Have you ever found yourself repeating the same action over and over again only to find yourself continuously disappointed by the outcome? I mean, let’s be honest, we all do it albeit unconsciously. I recently found myself in this unproductive cycle until it hit me…Shellie, get to the why!!! Why are you so surprised by the outcome when you’ve done absolutely nothing to change your actions?

So, what sparked this not-so-new revelation that I’ve lost track of my why? Well, it all goes back to my weight story, which is and will continue to be a running theme in my life. Yes, I’ve written a book that addresses the mental and emotional roots of our behavior with food. And yes, those principles I continue to find the most effective in navigating my food journey.

But, the last two years have thrown a new wrench into my well fashioned and fully formed routine…hormones.

I’d heard about it, I’d read about it…but now It’s time for me to wrestle with the frustration of hormonal weight gain. It literally moved in about 6 months ago. I was chugging along fine; making occasional adjustments here and there as I’ve learned to do over the past seven years when I started to notice my weight creaping up.

It was insidiuous at first; probably because it starting taking hold in December when I typically expect to gain some weight. The problem is that the extra pounds didn’t disappear as easy as the holiday decorations. In fact, they decided to stick around. What’s worse, those pounds invited a few of their friends to come hang around like uninvited guests.

I know some of you are biting your lip about now because you know exactly what I’ve been feeling. The well-honed routine I’ve followed for years just isn’t getting the job done anymore.

Hmm…so, I hit Google hard researching all the words: hormonal weight gain, perimenopause, causes, symptoms…to get to the why behind my spiraling weight gain.

Unlike past years, creating a calorie deficit was just not going to cut it anymore. I needed to shift my focus from how much I was eating to the kinds of foods I was eating. I am a self-declared carb junkie and my post-50 body was saying, “Nope, not anymore!”

Ok body, I get it…I’ll change things up!

Well, that was about six weeks ago. I’ve lowered my carb intake, cut way back on sugar and I’ve stopped eating after dinner.

Get To The Why

Here’s the point in the story that I come to my “get to the why” lesson for today.

Most of us have struggled with the scale at one point or another in our lives. I knew not to weigh-in too much in the first couple of weeks, but around week three I found myself walking over to the scale every morning. Initially, it awarded my A.M. pilgramiges with signs of downward movement.

But, then around two weeks ago my progress came to a screaching halt. I hadn’t changed my new habits, nor had I dipped in my resolve. Nope, I’m doing the right things; however, the scale refuses to award me for my efforts. In fact, it appears dead set on moving in the wrong direction.

Yet, every morning I find myself walking to the scale, hoping that my persistence will reveal something different. Then, when it doesn’t, it’s like a kick to my resolve.

Have I developed healthier habits? Yes. Does my research confirm that these habits will contribute to a healthier me and lessen my chances for developing secondary health issues? Yes. Are there any other reasonable adjustments I can make to my current eating habits without going overboard? NO.

Then, why do I insist on weighing myself everyday when the practice does absolutely nothing positive for my progress or my resolve?

Why do we often fail to ask why?

Why do we insist on performing the same rote actions only to find ourselves dealing with the same negative outcomes?

1. The action used to work for us in the past.

For years, I’ve relied on the scale to provide an objective benchmark of my current weight. But now, my weight fluctuates widely depending on how the hormones decide to rage on a given day.

People change and circumstances change. If an action that used to positively reinforce your mood or outlook no longer produces the same results, then it’s time to ask yourself why you’re still performing it.

2. We are too busy to notice that we’re stuck in a rut.

The auto-pilot syndrome is real. Often, we do what we’ve always done because we just don’t seem to have the time to explore why we feel bad. In fact, a lot of us just assume we’re tired and cranky because of our schedules, when in reality it’s because the way we go about our daily duties just isn’t working for the people we are today.

3. We are resistant to change.

Finally, we get to the “C” word that so many of us resist. We are just plain-out scared of change. Our past successes can paralize us from changing actions that used to reap positive results.

• You’ve always worn your hair past your shoulders. But lately, you’ve noticed that your long hair seems to be making you look older.
• You’ve always had dark hair, but you can’t hardly keep up with the gray roots.
• You’ve always dressed a certain way, but your body is no longer shaped the way it used to be so the style seems less flattering.
• You’ve always had a three bedroom house, but now the kids aren’t home and some of the rooms are never used.

I think you get the idea at this point. Take some time. Schedule it in if you need to. But find some time to think about your life and your routine. Do your daily actions fit who you are today? If not, it’s time to get to the why.

God always calls us to examine the whys in our lives because it’s the why that reveals what’s truly in our hearts.

Test me, Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;

Psalms 26:2

So, I’ll be saying goodbye to my daily weigh-ins for a while, but I’ll keep pursuing all the positive changes I’ve made to my daily routine. Why?…because those are the things I can actually control, while the rest I ultimately have to leave in God’s hands.

