For Such a Time as This! Renew! #weightloss

RENEWAL! I have been waiting til I lost 30 lbs to write this.... 

AND TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!

For years, I have had this sweet little blog that makes my heart happy, but I have ignored it for the past few years and tried to pretend that I was going to make changes.  I didn't.  And I kept trying and giving up.  

I got my chin back... 20 lbs gone

Last December, God put the word Surrender on my heart.  I thought He wanted me to surrender my finances, my parenting, almost everything.  I didn't realize He wanted me to surrender my control and put it in His hands.

In October, I was doing a study on Esther using Beth Moore's book with an awesome group of ladies.

Something hit me... BIG!
"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this" Esther 4:14

SUCH A TIME AS THIS!!!!

If Esther didn't act immediately, her people would die. She could have just buried her head in the sand and ignored what was happening to her people. She was doing alright.  She was the queen.  It wasn't a great life.  She hadn't even seen her king in 30 days.  Should she put her life on the line now? Her uncle, Mordecai, knew she had to. And when he says, "Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this" it spurs her to move forward.  She knows she may die.  She even says in Esther 4:16, "If I perish, I perish."  Wow!  Imagine having all that pressure to do something that you know is right but it could kill you, or knowing that your people WILL die if you don't. 

I realized that I make much easier decisions daily but still struggle with those decisions.  It seems that my stronghold this year and in the past few years has been my decision making.  Especially what decisions I am making concerning my health.  I will in no way compare this to the heroic decisions that Esther made, but I can learn something from what she did. 

I have gotten way too comfortable in my life. I feel like everything personal has been put on the back burner for me for a while now. I focus on work and being a mom and I even manage to fit in time with Jesus. But what about me? Oh, I do things for myself, but they aren't always healthy. Recently I read Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst, and I was convicted about how I crave food and treating myself to that food more than I crave God! Ouch! This is not something I am proud of.

I am mortified by the pic on the left. But there it is....
30 lbs down

A couple of months ago, at The Soul Sisters retreat in Tennessee.  One of the presenters talked about strongholds and how they cancel out our abilities to bear fruit. Wow... I know that I have an eating problem and it is affecting me on the inside, but I hadn't thought about how it was affecting my relationship with God and my ability to bear fruit.  

That was it, I just knew that I would lose a million pounds and give all the glory to God.  (I even saw my skinny self declaring it while I sat on the back of the convertible with my sash and crown waving to all that came to my "She's finally skinny parade" to celebrate this feat... Just kidding... kinda) I got back home and ran into the same thought process I always have, "I will do it... SOON."  I know I am not the only one who says this... soon... I will start monday, or on the first or in the new year....

About a week later,  I was woken up to a thought in the middle of the night. "Who knows! Could your word for the year, Surrender have been given to you for such a time as this!" It felt like it had been said specifically to me. I didn't hear a thunderous boom or a deep Morgan Freeman-like voice.  I just thought it. And I, FINALLY,  realized that NOW was the time. I don't have to be perfect but now, at this very moment, it was time.  I have always felt God would use my story for something, but I have never SURRENDERED control of this particular stronghold.  I have never given my cravings of food to God. I have never actually surrendered them. I would try to, but I would pick them up later in the McDonald's drive thru.  No more! I will do this! I will change my habits because I want to honor the Lord. That was Oct. 28th, 2019.

Esther did a whole lot more than what I have been doing with this past two weeks, and I am not trying to say I am anything like her.  But I know that in order to be who God wants me to be, I have to surrender this stronghold to God.  I have asked God to unsettle me and to remind me that the number on the scale doesn't define me. I also ask God to help me when it's time to make a food choice.  I have talked to Him a lot more in these last 2 months than I have in the past. Sometimes I have even painfully asked why those incredible cookies from Chicken Salad Chick can't be healthy!

He keeps reminding me of Ephesians 4:22-24: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;  to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  

I have been asking people to pray for my "want to" in this journey over the last month, and it is SO VERY evident that people are! Some of you are, I know it.  And I am so grateful for your obedience. 

This growth has only come in the last few months and I pray deeply that I stay the course.  I know not everyone struggles with this issue, but I do hope it helps someone else. 

I would love to hear how you are going to enter 2020...  For me, my vision for 2020 is clear.... it's time for RENEWAL! I am ready to transform into who God wants me to be.

What is your word for 2020? Share it with me!

Arise! Change is coming!

So today I will post it... I have to change. I have traveled down an unhealthy road and I don't even recognize myself. I know that others see me this way, but I still see the fit and healthy girl I used to be. I am ready to see her again!

