Body AND SOUL!

So I posted something on Facebook today that probably made some people pause.  Yes, I post a lot about Xyngular/health and wellness, but there is another component to what makes me feel so good.  That has been taking care of my soul, too.  My faith in Jesus Christ, attending church and praying have helped me identify other areas I need to work on in order to get physically healthy.

What you should know is that I attend a church where it feels like every Sunday really is teaching from the bible.  As a teacher, it's like I attend the best professional development ever, every Sunday at Northwoods Community Church in Peoria.  You can access all of the sermons from their website, www.nwoods.org . 

Here's an awesome picture and story that helps me explain how I feel this is all related for some people and why my website is www.igniteyourbodyandsoul.com ! 

Here is the story copied from Facebook:

"This is Shrek the sheep. He became famous several years ago when he was found after hiding out in caves for six years. Of course, during this time his fleece grew without anyone there to shorn (shave) it. When he was finally found and shave...d, his fleece weighed an amazing sixty pounds. Most sheep have a fleece weighing just under ten pounds, with the exception usually reaching fifteen pounds, maximum. For six years, Shrek carried six times the regular weight of his fleece. Simply because he was away from his shepherd.
This reminds me of John 10 when Jesus compares Himself to a shepherd, and His followers are His sheep. Maybe it’s a stretch, but I think Shrek is much like a person who knows Jesus Christ but has wandered. If we avoid Christ’s constant refining of our character, we’re going to accumulate extra weight in this world—a weight we don’t have to bear.
When Shrek was found, a professional sheep shearer took care of Shrek’s fleece in twenty-eight minutes. Shrek’s sixty pound fleece was finally removed. All it took was coming home to his shepherd.
I believe Christ can lift the burdens we carry, if only we stop hiding. He can shave off our ‘fleece’—that is, our self-imposed burdens brought about by wandering from our Good Shepherd.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30"

When I look at physical weight gain I feel that sometimes it is caused by the emotional/soul weight we can carry.  That "weight" turns us to other ways to deal with that pain when we don't take them to God.  So you withdraw from others, stay inside, eat, get angry and lash out, get depressed, stop working out, stop caring for yourself, drink, smoke, etc.....all things that lead to weight gain and health issues.  I'm not a doctor, but I am an emotional eater from the "clean plate/grandparents lived through the depression/children are starving in Ethiopia/love is food" generation. 

I've learned various things through the years, but it wasn't until I started taking Xyngular products that I was able to focus on why I was doing what I was doing.  The products remove the cravings and give me a mood boost.  So if I'm eating after 7 it has nothing to do with hunger!  When you can elevate your mood, it helps you see life more clearly.  I have the desire to work on things at home and in life. 

In turn, I need to share with you the ways in which I think will help you turn your health and wellness around.  I feel it would be selfish if I didn't and wouldn't honor God.  Last year I read the book "90 Minutes in Heaven."  He makes a very poignant point in his book.  Basically he said that when we see someone dying we call 911, but why don't we treat people who have lost their faith the same way?  Why don't we want to save them?  It's the same way I feel about your health and your soul.  I see you walking like you're in pain, I see the anger you carry, I see the 60 pounds of fleece you have been carrying.  Let me be that person that helps you shed your fleece! 

So if you're ready, when you go to bed tonight ask God to help you out.  Listen for his answer, his nudging, then let me know how I can help.

Dawn    

This is It!

So my last big post was about my weight loss journey and I kind of left you hanging.  Sorry - with the end of the school year and all I put this on the backburner.  After starting on yet another weight loss journey 6 months ago, I have found some products that make me realize this is really a health and wellness journey.  It's why I changed the title of this blog. 

When I started my 8 day Ignite, I really thought I would lose weight and if I had other health benefits, great!  After almost 5 months on the products I am feeling better than I have in a long time!  Sadly, I didn't realize how bad I was feeling; a bloated stomach, creaky joints, fatigue, etc.  Within a few days, I wasn't falling asleep on the couch anymore (this school year was rough and by Friday night I was ready for bed at 7 or 8!).  The Xyng gave me energy that wasn't buzzy or hyper.  Though it was more than that, I actually cared about cleaning and getting things done!

The 8 days was easy to do, but did require me to pay more attention to eating.  I needed to be more organized.  Since the first 8 day Ignite I've learned that it helps to set an alarm on your phone to remind you to take certain pills, drink a shake or eat a snack.  What attracted me to this plan was the fact that you do get to eat and often!  Granted, McDs isn't on the plan, but I don't crave it anymore either!  Somehow the products help cut your cravings for carbs. 