~ Shellie

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It’s been a long while since I’ve done a fitness post and I must admit it’s because I’ve been wrestling with what fitness should look like as I approach my mid-fifties.  I hope to encourage a few of you who are walking this familiar road as you try to figure out your own midlife fitness routine. Even better, I’d love to hear what some of you are doing to stay fit in midlife.

I’ve exercised regularly since I hit 30. That was the year my youngest turned one and I decided it was time to get some of my junk pulled together after a few childbirths. And, for the most part, my chosen routine of primarily high-impact cardio worked like a dream for the next two-plus decades. My body responded well as long as I logged a good four hour-long sessions each week.

However, something started changing a year ago when I turned 53…I hit a wall with my cardio exercise. I’d heard rumors of it, but I guess with anything, experience is usually our best teacher.

I was going to the same classes and doing the same things, but the energy just wasn’t there. Not only that, but I would return home only to find myself sapped for the rest of the day. I mean…DRAGGING.

I wish I could say that I was so in tune with my body that I determined to change things up then and there…but no. I kept powering through like I had conditioned myself to do over the last 20 years. My body finally got my attention one morning in the middle of a Zumba class when I just couldn’t summon up the energy to go on.

I picked my stuff up and headed out the door in the middle of the class.

I went home and started combing the internet for answers. Frankly, it’s not all packaged neatly and tied up with a bow, but here’s what I’ve been able tie down in my search. We midlife women are a churning mix of rising and falling hormones that are all conspiring to rob us of our energy and deposit fat around our midsections.

Haha…that doesn’t sound very encouraging does it? I think the real truth of the matter is this…the whole midlife transition thing is real and hormonal changes do affect our bodies and performance.

More importantly, ignoring the problem does little to help a woman emotionally, mentally or physically.

A Few Things To Consider In Your Midlife Fitness Routine

1. Regulate Your Sleeping Schedule

I try to plan for 7 to 8 hours each night. Initially, I was experiencing a lot of waking and night sweats, so I went to a physician who prescribed an estradiol patch. The patch lessens my night sweats and I find myself sleeping a lot better. I eventually cut my dosage down to a half a patch.

Now, I know there are a lot of opinions on hormone replacement therapy, so I will leave it to you to work these out. But, I do recommend a doctor’s visit to get things checked out regardless of which path you choose.

2. Breathe More

No wonder we feel stressed out with the hormonal changes, sleepless nights and weight gain on top of all the other circumstances in our lives. Like me, many of you are also juggling the empty nest and aging parents, not to mention the toll of living through a worldwide pandemic. It’s A LOT for anybody.

Stress hormones can wreak even greater havoc on our already taxed systems. So, when you feel anxious or overwhelmed…sit down and consciously breathe.

I actually installed an app on my phone called Abide. The Abide app leads you through a brief meditation series with scripture and prayer. It also has a great bedtime story function that helps you to relax and focus on God.

Sometimes, we just need to be still. Most of us are familiar with this popular verse:

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46: 10

But, do you realize that this verse is proceeded by another group of verses:

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46: 1-3

It’s in the conscious act of stilling ourselves that we allow God to claim our attention, if only for a moment. We get so distracted and upset by the constant turmoil in our lives and the world around us that we find ourselves literally holding our breath.

We forget that God promises to be our refuge and strength. He says he’ll be right there when we’re in trouble.

God calls us to breathe him in and exhale our worries and fears.

3. Take Strategic Supplements

I have never really been good at the whole vitamin routine, but I now realize that strategic supplements really do give me the energy I need to get through the day. It helps me to portion out my week’s supply in a little M-F holder, then I take half at breakfast and the other half at lunch.

I will not take the time to dissect my whole supplement routine here, but I will mention one supplement that has given me a huge bump in energy. I’m notoriously bad at getting all the vegetables and fruit my body needs, so the Alive Once Daily Women’s Multivitamins help fill in the gaps that my eating doesn’t cover.

4. Commit To An At-Home Workout Routine

Working out at home was not an easy transition for me. While I like the social interaction of working out at the gym, I felt a pressure to keep up when my body just didn’t want to. I’m not saying I will say goodbye to the gym forever, but I do think the home workout is working for this season for several reasons. At-home workouts:

• allow you to cater the time and exercise to exactly what you need.
• give you the freedom to stop and start as many times as you need to during a workout.
• make it easy for you to modify any exercise to work for you.

Having said this, I don’t recommend just laying on the floor to do a few leg lifts now and then. We all need to push past what we think we’re capable of, which means we still need a virtual instructor to push us.

The FitOn app is the perfect app for the at-home workout. You can narrow down your routine to your own goals, time frame and activity level. If I get too tired, I press the pause button and walk around until I’m ready to press “play” again.

5. Add Strength Training & Toning To Your Workout

Our metabolism takes a huge hit in transition. While our bodies must deal with ever-changing hormone fluctuations, our metabolism is also greatly affected by loss of muscle tissue. The less muscle you have, the less calories your body burns at rest and the less food you can eat.

