Day 8, 9 and 10- LESSONS LEARNED

The past 3 days have been so busy.  Normally the busy schedule would make me want to nap or make me so overwhelmed, but instead, I feel energy for all my tasks.  Its such a wonderful feeling.

LESSON 1
Thursday I left the house at 7:30am and didn't get home until 9:30pm.  I met with a young lady that I am mentoring after work.  Then went to the church to give voice lessons to a new gal.  Then 7pm Worship practice.  I wasn't able to get supper.  I ate my snack that day at 3:30pm when I had an apple with 2 tbsp of natural peanut.  I told Cornelius that normally I would be so weak or have a sugar crash from not eating supper. Lesson learned: When you eat good food that fuels your body, it keeps your blood sugars stable, and then you don't have crashes.  Common sense I know- but its been so long since I have experienced this.

LESSON 2
Friday I enjoyed a really great day off from work.  I was good and took healthy snacks and water in the van with me.  Because I did that I was able to enjoy shopping and run errands without feeling weak or hungry.  I will admit that it was hard to walk into Target and small that Starbucks coffee and not get any.  I got a hot tea and it made me feel pretty good that I was able to go out where no one knows this commitment I've made, and stick to my plan.  Lesson learned: Keep healthy snacks in vehicle to avoid unhealthy eating choices while out shopping. 

Friday night I did the best walk I've done. 2.45 miles in 43 minutes.  I'm getting closer to my 3 miles in 45 minutes.  I jogged the end of my walk to get that time but it felt good and I was so proud of myself.  I listened to my music on my Droid the whole walk.  I found my motivator.  Music drives me.  Listening to that music while I walked totally motivated.  Certain songs would come on and I just wanted to break into a run!  I kept a good walking pace the whole time.  Lesson learned: Find what motivates you and encourages you to keep you focused and on track.  When you find it, it's so amazing.  I look forward to walking, to that time I have to listen to the music, think and just be in God's presence. Music pulls me into God's presence and Spirit and when you are in that place, you are able to surrender flesh and walk in God's strength.

LESSON 3
Saturday morning I got up at 6:30am with Jaelle.  Totally enjoyed the early morning with the girls.  I got SO MUCH done.  I had my normal breakfast (egg whites and oatmeal) and the girls had oatmeal pancakes.  Cornelius makes amazing pancakes.  Cornelius went out to mow and I mopped, did laundry and made lunch.  I made them creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwhiches- but on Cornelius' home-made bread.  I ate grilled chicken, spinach salad and quinoa with squeezed lemon.  It was all good.  Afterwards we all went to the basement to work on purging our house of too much junk. I was so excited about how much we did.  Cornelius went out to feed the animals and I was in trying to figure out what to eat....I didn't plan ahead and so I was starting to feel really discouraged about this whole eating thing.  I just wanted to eat and not think about it or care or worry about whether it was good for me or not.  Cornelius came in from outside and I suggested he get pizza for him and the girls.  He told me "I can make good home-made pizza at home."  So then I thought to myself, "I can make good food for me too.  Its ok.  I can eat yummy food too."  So I got to work.  Instead of using meat, I used egg whites in my rice/bean dish.  Its almost like a fried vietnamese rice except I made mine with a spanish flavor and didn't fry it.

• Cook Brown rice and put aside (I boiled it with sliced onions, cumin, cilantro)
• Can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles
• Add chopped onions, cumin, cilantro,chili powder and garlic and let it boil with the beans and tomotoes
• I took 1/2 cup of cooked rice and added 2 egg whites and 1 yolk and fried it in a pan with Pam Spray. 
• Then when I fried it up good, I put it on a plate and added 1/4 cup of my yummy bean topping
• I chopped fresh tomatoes and onions to garnish the top of my yummy rice meal.

I took a great picture of my food but I can't upload it.  I'll share it when I can upload it. :)  Lesson learned: Plan ahead or you will make bad choices or get depressed and make a food choice based on emotion.

Tomorrow marks day 11 of the 24 day Advocare challenge.  We are planning to go to the mall.  Abby wants to use her gift certificate at Build A Bear and get her ears pierced.  I need to plan and make good choices.  Part of me wants to just let it go and not worry about it.  But I can do this.  I can make good food choices even when I'm out in town.  It just takes discipline and being intentionaly.  I'm going to plan ahead, pack my good snacks and I've already decided what I'm going to eat when we eat out. 

These lessons learned these past few days seem very simple and basic. But when you learn them personally, it's different.  Ive heard people talk this way, but never experienced myself.  I'm learning to eat for life and it's hard to break these habits.  But one day at a time...one day at a time is what I need to worry about and God will continue to walk with me through this and I keep putting my hope in Him and His promise to complete this good work that He has begun in me.