Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

food

First steps

The first week

Starting weight: 186.4

It’s been an exciting and challenging start to the My Loss Their Gain Campaign. Two good friends in the town where I live have pledged to join me on the journey, which is great from an accountability standpoint. Another friend from college has offered her fitness expertise and support. I’ve been humbled and inspired by the shows of support from family and friends and I’m looking forward to the process.
Fitness and nutrition highlights of this week:
  • Ordered a salad and baked potato at Wendy’s instead of a burger and fries and didn’t even miss them.
  • At our favorite Mexican restaurant in our hometown, I cut my burrito in half, saving a portion for lunch the next day, something I don’t think I’ve ever done there. And it was better the next day because I hadn’t stuffed myself the night before. Here’s the proof: 
  • On a make-your-own brownie sundae, I skipped extra chocolate sauce and whipped cream. At the same party, I didn’t have seconds on salads.
  • Ran 1.7 miles with my husband on Saturday morning.

Those were the successes. I had some failures, too. Like extra helpings of delicious food at a wedding reception. And a lot of snacks while driving 18 hours in the car on Thursday.

This week, too, will pose a challenge. I’m counseling at a Bible camp. Famously good food and lots of it. I’m praying for self-control and the chance to run a couple of times while I’m there. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Until next week, chew on these comparisons: In Liberia, the life expectancy at birth is 57 years. In the U.S. it is 78.37. In Liberia, the median age is 18. In the U.S. it is 36.9. (Source: The CIA World Factbook.)

Putting money where my mouth is

It’s time for a change.

I’ve been stuck in a rut for a couple of months now, weight-loss wise, and this weekend I found myself back to square one. Any weight I’ve lost in the last year is back on my body, and I’m supremely frustrated and ticked off at myself.

Sometimes, it’s a matter of not getting to the gym often enough and being too sedentary. Summer, after all, is not my ideal time to be outside in the heat and humidity. But that shouldn’t stop me.

© Jay Crihfield | Dreamstime.com

The bigger issue than exercise — because I actually like to exercise — is food, which I also like. Too much.

I have little to no control over how much I eat. Or, more accurately, I don’t exercise control over how much I eat.

Late-night snack craving? How ’bout some ice cream followed by some chips?

Kids making me crazy? I’ll just pop some chocolate in my mouth and everything will be fine.

I’m not extremely disciplined for my own sake, so while wondering how I might change this set of circumstances, I was presented with a reality that I cannot ignore.

Photo taken by Lalrosiem Songate, general director of the EC Church of India, on a visit to Liberia

It is this: Every 30 minutes, 1,000 people die from starvation. Probably that number is higher. I think the statistic might be outdated. Even so, while we sat in our Sunday School class yesterday, eating cheese puffs, cookies and bagels with cream cheese, people somewhere else in the world died because they don’t have enough food to eat. It was enough to make me want to vomit.

These two events have led me to a personal challenge, and I’m asking you to join me in some way over the next 6 months.

Here is the challenge:

Photos by Lalrosiem Songate. These are children in Liberia. I don't know if they are orphans, but they stir my heart.

For the next six months, I will pledge $5 for every pound I lose to help care for widows and orphans in Liberia through the EC Church’s micro-enterprise program. (Click here for more information. It’s No. 8 in the Giving Catalog.)

I will weigh in on Tuesday, July 5 to determine my official starting weight, and I will aim to post weekly about my journey, including what I learn about hunger and poverty in the process. You can follow the posts under the category “my loss their gain challenge.”

I’m making this public because I need accountability. I need your emotional support, and I need to hear your experiences with weight loss and overeating and, let’s face it, food addiction.

Beyond that, I’m asking you to take the journey with me. Do you have weight you want to lose but just can’t seem to take it off? Pick a cause close to your heart and make the same pledge. Or, if you want to live vicariously through me, make a pledge for my weight loss, too. At the end of the year, I’ll be making my donation based on the number of pounds I’ve lost. You can do the same at that time.

Excited. Nervous. Scared. Intimidated. Hopeful. I am these things and more.

And ready for a great adventure.