Daily Encouragements and Accountability

Restfinder
Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
edited June 2021 in Social Groups
Hi. I'm so glad you came to check us out. I want us to be a group that encourages each other to never give up and to hold each other accountable for the goals that we have set for ourselves. We can chat about what is happening in our lives as well. God bless your journey!
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Replies

  • mermaidnj
    mermaidnj Posts: 161 Member
    Hope the group takes off. I am part of the Catholics Unite Group bet it has gotten pretty quite in there😥.. I have a lot to lose health problems over 60 make it a challenge..
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,530 Member
    Glad to have found this group - am new to MyFitnessPal - not to loving the Lord or having a weight problem. Would like to hear from both of you as to (1) what part of the world do you live in (2) where are you with respect to your walk with the Lord (3) where are you with respect to how much weight you need to lose and what program are you following to do so.
    My verse for the group today is

    Hebrews 3:13
    exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today', that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    Hi, ladies. So good to see you!

    Mermaid, I totally understand where you are at, I'm there too. We will help each other reach our goals and encourage each other to never give up.

    Marilyn, I'm from the South, US. I was born in the North, but have lived in the South since I was 19 years old. I'm Southern by choice. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. He is everything to me. I would love to get to 200 lbs. I was, at one time, about three years ago, just five pounds away from that goal, then for some reason, without changing a thing I put on 20 pounds and it's been going up since then. I've been able to lose a pound or two, but it just comes right back on. I've done diets with doctors and nutritionists and they say I should be losing hand over fist, but that isn't happening and they have no idea why. Me either. I have lymphedema (retaining fluid) and lipedema (fat building under my skin and nothing but liposuction can take it away). Those are the two greatest hindrances in my weight loss journey. Because of that I have really sought to eat healthy and hope the weight will come off. I'm doing a form of THM right now but find it difficult to keep my carbs and my fats separate.

    I learned at SP that we need to set goals - long term, mid term, and short term. They need to be specific. My long term goal is to reach 200 lbs by the end of the year. My mid term goal would be to lose 25 lbs by my anniversary in Sept, and my short term goals would be how I am going to accomplish that, and the modified THM is one of them; staying away from sugary treats is another; and working on getting my steps up to 2000 a day. (I have arthritis in my lower back and walking causes quite a bit of pain for me, but doing my walking in several spurts during the day should help with that problem.)

    What goals are you setting for yourselves?
  • ufindjewels
    ufindjewels Posts: 10 Member
    Hi Everyone!
    My name is Julie, most people call me Jewels, I am from southern CA.. I am so thankful I found this group. I am new to My Fitness Pal and hoping to make some friends along the way. I have quite the journey ahead of me, my goal is to lose 70 pounds. It's always been such a struggle. I'm praying the Lord give me self control in this area of my life. May God bless you and keep you.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    Welcome Angela and Julie!

    Angela, Those are good goals, attainable and specific. Something I learned at SP was to take it one step at a time. Don't try to make all the changes you want to make all at once. Change one or two things to start with (like drinking water instead of soda or using lettuce instead of bread when you make a sandwich). It gets you thinking about healthy choices but doesn't change everything all at once. What one thing trips you up? Start your new habits there. Give each change about two weeks to become a habit, then add something new. I have arthritis in my knees and back and hands and that makes exercising hard, but I can do something, and stretching is a great place to start. Recently my dog got sick and I had to bend down a lot to help him, I found that I was able to bend farther than I had in quite awhile and my back felt better! Who'd have thunk it??? (Oh, we did have to put our dog to sleep last week and are missing him a lot.) Let us know how you are doing and if we can help in any way.

    Julie- I love your picture. I love the ocean and now don't live very far away, just a half an hours drive. When I go to town and cross over one of the four bridges that we go over I can see the ocean! One step at a time, being faithful day by day will help you find victory on your journey. Prayer is a very vital part of our daily lives and being all God wants us to be, and our healthy journey is part of that. If I can be of any help, let me know.

    I did well yesterday. I stayed within all of the parameters that MFP had set for me! When I weighed this morning I was down two pounds - hmmm??? I have a feeling my scale is being ornery, but I'll take it. I've had a lot of swelling in my legs and feet and that could also be a bit of that fluid having gone away as well. I'll take it however I can get it! I did do some exercise. I got my arm exercises with my two pound weights. I want to work my way up to 10 lbs, but right now two is all I can handle. I also did some walking, but didn't get close to the 2000 steps I want to do, so today I will challenge myself a bit more.

    I'm going to the doctor today to discuss this swelling as well as go over my headaches (I get a lot of them each month, but my new med is helping with that quite a bit). I'd appreciate your prayers.