I am ready to "consecrate" myself.  Just like Joshua told the Israelites in Joshua 3:5. "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Consecrate means make or declare (something, typically a church) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose. I see this as me saying loudly that I am done being unhealthy. I am ready to treat the body that the Lord gave me as I should treat it. I realize that the Israelites were preparing for something a whole lot bigger than my health, but as I have been reading through Joshua with the help of a devotional written by a good friend. (Move! When God's Deliverance Requires Man's Obedience 31 Devotions by Amy Rogers) As I have been reading, I have been hearing God tell me that I need to put Him first. I need to take care of what He has given me.  I have not. I have been taking all that I wanted without even thinking of Him. 

I am not 100% sure of how I am going to start this, but just as God told Joshua in 8:1-2, I just need to go. I don't need to think about it.  It's time to arise!

So... here I go!

Getting the Pounds Off easily with the Body Fat Smart Scale #Giveaway

As most of you know, weight gain is a constant struggle. I fell off the wagon for a while and I let my weight creep back up to a new high for me. I am embarrassed and ashamed, but no more! 4 weeks ago I stepped into Weight Watchers and have begun my journey again!

Weight loss is never easy and we all hate that dreaded scale, until we see magic happen. Those numbers go down! And now it's fun to get on that scale to see my progress! 

About a year ago, I was sent a Body Fat Smart Scale. I used it and I thought that I would review it as I lost weight. Well, that wasn't happening, so it began to collect dust. 4 weeks ago I wiped off that dust and decided to give it a try!

What makes the Body Fat Smart Scale unique is that it measures weight, calculates body fat, muscle mass and body water. There is a daily calorie feature which calculates maximum calorie intake needed to maintain weight. It uses the latest Bluetooth® technolgy to then transfer you data to your smart phone or tablet. 

There is an app and you can trasmit data to your favorite fitness apps including Mapmyfitness, MyFitnessPal, or RunKeeper. The SmarTrack app allows you to share data via email, twitter and facebook. 

The Smart Scale reinforces the belief that weight management is not a quick fix, rather a long term commitment to a healthy lifestyle. 

Regularly priced, this scale is $59.95, but right now it's on sale at Amazon for $49.95.

This scale has a sleek look, and definitely helped me get on track with my weightloss. It was so easy. I downloaded the app from Google Play and created an account. It easily connects to your scale. Once the scale pops up on your screen, you simply click on it. 

You set your height, weight, activity level and weight preferences all from your phone. Now you are able to keep track of your weight (it even tracks it for you) and no more writing things down! 

So if you are looking for an easy way to get your health under control, I highly recommend this scale. It's done great things for me!

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Giveaway

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Lose Weight and Win a Polar Loop! #Dietbet #Rethinkyourday

Disclosure: DietBet is compensating me for this bet and Polar has given me the Polar Loop to use as a prize.

DietBet Begins September 15th! Join me! 

The time is NOW! No more excuses and no more health issues! It's time to get serious. If you are anything like me, you have said these things over and over again to yourself.  Then you find every excuse in the world to make bad and unhealthy choices. Then you kick yourself later for it. It sucks! 

Let's work together to get rid of this weight for good... forever! 

DietBet has approached me about hosting another DietBet on September 15th.  I have done these before and they work.  It's a chance to bet on yourself. I know that I can lose weight so I am betting $25 that I will! 

Here's how it works:

Join here: https://www.dietbetter.com/games/48713

Everyone who joins pays $25. We will have to lose 4% of our body weight in a month. When we win, we will split the pot with the other winners in our bet. I usually win and when I do, I get my money back, along with some extra (a lot of times my money was doubled.)  DietBet is very good about ensuring people aren't cheating too.  Don't worry! 

This is Kate. She joined her first DietBet with me. She did it! She is still looking fabulous too! She is a good friend of mine! 

It's so easy! I will be using MyFitnessPal.com to help track my eating.  I have found that if I don't track it, I won't eat right.  Please feel free to join me there. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ArtzeFartze  

I am honest and real. When I cheat, you will know it.  I have EVERY reason not to cheat though. I am ready to be "me" again. 

You can read more about DietBet here: How it works or DietBet: A successful weight loss helper  

There are so many reasons to join, but you should also join so you have a chance to win a Polar Loop Activity Tracker.  http://www.amazon.com/Polar-90052534-Loop-Activity-Tracker/dp/B00FEQ6TVO

Here is my review of the Polar Loop on Amazon.com and I stand behind it completely! 

I did a lot of research on this product before I got it. I previously had a different activity tracker. The Polar LOOP does so much more than any of the other products I researched. Once it arrived, it didn't disappoint. I am impressed by the simplicity of the syncing. It displays a graph of how long I slept, how long I was active and even how long I sat.

I love that I can press the button to see how many steps I have taken, how many calories I have burned and my activity level. It also displays the time which is a great feature and very different from other trackers.