So, if you want to rev up your metabolism then you’ve got to start beefing up those muscles. Strong muscles also help support your bones, which protects you from usage aches and injuries.

I have added a lot more strength training into my routine; making special effort to concentrate on leg and rear exercises because those are the biggest muscle groups. Bigger muscle groups burn more calories…it’s a simple way to get more results from your efforts.

Here’s a link to an informative article that gives a lot more information about some of the changes I’ve made – What Type Of Exercise Is Best During Menopause?

Well, there you have it! This is what I’m doing to shake up my midlife fitness routine. I’d love to hear what you’re doing, so drop a comment below.

~ Shellie

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If there’s one thing we can all be assured of, it’s change. I find this to be glaringly true in my current midlife season. In fact, I could almost be convinced that little gnomes of change worked tirelessly to stack tons of “changing stuff” at the door to age 53…just waiting for me to open it so everything could come spilling out!

Don’t even get me started on all the goodies I’ve encountered in the past few months. Let’s just say I’ve been hit on all fronts…from night sweats to a mysterious 5 pounds that showed up one morning and so far, is intent on sticking around. So, I guess it’s time to talk about how I am trying to keep up with all my midlife changes and what keeps me going.

It’s a good thing I am such a fan of perspective and choices. I have had to follow my own advice more than a few times in recent days. Ultimately, I can choose to embrace this midlife season or I can sink into it as it threatens to swallow me whole.

Midlife Changes | How Am I Keeping Up?

1. His Mercies Are New Every Morning

I remind myself to take one day at a time and trust God for His mercies that are new every morning. This is especially important when I awaken from a night of staring at the clock at midnight, and one, and two-thirty  and three twenty…

2. My Perspective Is Often The Only Thing That’s In My Control

I can’t always control what is happening to me, but I can control my response to it. The natural inclination is to cast blame to something, or more often someone, when we feel helpless to control our own bodies. But, this habit really just spreads out and amplifies the problem. Instead, I take regular breaks to notice what’s going right in my life and thank God for those things. Then, I try to approach the rest from a position of strength (God’s strength) and promise.

Take a look at this new app I recently discovered, called Abide. It features short scripture meditations to help you refocus and recharge.

3. Take Small Steps To Address Your Midlife Season

If you don’t like where you are, then it’s time to ask God for help. But don’t stop there….take small steps to proactively move to a new place. So, what steps am I taking?

• I set an appointment to see an OB-GYN this week to see what’s happening with my hormones.
• I have evaluated my exercise routine to see where I can make some changes. I know that I need to add more strength training and toning to my typical cardio-rich schedule.
• I am evaluating my diet and asking myself the honest question, “What new habits can I form and realistically sustain? I know I need to address my carb intake in response to the hormonal changes in my body.
• Accept that a new season requires a new approach. Some of these midlife changes are here to stay, while others can be mitigated through changes to my diet, exercise routine and sleeping routine.

Here are some scriptures to encourage us all.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12: 9

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Isaiah 40: 29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11: 28

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

If you’ve read this far then I can just bet you’re right there in the boat with me. At least you and I can rest in the knowledge that many women have navigated these waters before us. Even better, we can place our midlife changes in God’s hands and trust Him to help us sort them out.

~ Shellie

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It’s been a while since I have given you an update on Find Your Weigh and I also want to survey interest in a future online study. I’m excited to say that God has blessed this project even in the midst of a pandemic. In fact, I now believe that God led me to release this book and Bible study at just the right time. Who knew that everyone would be stuck in their homes facing some of their biggest food struggles…boredom and stress?

Freedom Journey Fund

Several months before I released Find Your Weigh, I felt impressed to donate all proceeds from the paperback version of the book. Since its release, I have developed an exciting new partnership with Happy Horizons Children’s Home in Cebu, Philippines. This ministry rescues girls who have been trafficked and offers them hope and a future. We have started the Freedom Journey Fund.

YouVersion Devotional

In January, I released a 7-day devotional on the YouVersion app the same day as I launched the book and the Bible study. Since then, over 10,000 people have subscribed to this video devotional. I have received some awesome testimonies.

“I just started this book (page 23) and already I know that it will change my life regarding my weight issues. God has brought me this study first by simply finding the devotions on YouVersion. Thank you so much for being obedient to God’s calling on your life and bringing to light what my heart has been searching for. I look forward to the next few weeks together and to the rest of my life being free from this struggle. “I can do all things through Christ.” God bless you.”

– Dina

Interested In An Future Online Study?

Recently, I have received a number of requests for a Find Your Weigh online study, so I wanted to give you an opportunity to express your interest by filling out the survey below. Previously, I was resistant to commit the time and energy to this type of platform. However, God has shaken a lot of my “plans” in recent months, and, above all else, I want to be obedient to His leading…his ways are always the best.

CLICK HERE FOR SHORT SURVEY – INTEREST IN ONLINE STUDY

I want to say thanks to all of you who have supported this effort and joined me on this journey! I have been so encouraged by your comments and testimonies of how God is speaking to you through this book and study.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Cor. 15:58

May God continue to lead each of you as you pursue his plan and calling for your lives.