    God bless, Kim
  • majork29
    majork29 Posts: 760 Member
    Good morning, I'm Kira, wife and mother to 3 kids (okay 2 of them are adults). I have just over 50 pounds left to lose. I have been tracking and blogging daily for a few years (more hen I want to admit) on SP but as they are closing the site down and not allowing those outside the US join. I have come back to this site. I must say that I really like the tracker here. I hope to make friends and find the encouragement that i need to face this journey.
  • mermaidnj
    mermaidnj Posts: 161 Member
    edited June 2021
    So nice to learn a little about you both

    I have about 75 to 100 pounds to lose and live in NJ about an hour South of NYC. My walk with the Lord has not always been as close as it could have been a Cradle Catholic and attended 12 years of Catholic schooling but if I am to be honest my participation as an adult has been much like my weight lose journey YoYo ..

    Long term goal is to be in homeostasis spiritually ,mentally and physically
    Med term goal log honestly and consistently while increasing prayer and exercise time
    Short term goal get started be accountable

    I am a longtime vegetarian with multiple food allergies have a long history with disordered eating so I must be mindful not to get to caught up in the tyranny of numbers extremes are my downfall. Need to keep it KISS (keep it simple stupid

    Your Sister in Christ Cat




  • mermaidnj
    mermaidnj Posts: 161 Member
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  • ItsTime2BMe
    ItsTime2BMe Posts: 163 Member
    Hello! I'm another Spark refuge, hoping to find friends to continue the weight loss journey with. I am down 60 pounds overall using Spark but recently I figured out intermittent fasting so I'm hoping to lose another 60-70 pounds total.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    Oh, boy, another ocean picture!

    Welcome ladies! So glad you are here and we can be here for each other.

    One of my SP friends did the intermittent fasting and found some success with it. Because of stomach troubles I can't go long without something in my tummy, but I do quit at 7 in the evening and don't eat breakfast until 8 or later in the morning. I tried to quit around six at night, but ended up just being hungry again later in the evening, so seven works better for me. I then am fasting longer than I am eating. I also eat five small meals a day (three meals and two snacks, but less in my meals). I understand that eating that way keeps up our metabolism, and it also keeps me from wanting to binge!
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,530 Member
    Here is my Scripture to for today

    Daniel 1:8 (ESV translation)
    But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself

    Daniel 1:11-12
    Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 'Test your servants for ten days, let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

    Daniel 1:15
    At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the kings food.


    --Marilyn--
  • marie5282
    marie5282 Posts: 61 Member
    Hi, I'm Marie. Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, but moved to Virginia for work last June. I'm a gifted science teacher in a middle school which is tons of fun, but lots of stress too. I'm 39 years old, fur baby mom to two pups, no children of my own yet though sadly (two step kids, but yeah.) I would love to be a healthier weight when God grants me my own babies, and I'm seeing this as my taking steps towards that.

    I've been battling my weight since college, and it's only inflated since then. I'm currently at my highest (well, one pound ago) and could stand to lose about 50-60 pounds total. My husband tells me all the time that God loves me and that I'm beautiful to him no matter what, but he is supportive of whatever I want to do in order to feel and be healthier. I just took out a book from the library on intermittent fasting, but I'm going cautiously into that. I have celiac disease too, so I need to eat a strict gluten free diet.

    I'm looking forward to offering each other support on this journey!
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    I have several friends who are doing the Trim Healthy Mama diet and finding quite a bit of success on it. They do have a gluten free version of the diet. I have wheat and dairy sensitivities, although I can eat them I don't like the side effects. I'm also have allergies to at least 10 other foods that are common in our daily diets so I am doing a modified version of the THM diet (since chocolate and almonds are often used ingredients), but it's a very forgiving plan and is basically - keep your carbs and fats separate. When you have a high carb meal, eat a very limited amount of fat; when you have a fat rich meal (butter, cheese, etc...), then limit your carbs to non-starchy veggies - but have protein at every meal. One of my friends had a lot of joint pain and since being on the diet that pain has dissipated. Now, that I could do!

    I was two pounds lighter on my doctor's scale than on my scale so am happy that I am at 242 instead of 246 like I was two days ago!

    Have a restful night!
  • ItsTime2BMe
    ItsTime2BMe Posts: 163 Member
    Restfinder wrote: »
    basically - keep your carbs and fats separate. When you have a high carb meal, eat a very limited amount of fat; when you have a fat rich meal (butter, cheese, etc...), then limit your carbs to non-starchy veggies - but have protein at every meal.