My burn increases. I do wear a FT60 so I plan on wearing them both together to compare data. But even without the H7 it is easy-

Determining the Loop size was so simple. I was a little nervous about setting it up, but there was no issue.

I am a teacher and all of my students think it looks super cool as well.

The Loop would be a great gift for anyone who wants to be more active or is already active. Polar is such a great company with THE best customer service!

Give me your BEST weight loss tip! We need all the advice that we can get. If you would like to be featured on my blog with your success story, please email mindy@mindysfitnessjourney.com

DietBet Giveaway! Lose weight and have fun while you get paid!

Giveaway is listed below. 

Want to lose weight and make money? My friend Kate has had great success and you can too! Kate and I work together and she took on this challenge and ran with it. I was so impressed by the changes she made. She is maintaining too.  That is what DietBet does. It sets goals for you and allows you to lose weight in a healthy way and sets you up for success. Way to go Kate! I am so proud of you! You inspire me!

Let's make this DietBet the best one yet! It begins a week from today! Monday January 27th.

How it works:

You've got 4 weeks to lose 4% of your starting weight. To begin, everyone puts money into the pot. After four weeks, whoever's hit their 4% goal is a winner and splits the pot. They have this set up well too. There is not room for cheating. 

You can learn more about this on their website: http://www.dietbetter.com/dietbet-4/how-it-works

Get started:

Head over to www.dietbetter.com/mindysfitnessjourney and join us!!! Weigh ins begin on the 25th.  I also have a facebook group where we can support each other!

Win an entry!

Enter the rafflecopter below to win an entry into this DietBet. You can use it for this one or for another DietBet or they can credit your account. The winner will be announced on Sunday Jan. 26.

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What do you think? Would you do a dietbet?

Featured Blogger: Meet Alicia from Never Been Skinny and join my #dietbet

Meet my friend Alicia.  And join my DietBet to start off New Year's right! 

https://www.dietbetter.com/games/33484


 Name: Alicia

State: California ( the Southern Part ^_~ )

Alica's story stands out to me. She is working so hard to achieve her goals. She, like me, is just starting Weight Watchers. I look forward to reading all about her successes! 

When and why did you start working out? 

I got tired of being over weight. I just don't have it all figured out but every day I workout is a day where I make a change in my body. 

What is your workout of choice? - I don't really have a preference. I tried Bikram Yoga (hot yoga) and never thought I would like it...I fell in love with it...its just not a winter activity (to much sweat and too cold outside). I have gotten into my running (which is really a jog) and have done several 5K's. I like trying new things. 

What is your favorite race, race distance, and WOD? 
My favorite race so far my first 5k I ever did. It was on 1/1/2013 and I was still slightly hungover from the New Years Eve Party. It was cold, it was hard but that day I proved to myself I could do 3.1 miles! 

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your workouts?  
I try to take my shakeology everyday. It is an amazing shake and since I don't like getting up in the morning its an easy make and I can stay in bed longer. 

What is your favorite cheat food? 
Sweets. Anything sweets which is why I have gone on a sweet detox to help me to stop craving them so much. 

What advice would you give someone just starting out? 
Don't quit. Even if it doesn't look like you are making progress, and trust me I know that feeling, you are. It may be inches, weight, endurance, or a move you haven't been able to do before, but the change is there.

What is your best workout memory?  

I was doing Shaun T's Hip Hop Ab's for about a week, and my relatively fit hubby decides to join me. Half way in he is huffing and puffing while I am able to continue with all the exercises non stop. It was at that moment that I saw that sticking with something, even as short as a week, really does make a difference. 

What is your biggest “FIT BUCKET LIST” item? 
My biggest and greatest on my list is to wear for Halloween a Princess Leia Slave Costume (I am a huge Star Wars fan and have been for years). This is my ultimate Bucket Item!

Tell us something that not many people know about you? 

I don't like chocolate. Well my friends know this but not my readers. When I was younger I was I couldn't have dark chocolate or it would give me an allergic reaction. Nowadays I don't even like the taste of dark chocolate. 

We can connect with Alicia here:

Blog: http://nevereverbeenskinny.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Orozco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NeverEverBeenSkinny

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/aliciaorozco/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/nevereverbeenskinny

Thinking about goals for 2014

As I sit here at my brother's house on vacation, I am thinking about the successes and the setbacks from 2013. I am trying to figure out how I can stick to my goals in 2014 and not get off track. I am thinking about the areas where I have found success and the areas where I find weakness. It occured to me that I have to focus on fixing my weak areas. I am not ready to post about what worked and what didn't yet, but I am sure that there are some changes that WILL be made. That post will be done in the next couple of days.