~ Shellie

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We are now half-way through our series on the Top 4 Excuses For Being Overweight. So far, we’ve tackled two of the biggies. Let’s look back to see what we have learned so far.

• I Eat Because I’m Bored – The reason why people who have weight problems gravitate immediately to thoughts of food when they are bored is because they have trained themselves to look to food as the answer to their every whim.
• I Eat Because I Like The Taste Of Food  – You eat because you are motivated by food’s sheer yumminess. People who can’t seem to resist the intoxicating draw of food need to look at food as their drug of choice.

If you suffer from either of these excuses, I encourage you to look back at the first two posts in this series. If you would like to dive deeper into the “why” behind your food struggles, check out my book, Find Your Weigh.

I Eat Because I Am Stressed

Stress is an inevitable byproduct of being human. We all face situations and circumstances that are beyond our control, yet our modern-day society can trick us into thinking that we should be in control at all times.  Although technology makes many life tasks easier, it also makes us feel like we should have our act together all the time! You may be saying, yep that’s me…I eat because I am stressed!

So, how does all this stress affect our weight? One common defense mechanism is the fight or flight mode. This is the tendency to either stand up to your problems and responsibilities or run from them. All of us cope with stress differently. Some of us stand up to the problem, look it squarely in the eye and deal with it without another thought. Others of us find it difficult to process stressful events, which triggers the flight response.

And where does the stress eater run? Yep, straight to food. Food provides immediate satisfaction because it stimulates the pleasure sensors in our brains and, most importantly, it doesn’t talk back.

Food provides immediate satisfaction, it stimulates our pleasure sensors and it doesn’t talk back.
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But, while it may not talk out loud, it can wreak serious havoc on your metabolism. How does stress affect our metabolism?

Studies have shown that hormones play a role in elevating the desire to eat foods containing carbohydrates during prolonged periods of stress. When our brains receive stimuli that indicate a period of stress on the body, they respond by releasing cortisol, a hormone whose primary function is to raise blood sugar and promote the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat. In response to higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases extra insulin, which has the effect of lowering blood sugar rather quickly. This, in turn, causes a craving for foods rich in carbohydrates – e.g., comfort foods.

Source: Mind Over Matter: Effects Of Stress On Metabolism

Solutions To Stress Eating

1. Do Not Allow Yourself To Become Hungry

Hunger itself produces stress. Hunger is your body’s way of signaling that your fuel tank is empty and needs refilling. Actually, the physiological feelings of hunger can closely resemble our physiological response to stress: irritability, inability to think clearly and light-headedness. Now, pair the natural feelings of hunger with a stressful situation and you have the perfect breeding ground for poor food choices.

It helps to take hunger out of the picture. Make sure you plan healthy, satisfying snacks to be eaten throughout the day at 2-to-3-hour intervals. Make sure that these snacks are rich in fiber and protein and low in sugar. Anyone who has read many of my posts will know that I highly recommend nuts as a go-to snack because they satisfy hunger and they consist of healthy fats. If your body is well-satisfied, you will have more energy and attention to focus on the element of stress.

2. Recognize Your Physiological Triggers To Stress

All of us react differently to stress. For some, stress can interfere with one’s concentration(reading over the same page multiple times), others may notice a slight tremor in their hands and still others react by becoming increasingly agitated or easily provoked.

If you are a stress eater, it will help you greatly to pinpoint and identify your trigger.  Then, you can equip yourself to deal with the stress in positive ways that don’t involve food.

3. Predetermine An Activity That You Will Perform When You Notice The Triggers

Ok, you know your trigger, now what? You need to predetermine a calming action. It can seem counterproductive to take a time-out when you are stressed with too much to do. However, performing a calming action gives you the focused opportunity to acknowledge your stress and deal with it proactively.

Here are some possible calming activities (several of these can also be performed simultaneously).

• Remove yourself from your location. Walk around the block or the office. (Physical exercise releases feel-good endorphins).
• Take some deep breaths.
• Recite a favorite poem or verse.
• Listen to a song.
• Flip through a slideshow of your favorite pictures.
• Chew a piece of peppermint/spearmint gum.
• Journal your immediate thoughts or frustrations.
• Repeat a memorized affirmation.
• Call and vent to your spouse or friend. (Preferably someone who is not involved with the situation. They can provide perspective. Note: do not go to the same friend repeatedly as this can wear them out.)
• Table the stressful activity, if possible, to allow yourself time to reflect and brainstorm an effective resolution.

Now, in terms of stress eating, here is the key. You must vow to yourself that you will not resort to food before you have performed a calming activity.

vow to yourself that you will not resort to food before you have performed a calming activity
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Wait to eat until you are no longer experiencing the physiological trigger. This will help to reinforce the habit of mindful eating. Reducing stress will not only help you bring your weight in check; it will also enhance your outlook and relationships.