    Wow, that's probably the simplest explanation of THM I've ever seen - I got so bogged down trying to figure out what the letters meant and what a "pull" meal was... if my IF stops working I'll get my book out and look at it again!

  • majork29
    majork29 Posts: 760 Member
    Good day, all, I am still trying to figure this site out. I'm not following any real diet, just watching my portion size and trying to eat more veggies.
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    ItsTime, I'm still not sure what the fuel pulls are, but the Starter book I have, they seem to be an E meal but limiting the lean protein to 3-4 oz. and adding a non-starchy veggie. In the books they do the FP's for a calorie shake up. You are limited in your other meals, but the FP makes a calorie conscious choice. They also have modifications for people with lots of allergies and vegetarians as well, but the vegetarian should be willing to have dairy and eggs.

    Majork29, so good to see you here. I'm still trying to figure it out as well. I'm used to SP, so finding where my teams are and how to get my nutrition plan set us hasn't been as easy. We'll get it figured out. Portion size is very important. One thing I learned at SP is that you don't have to eat everything on your plate, stop when you are satisfied, not when you are full. If I really like what I'm eating, that's a hard one for me! Sigh! Make some goals out of the two that you have, make them more specific. Does more veggies mean a veggie at each meal, or a cup of veggies instead of half a cup. Try to be specific so that you are more accountable to that choice. Same with portion size. I'm going to eat 3 oz. of meat rather than the four to six I've been eating (which would be me), or, again, a cup of veggies instead of half a cup. I'm going to limit my starches to half a cup (mac and cheese, potatoes, etc...). Let us know if we can help in any way.

    Getting ready to track my planned food for the day. So far two days successful, although yesterday I got more proteins and more fat than they suggest. I like I had more protein, but the fats will have to be watched!

    God bless.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,903 Member
    Kim - I decided to go ahead and join your group here. I need to lose about 20# and need the extra accountability. Also, if any of you are readers, you are welcome to join Restfinder and I at Christian Bookworms. I am a very AVID reader of most genres of Christian fiction, and Restfinder reads lots of speculative and suspense.
  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 921 Member
    Yippee yahooty! I found you! Thanks for the pointers. Wow! It's great seeing so many of you here and thanks Kim for setting us up. You're rocking right along!
    I am doing SO much better. Almost fully recovered from the 12 day foot escapade...never want another like that. I am so very blessed to see lower numbers for my FBS...I mean my last week's average was 164, down from 260 the week before that and this week, have seen 118 and today's record low of 110. I've been under 200 for about 10 days...first time ever.
    I am rejoicing! My Doctors...all 4 of them will be much happier with me. I could not have made the changed needed without God's direction, wisdom and the gentle nudges of my friend....
    I'm learning my way around the tracker here and forming my meals for convenience....I tend to eat the same things often so that's a time saver for me.
    wishing you all a blessed day!
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,530 Member
    Afternoon everyone - just got caught up on all the previous messages - seems everyone is doing well - seems we are all working on finding our way around this website - but each day it gets easier.

    I like how easy the food tracker here is - for instance if you have the same breakfast when you come to log you can click the button and it will add yesterdays' meal - find this helpful.

    Also finding that with each meal it will bring up what I have in my food diary from previous meals so just need to click on any of those if having than again - much simpler.

    Today is Day 13 of staying on my food plan (BLE) and as of June 1 I have lost 4.2 pounds so looks like I will make my goal for June - just need to work my food program and not worry about the scale as it will take care of itself.

    A good friend of mine passed away just over one month - she was about the same size as I am - so when she passed her daughter asked if I wanted to go through her clothes - gave me 12 bags to go through and was able to keep quite a few of the clothes. Then today another friend that new her brought over another bag of clothes that she had taken home - this one had 15 - 20 tops and 4 pairs of pants - all brand new that will fit. And then one other lady called to say she has some of her clothes and is bringing me some tomorrow - I definitely will not need to purchase any close in some time as they are in 3 different sizes - and I have a friend that said that she would alter anything that needs to be altered - so am set up possibly till Christmas for clothes depending on how fast I lost the weight. Nice to have a closet full of new clothes (new to me)

    Today my hubby and I did are reading from Deuteronomy 25 - 26 - we decided that we are going to do 2 - 3 chapters each day and just continue from where we are rather than working on getting caught up on the 'read the Bible through in One year' - always so much to learn.

    Here is what stood out to me from yesterdays reading

    Deuteronomy 23:21-23
    If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will guilty of sin. But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have promised with your mouth

    Have a good day -

    -Marilyn <3
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    It is so good to see two of my SP teammates here, Connie and Bren! So glad you are feeling better, Bren, and the foot is healing!

