Formerly known as Grancy ... Hi. I am Nancy, & this is my life.
(6.1.09) I started this SparkJourney as GRANCY in January 2007. Since then I have lost darn-near 50 lbs. My weight-loss has pretty much stalled this last year & a half; I lost my job in May 2009; & I’m finding myself at a cross-roads in life. All roads in my life lead to the Cross (cross-roads, get it?), and that’s where I lay all my questions, uncertainties, insecurities, doubts, etc. as well as my goals, ...
Formerly known as Grancy ... Hi. I am Nancy, & this is my life.
(6.1.09) I started this SparkJourney as GRANCY in January 2007. Since then I have lost darn-near 50 lbs. My weight-loss has pretty much stalled this last year & a half; I lost my job in May 2009; & I’m finding myself at a cross-roads in life. All roads in my life lead to the Cross (cross-roads, get it?), and that’s where I lay all my questions, uncertainties, insecurities, doubts, etc. as well as my goals, dreams, desires, & hopes.
As this journey has progressed, I have changed, grown, and transformed. I just don’t feel like “Grancy” any longer, so I have changed my name to NancyGirl to coincide w/ my refocus & redefinition of who I am becoming. My dad called my NancyGirl, as did one of my dear former residents. It’s a special name to me, one of endearment. I have finally come to a place in my life where I can use an endeared name for myself.
My husband asked me what was gonna happen to Grancy. She is a treasured part of me. I started this journey as Grancy, & I’m gonna meet my goals as NancyGirl. Like the overused butterfly analogy, Grancy has transformed into NancyGirl. She is smarter, wiser, seasoned, more confident, healthier, & closer to God. Or at least I hope she is!
~ It’s all about CHOICE ~
I have been going thru a wonderful weight loss devotional, “Faithfully Fit” by Claire Cloninger & Laura Barr, this spring. It has totally blessed my *whole* life, not just my weight loss journey. Week 5 (of 6) focused on “choosing.” I rediscovered that it’s all about making the “better” choice (p. 135). Whenever we’re at a cross-roads or are faced w/ a decision, ask God to help you make the “better” choice. It’s as simple as that! (Simple, but not necessarily easy! LOL)
~ Grancy’s Prayer (January, 2007) ~ Father God, you knit me together in my mother's womb, and I thank you for this body. I'm sorry I haven't taken better care of this precious gift. You've given me a strong and healthy body, whole and free from disease. I have taken it for granted and haven't been a good steward of this gift. I have gotten lazy and complacent and have let my taste buds decide what I eat. Lord, I pray you forgive me for squandering that which you gave me. I pray now that you will guide me on my quest to preserve whatever is left. Help me to consider what I eat before I even put it on a plate. Help me to regain the muscle tone you designed me to have. Help me to know that I was fearfully and wonderfully made and to honour and respect my body as the cherished object that it is. Oh Lord, I treat mere possessions better than I treat myself. Forgive me Lord, and help me to physically be the creation you made me to be. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
~ Nancy’s Progress: ~ Started at 223 – January 20, 2007 Lost 10 lbs - March 30, 2007 - 212.5 lbs Lost 15 lbs - May 1, 2007 - 207 lbs Lost 20 lbs - May 23, 2007 - 203 lbs Lost 25 lbs - June 22, 2007 - 198 lbs! Lost 30 lbs - Sometime during vacation - Came back at 193! "Officially" 192.5 lbs 8/22/07 Lost 35 lbs - September 26, 2007 - 187.5 lbs Lost 40 lbs - October 31, 2007 - 181 lbs Lost 45 lbs - November 28, 2007 & February 19, 2008 & November 4, 2008 - 178 lbs Lost 50 lbs - June 9, 2009 (FINALLY!!) - 172.5 & October 28, 2009 (171)
Starting Weight: TBA (2/3/10) January Weight Goal: 5 lbs . . . (Actually, I want to be somewhere in the 160’s by the time we leave on our Texas trip on 2/21)
Back to Basics Goals... (These will be the same each month, pretty much)
1. Track all my food, starting Sunday, January 31 & post on my Private Tracking Team. Bonus points for staying in-range! Ha! . . . 1.a. No peanut butter pig-outs or other binging episodes. I hereby authorize myself to REMOVE THE STAR from my Goals Calendar if I binge.
2. Fitness Goals (will be tracked in my SparkStreaks - gulp!) • Shred 3x/wk • SparkPeople's Official Spark Your Body Bootcamp videos - 5x/wk • 30 min other cardio on non-shred days (3x/wk)
3. 64 oz water/day (8x8 oz)
Other Spark Goals:
4. I’ve joined SparkPeople's Official Healthy Heart Challenge, & while I’m not sure what the challenges will look like, they have posted these team goals: [ . . ] Eat 6 servings of fruits/veggies per day [ . . ] Eat 1 serving of healthy fat 1 time per day [ . . ] Do 600 minutes of fitness activities per month [ . . ] Drink 8 cups of water per day [ . . ] Eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium 1 time per day
[ . . ] Week 1 Challenge: OBTAIN 30 MINUTES OF MODERATE INTENSITY ACTIVITY AT LEAST 5-6 DAYS A WEEK
5. 160’s by Houston
6. More days on the program than off the program.
Other Goals:
7. Finish my new room in February. Since I didn’t get this done as planned in January, I’m gonna break this down into smaller goals for Feburary: [ . . ] Construct 2nd desk hutch [ . . ] Hang pictures [ . . ] Hang curtain over closet [ . . ] Clean out closet [ . . ] Bookshelves - somewhere (rethinking the moving dresser to closet thing)
8. Take down Christmas decorations (no comments about this one, please.) :-P
9. Mop kitchen floor (no comments about this one, either, please) :-P
10. Finish Joshua-Esther class reading by 2/25 (end of class) - we’ll be gone 2/25, so I must finish it by 2/18! (Hmmm... I wonder if I can e-mail it from Texas? Yeah! Right! Like I’m gonna be doing homework while I’m at the Space Center! Sure...)
