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And it all started with a salad bowl....

Weird title, huh? Well, last week we loaded up the van and went to Nashville for a day of fun! We started off our morning grabbing a quick breakfast at McDonald's (which I planned to get this.....)

But ended up getting this...
and this....
and because I gave up diet cokes last the week before.... I got this to drink instead...
I know, I know.....heart attack in a sack! I love bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and it was just begging me to order it, so I did. And I regretted it to the last crumb. And still do.
After a short drive down I-65 we were in Nashville, and our first stop was my all time favorite store...Ross. I was super sad because everything was sooo picked over. However, as I was surveying the goodies in the kitchen aisle, I found this little treasure for only six bucks!

Isn't it awesome?!? At the bottom you put your lettuce and toppings, then comes the ice pack to keep everything nice and cold. In the lid there is a special container that holds 4 tbsps of salad dressing and on the top of the lid, that oval shaped white thing turns into a fork! I was amazed! I informed Kyle immediately that my new goal was to pack healthier lunches when school started back! I was excited (and still am) about my new salad bowl!

After going to several more stores....Old Navy, some shoe stores, Toys R Us, and maybe a couple of others, Ava started to get hungry. So did Kyle and Mandy. I wasn't too hungry because I think my belly was still full of regret over my breakfast, but since majority rules, we headed on over to one of our favorite places for lunch. Chipotle. Man, that place is good. I had a burrito and a few chips, and I was still grossed out with myself for eating all that junk.

We did a little more shopping and then started to get bored with the Nashville scene so decided to head home. But we stopped at a yogurt shop on the way back. (I just got plain with blueberries and it was delicious!)

The whole way home I was talking to Kyle about how I felt about myself. My weight, my health, etc. We agreed that our New Years resolution would be to eat healthier. We went to the grocery that evening and got the fixings for salads, which we have had at least one each day since then! I made salad and dressed it up with hard boiled eggs, fat free cheese, low fat dressings, and banana peppers. I have to admit, it was tasty!

The next day, or maybe it was a couple days later we were at the mall trying to spend more Christmas money, and I told Kyle that I wanted to go to Lifeway. Something just made me want to check out their books on health. When I got to the women's section, Candace Cameron's new book just stared me in the face. It was on sale, and I picked it up and read the back. It is a book called, Reshaping it All, and it talks about her struggles with food. The book looked good, so I wrote down the title to see if maybe I could get it on my Nook. I got home and it's not available digitally, so I just wrote it off and thought, "Oh well." The next day it turned out that we had to return something to the mall because I got something for Ava in the wrong size. Kyle was gonna run in and exchange it real quick and I asked him to pick that book up for me. He came back with it a few minutes later and told me it was the last copy. I thought that was pretty weird but was excited about getting it, either way!

I started reading the book and became pretty impressed by Candace Cameron (DJ from Full House, if you didn't know). She is a very strong Christian woman, and I think that is so impressive because she is a well known actress living in California. All of her success she constantly praises the Lord for! Each chapter is loaded down with scripture and little assignments and readings for you to do. At the end of each chapter, she also gives a recipe from her own kitchen! (I've tried her chicken noodle soup, and it is wonderful! Get the recipe from my cooking blog.)

I've read several chapters and so far I have learned quite a bit about myself. First of all, as silly as this may sound to the majority of readers out there, and as embarrassing as it is to admit, I am in bondage to food. I love food. I eat when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I am stressed, and when I am bored. This is not a good problem. Secondly, I have learned the #1 problem I have had when it comes to losing weight....I've been doing it for all the wrong reasons and to please the wrong people. Losing weight, I have learned, has been very prideful and selfish for me over the years. Now my focus has changed. I don't want to lose weight to look good, to fit in my old clothes, and to please others (although those are the perks), I want to take care of my body because the Lord has given me this body and I should care for it just as I should care for any other gift from Him. I look at Ava, and I am overwhelmed with happiness because she is a gift from the Lord. I care for Ava. I am very particular about what she eats....must have at least one fruit or vegetable at every meal, no sweets (she has had 3 suckers total because she had just gotten shots), and absolutely no sugary drinks....not even juice! Okay, if I am this particular about my daughter, I should be taking much better care of myself!

So, my new journey has started! I'm not counting calories or points, I'm not killing myself in the gym. I'm simply thinking about what I put in this body! I can already see a huge change in my thoughts and attitude and outlook. I hope to share some of the treasures with you along the way! One treasure from the book is below,

"Stop abusing yourself with food, start making healthier choices, and get serious with God. Move more, control your portions, make wise choices, and keep God close by your side." That last part is what I was forgetting. God is my cheerleader!












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