Dieting

DIETING

Yeah, I'm obsessed. I'm not happy with what I weigh, I'm not happy with how difficult it is to lose weight, I'm not happy that I have to give up foods that other people can blissfully eat with no repercussions. I have tried so many diets and exercise routines that I'm at the point that I'll buy them, try them for a day or two and if I don't see results I'll give up. This is a well in-bread habit that started years ago. I stop buying them for a while but then I just can't resist the chance that THIS ONE might work!

I swear, I have been on one diet or another since I was five years old. Yeah, no kidding. I remember my mother being on Weight Watchers and her making me eat like she did so I could lose weight. (Um, like it was my fault at that age that I was overweight? Yeah definitely a little transference there!) Yeah, that didn't work out very well.

In my adult years, I have blamed my thyroid (after all, it can't be the way I eat - honestly, I eat pretty healthy! Very low carb & low sugar). This has been a recurring theme since my childhood when my doctor refused to check my thyroid saying I was too young to have such a problem.

Then, of course, there was the rebellion against always dieting and not being able to enjoy myself when out with friends. That was my teen years and it wasn't pretty.

So now, let's toss menopause on top of that lovely mix, and guess what - yes, I do have a thyroid problem (surprise, surprise). So even though I've stopped gaining weight now that that's under control, losing weight is still nearly impossible.

So what's a girl to do? Of course I go out and buy the next diet program that sounds reasonable and doesn't cost too much. I'll let you know if I ever find one! So far it's probably 1,000 to 1, but I'm sure I'll get lucky one of these days and find the one that works!

Hey, let us know if you've got an answer that works and let's share!

FOOD

FOOD

This was my lovely lunch yesterday - my BLT salad with sour cream and guacamole for dressing. Mmm mmm good!

Yes, many of us are overweight, and many of us are chasing after the answer of how to fix ourselves. We obsess over the latest diet, or the latest exercise routine. Constantly jumping from one diet to the next, leaving out this food or that (food allergies are a different matter), and when all is said and done, most of us end up right back where we started, or worse, weighing more.

Well, I'm no better than anyone else. I do admit that I obsess (at times) about something "new"  that I read. Or that I stop eating whole food groups - you know those low carb, low fat diets. Yeah, I think I've tried them all. I can't tell you how many weight loss plans I've paid for and started to follow, sometimes not lasting more than a couple days, sometimes lasting months even. But you know what? With everything I have learned nutritionally over the years, I'm no better off than I was before I started the search.

And all those diets I mentioned. Well, they all start to sound pretty much the same. Go ahead. Start comparing them: Paleo, Atkins, Low carb, Low fat...and lets not forget calorie counting (oh please, let's!) When you come right down to it, there are really only a couple options. Yeah, the rest usually have a little twist, but when you come right down to it, there's nothing new out there.

 I  recently read something that really struck a chord in me and I want to share it with you. Yes, it's another "program" if you will, but I could do this for the rest of my life if I wanted to.

I am just beginning to learn about Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat program where you don't count calories, and you don't cut out food groups, and you don't have to make elaborate meal plans ahead of time to match up your foods just right. After all, is that really the way God meant us to eat?

Does anyone remember the passage in the bible in Acts 10 where Peter (of course it was Peter!) refuses to eat something the Lord tells him to eat? Here it is: Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

I think of this verse often and take it to heart not often enough. Basically, if God made it, you can eat it. You know what that leaves out? Anything that comes in a package. (Because unfortunately, nothing truly healthy for us comes in a package, does it?)

So back to Brad's program. It's called Eat Stop Eat. You can check it out here: http://mydirtcheapebook.com/eat-stop-eat/
This plan is based on another biblical idea called fasting. It's not about starving yourself, it's about fasting one or two days a week depending upon how much weight you need to lose in order to be healthy.

I've just barely started on this, but what I'm finding is that letting go of all those food do's and don'ts is really hard!!! But that shouldn't be! If I choose to be healthy, and I do, then that means I should eat healthy. That doesn't mean I won't slip and let myself have a treat now and then, but it does mean that I will eat healthy most of the time and not obsess over what I eat.

Food was meant to be the fuel for our bodies, but it was meant to be enjoyable too. So eat when you're hungry; eat slow enough to let your stomach register when you're full; and don't obsess about the whole process.

I'll be the first to say that it isn't so much what I eat as what I don't do. You got it, I'm sure. I hardly ever exercise, but I am learning that it isn't the quantity, the hours and hours of workouts (that I don't have usually), but the quality. So one of the simple changes I've made is that I've bought myself a stand up desk. I can't wait! Sitting is so bad for us and standing is actually good for us, as well as being an exercise unto itself. So from here on, I choose to stand, especially after I sit all day at work!

I hope this has been helpful, or enlightening, or at least informative or affirmative.

Until next time...

JOB HUNTING...ARGHHH

BEYOND Smart Hire 

Career Builder ILENSA  ZIP  RECRUITER MONSTER Financial Job Bank Resume Library  Jobvertise

Accountemps Leddy Group Complete Staffing KBW Nagler Group SNI Randstad Staff Hunters United Staffing 

Wow, job hunting is nothing like it used to be!
Of course, the last time I looked for a job was 17 years ago. Do you remember looking in the employment section of a newspaper? How times have changed!

So I thought I'd be smart and I started out by lining myself up with several agencies, but I was told by the second one that they don't recommend that. 

Hmmm, too bad, I want a job now! 

I also figured even if they don't have the perfect job for me they can get me temporary work to hold me over...well I learned some things. Hopefully this will help someone else some day!

Rule #1 Do not tell them you want something specific or they will not consider you for anything else!!!  Mistake #1. I was totally honest with them about what I want for my next permanent job, including pay rate. So when I called to check on these other jobs I see available they ask, "Oh, so you're willing to work temporary jobs?" Well yeah! Duh!