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. (Prov. 4:12)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness..." Romans 8:26 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11)
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil. 4:13)
YEAR OF COMPLETION QUOTE: "Already, right inside of you... you've got the WOW factor! Your possibilities are unlimited, your promise, immeasurable, your dreams, infinite." (anon?)
"God is not asking you to make a promise you cannot keep. God is asking you to believe a promise that only He can keep." (Rick Warren, PDL e-mail devo, 4/9/09)
"No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." (!) (Eleanor Roosevelt)
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. Walt Disney
"Failure is never starting. Every step toward your goal is success." (Curtiss from the BLC, via Connie, RHCS)
Interest is doing what's convenient; commitment is doing whatever it takes. (on "The Big Idea," June 2, 2008)
“There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either IN or you're OUT. There's no such thing as life in-between.” - Pat Riley, basketball coach
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will." (Vince Lombardi)
"Progress - Not Perfection" (a sign near the ladies room at a Jenny Craig centre, quoted in Valerie Bertinelli's book, "Losing It")
"The difference between try and triumph is a little umph." ~ Author Unknown, via GERRYD8784’s SparkPage
"If hunger is not the problem, then food is NOT the answer!" (SoCalGirl's Status, 10/1/09)
"Set a goal, take the steps to make it real, make it happen, celebrate!" ~ from Cassioepia's blog 4.18.09
"But don't beat yourself up when you don't make the better choice occasionally...life's short. We'll have the best bod when we get home to heaven anyway!” (STACEYSGETNFIT, on my 7.16.09 blog)
"I have learned that when you are grunting & crying out in pain that you don't need help; you are doing this on purpose to yourself." (Rich, my husband, after I did the 30-Day Shred 1.11.10)
"Pain is just weakness escaping the body" (heard thru the grapevine)
"I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person." (MUMMYLICIOUS's Mantra)
"If people have a problem with you, it's THEIR problem, not yours. You're doing something about improving yourself. That's AWESOME! Please, for the sake of YOU, take a big breath, hold your head high, and try that something that you've been avoiding. I have a feeling you'll wind up having fun and wonder what all the fuss was about." (~ me! 1st to Coach Dean, then quoted by Coach Nicole. When am I gonna apply it to MYSELF??)
In happy times, praise God. In hard times, seek God. In sad times, trust God. All the time, thank God.
My Goals:
* I want to wear my new size-smaller BIKINI in Kauai! - DONE! March 21, 2008
* I want my thighs to stop rubbing together when I walk.
* I want my muffin-top to disappear.
* I want to shop in the regular section, not large sizes, plus, woman's world, encore, image, or however they market it to sound less fat. - DONE! July 16, 2007!!!
* I want to play a complete set of tennis. - DONE! Summer '09
* I want to want to wear a swimsuit in public. - DONE! Sept. 21, 2007!!!
* I want to hear people tell me "You don't look like a grandmother" for at least another 15 years.
** I want the body God intended me to have.
My Program:
=== T H I N G S . I . L O V E === * Jesus * Proverbs 31 devotionals proverbs31.org * Nike+ Chip * Lululemon Tata Tamers :-P * The Canadian Rockies! * My husband xoxo
Personal Information:
I'm a California girl, living in BC. I've gradually worked my way up the west coast. One more move & I think I'll be in the ocean! I became a wife, step-mother (to 2 grown boys), daughter-in-law, lived the 1st 3 mos. of our marriage in 2 countries, then left my job & moved to a new country where I wasn't allowed to work (yet), then became a mother-in-law, turned 40, & became a grandmother (w/ no kids of my own!) all w/in a 12-month span. And that was my "thin" year!
Other Information:
=== L I N K S === * My Hiking Blog http://nancygirlsjourney.blogspot.co m * Proverbs 31 devotionals (very real!) www. proverbs31.org * Devo's for Dieters (very short!) http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals /fordieters/
Ohhhh! I would love to come bird watch at your place b/c it's likely to be such different and amazing species that I wouldn't know! (Except those highly abundant such as that little chickadee!) Wonder which woodpecker you had today.....hmmm :)
Enjoyed your Olympic blog and your sparkpage. I am new at this. Started once and didn't follow through, but this time......... Thanks for being such a motivator! P.S. still trying to figure out how to post a profile picture
"running around with the grandkids -- priceless" -- AMEN! We had such fun the last 2 days while the 'grown-ups' unpacked, fixed doors, reworked plumbing, etc.!! But today is a home day -- gotta get laundry, mail, etc. caught up before a 5 day work week (I usually work 3), and gotta plan simple, healthy meals, too. Have a great week!
