Lisa’s Weight Loss Journey

Lisa has given me permission to compile some of her journal entries about her weight loss journey into a blog post. She has does fantastic on the program and shares encouraging moments and the challenges she has faced during her weight loss journey. She is currently 50 lbs down, but these posts are from her initial goal of 40 lbs down!

 

Week 1-July 3, 2014

Wednesday, June 26th was my first official IP orientation meeting. I’m excited about the program and am expecting great results coupled with my commitment, direction from the IP team and most importantly prayer. have 100% unwavering faith that for the first time in my life I will achieve a healthy weight. I have been praying for God’s wisdom concerning my weight loss. So I am [acting on faith] and going for it full force with excitement and dedication that will be unwavering and I am putting my faith into action and I am standing on the promises according to scripture.

 

Week 2-July 10, 2014

On week two of my journey I was anxious, nervous and excited all at the same time.

I’m being very diligent about following the guidelines. No temptations what so ever. Praise God. Daily,I remind myself why I am doing this and periodically I make a list of those reasons.There are days I feel weary and tired (not from the diet, just life in general) and it is in those moments I pull out my favorite scripture. (They that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their]strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31. ) Daily I think about those special people in my life who are my encouraging me and they are such blessings to me. I don’t listen to the “nay sayers” who cross my path. I ALWAYS try to have a strong positive attitude and I pray. This journey with Ideal Protein is so important to me and it must be done from the inside out. I want to look back on this time and know that I gave it my all and be a new, healthier woman and mom for my precious children and husband.

 

Week 3-July 17, 2014

I had my appointment with my coach Kara this morning. She’s such a precious lady. This week I lost 4.4 lbs. I was pretty excited. Can you believe it’s been 21 days since I started? WOW. I have  have learned that this isn’t entirely about losing weight. In the beginning, I was focused on how wonderful it would be to lose the weight. Now, after everything I’ve learned, I’ve discovered that my real goal isn’t about losing weight at all. My real goal is to adopt a healthier way to live. Once all these changes become part of my life, the weight will take care of itself. I’ve lost 19.6 lbs in 3 weeks! I am so proud of myself for continuing this far, and I am much more confident that I will be able to continue to lose weight. Can you believe that eventually I will be half the person I was?! I’m glad I am taking pictures and keeping a journal. It has been said that it takes 21 days to make something a habit and I’m thrilled that today marks exactly 21 days! I feel confident and I am not going to give up. I do feel that my new lifestyle has become a habit and I look forward to the end results and of course shopping with daughter in a new department other than plus size women. I’m ready to say goodbye to that FOREVER.

 

Week 4-July 24, 2014

This week I lost 3.6 lbs. and I have been on the Ideal Program Plan for one month. I am down 23.2 lbs. WOW!!! That’s almost 25 lbs. in one month. I am excited about the results I have had with this program. It’s so worth it to get healthy not only for myself but for my family. I feel great most of the time and am learning to enjoy foods that I would have normally turned down. I am very quickly learning how God is going to help me. I am able to resist temptation with ZERO cheating. I have learned that I was also fighting this battle with the wrong weapons. It is a spiritual battle too, not just a physical battle. If I want to win the war over the hold food has on me and my weight problem, then I need to get onto the correct battlefield and use the appropriate weapons. That’s where prayer comes into play and of course for me the Ideal Program plan too. When I was upset and cried out to Him and he showed up big time and pointed me in the right direction. So far through this program God has revealed to me that my poor relationship with food is a symptom, not a cause. To truly resolve the problem I have to allow Him to help with the causes that were leading to the symptoms of overeating and consequent weight gain. It was like any illness in the body. God wants to help me. He wants me healed and whole. He wants a permanent solution, not a temporary one. He wants us all whole not just spiritually but physically and emotionally as well and I want that for me more than ever. This is a battle that I am going to WIN.

 

Week 5-July 31, 2014

I’m learning to set goals and am letting go of the past in order to focus on where I want to go.  I’ve seen too many people let life dictate to them what they “should be doing”. I’m guilty of that myself. We need to have a plan. We need to establish goals and with the help of my doctor, my coaches and my friends Jayana, Sylvie, Karan and my daughter I am on my way to reaching my goal to a happier, healthier friend and mom. That’s so exciting to me. I tell them all the time, watch me. I’ll be an example for you. Hold me accountable. They are my heroes. I don’t plan to fail them and most importantly myself. This week I lost 3.0 pounds.

