearly every day.
    Well, I will not write any more as I am out of time, but thank you for giving us a place of friendship and accountability.

  16. I had a good week this week. I was down another pound. Karen I have been having trouble sticking with eating healthy. The only thing that saves me is the exercise I get. Thanks for being so honest in your posts. You are so helpful in my struggle with my weight.

  17. Hi Ladies – I have already commented once this week but had to hop back on and share something that God gave me this morning as I was having a quiet time. I was getting ready for the day and praying, thinking how great it would feel to not be carrying around the “extra baggage” of my weight. Having a nice little pity party! It occurred to me that it feels like Satan has put his armor over me to hold me back from doing and being the woman God desires me to be. I began praying and a couple of scripture verses came to mind.

    First was Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) which says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” How perfect is that for our WLW group?! We are a huge crowd of witnesses for each other. We are feeling weighed down by by our extra pounds. We can run this race together “from start to finish” by “keeping our eyes on Jesus”. I found such incredible encouragement and strength in these words. This is my new scripture passage – I’m writing it on a card and taking it when I walk this morning.

    God also lead me to another scripture passage in Ephesians 6:10-18 regarding putting on The Whole Armor of God. I have to admit I’ve never been too much into this passage – the whole battle theme is not my cup of tea – but it has taken on new meaning today. Because this battle we have against our flesh and weight is a spiritual battle and we need the Armor of God to fight the battle and finish the race. I will be dwelling on these scriptures for encouragement and hope they might encourage some of you ladies as well. Have a great week!

    Love you and Praying for you!

  18. Hi Ladies, Karen, you are amazing, not only for having this wonderful place for us to come and share but for sharing that too familiar “I’ll do it tommorrow” attitude. Been there, done it thousands of times – but no more!! I joined you all last week for the first time – directed by our most wonderful Father – and what a week. I Posted I had over 100 pounds to lose, well I’ve lost 5 pounds this week and am walking each day. I am putting together scriptures to learn and inspire me. The reason this time is going to be different to all the other tommorrows? This time this journey is for Gods Glory. Praying for all our journeys. God Bless. Dawn (UK)

  19. I found this encouraging site last week after I started watching calories. I have about 15 pounds to lose, and have dieted up and down for many years. Last few years, I was an avid low-carb eater, which worked well for my husband and I, but then as we slipped on weekends, some pounds came back. It’s hard feeding my family and myself the same healthy foods, probably because it’s not how I grew up. But, I give myself a break…I’m not supermom, but I’m darn good!! Anyone else notice how delicious a cold apple can be when you haven’t been eating them regularly? I’ve added some low cal snacks to bring to work or have a couple times a day…Aldi has great fit and active 50 cal popcorn cakes…crumble one caramel popcorn cake over a 100 cal yogurt and cut up strawberries and banana and I swear you will enjoy it…celery sticks with hummus…cold apple…hard boiled egg cut in half with a small dollop of light mayo…and I made a pot of low cal chicken tortilla soup (cut up celery, onion and carrot into pot, topped with 3 frozen chicken breasts…added basil, salt, pepper, bay leaf…box of chicken stock 4cups plus 2 cups water…added 1 c. cooked dreamfields low carb noodles cooked at the end) in the crock pot that I had a small bowl almost every meal and took to work for lunches and it was very good. OK one more snack idea and its not much, but it’s a snack…homemade trail mix with 4c cheerios, 1/2 c. dried fruit and 1/2 cup nuts (read the package and add up the calories till you’ve hit 1,200…then split into ten baggies about 1/3 cup and you’ve got ten 120 calorie snacks for the week). Good luck and be grateful for the good God has given you. We will get there!

  20. Thanking God for Karen and this group of ladies that have been a blessing to me.  Warm welcome to the new ladies!
    I joined this group on Dec. 21st, 2009 and have lost  18  lbs.!  

     I believe I  am going  to be sharing with you how I finally reached my healthy weight and pay my vow in this group.  All for God’s glory!

    There have been many restarts for me in the past…….
    I’ve also learned that when I make a vow to God,   I have to keep it. 
    ( I made a vow to lose 100 lbs. In 2002). I lost close to 50 lbs. and gained it all back plus 5 more.  
      
    Today, I am learning His promises 
    and beginning to memorize them, 
    walk in them, obey and do what is beneficial for me.
    grow up and “train this body and not spoil it”(Candace C.)  And most importantly, getting to know God and not throw away my confidence in Christ, to come boldly to God’s throne and receive grace and mercy in time of need.

    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
    2 Corinthians 12:9

           

  21. My morning sickness is GONE! I suffered a sinus infection all last week but now that I feel so.much.better I am planning to exercise this week. But I’m up late. :( Can’t sleep. So unless I nap, I won’t have much energy tomorrow.
    I can’t wait to exercise again!! It’s so nice to see the “old” me a little more with each week (2nd tri) and I know now that the ms is gone, the pounds are going to pack on quick! Yikes!

  22. Thanks For the pep talk. I have lost count of the number of times I have started a diet and then started again the next day.How well you described me. This is was my first week and the scales showed 2 lbs. down. I waited until to today to step on them which was hurt as it had been a daily thing for me. Thanks Karen for your encouragement

  23. Love the WLW blog! This is my first week here. I can’t even tell you how many times I am going to get serious about weight loss “in the morning” or “on Monday”. For the past few months I have been exercising regularly. My problem is with food. I eat when I’m stressed, I eat when I’m bored, I eat when I should be doing so many other things. I loved reading all the comments and knowing I’m not alone in this struggle. Tomorrow is the day!!

  24. Wow, so good to have lots of new people on board! I have been doing WLW (although here in New Zealand it’s actually Thursday!) since January. I have lost about 2 kilograms since I joined but I have been doing weight watchers for almost 2 years and have lost almost 40 kgs. I love how the WW system works and makes no foods bad, if you can fit them into your points allowance then you can have them.
    One of the things I have found helpful for me is finding a nice item of clothing and putting it on lay-by, then for the weeks that I loose I am allowed to pay some money off my lay-by, getting closer to having said clothing (at this time it is a black casual jacket). On the weeks that I don’t loose, I don’t get to pay any money off. Currently I am close to my weight loss goal but am lacking motivation, so for every day that I stick to my points allowance I am allowed to pay a smaller $ amount off. It wouldn’t even have to be clothing that you got, it’s just that as a result of my weight loss it is a constant need for me at the moment. Hope this is helpful to someone.
    O, and I lost 700 grams this week, praise God. See you next week. :-)

  25. HI ALL, I AM REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN LEAD TO REREAD MY DEVOTIONALS FROM LAST WEEK. I WANT TO TRY THIS. I AM WHAT THEY CALL MORBIDLY OBESE. MY DOCTOR IS PUSHING ME TO HAVE GASTRIC BY PASS SURGERY. BUT THAT SCARES ME. I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR GOD TO SHOW ME WHAT IS IN HIS PLAN. MAYBE THIS IS HIS ANSWER. PHYLLIS I’M WITH YOU ON THE WATER. I WEIGHT 286 SO I HAVE ABOUT 130 LBS TO LOSE. EVERYONE YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS AND ARE ON MY BLESSINGS LIST AS WELL

    GOD BLESS

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