Rule #2 Do not tell them how much you want to make for a permanent job or they will not approach you with anything less!! See above...my next call about a job I see posted and they ask "Oh, so you'll accept a different rate for temporary?" Again...Well yeah! Duh!

Rule #3 Do not assume that all jobs  available are listed where you can see them. Headhunters have their own networking! I have been all over every job site out there for hours every day, yes, looking at a lot of duplication, but hey, I didn't want to miss that perfect job! 

Rule #4 Don't let anyone tell you that you should stick with just one agency! So now I talk with ANOTHER agency I need to contact and what do you know...after 4 weeks of applying and searching, 3 - 4 hours a day, sometimes more...30+ resumes submitted - and he's got something lined up for me the next day!

Rule #5 Along with all the other changes...don't use that "old fashioned" resume style. So Agency #1 advised me to make some changes. No problem, I'm all for adapting. Then Agency #2 sees my new resume and advises some other changes. Works for me! Then Agency #3 advises I make changes like the previous one had! I'm up to revision #6, and still make slight changes to suit some positions.

So my advice to you...don't leave your job search in anyone else's hands, but by all means, reach out to as many agencies as you can. You never know which one will have that perfect job for you!

The bottom line, you do whatever it takes!

May the force be with you!

MISSING IN ACTION

It has been such a long time since I wrote regularly - or let's be honest here, at all! Well the Lord has been nudging me now for oh...6 months or so. Hmmm, guess I'm a little slow!

I have no good reason for the years away from this passion, except I let life get in the way. Honestly, when I think of the time I've wasted I just shake my head.

I have one complete novel/novella to submit, another that was returned to me by a publisher that folded, and a whole boat load of idea leads in a file on my computer. Not to mention all the notes/ideas I have entered in my phone!!! (It's so convenient to record an idea when I'm driving so the idea isn't lost by the time I'm back home! Anyone else use this trick?) What a world we live in!

But I thank God for His kindhearted patience. He is so good! He waits patiently for us to respond (much more patiently than we wait for Him to answer our cries)!

Not only did he nudge me to start writing again, but He planted an idea in my head. Suddenly I was hearing it all around me, on the radio, during preaching...hmmm some positive reinforcement maybe? And still I ignored it for this long!

But here I am again, finally ready to take up my pen (well, my keyboard). I hope some of my writing friends remember me, as well as those of you who enjoyed my writing in the past! Here is a  link to my previous work if you don't remember me and would like to check me out! I'd love to get to know you!

http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Donna+B.+Snow

I hope you stop by often, I'd love to be a part of your day or week and encourage you along as you encourage me!

God bless you all!

Until next time...

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, 

faithful in prayer.      

                                                                             Romans 12:12

How many times today has someone asked you to pray for something? For a sick loved one, or themself, or a bad situation...

The gift that we all have, that was left for us with His Spirit, is the ability to reach out to our very creator and ask for His mercy on us and our loved ones. AND HE HEARS US!

And how many of us have witnessed answered prayers?

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.                2 Chronicles 7:14

                                                                                        

You would probably be amazed if you knew how many people truly pray when they hear a request, whether it be a passing moment or repeated prayer throughout the day as they think of it.

I may not always remember to pray again, but if I say I will pray, you can be sure that I will. And I'm not alone. Prayer is a precious gift and we should use it wisely. God has promised to hear us, we should be sure our requests are worth hearing.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.   James 5:16

Have faith, He's listening!

Just a job, Lord, this not working is tiring!

I thought sure that I could find a job in a week or two, but even though the job market is good, summer time is not the best time to find a middle management position! Between vacations and being short handed or slow, no one wants to make any major changes until things settle back to a normal pace.

So what do you do when the company you've worked at for 20 years is bought out and you slowly watch your job drifting off to corporate land? Well, I'll tell you, you don't wait! No matter if they tell you that your job is secure, chances are it isn't! So you check out the job market, polish up your resume and get it out there as soon as you see something you like. I'm not saying to jump ship without a lifeboat, but definitely start looking around.

You see, most corporations function the same way. Although they may have divisions all around the world, that's probably only the production end of things. So if you work in production you shouldn't have a worry in the world. But on the office side (where I work), that's usually done all in one place - at corporate headquarters.

So even if they don't take your job away all at one time, you can expect it to disappear eventually. In my case, bit by bit my job was transferred away and I had less and less to do until I had so little left that I was begging for work from anyone who had anything!

I don't blame the corporation (although it would have been nice if they answered honestly when I asked if I should be looking for a job), they are just functioning the way they need to. But I do blame myself for not seeing the writing on the wall.

So, do your job as well as you've always done it, but open your eyes and start looking at what else is out there, because if you're like me, they'll be thanking you very politely for all you've done and pointing you toward the door.

Hmmm and companies wonder why people change jobs so frequently, why there's so little job loyalty...how about some job security first?

Now here are two of my most favorite people in the world, my aunt and uncle. Married for 55 years and still living and loving the way we were meant to.

These are two remarkable people, people who know what's right and what's wrong, and what's important and what isn't, and how to love unconditionally.

If you ask them, they will tell you, hands down, that THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THIS WORLD IS FAMILY. Now there is love, not just for each other, but for most everyone around them, because family isn't just blood, it's neighbors, it's friends, it's friends of friends.

Talk about a great example to follow. They raised their grandchildren with no complaint, grandchildren who still love them and gather around them every chance they get - as well as the great grand children! Everyone loves them! Because they know how to love!

This world has been a better place because they are in it, hopefully for many years to come! 

Thank you for the example, thank you for your sacrifices, thank you for your LOVE.