Let's get real.

Hello friends!

         I'd like to say in high school everything clicked for me but it didn't. My weight went up and down. I began working at 16 and went from a size 26 pants to a size 20. I stayed a 20 for a while, to long if you ask me. Flash forward to Dec.2010. I'm married, still overweight, still hating it, and getting ready to move from California to Illinois with my every loving and accepting husband Josh. Moving changed EVERYTHING for me. I needed and wanted to be a new me. I had a great deal of stress leading up to that move and I was done. God kept putting it on my heart to get very brutally honest with myself and that's exactly what I did. I do not and did not claim to know everything about dieting, nutrition and fitness but I did know these few truths.


1. If I continued to gain weight I would die.
2. If I continued that lifestyle and eating habits my kids would most likely pick them up and also be overweight.
3. I could become diabetic causing further harm to my body.

    Three weeks after moving I started my diet and began to exercise. I will get into much greater detail as to what I eat and don't eat but here a few gems that by trial and error I have found to work.


1. Count calories. Counting calories trains your eyes and body. You will know what a healthy portion size looks like and allotting yourself a certain amount of calories a day will keep you in check.


2. DO NOT weigh yourself. I know roughly what my starting weight was but not exact because I did not weigh myself....in fact I didn't weigh myself until I went down about 4 pant sizes. It puts to much stress and your clothes will show your weight loss. (keep in mind that I weigh myself regularly now) this advice is only for the start of a diet.


3. Green tea&water. Green tea does wonders for the body. It boosts metabolism, it is 0 calories, and it is an antioxidant. Drink it. Iced or hot.


4. Pilates and yoga are great for weight loss. Pilates was my go to when I first started to lose weight because I did not think a high impact workout would be achievable for me and it was something I could do at home or in a class.

5. Don't use shakes and meal bars to replace your meals. You are NOT going to eat like that for the rest of your life. Eat real food.

             In the beginning it was hard. Really hard. I was mad all the time and wanted to eat and went to bed hungry a lot. But our bodies are amazing and slowly but surely my body started to let go of the weight and my stomach shrank. Results are a great motivator!! I had no personal trainer, no life coach, no workout buddy. This was all me and I was and am the most motivated person I know. I can confidently say that I can motivate ANYONE to lose weight.


That's all for now, I will post soon!
Allie

In his image.

Self obsession. I am guilty of it as are many women/men. In my case I was self loathing. Weight has ALWAYS been an issue and a struggle for me. When I say always I mean literally. I was overweight in elementary school. Numerous books have been written and thousands of studies have been done researching what contributes to obesity and childhood obesity. In my case it was not a lack of love or affection in my family nor was it that unhealthy food was being made but rather an addiction to food. Sounds like a cop out right? I was fat because I was addicted to food...well it's true. There are drug addicts, sex addicts, alchoholics, all addicted to something letting it grip them and take hold of their lives. Food did this to me. I overrate thinking a normal portion size would never be enough. I went for seconds every meal, and whatever sweets were around I indulged in. This began my long hard battle with weight and lack of activity or excercise eventually leading to a size 26 pant ad a weight of 315lbs in high school. I was miserable. More on this later my friends :)

Love God. Love yourself.

I have received many messages and texts asking how I lost weight, what I eat, what my workout plan is like, and how I stay motivated. I have decided to start blogging about my current and past weight loss journey to encourage and hopefully motivated others. We are loved :)

Compassion.

        I would like to take advantage of this post and encourage you all to check out a few sites that I am positive will inspire you to give give give!

www.bloodwatermission.com

www.worldvision.org

www.compassion.com

www.hearts4heartsgirls.com

www.toms.com

          I am a firm believer in charity, compassion, and using the gifts God has given you in any way you can.  Being a servant of God doesn't require you to move or get your degree in theology in order to serve him. God calls us all to be servants and missionaries regardless of who or how. My husband and I sponsor an 8 year old boy in Swaziland named Landile. I can't begin to express our love for this little boy and his family and how excited we get when his letters and drawings are sent to us. It is truly a blessing to help provide for him in any way.

Deuteronomy 15:11
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

          Take the opportunity to give, donate, serve at your church, or become a sponsor. There are hundreds of sites and organizations that are dedicated to helping in so many ways. Be apart of changing someones life. :)

Ahava.

Ahava- Hebrew for love.
  
                With my one year anniversary on Sunday and Valentines Day coming up I can't help but think of love, in every sense. We tend to use the word unconditional or agape when talking about Jesus. His love has no condition and he loves us with no reservation knowing full well our past, present, and future sin. How blessed are we to be loved unconditionally by the creator. It is not to be taken lightly.

1 John 4:8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

                    In every relationship we must challenge ourselves to love others as Christ loves us. "Anyone who does not love does not know God." Short, sweet, and to the point. If you don't love like Jesus you don't know him because HE is love. Pretty heavy isn't it? Deeming a relationship impossible is telling God you are not willing to open your heart to him and let him work. When I think about Jesus being crucified for me it seems a little ridiculous that I would apprehensive to forgive someone. Regardless of the situation we are called to LOVE unconditionally. We are human, we have many flaws, but love is not one of them.