I still feel lazy today, but I am making my decrees and confessions. Making the right confession is a part of developing the proper mindset needed to make necessary changes.  One of my confessions is: “I am a lean fat-burning machine!”  I got on the scale this morning and I do see a change, down 3 lbs since Sunday.  Yea!  For the past 3 years, I have weighed myself several times a week.  I know that many discourage this practice.  But it works for me and helps me stay on track!  Like in all things, you will have to see what works for you and choose to do that.  One of the reasons I like this challenge is because it is not a diet! I am learning a whole lot of new information.

For years, I could not understand why I was getting bigger and bigger and rarely ate.  I’d get frustrated watching what my husband and others ate because if I ate like they did, I can’t imagine how big I’d be.  Losing weight was difficult. I now know it’s because my body was weight loss resistant (WLR). The main reason is because my hormones, (especially one called Leptin) are out of whack! My body is full of Leptin, my brain is just not hearing it! Since my brain has been desensitized to it, my body was no longer working to burn fat!  BUT I DECREE THOSE DAYS ARE GONE FOREVER BECAUSE….I’M A LEAN FAT BURNING MACHINE!  My hormones are getting back in shape because I’m cutting the grains and the sugar until we get my body back to functioning correctly!  Then, I will add slowly some of the healthier grains back to my diet!

Dr. Lonnie Bagwell of Maximized Living is covering food and nutrition during our Amazing Body Tour, in less than 2 weeks, March 16th.  Register now at bellingerminisries.com.  The information that will be shared during the Amazing Body Tour will help you and your family to live a long, healthy and maximized life!  Can’t wait to see you there!

Day 2 of Fitness Challenge

So today is Day 2 of the two week fitness challenge.  I want to REALLY emphasize that although the challenge is about losing 10 lbs in two weeks; it is not just about the weight loss! The challenge is about changing your life forever! Over the next few weeks I plan to be very candid with you about Myra in an effort to help us, “change or lives forever!” 

I know my friends Kristen M, Lejena W. and Sequria L. are joining me on this challenge.  The challenge is 10 lbs in two weeks.  We are weighing ourselves, Taking measurements and maybe even some photos so that when you join us at the Amazing Body Tour on Saturday, March 16^th, our results will be obvious! Go to bellingerministries.com and register for the event today.  At the My Amazing Body Tour we will put the challenge before you and equip you with the information you need to change your life forever!

So how am I feeling today on day 2?  Tired and sluggish.  I've got a headache, but my WHY’s are still big therefore my commitment is unwavering. I could be tired because my weekend was so exhausting. But I could be tired and sluggish with a headache because those are a few of the signs of sugar withdrawal.  My old habits would give me a quick fix.  All I’d have to do is find me a good sandwich loaded with everything!  (Oh, I love good sub sandwiches). So I’m resisting the temptation of finding myself at Sub Station II.  I know if I go, my body would FEEL better immediately…but not BE better!  Lol.  I would get the carbs my body is craving but I refuse because I’m on my way to becoming a fat-burning machine! You see, right now, I’m loving on my body burning sugars.  But here’s the switch. I’m committed to  loading up on proteins, good fats and vegetables!  Yep so I command my body….. “let’s get it together!”  We’re getting rid of the sugars to embrace the new me!!  Fine and free!!!!!...and best of all HEALTHILY!

Resolves not Resolutions

Clearly some resolves had to me made within me to change this doomed path. Resolves are decisions. They are not resolutions.  Resolves are what we DETERMINE to do.  I resolved that I was coming off of medications---ALL OF THEM.  I resolved that I was not going to be sick.  I was too beautiful, had too much purpose and much more life to live!  I resolved that I was going to live that life and fulfill my purpose and I was going to be healthy and happy doing it.  I resolved that I had been honoring God with caring for and allowing Him to rule my spirit. For many years, with His help and guidance, I’d been doing quite a bit of work on my soul (mind, will and emotions) and now it was time to give Him my body---entirely! And finally, I resolved that I would continue to be a work in progress.  I would continue to learn about caring for my temple that I might honor God and help others.  I was up for the challenge.

The short version of that story is that I lost some weight. I felt better. I looked better. My doctor took me off all blood pressure medications with the exception of one that she decreased down to the least amount possible.  Now that was three years ago. It’s time to go to the next dimension.  So I am ready and up for the challenge:  10 lbs in two weeks.  Let’s get ‘er done!

It's on and Poppin

A Few years ago, I invited the women of my church to join me for the FAT SMASH journey. I managed to lose nearly 35lbs and for the most part I kept the majority of it off (although I teeter-totter 5 to 7 lbs.)  For me, that was the beginning of my journey.  I use the word journey because that what it is.  THIS IS NOT ABOUT A DIET! This is not just about being cute in those jeans, (although it’s exciting that that is going to happen)!  This is about my health.  This is about using knowledge to create a LIFESTYLE that is completely pleasing to God.  Most of you may not know how much that AMPS me, but it does. That’s why I’m so amped.  Caring for my temple is my God-given responsibility.  This journey is about becoming healthier—inside and out!! The journey is about adapting a lifestyle that will afford me the opportunity to maximize my amazing life!

When I took on the fat smash challenge about three years ago, “ life” put me in a position where I could continue to make the poor choices I was making, or I could make some changes.  I say “life” put me in a position, but the reality is, through laziness and ignorance I put myself in the position…a very bad position! Like most, I had horrible eating and exercising habits.  I was border line diabetic and had begun pricking my finger & taking my blood sugar levels 3 times daily. (That was for the birds!) I was on 3 different blood pressure medications.  I was tired often and felt, more times than not…not well!  I couldn’t understand why someone who ate so infrequently—and not “so unhealthy” continued to get fatter and fatter!  I was never a gorger, or a big junk-food junkie. I never had a huge appetite!  But clearly something wasn’t right! This was so frustrating! I looked at my husband and my babies I realized, I simply cannot go down this road!  It would be so unfair to them if I got sick…too sick to care for myself simply due to ignorance and poor choices.   My babies were 3 and 6.  At the rate I was going, would I be able to go to their high school graduation?  Would they have to stay near home during their college years to help take care of their mom?  What about my life?  I am a mentor, a life-coach and pastor! How could I effectively continue to travel & help to bless and change lives --sick?  To me, the worst thing about being sick and having a disease is not the end result of what it might lead to, which is death.  If it were just immediate death, I could handle that because of what I believe the afterlife holds for me. But it’s not death that scares me. It’s all the pain and suffering—mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially that happens before you die! It’s all the things you miss on in life, although you still have life.  It’s all the pain and adjustments my family and I would have to encounter that scares me the most about disease.  All of these reasons became my BIG WHY to change my life forever!  “My Big WHY” simply means the reasons why I do what I do! It was time to make some resolves…..