So here's the best part, after my first 8 days I lost 4 pounds and 11 inches!!  When I stop and consider that when fasting with my church I lost 8/9 pounds and only 2 inches eating nothing but fruit, vegetables and nuts for protein for 21 DAYS, I would say my health and wellness products from Xyngular are amaXYNG!! 

I will continue to do the spiritual fast with my church and I'm really glad that it basically led me to Xyngular!  It's now 5 months later and I continue to use the products.  I lost 2 pant sizes after my first 8 days and was happy with that.  So I ate to maintain my weight and inches.  Towards the middle of June I wanted to see what else I could do with the products so I did another 8 day. 

That my friends is for the next post!!    

I changed the title

So in a reflective mood again, I changed the title of this blog.  It's general so it can fit a variety of situations, but I think it sums up life pretty well, too.  Sometimes you head into a situation, event or whatever and end up going in a direction different from the path you thought you were headed.  Life is about choices and our ability to adapt when our path changes.  Even possibly the ability to capitalize on those changes or making lemonade out of lemons. 

Up and Down and Up Again

     220.  That's what the scale said a few years ago....I cried.  200 was always the "oh my gosh I will never weigh more than that" benchmark and here I was 20 pounds over that.  I'm not sure how I got there.  I didn't feel fat.  I didn't think I looked fat.  OK so my pants were a size 16 (tightly), but I'm tall.  Surely that was why I was in a size 16, because they were longer. 
     So a friend's husband, who is a trainer started working with me; white meat, green veggies and lots of cardio.  I lost weight, but the diet I was eating actually made me depressed.  It wasn't until I got pulled over and given a speeding ticket that I realized something was wrong.  Spoke to my chiropractor who suggested it was the diet, but how could eating healthy make you depressed?  Turns out your body needs certain vitamins and nutrients that are found in red veggies and fruits.
     So I added a vitamin to my diet and tried to keep going.  Well as most moms know, it's hard to get to the gym and not feel guilty that you're spending time away from your family.  So the gym visits decreased and the weight was probably around 190. 
     I was still tired so of course something must be wrong with me.  If I eat healthy and work out once in awhile, there must be something medically wrong.  I went to the doctor and had her check my hormone levels.  They were close to normal.  WHAT?!  You mean the fact that I can't lose weight has nothing to do with a medical condition?  Then ok, my knees bother me and my back hurts, I can't do anything.  That must be it, right?  .....Wait a minute?  That's not it either?  D^%$#&^% it!!  You mean I'm going to have to work harder?  D$%$# it!!
     So that's what I did again.  To make a long story shorter I've also tried Slim Fast (gross and really, you want me to eat just this little bar as a meal???  I've have also done other protein shakes, followed a diet from a book (very hard to follow - no carbs for like 3 weeks!!!!) and other diet pills (caused some bad GERD symptoms and jittery energy). 
     The last diet pill I jokingly told my doctor I was getting too big for my jeans again (back in August) so she prescribed a pill that is used for ADHD and helps you lose weight.  I told my neighbor about it (who I didn't realize at the time is a pharmacist) and she was not, not, not happy about it.  The pill causes high blood pressure and lord knows what else.  I do know that caused me insomnia, jittery energy the first 4 days and a very dry mouth, but I thought hey, I've lost some weight with it.  If I stayed on it consistently the only problem was the dry mouth.  I just had to make sure I took it everyday. 
    Then in January I did a 3 week fast with my church.  My weight loss had leveled out.  I wasn't loosing anymore so I thought the fast (I followed the Daniel fast - fruits and veggies) would do the trick.  I did lose 9 pounds between January 5th and February 12th, but only lost 2 inches!!!  Luckily around this time I was following a friend's posts on her weight loss using products from Xyngular and started to wonder more about a healthier weight loss plan.  Could this be the end of an up and down weight loss journey?            

One more go at this

OK - going to give this blogging thing one more go.  My purpose is to share ideas.  I have found some great ideas on Pinterest (which I love), but keep thinking "I love this, but this is what I would tweak."  Or like the necklace/scarf I just made, it was a picture without any instructions.  So I came up with my own instructions and made it.  So, once I can take a picture, that will be my first official post of substance. 

Until then, I am working on what exactly the 4Cs are.  The 4 Rs in the title are "reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose," something I like to do in my creating (which probably is going to be what one of the Cs is). 

By the way, I love recycling so much that I am going to recycle last year's resolutions.  They worked well for a few months, so why not use them again!!  (Comedy - one of the other Cs?????)