    Marilyn, congrats on that weight loss and so many days faithful to your meal plan. Good work! Deuteronomy is one of the books that I am color coding. I have several going at one time and depending on how alert I feel, I work on one or the other. I am color coding in a Word Processor I have. I take a chapter off of my E-Sword Bible and put it on a page of my Open Office Word Processor and then I set everything up and then I have a sheet that has the words I want to color (two columns of words). It really helps me to stop and think or take note of specific words. I am also doing some word studies on my favorite passages and finding that many words have much more depth of meaning that the given word. Like diligence doesn't just mean to stick to doing something, but it also means "do it quickly" and stick with it. So interesting.

    I also stuck to my plan today. I made some salmon patties for dinner, but didn't want to do them with saltine crackers so I ground pecans and added them to my salmon with an egg and then sprayed coconut oil in my pan and sauteed them. The first bite was a bit of a surprise, not at all what I remembered, but as I continued to eat I really liked them. They needed a little bit of salt, but they were good! I was well within my calorie range although I did have more protein and fat than I allowed myself. Will have to work on that!

    Have a good night everyone. God bless your sleep!
  • ItsTime2BMe
    ItsTime2BMe Posts: 163 Member
    Restfinder, I'm going to steal your word processor idea - thanks!
  • Restfinder
    Restfinder Posts: 2,694 Member
    I plan on only using it for myself, so I don't feel like I am infringing on any copyright laws! I really like E-sword. It's a free app and there are quite a few translations of the Bible on it that are free. I like to use the NASB77 version, easy for me to understand and is a very accurate translation, but I did have to pay for that one because it is still under copyright laws. They also have a lot of study books for free, commentaries, dictionaries, maps and even books that you can download for free.

    Praise the Lord, down another two pounds this morning. I'm not as swollen as I had been so I think it's mostly the water I was retaining, but I'll take it. I was at 240.6 this morning! Woohoo! I am really working on saying no to treats (although with THM there are lots of recipes for desserts. I found a lemon coconut bon bon that I really liked and with a few tweaks I can get it less sour and more sweet (my tastes)). One of the things I want to add as a goal is making sure to wear my compression garments. The doctor felt like part of the swelling came from not wearing something every day, so that is what I am going to do. I have my arm and leg compressions on right now!

    I hope y'all have an awesome day.
  • mermaidnj
    mermaidnj Posts: 161 Member
    How wonderful to see this group taking off. What joy to have some fresh ideas and positive women to share with.

    Friday is weigh in day happy to report down three pounds.

    My prayer for today

    Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 🙏



  • bren5535
    bren5535 Posts: 921 Member
    How did I miss "Coffee has potassium"? LOL...580 mg in my 5 cups a day...oh waaah! My potassium is high , messing with my heart/kidney function, causing fatigue and weakness and I had no idea what I was up to! I set my goals at 2000mg for the sodium and potassium. Am doing much better with my meal plan of late but really need to pay attention as I roll on down the road! My kidney Doc wants new labs so I'll do that the 22nd when I go out for my echocardioram thing. Praying for recovery on all fronts...very soon.
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,903 Member
    Oh WOW! I just checked coffee and black coffee has 87 for 6 ozs. I drink a lot of coffee, but don't have a potassium issue. I imagine that is one of the reasons my husbands doctor wants him to drink less. It looks like decaf is just as bad or worse. It shows 8oz for 128 gms. This are from my sparkpeople tracker since it isn't a nutrient that I track here.
  • mermaidnj
    mermaidnj Posts: 161 Member
    edited June 2021
    maybe I should start drinking it my potassium is low 🙄
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,530 Member
    (June 11) Morning everyone - just read all the messages - so glad to see this team starting to have more messages - very encouraging
    @Restfinder - I am going to have to have a look at E-sword = I do similar what you are doing but I use HUB which gives me all translations with words and if looking for a topic it will bring up all scriptures for it. Congratulations on being down 2 pounds -

    Potassium - have to watch it - my older sister has to eliminate if from her diet as it brings on heart trouble so she is really limited to what vegetables she can eat - and now at age 83 she has found out she has an allergy to peanuts - getting older really brings on different issues with health

    Today is Day 14 of following my food program and Day 6 streak here at MFP. And I am down 5.5 pounds since June 1 so my program is working well - not hungry at all and no food cravings

    Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth
    Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

    Have a good day everyone

    -Marilyn <3
  • Marilynsretired
    Marilynsretired Posts: 5,530 Member
    Might be a crazy question but why is this thread under the 'announcements' rather down below under discussions?
  • connierandel
    connierandel Posts: 1,903 Member
    Marilyn - I was wondering the same thing!
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