SIS#11 - Self Improvement Sundays

***10 weeks complete - ahead of pace >30 lbs***

Coup d'etat. It's the phrase I like to use when I've accomplished something significant that should not have reasonably happened in that amount of time. I know the term refers to overthrowing a government, but I've used it to mean overthrowing obstacles or barriers in my life. Usually it involves some sort of barbaric yawp and fist pump when no one's watching or listening.

My first weight loss goal is history! The scale told me 42 pounds lost this morning, as I complete my 10th week. One significant detail that I've left out to date: I started at 300 pounds. Ouch! I mentioned that to one of the surgeons I worked with last winter and she was completely shocked. She said I carried it well. Carrying three bills is not something that most of us should get comfortable with for the long haul.

So I'm at 258 and feeling good. If you want to know more about how this happened, just track back through my SIS posts on this blog. But where do I go from here? When I set my original goal, I said I would start with 40 pounds and then reevaluate. So here we are, ahead of pace:

First 10 weeks - 3 pounds/wk
Second 10 weeks - 2 pounds/wk
Beyond that - 1 pound/wk

So my next goal will be 240 pounds which is another 20. My goal date for 260 pounds was 15 weeks, or May 2, and I've beaten that by 5 weeks. Goal #2 is also supposed to take 15 weeks, so my pace date for reaching my goal is August 15th, but I'm going to collapse that 5 weeks that I've gained. So it's as if my start date was 5 weeks earlier. Therefore my Goal #2 target date is July 11th. That means a pace of 2 pounds/wk for Goal #2.

As a final thought, I believe this success has come from the practical side of my spirituality. I'm a big fan of balance with our faith. Trust God to do his part, but don't fail to do yours.

Proverbs 12:5 "The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful."

Proverbs 15:22 "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

I lean on God for spiritual strength, but I also use the faculties he's given me for planning and action and follow through to go after this will for my life.

Thanks for tracking with me and keeping me accountable! I think I'll shorten up my entries for Goal #2, but I'll still check in every week. Take care!