Thoughts on Week 7

We're on the downhill side of this challenge! Only 3 more weeks to go baby! Hang in there - you're doing great!

This week I've been pondering stewardship. How do I steward what God has given me? How do I steward my relationships, my finances, my body? Tough question but one worth contemplating.

God has given us the gift of our life. We only have one life, one body. What will you do with it? Will you take care of your health like the precious gift that it is or will you use and abuse it like it seems so easy to do? Why do we expect God to come and fix what we have broken? He's a gracious loving God and He will help us and can absolutely heal us. But think about it for a moment. We put whatever we want into our bodies not caring about the results. We don't take care of this gift. Then when it starts to break on us we become desperate for God, or doctors, to fix it.

I think about my son, Kale. Sometimes he's very careless with his toys - his gifts. He leaves them out to be lost, walked on, and broken. If something does happen to his toys he brings them to Mark or I and begs us to fix it. Some things we can fix, and we certainly will try. Other things are beyond repair. During the whole time of "fixing," Kale is usually crying and wanting so badly his toy, that just moments ago had been tossed aside and abandoned, to work again.

Wow. Same way I tend to treat my health and body. I don't think about the consequences of my actions sometimes. Then when it's broken I beg God to fix it. Understand that I believe God heals. He can, and does, heal people. But if I were to live my life, with disregard to my own responsibility for my health, where would I be? Very broken, very sick, very unhappy.

God has given us responsibility to be good stewards of all He has given us...including our health. I want to use the gift of my life for His glory, to the fullest! Please know that I am not saying that all illnesses are due to our irresponsibility. Many things are beyond our control. What I am saying is that for as long as I am able to continue to be a good steward of this gift of life, I will try my best.


And now something to make you smile :)

A before and after

From flab to fab! Go Bill Go! The healthy challenge really works!

Thoughts on Week 5

HALF WAY THERE!!!! WHOOHOO!!! How are you guys holding up? Man, 5 weeks down and just 5 to go. Can you believe we're half way done? Anyone interested in doing another one when we're done? :) Haha! I think I can guess who's a go and who isn't... :P

Hopefully you noticed the mid-competition changes to the blog. New background and new motivational pictures. All to make you smile!

Anyway, last week I talked a bit about who's in charge of you. YOU! This week I wanted to touch on our reasons for health.

When I read magazines, listen to the radio and watch the news I am bombarded daily with health care stuff. The future of our health care {no matter what the decision} can be quite scary. In the end we're putting our health and our future into other people's hands. And like I said, really, WE are the ones responsible for our health.

That means to me that I have the power to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and all kinds of other things, just by living healthy! By watching what I eat, indulging only occasionally, exercising regularly, I can live longer, healthier and really overall, happier! Like I said a few weeks ago, when I am plagued by something in my body, something as small as a headache even, it wrecks me. That small pain takes over at times. Not fun at all. But I have the know-how and the power to keep these dangerous, life-threatening diseases and ailments at bay.

And on a final note, I thought I'd post a little motivational message from my son. Just to make you smile!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Made this for dinner last night and Matt (he took the leftovers to work to eat for lunch this week) and I loved it. The kids not so much - they did not even like the way it look and would not try it.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 Head of Cabbage

2 Cans Chicken

Toasted (or regular) Sesame Seeds

Slivered (or sliced) almonds

Green onions

2 packages Oriental Ramen noodles and flavoring

Sugar

Rice Vinegar

Vegetable or Olive Oil

Sesame Oil

Soy Sauce

Salt

Pepper

In large bowl: shred cabbage (half to 3/4 of head). Add and mix 2 cans of chicken (shredded with a fork before adding), 2 TBS sesame seeds, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/4 cup green onions (chopped), and 2 packages Ramen noodles (smashed up, and don't add the flavor, save it for the dressing).

Dressing: mix 4 TBS sugar, 4 TBS rice vinegar, 1 cup vegetable or olive oil, 2 TBS sesame oil, 2 tsp to 2 TBS soy sauce (I put 2 TBS and did not need to add anymore later), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 2 Oriental Ramen flavoring packages.

Pour dressing over salad mixture. mix it up, chill. It is soggy the day after, and most people do not like it - Matt does. Some people serve it with extra soy sauce.

Thoughts on Week 4

Never surrender! Just look at the last post with the picture of Jerome if you want to get motivated. You too can look like that.....or not....

Anyway, I've had more thoughts running around in my head this week about being healthy. So of course I'm ready to share them :)

I think the main revelation/realization/thought I've had this week is that no one else is in charge of your body. Just you. I'd like to blame others for the food they make, the temptation they present, the way they've filled up my time etc...but in the end, there is no one else who is responsible for your health. Just you. Just me.

It's time I take responsibility for it. I can't wait for Mark to agree with me on how I should eat or how often we should exercise [I might be waiting forever... :)] It makes it much easier to have support but it's not up to him - it's up to me. I am in charge of what I put into my body. I am in charge of how I exercise it and take care of it. And I have the power to do just that. I have the power to watch what I eat, exercise regularly, drink lots of water and look and feel better! It's up to me!Don't be discouraged if you're not losing weight like you thought you might be. Ultimately this challenge is about getting a healthier lifestyle. But, if you have absolutely seen NO change what-so-ever then look again at the intensity of your workouts. What exactly are your "healthy" meals looking like? What are your "healthy" portions. Very obvious but so easy to overlook --- you must be burning more calories then you are eating in order to lose weight. That can happen with 6 workouts a week and healthy portioned meals.You can do it! You are in charge! Take back your health and live longer. More on that next week...