again

i think i need to start posting on here again. my battle with my weight continues. i wrote 202 on my hand this morning to remind myself how much weight i've gained and hopefully encourage myself to make better choices. i don't think it worked so well. we'll try another day.

רפא

Well, the PPP is officially over as of August 24th. I'm turning in the final product tomorrow with a mixture of joy and sadness. I have actually enjoyed doing this project although it's been wrought with small successes and what has felt like large failures. I have learned so much about myself and my ability to adhere to a major lifestyle change. I've learned that I have to reward myself for and rejoice over the "small" successes and fight to not beat myself up about the failures but just remind myself why i'm doing it and get back with the plan. I think finding my Tae Kwon do school and getting to know the people there has been the best part about this project. I'm not sure I would have had the motivation to do it otherwise and I am SO grateful! I want so badly to be healthy and I think that, even though i didn't meet some of my goals, the majority of the steps that I've taken throughout this project have been in the right direction. 

I got a tattoo! The title of this post is permanently on the inside of my right ankle. It is the Hebrew word "Rapha" which means "to heal, to make whole, to restore to rightness." It is part of the Hebrew name for God "Jehovah Rapha-the God who heals." I wrote it on my leg because I constantly need to be reminded that the Lord is healing me and making me whole and restoring me to rightness before Him both spiritually and physically. This project has been about wholeness and health and moving toward those things rather than away. My nursing career will be about wholeness and health and helping people move toward those things as well. My life is about wholeness and health and seeing the Lord transform me as I learn to worship Him. My prayer is that He would be glorified in all of these areas and that He would continue to remind me that I was made to stand in awe of Him...

So, to my flocks of readership, I thank you for reading. Who knows, maybe i'll be back!

I bid you Adieu! and I wish you patience, endurance, and joy on your own journey to health and wholeness!

vacation!

Well I'm in NY and this trip has been so good for my heart! It's been great to be away and with friends in the mountains of this beautiful state! 

As for exercise, it has not been lacking! I walked a few miles in the airport during my 3 hour layover (since i was in Detroit where the airport is like a mall, and i had several phone calls to make, it wasn't hard to do), we went rowing on the lake, kayaking, swimming, and the BEST part was the high ropes course that we did in Lake George called Adirondack Extreme! It was such a workout...I was sore for days afterward! It was so fun because it was very difficult but doable so it was VERY rewarding to make it to the finish! I was also able to go to Tae kwon do with my friend Leigh...I helped her teach the kids class and then took a class as well. It was so fun! The best part was being with Leigh since

 she and I "grew up" in Tae kwon do together when I first started :)

My PPP isn't perfect by any means but i'm making progress...

success...sort of!

Tae kwon do is going well! The summer has been challenging solely because of scheduling issues with clinical and vacation trips out of town but other than that, it's great! 

It's been harder getting back into it because of the 5 year break i unintentionally took. It was a lot easier to memorize my forms in high school when it was all i had to think about! My brain is so full these days!

So, it may take me a lot longer to get my 3rd degree black belt than normal but regardless of that, i'm getting to exercise at least 2 times a week more than i was before i started! 

yay!

yay! i feel like i'm actually making progress...by the grace of God, i've been pretty disciplined lately in the food area and i've been going to tae kwon do pretty regularly and i can tell it's making a difference!

i bought a new skirt yesterday to attempt to keep my motivation going :) it's really cute!

i love when i'm reminded how right Helen was on my first PPP check when she said "Amy, your body is not special, if you feed it correctly and exercise it, it will return to normal weight." she's so right...it really does happen, it just takes time and committment..

alas, it is nice to feel like i'm headed somewhere..and making progress in that direction..

ki-hap!

Taekwondo is officially my favorite way to exercise! I already knew that but I forgot how much i love it until i started back. The only sad part is that classes are Monday and Tuesday nights right in the midst of my clinical hours for the summer. I'll have to settle for less classes this summer and hopefully i can pick up some more in the Fall! It's a great workout and I love it so much more than just running on my own. There's something about being in a class full of people and periodically being allowed to hit things while shouting...It's very therapeutic :)

an old favorite

i'm stalled. still.

so, i'm starting Taekwondo back tonight. I went to the school on monday and talked to the instructor. He was elated that i wanted to join the school and was ready to offer me a part-time job teaching classes..i politely informed him that i don't have time :)

i'm dragging out my spiffy adidas uniform and the black belt that boasts 5 years worth of dust and i'm going to pray that my technique has held up through all these years of neglect.

i'm excited!

i'm going to see how it goes and hopefully make a plan of how many times a week i'll try and go depending on the scheduling and everything but it seems like it'll be great!