Have you been following along with this series? Have you successfully integrated any of the solutions so far? If so, I would love to hear from you. It would be a great encouragement!

~ Shellie

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(This post first published in May, 2015)

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Eating really is fun, isn’t it? It is probably the most agreed upon expression of culture and community around the world. No matter where you go or what you celebrate, food is almost always the center peg around which everything else revolves.

It’s not surprising that we immediately gravitate to thoughts of food when we’re bored. After all, food is where the party is! But there’s a problem with running to food every time you have a lag in activity…food has calories and typically “fun” foods have even more calories. And unfortunately, our bodies just can’t process an overabundance of calories without turning them into fat storage.

So, it’s time to come up with a plan B for those times when our brain tries to tell us that food is the answer to our boredom. Here are some suggestions of things you can do instead of eating when boredom strikes.

8 Things To Do Instead Of Eating

1. Go for a walk.

Remove yourself from temptation and flee from the fridge. It’s time to get the blood pumping a little bit. Walking helps to clear your head and it stimulates your other senses as well. Plus, walking actually provides a fitness benefit, so you are essentially killing two birds with one stone.

2. Call, text or tweet a friend.

Your mind drifts to food because you want stimulation, so you need to search elsewhere than the kitchen. Use your food cravings as a reminder to reach out to others. A good conversation can do wonders for redirecting your attention.

3. Clean something.

It’s funny how quickly our mind turns to food and how slowly it considers cleaning the kitchen floor ;)!

4. Organize something.

Consider that stack of old pictures, the pile of shoes in your closet or jumble of plastic containers in your kitchen cabinets. Taking the time to organize something bring order into your life in some small way.

Actually, an increased sense of order can also spill over into your own thinking. Some people turn to food because they can’t take the messiness or chaos of things around them. By taking control of some aspect of your life, even if it is only matching the proper lid to its corresponding container, you gain a sense of accomplishment that eating a bag of chips can’t supply.

5. Research an upcoming vacation.

Find something else to get excited about that doesn’t involve food. Start researching for an upcoming vacation. Look for hotel deals, attraction discounts and tourist reviews.

6. Paint your nails.

Painting your own nails takes time and concentration. Not only that, but you can save a good bit of money by doing them yourself. You can use the money you save to go on that vacation you’re planning!

7. Give Yourself A Facial.

The internet are full of natural concoctions for various facial scrubs, moisturizers and masks. Instead of going to the kitchen for a snack, round up some food options and do a DIY facial.

8. Look through your closet for new wardrobe combinations.

For women, clothes are one of the few things that can run a close second to food and may even inch it out from time to time. Look through your closet for new wardrobe combinations. Mix and match different separates that you have never tried before. You can also look at your favorite blogs or Pinterest boards for inspiration. Find inspiration outfits and then try to copy them with items you already own.

You Have To Short Circuit The Immediate Eat Response

All of these are great ways to get your mind off food, but first you have to short circuit the immediate eat response. The time to come up with alternative activities to eating is BEFORE you put any food in your mouth. Snacking is often an unconscious activity. You grab a bag of chips and before you know it half the bag is gone and you can’t hardly remember it going in.

The good news is this…once you have trained yourself to recognize your tendency to eat when you’re bored, you can actually develop a habit of listening to your stomach for cues of when to eat.

~ Shellie

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(This post first published in October, 2015)

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The holiday season is chock full of celebrations…all revolving around eating. It’s no wonder some of us feel helpless with all the festive food choices.  It’s enough to make you want to throw in the towel. But, I am here to say that several scattered occasions do not have to send you careening off the weight wagon. As long as you remember one important thing when it comes to controlling weight over the holidays…Everyday can’t be a party.

Today is the second part of the Holiday Food Survival Guide. We have all talked about how to approach the loaded holiday table.

Controlling Weight Over The Holidays

It’s easy to adopt the mindset, “Well, I blew it at last night’s party, so I guess the whole month of December is a wash” mentality. Typically, Christmas parties offer an enticing array of rich, sumptuous delicacies that few of us can resist.

It’s easy to adopt the mindset, “Well, I blew it at last night’s party, so I guess the whole month of December is a wash” mentality.
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Let’s assume that you are planning to attend five Christmas parties plus a New Year’s Eve party this holiday season. That’s six days out of a total thirty-one days when you will likely overeat. So what are you going to do with the remaining 25 days of the month?

Everyday Can’t Be A Party – Balancing Act

What are you eating in between the parties? I have discovered that controlling your weight over the holidays is a balancing act.

1. Plan For The 2 Days Before And Two Days After A Party

If you know that you will be attending a Christmas party on Saturday, it’s time to make a plan for the 2 days before and the 2 days after the party. Make plans to rid your diet of all “extras” for those 4 days.

This means choosing black coffee over fraphchoochoos and passing on the fries for four days.