 

Week 6, August 7, 2014

This was probably the most exciting day for me so far in regards to my weight loss journey.

Today I weighed in and lost another 3 lbs. and was a little bummed but they cool thing was I was measured and could not believe all the places I have lost inches. Yes I said inches from all over my body. Whoo Hoo. I weigh in the same outfit every week. Yep it’s true. I don’t want any errors on the scale.  This Ideal Health Program is really working and I couldn’t be happier with the results. If I keep going at this rate I will meet my goal by my birthday in February. I can’t think of a better gift.

 

Week 7-August 14, 2014

When I first started IP 7 weeks ago I was so tired of being heavy and overweight. I’m not sure where this journey will take me but I do hope that if my example, my words and actions help to encourage one person, it will be so worth it all. I started writing down some of my thoughts. It is my hope that these words will encourage you and strengthen you. Today when I weighed in with my coach I was jumping with exciting, yes I said jumping. I lost 4 lbs. this week! As of today I have lost in 7 weeks a total of …..Drum roll please, 33.4 lbs.!!! When I am asked if the Ideal Protein weight loss program works, I can honestly say yes, yes, yes. This is NOT my first diet. It’s more like my third, fourth or even fifth diet. I have been on a merry go round of dieting, and each year, my weight creeps up higher and higher and I’ve broken all the wrong set of records. Ideal Protein WORKS.

 

Week 8 – August 21, 2012

I was thinking after I left my appointment with my coach Kara what I’ll look like when I get to goal.  I can’t even fathom it.  I’ve been overweight my entire adult life.  Picturing myself skinny is like asking me to picture air.  It’s tough. Will my dimples stand out more?  Will my features (nose and) not be as lost on my face?  Will my upper body match my lower body?  What size will I wear?  What I do know is that I’ll feel great. I don’t know what I’ll look like but whatever happens, I can’t wait to find out!  I’m so glad I’m taking weekly pictures.  I think.

 

Week 9 – August 28, 2014 

Today was a an emotional weigh in for me. I didn’t meet my weekly goal. I only lost 1.2 lbs but I am not going to get discouraged. When I walked in the door I weighed a hefty 283 pounds. But not anymore!!!  Since starting the program I’ve lost 38.6 lbs.  I’ve been 100% committed to this program and even refuse to eat an X product. My goal weight is 160 pounds which would be a total of 123 pounds lost.  I firmly believe in what Ideal Health Now teaches which is that weight loss is about so much more than weight. It’s about changing our thoughts, actions, behaviors and ultimately our lives. Losing weight is a perk that comes along with improving the rest of our lives.  I encourage you if you are on the Ideal Protein plan to NOT GIVE UP.

 

Week 10 – September 4, 2014

After last week’s disappointing loss of only 1.2lbs  I was heartbroken.  I’m taking this journey very serious.  This morning’s weigh in was better than I expected.  I was so excited to have lost another 2 lbs. I reached my goal of losing 40 pounds by October one month early. YEAH.  We celebrated by taking a silly picture.  It was  exciting to also find out that I’ve lost 18.75 inches too.  I was elated.  My next goal is to lose 10 lbs by the end of October. It’s amazing to me how my perspective has changed from the first day I started 10 weeks ago.

 

For the first time in my life I am looking forward to no longer being overweight.  Food is not going to be an idol for me.  It’s exciting to watch my clothes that once were tighter than I wanted them to be to now slowly becoming too big for me.  I’m no longer going to let my insecurities get the best of me.  All my life I’ve been called “big” or “fat”.  I hated those words.  It’s my time.  Instead of beating myself up for so many years I am looking forward to my future as a healthy, whole woman.  A Daughter of the King who is finally learning her true identity.  That for me is exciting. I am finally after so many months even before starting this program can honestly say I believe God’s truth, that I am wholly and completely loved. Because Christ first loved me (1 John 4:10). He accepted me and loved me the same when I weighed 280+ pounds and even today when I weigh much less.  My worth and value never changed. Over the last 10 weeks He has revealed to me how I placed my identity and worth in the worlds and what others thought of me.

My goal through this journey is to learn to give Jesus control of my desires, not just my desire for food and drink, but control over all things on this earth that might distract me from the abundant life in him that he wants me to lead. I believe that through this journey God is going to change me, not just physically, but spiritually. Through this change he will receive glory for his work! That is my heart…that my Lord will take my life, as simple as it may seem, and have his Glory through me.

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

-Galatians 5:23-4