My fitness and why I share

A little about my health and fitness journey:

In 2007, I dropped 30 lbs after having my second child. And again, in 2009 I dropped 25 lbs. after having my third child. Both times I achieved weight loss through excessive cardio and a low calorie diet.   I was obsessed with the scale. Sometimes weighing multiple times daily. If the scale went up I was confused and frustrated. If the scale went down I was happy and excited. I was on an emotional weight loss roller coaster.

I kept the weight off for a while, but when I went back to work in 2011, the scale slowly started creeping back up. I knew that I needed to get the weight back down so I started to do what I'd always done, low cals and lots of cardio...and then I came across P90x.
Little did I know that it would be a struggle to challenge my body that way and stick to a low calorie diet.
I wasn't losing any weight, I was hungry and I was frustrated. 

The Scale: Friend or Foe?

This is one of many fitness related topics that I have been eager to write about for a while. I thought this would be a great time because so many people, especially women, are trying to shed those extra pounds as the new year just hit and spring/summer will be rolling around before we know it.

Now, I am NO expert, and do not claim to be, but I read A LOT. I do my research. I ask dozens of questions of experts that I have come to know AND I have been living by everything that I am going to share with you. I also have a long list of resources below that you can read when you have some free time.
You can read a little bit about my journey here and learn more about why I desire to share this information with you.

So, let's get to the scale. Can it really be trusted? The answer: Not really.

I like to call the scale a two-faced liar.
One day it's your best friend, whispering sweet losses in your ear.
The next day it breaks your heart and makes you cry!
Why should we trust something that treats us this way?

Don’t get me wrong, the scale can be a great tool when used correctly and with wisdom. But when used incorrectly, and ignorantly, it can sabotage all of our efforts and put us in a mental place of defeat that is hard to escape from.

The scale is one of many ways to measure progress. It should not be used as your only measure of progress. I rarely use it at all anymore. The scale simply cannot tell you everything that is going on with your body.

I work out hard, I’m slowing replacing unhealthy foods with healthier selections, and I am seeing results, even if they don't show up on the scale. 

Are they quick results? Some have been quick, but most have been gradual, because slow and steady is what wins the race.  Remember the Tortoise and the Haire?

My Father, THE Artist

Originally Published September 2012

After reading a post on a fitness blog that I follow, I scrolled down to the comment section and came across a story shared by a fellow follower. After reading this story, I knew that I had to share it. The original author and title of the story were omitted, but I think I’d like to call it...

” My Father, THE Artist"

A farmer was attending an agricultural show and happened across an artist who made animal sculptures from up-ended logs sunk in to the earth using nothing more than a chain-saw.
The farmer watched in amazement as the artist cut and sawed using just his intuition, no drawings, pictures or any apparent point of reference. Within a few minutes the artist had hewn a perfect eagle from what was previously just a log.
The farmer approached eager to find out how he managed such a feat. “How do you do that?”,he asked. “Simple", replied the artist, “I just remove everything from the log that isn’t the eagle”.

What a wonderful example of how our Father shapes and molds us! By removing the pride, envy, hate, insecurity, low self esteem, resentment, unforgiveness,etc., He reveals who we truly are. The “eagle” has been there all along, unseen, hidden somewhere within the clutter.

We must allow God to remove those things that do not represent who we truly are. 

If we will yield ourselves to the Artist, the eagle will come forth. 

Blessings,
Keshia

Understanding and Embracing Life's Seasons

  My life as a Christian wife and mother has been consumed with a lot of changes over the last few months. I returned to school in the Spring , we relocated to another state at the beginning of the Summer and I returned to work at the end of the Summer. Arghh!!! So, needless to say, my somewhat organized lifestyle has turned into complete chaos. I’ve had to cut back on doing some of the things that I love. i.e. reading and writing. Staying fit, eating right, trips to the park, trying out new recipes for dinner, quality time with the ones that I love, etc. have gone from being effortless to almost impossible to obtain. I have entered a new season.
As depressing as I’ve made this sound, as a Christian woman I have come to understand and embrace the different seasons in life (thanks to a great mentor and First Lady), even when they don’t feel so good. I understand that as we reach for new levels, begin to walk in our callings, and pursue the prosperity that God wants for us (3 John 1:2 Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, even as your soul prospers NKJV) we will have to endure and learn to appreciate the journey.
I love to travel. Especially road trips. But for the sake of this illustration, let’s say that I am traveling to some fantasy destination by air. I’ve decided where I would like to go and at what point I would like to arrive. The only problem is dealing with all the “in between” stuff. I have to go through the strains of airport policies, walk from Concourse A to Concourse Z, sit on a 15 hour long flight, then throw in a 8 hour lay over. At this point I must decide if laying on that beautiful beach basking in the sun or sitting on the veranda watching the sun set on the mountains is worth all it will take to actually get me there.