2. Plan To Exercise At Least 30 Minutes On Two Of Those Days

On top of that, plan to exercise for at least 30 minutes on two of those days. Several of you have told me that it is hard to keep up with a fitness plan during December. Here is where you have to take proactive steps to plan movement into your days.

• If you can’t make it to the gym, walk around the block.
• Get off the elevator 5 floors early and walk up the stairs.
• Park in the furthest parking space and walk in.
• Turn on some festive music and walk laps around your living room or dance with your kids.

3. Refuse To Give In To The Urge To Wait Until January To Get The Weight Off

How many times have I told myself that I would just wait until January to get the weight off?…a lot! Here’s the big problem with this way of thinking. It removes all restrictions to your eating. Most likely, if you pigged out on 6 occasions during the month of December, but kept the rest of the month in check you might likely gain one to two pounds….or maybe none at all! But, if you defer all self control for 31 days, it’s likely you could end up 5 to 10 pounds heavier by January.

Even more damaging than the extra weight, is the feeling of defeat you feel when January rolls around. In essence, putting off your self control by throwing off all restrictions on food just defers the emotional pain.

You may not actually lose weight over the holiday season, but controlling your weight over the holidays is achievable if you aim to keep things even until life gets back to its normal pace in January. Next week we’ll tackle holiday sweets.

Are You Ready To Try Something Different With Your Weight?

What if you tried looking at things differently? What if you were to anticipate something different when the New Year rolls around instead of dreading the inevitable diet?

Instead of trying to pack in all the food you can in anticipation of a depriving diet, why don’t you begin asking God to do something new in you? Ask Him to open your mind up to new possibilities and hopefulness that you can change with His help.

I’m excited to say the Find Your Weigh book and the companion Find Your Weigh: Walk In Freedom Bible Study (including free video content) will release on January 6, 2020 and Pre-Orders open on December 5…just in time to help put you on the right track for the New Year. It’s real, it’s practical and it’s grounded in God’s Word…better still, it’s not a diet at all!

So, what do you say? Are you ready to kick-off the next decade with a renewed mind and a new mindset for approaching food? Why don’t you plan to get a few girlfriends together to share the journey?

~ Shellie

Catch all my posts by subscribing to my newsletter list in the footer of this page or Follow with Bloglovin’! Check out the fabulous linkups I’m joining this week – My Linkups!

The post Holiday Eating Survival Guide – Controlling Weight Over Holidays appeared first on Shellie Bowdoin | The FABulous Journey.

Thanksgiving is by far one of my favorite holidays. I love the whole idea of setting aside a special day to celebrate our bountiful blessings with family and friends. And of course, you can’t talk about Thanksgiving without mentioning all the yummy foods that go with it. It seems appropriate to kick off the Holiday Food Survival Guide with a post on “How To Approach The Loaded Holiday Table.”

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How To Approach The Loaded Holiday Table

My family has certain dishes that they expect to see on the Thanksgiving table, so the holiday also brings a good bit of nostalgia with it as well. Sometimes biting into that old family recipe will just bring memories flooding to the surface.

There is one essential factor that I want to establish at the very beginning of the series, Holiday Food Survival Guide, and that is, food is a great thing! We love food because it is a sensory experience that puts us in touch with our culture and our past. Food is a vital part of the human experience.

Too many times we want to demonize food and blame it for all our weight problems. However, I want to say this loud and clear, “Food does not make you eat it!” For years I lived with this mentality. I was convinced that I had no control over food; especially during the holidays.

Food does not make you eat it!
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If you want to make it through the next six weeks without gaining weight, then you need to start by taking responsibility for your food choices. You choose the foods you put in your mouth, the food doesn’t choose you.

Now, having said that, I should mention a few things about my food mindset.

• I enjoy special holiday foods and I would not dream of going through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year without eating my favorite things.
• I like sweets. The idea of going cold turkey on dessert is unthinkable to me.
• This girl cannot live on vegetables and lean meats alone.

Am I saying that my way is the best way…no! The internet offers a vast array of healthy diet plans and nutritional options, which I cannot begin to compete with, nor would I try. If I could be satisfied with eating only the right foods needed to fuel my body, then I would never have gained the kind of experience I have on my weight journey.

Instead, I had to find a way to keep my weight in check and still enjoy the foods that I like. In the end, I found out it’s all about balance. If any of you have read my earlier posts on weight, then you already know that successfully navigating our relationship with food requires that we engage our minds.

Tips To Approach The Loaded Holiday Table

1. Do Not Starve Yourself In Anticipation Of The Big Meal

Many of us are guilty of this. In anticipation of a big meal, we often skimp on meals earlier in the day as a way to “save our calories” for the fun food. However, this typically means that we are starving by the time we hit the holiday spread.

It’s much better to eat normally prior to a special meal. That way your mind will be making the choices when it comes to the richer holiday foods, instead of your screaming stomach.

2. Do Not Pig Out On Appetizers

Remember, the meal is the star of the show, so the appetizers are just previews for the main attraction. If there are nuts available, satisfy yourself with a handful of them.

