If Peter Can Start Over, So Can I 2010-01-06
Whether your goal is weight loss or any other goal, follow these simple but powerful biblical principles...

Cheryl's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge- Day 19 2009-12-10
" I never planned for getting sick during this 30 day challenge but this is life.I cannot make up all the days missed but I can get back on track."

Cheryl's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge- Day 15 2009-12-06
Mid-way point of the challenge and ahead of the game!

Choosing Doing Over Feeling 2009-12-05
My challenge to myself during the next 27 days is to be not led by my feelings. I will rely on my goals to motivate me and continue to do what I need to do everyday regardless of what mood I’m in.

Cheryl's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge- Day 13 2009-12-04
This is HUGE. I am down 8lbs...it feels good...but more importantly, I am committed to not losing these same 8lbs again...this Christmas or next.

If Peter Can Start Over, So Can I

Whether your goal is weight loss or any other goal, follow these simple but powerful biblical principles...

There’s popular saying that ‘the best predictor of future behaviour is your past behaviour.’

Hmmm, if that’s the case then I might as well throw away all of my New Year’s resolutions I make every year. Actually, they’re not really resolutions—they’re more like action steps...but nevertheless... can I really start each New Year afresh?

I think back to my ‘action steps’ I implemented last year. Some of them I moved forward on but some of them lasted only until about March and some I was able to stick to until April or May.

If your goal was to lose weight, did your goals suffer the same sad fate as some of mine?
Before I made any resolutions this year I sought to find some biblical principles to learn about how to make resolutions and to see if I can REALLY start over.
I’m led to the disciple Peter’s life to learn a thing or two about really starting over. I see myself in Peter because one day he’s on fire and the next day he’s cold as ice. One day he trusts God in all he does and the next day he denies him.

Maybe you can see yourself in Peter too, but the good news is that with God,Peter learns how to start over.
You would think that being a disciple and being in Christ’s presence intimately, that Peter would ‘get it.’ (Funny though, that’s the same thing I say about myself.) Yet Peter was a walking contradiction. He chose to follow Christ and loved him yet , he denied Him ( Mark 14:66-72);sank when he took his eyes off Him ( (Mt. 14:28); was impulsive ( Mt. 17:24-27 and the list can go on and on about the inconsistencies in Peter’s behaviours. I’m sure, like us he often wondered if he would ever get it right—if he would continue to frustrate himself for the rest of his life.

However, fast-forward to the book of Acts and we begin to see a different Peter emerging. People begin to take notice of his boldness and change in character. (Acts 4:13). The Spirit of God becomes so strong in Peter that his shadow alone has the power to heal people (Acts 5:16) Peter went on to become a recognized leader among Jesus’ disciples.
So, to answer to my original question, ‘can I really start over’ is a resounding YES. As we learn with Peter ( and ourselves), it’s not always an easy process and it's not instantaneous but it is possible.

Jesus accepted Peter in spite of his failure and Peter went on to do great things.
So how do we apply this to our goal setting in 2010. Whether your goal is weight loss or any other goal, follow these simple but biblical principles:

• Keep alert and pray ( Matt. 26:40)
• Rely on God and God alone only to help your reach your goals ( Acts 2:25-28)

Peter may not have known the type of man he would develop into but God knew. He called Peter a rock and prophesied that he would build his church upon him (Matt. 16:18).
This same principle holds true for us, know and believe that while we may feel stuck and frustrated, God knows our future and He will also do great things for us as he did for Peter.

So go into 2010 knowing that despite your past failures and set-backs, God will help you reach all of your goals.

Cheryl's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge- Day 19

" I never planned for getting sick during this 30 day challenge but this is life.I cannot make up all the days missed but I can get back on track."

Sigh. I've been sick. I started to come down with 'something' on Sunday evening and by Monday afternoon I had to face the reality that I was one of those in denial sick people who come into the office and run the risk of making everyone I come into contact with sick as well. I cannot stand those people…therefore, come the end of the day, I had to face my Jesus and confess something that does not happen often…I am not well.

This has resulted in me missing 3 days of working out. I have been bed ridden with fatigue, congestion, a fever and dizziness. 2 days of me being at home bed-ridden is as close to torture as I can get.

I have been feeling sorry for myself with not working out etc and definitely have not been adhering to a regular eating program. I have not deviated and eaten foolishness but I have deviated from regular small portions of clean eating to one sitting because that was when I was feeling hungry…and then straight back into bed. Soooonooootgooood!

Reality. I guess it makes for good TV so it must make for a good blog entry. I never planned for getting sick during this 30 day challenge. I planned for a lot of other things but I have to admit, this really knocked me for six. My weight has gone up by 1-2 lbs…nothing substantial but it adds up over time. I should go to the gym tonight but seeing that my husband has literally taken over our household for the last few days, I need to be home tonight to do my full-time Mama duties rather than go to the gym…there is something about being reasonable that needs to be maintained in my household.

So…tomorrow morning, I commit to a full 1 hour workout…solid. I commit to a 1 hour workout tomorrow evening. I cannot make up all the days missed but I can get back on track rather than waiting to be in perfect health before resuming. This means that I have to add some days onto the original 30 day challenge…reality.

If you always do what you have always done you will end with the same result. My reality calls for a change.

Cheryl's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge- Day 15

Mid-way point of the challenge and ahead of the game!

Sunday, December 6th

Saturday used to be my coming undone day. It used to be my day when I would think that Sunday to Friday I was just o so good what is one day.

Cathy and I have learned that I am an all or nothing sort of girl...hence why I need to work out 7 days a week.

We went out for dinner to a fantastic restaurant in the city last night - I mean, mind-blowingly good food. It would have been easy to get caught up in the magical ambiance, the dining, the company, the service etc...instead I chose to partake in it consciously.

I was mindful of selecting my meal, trade offs made but not sacrifices. Fish full of flavour, baked, complex carb, perfect vegetables. I savoured each bite rather than chewing with guilt. I thoroughly enjoyed a glass of wine rather than sharing in a bottle (and let me tell you - GOOOOOOOOD wine)! Not pretending to be an innocent in the meal but certainly not a deviant or lying to myself today so that I do not take accountability for the 1lb up on the scale this morning.

It means that the workouts this week will need to make up for that lb. Did I deviate from one of the commitments of my 30 day challenge? Yes. Did I keep to every last one of them? Yes. WAY ahead of the game.