It seems to me that if I focus on making small changes, I will see big differences. There is no magic pill. I have to WANT it and DO it! It's really easy to want it and sit on my butt and dream about it. I have good days and bad days, and the important thing is that the number of good days out-number the bad. There is no excuse for it being the other way around. No matter what goes wrong in life, there is no excuse for self sabotage.

Are you making New Year's Resolutions? Any tips on writing successful goals? I would love to quote you in my next blog post.

Meet Nanci! Featured Blogger

Meet my sweet friend, Nanci!

I have been motivated by Nanci over the last year. She has been killing it on the pavement and at Weight Watchers! You need to follow Nanci! She is the real deal! She and I met through the Tampa Bay Bloggers. We are a community of bloggers who often work together. It is truly one of the greatest group of friends I have found. 

Name: Nanci Cernak State: FL

When and why did you start working out? 
I first joined a gym just out of high school and have worked out in some form or fashion ever since then. I have been through phases of gym memberships and working out at home for over 20 years now. I have always been self-conscious about how I look. I started running – briefly – in 2006 to lose weight. I started again in 2011 after a miscarriage, failed infertility treatments, and losing my dad all caught up with me and I realized I needed to take care of myself. In 2012, running became a big part of my life and this year it has become even more so.

What is your workout of choice?
Running. It is my therapy and has helped me tremendously this year with weight loss, stress, and becoming a much stronger person.

What is your favorite race, race distance, and WOD? 
To date, my favorite race is probably the Sarasota Half Marathon because I PR’d there in March of this year and finally finished under 3 hours. I am really hoping to PR again this Sunday at the Women’s Half in St. Pete!

What is your most favorite piece of workout gear? 
I have two… My Brooks Glycerin 10 running shoes and my Garmin Forerunner 100 watch.

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your workouts? 
After successfully losing 27 pounds on Weight Watchers back in 2006 and then putting it back on, I decided to go back again on January 1st of this year, making 2013 my year to lose weight. I set a goal of 40 pounds and I am down 27 pounds so far. Weight Watchers works for me. Nothing is off limits if I have the points, I love the meetings, and I need the accountability of the weekly weigh-ins.

What is your favorite cheat food?  
Wings and beer. So bad, but so good. I firmly believe in working hard and playing hard, and enjoying my favorite cheat food is a necessity!

What advice would you give someone just starting out? 
Don’t give up. Do what you can, when you can. Don’t have an all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to working out or losing weight. What is your best workout memory? 
When I ran my first half marathon in 2012, I had an average pace of almost 14:00. I would walk more than I ran. Now, I run much more than I walk. I can run a full 3 miles without a walk break, and have done a couple 5 mile runs without a walk break as well. I believe walk breaks are fine – and important – but it is a huge thing for me to run non-stop for 30+ minutes. My best pace to date is 09:37 – that was on a 3 mile run. Pretty darn awesome!

What is your biggest “FIT BUCKET LIST” item? 
Even though I swore I would never do a full marathon, I want to train for one in 2014 and complete one in 2015.

Tell us something that not many people know about you?  
Contrary to what people may think, I am very shy and I always worry and wonder what people think of me. My blog has helped me step out of my comfort zone, to open up a lot more and I am becoming a much more confident person.

How we can connect with Nanci: Blog: http://thiscrazylifeofmine.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuntNanci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nanci.cernak Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/auntnanci/boards/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/auntnanci#

Do you have a success story like Nanci? I want to hear it!!!

You Have to Join this DietBet! $13,000! and Giveaways!

Win Money and Lose Weight? 

Um, yes! Thank you, I will!! 
And there is one day left for the Polar Giveaway!

http://www.dietbet.com/games/11749

Have you joined this DietBet yet? I am seriously amazed that it is over $13,000 and still growing. Here's how it works: (this is from the DietBet site)

DietBet is a game where you've got 4 weeks to lose 4% of your starting weight. To begin, everyone puts money into the pot. After four weeks, whoever's hit their 4% goal is a winner and splits the pot

 HOW WE PREVENT CHEATING

We have a photo review process in which players submit proof of their initial and final weights to our team of Referees. We also have algorithms that detect unusual activity within a game or across games and use an auditing system where some players may be required to submit extra proof of their weight loss using: a Skype weigh-in with one of our Referees, a video weigh-in, or an in-person weigh-in at a location pre-approved by DietBet, such as a Walgreens or CVS clinic. If requested, you will have to submit further proof of your weight within 24 hours. Since weights fluctuate naturally, we allow up to 1% of your final weight as variance. Failure to comply will result in disqualification and forfeiture of your winnings and initial bet. You may also be banned from playing again and subject to other penalties. 

So that's the "skinny" on it.... go get signed up!!! Let's make this month count!

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Fit Miss giveaway
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Polar Heart Rate Monitor Giveaway
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Disclosure: All of the giveaways are donations. All opinions are my own.