3. Size Up The Food Before You Put Anything On Your Plate

Remember, the food does not control you. First, size up the food to see what it available. Determine which items are must haves and which items you can pass on. Just because the food is there doesn’t mean you have to eat it.

4. Make Servings 1/3 The Size Of What You Think You Want

Our eyes are often much bigger than our stomachs when we first go through the line; not to mention that the variety is often endless when it comes to holiday spreads. If you have already looked the table over, then you already have a good idea of what you want to eat. Plan to serve yourself only 1/3 of the amount you think you want.

Generally, a 1/3 size serving will not be more than 2″ in diameter. The one exception will be the protein; especially if it’s baked turkey. The lean breast of a baked turkey is a delicacy you can afford to eat more of.

5. Put All Gravies And Sauces On The Side

Gravies and rich sauces add a lot of extra fat and calories. Spoon a small pool of gravy beside your food instead of on top. You can still get the taste by dipping the edge of your meat or mashed potatoes into the gravy instead of pouring it all over your food.

6. Wait At Least 10 Minutes After Eating Before Considering Seconds

Do you need more food? If so, narrow done your return trip to 2 food items, then only serve yourself a 1/3 sized serving.

7. Wait At Least An Hour After The Meal To Eat Dessert

Wait at least an hour after the meal to eat dessert. This allows your stomach to register fullness from the main meal. When you do eat dessert, use the same rules as you did with the main meal; except, seconds are not an option when it comes to sweets because they have no nutritional value.

I hope these tips help you to approach the loaded holiday table with confidence and enjoy your time with family and friends. Next, we’ll dive into the second part of our holiday eating survival guide, Controlling Your Weight Over The Holidays.

I learned how to make these kinds of choices five years ago when I decided to get off of the weight roller coaster. I spent years yo-yo dieting and my yo-yo inevitably went up every year when the holiday season rolled around. For years I felt helpless and hopeless against the lure of food…so basically, when I was approached with too many yummy choices I gave in to the draw of food every single time.

Maybe you’ve also wondered why you can’t seem to resist the draw of food. It always seems like a situation that’s bigger than your willpower or your resolve. I always blamed my overeating on a lack of willpower, but now I’ve come to realize how much I need God’s strength in the midst of my weakness.

¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

If you’re like me then you have always thought of your weight as personal issue that you had to deal with on your own. But God is just waiting for you to call Him into your story. He longs to speak strength into your weakness.

I’ve written a book to help you learn how to approach God with your weight frustrations by uncovering what you really believe about food. Once you’ve uncovered your faulty thinking, then you can counter that thinking with a renewed mind and new, workable habits you can see yourself following next week, next month and next year!

I’m excited to say the Find Your Weigh book and the companion Find Your Weigh: Walk In Freedom Bible Study (including free video content) will release on January 6, 2020…just in time to help put you on the right track for the New Year. It’s real, it’s practical and it’s grounded in God’s Word…better still, it’s not a diet at all!

So, what do you say? Are you ready to kick-off the next decade with a renewed mind and a new mindset for approaching food? Why don’t you plan to get a few girlfriends together to share the journey?

~ Shellie

Catch all my posts by subscribing to my newsletter list on the blog/home page or Follow with Bloglovin’! Check out the fabulous linkups I’m joining this week – My Linkups!

The post Holiday Eating Survival Guide: How To Approach The Loaded Holiday Table appeared first on Shellie Bowdoin | The FABulous Journey.

We all know that weight loss does not just happen without a plan. However, many of us choose drastic measures instead of making small changes to our existing lifestyle.  While drastic diets do work in the short run, most of us probably have a personal story of how they failed miserably in the end because they did not ever really develop a weight loss mindset for the long haul. Here are 5 eating habits that yield lasting weight results.

After I got started, I realized that all ten would constitute a particularly long post, so instead, I am writing a two-part series.

1.Replace sugared beverages with water or unsweetened tea.

The term “soft drink” refers to any beverage with added sugar or other sweetener, and includes soda, fruit punch, lemonade and other “ades,” sweetened powdered drinks, and sports and energy drinks. People who drink sugary beverages do not feel as full as if they had eaten the same calories from solid food, and studies show that people consuming sugary beverages don’t compensate for their high caloric content by eating less food.

Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Nutrition Website

A 12 ounce can of coke contains 39 grams of sugar and 149 calories, while a Snapple Lemon iced tea has 23 grams of sugar and 100 calories. Compare these numbers with the American Heart Association’s recommendation of no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar for women (25g) and 9 teaspoons for men (37.5g) per day. This really gives you a better idea of the sugar content in just one serving of a sugary drink.

we seldom count our drinks toward our daily food intake.
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Essentially, the primary issue with sugar is that it has zero nutritional value. So, when you waste 150 calories on a sugary drink, your body receives absolutely no nutritional benefit. What’s more, we seldom count our drinks toward our daily food intake. Whereas, we may consciously cut back on something during the day because we ate a donut for breakfast, we are far less likely to even consider the calories from a beverage.

However, if you pass on the sugary drink, you then have 150 calories to spend on a food choice that will actually satisfy your hunger and fuel your body. Bottom line, save the calories for food.

One reason I often go for unsweetened tea is for the caffeine source. Since I don’t drink coffee, tea is my primary source of caffeine.  Although, there are those who would suggest banning caffeine from your diet as well, that is not a step I am ready to take at this point in my life journey. I guess it’s just an issue of picking your life battles.

2. Use the “three bite rule” when eating sweets.

Most of us have a sweet tooth. Just one stroll down the grocery store aisle attests to that. Couple this with the fact that every main holiday or celebration comes with its own celebratory confection. Unless you are one of those rare individuals who doesn’t really care for sweets, you are always going to be tempted to indulge. So, stop trying to ban all sugar from your life. Instead, take it from the realm of indulgence to that of enjoyment.

The “three bite rule” has been around a long time and it works on a simple principle. The first bite of a rich, decadent dessert is heaven to the taste buds and the second bite is usually just as stimulating as the first. But, by the third bite, your taste buds have grown accustomed to the taste, so the food begins to lose it’s initial appeal.

Calorie wise, three bites seldom pack enough punch to derail your daily calorie expenditure.
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For sake of illustration,  a piece of classic cheese cake from the Cheesecake Factory is 710 calories. It is safe to say that three good bites would be about 170 calories. So, you can see how this technique works well to keep the calories in check, because calorie wise, three bites seldom pack enough punch to derail your daily calorie expenditure.

Even so, remember that you can only do the “three bite rule” once in a day. Also, some desserts are so treacherous that three bites could pack quite a calorie wallop. I found a dessert on the Cheesecake Factory menu called Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake that rolled in at a hefty 1680 calories. Um, those gold standard desserts should be reserved for very special occasions.

3. Pass on chips at lunch and add a slice of cheese to your sandwich instead.

In this instance, it is not only important to consider the calorie-count of a particular food, but also the quality of those calories. In the case of chips, a snack-size bag of Lay’s classic potato chips has 220 calories and 14 fat grams, which is 25% of the daily fat allowance.

On the other hand, a slice of chedder has about 120 calories and 10 grams of fat, but it also has 7 grams of protein that will help satisfy your hunger for much longer. Also, this choice has some nutritional benefit.

You may be thinking, “Wouldn’t it be better to pass on the cheese as well?” A simple answer to that, in terms of fat and calories, is yes. But, successfully navigating food choices for the long-haul involves a give and take. Ultimately, the slice of cheese adds a level of richness to a food while still lending some nutritional value.

There are also other cheese choices that are equally satisfying with fewer fat calories,  like provolone or feta.

4. Eat sandwiches and burgers with only one bun instead of two.

This is a big one for me because I have always been a huge bread lover. I couldn’t envision a life without bread at all, so instead I decided to put some limits on it instead.

The main problem with bread, especially the white bread in your typical hamburger bun, is that it is classified as a simple carbohydrate. Now, the human body relies on carbohydrates for energy. When you eat carbohydrates, the body breaks them down to create glucose or blood sugar.

as far as your body is concerned, your hamburger bun might as well be a cupcake
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The problem with simple carbohydrates is that they also contain sugar. This means that once your body extracts the energy it needs, it reads white bread almost identically to pure unadulterated sugar. As far as your body is concerned, your hamburger bun might as well be a cupcake, because it breaks down and processes simple carbohydrates and sugars in the same way.

By limiting half of your bread serving , you lower the carbohydrate level and proportionately increase the protein level of a meal.

5. Plan to always have a mid-afternoon snack.

I want you to consider hunger as the arch enemy of informed food choices. Plainly put, you just can’t get your head screwed on straight when you are hungry. This is the time when you slip up and wreck all the progress you have made throughout the day by rushing to eat the first food in sight.

You need to actively plan for a mid-afternoon snack. Your body will need fuel, and unless you plan ahead, you are left with two unappealing options. Either you suffer through the afternoon with the negative effects of rapidly dropping blood sugar or you head to the vending machine to purchase a high-calorie snack.

Preparation is the key to mindful eating. Purchase a variety of high-fiber snacks to have on hand at all times. Then, set a time to have a snack BEFORE you actually feel hungry. Typically,  the best time for snacking is a few hours after lunch.

There you have the first five habits to yield lasting weight results. Why don’t you give them a try this week and then I’ll be back next week with five more.

Just remember, I am in this with you. Everything that I mention or suggest on this site has worked successfully for me and has yielded big results. I am confident these steps can do the same for you.

~ Shellie

Catch all my posts by subscribing with your email in the right side bar, Follow with Bloglovin’ or you can subscribe to just the weight journey posts feed. Also, check out the other fabulous lifestyle linkups I’m joining this week – My Linkups!

The post 5 Eating Habits That Yield Lasting Weight Results appeared first on Shellie Bowdoin | The FABulous Journey.