Day 11- Purpose & Prayer

So, here I am. Winding down at the end of my partial fast day and I got to say...God is good.

Sometimes we build things up in our minds that seem a far too great an obstacle to run. I mean come on, who wants to not eat all day?!

I love food, how about you? But when it comes to a 40 Day journey such as The Maker's Diet... it's not just about the food. You just don't count calories. In fact, calories aren't even a factor in this diet. (Shocking, I know...) The purpose of this diet is to let your body heal, restore and get back to the way God intended.

Today's fast was a lot more bare-able when I kept that purpose in the forefront of my mind. See, for me, my whole life before was centered around diets just to lose weight because I was putting pressure on me to fit in or whatever. You know how the story goes...

It's only Day 11 of this 40 Day journey and I am in awe of the One who made me. I really am...

My sister gave me this scripture that I read every time I had those hunger pangs today, and boy, did He deliver His promise...

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love and for the miracles he does for people. He satisfies the thirsty, and fills up the hungry." ~Psalm 107:8-9

It's not about a number on a scale, the way the clothes fit (although, its a bonus) counting calories or restrictive eating... it's about taking care of the most precious thing God's given us... Our bodies.

We only get one.




*Picture credit goes to Tryst

Day 8

 Happy After Easter!

Is this what you look like today? It's what I FEEL like! And I didn't even have any candy :( Blasphemy!! (just kidding...)


Just a quick update here for Day 8. This will be the last week of Phase One. (Hallelujah!) Can't lie...it's been tough. Been experiencing a lot of fatigue lately. I've been trying to diagnose myself and I just have concluded it to two things:

1) My body misses hummus.
2) I need a vacation.

Yes, two things no human should go without but alas, the journey presses on!

So how did I survive Easter on The Maker's Diet? Piece of cake! (Okay, well minus the cake...)

Picture this: Salmon (My fav!), A fabulous Zucchini Skillet, Yellow Squash & Snow Peas sauteed together, Steamed Asparagus and for dessert.... A Pumpkin & Goat's Milk yogurt parfait topped with almonds! (Yeah, I made it up, really I did!...)

Wish I was cool enough to remember to take pictures of the food (especially dessert...) like all those cool bloggers out there do so you can drool with me but ....still working on the cool factor. Ah, well.

Well, the fatigue is coming back for it's finale for the night SO...until fingers hit the keys again....

Love and be good to each other! Adios....

P.S I love Zumba! :) That is all.









*Picture credit goes to Goode-The Blog

Day 3

As promised... I wanted to bring you along on my 40 Day journey on The Maker's Diet! So, here is the deal...

Feeling great so far physically. I guess I kinda cheated in that I was already a pretty healthy eater before so not eating processed bread & sugar was no biggie for me. But Phase 1 of The Maker's Diet did have me cutting out beans...which meant no hummus... ((Insert dramatic gasp here)) Yeah, little addicted. But that's another blog topic for another day....

Sad, I know. But...I must press on!

This week has been interesting starting this journey on Monday. I've been hit with some crazy bouts with anxiousness and I have no clue why! Lately, I've really been examining my life and realize that I fail at keeping my life full of abundant and meaningful joy. For example...

I grew up dancing and loved it. It's definitely apart of me...BUT... over the last few years, I've seriously neglected that part of me and traded it in for the 40 hour work week to just simply...pay the bills. I know we all struggle with this, right? We are too tired at the end of the day from the monotonous work we do 8 hours (and sometimes more...) that at the end of the day...we are spent! Nothing left but to go home, cook dinner, and prepare for the next day! Then the weekend comes...its errand and cleaning day, and come Sunday...get ready to do the week all over again. THE ....SAME...WAY.

I am burnt out. What about you??

So, this is one HUGE reason why I wanted to do The Maker's Diet. Because it literally has you schedule in a "fun" day...no work, nothing but enjoying life as it is meant to be!.... But not an easy task! Especially for type A personalities such as myself who wants to get stuff done! (argh...) Focus, focus....

But alas, this weekend will be my attempt at doing so. Good thing it's the Easter weekend, and I am forced to get out of the house and spend time celebrating with some family.

And God is so cool, I tell ya... A good friend of mine texted me the other day and asked if I wanted to start Zumba classes this Saturday....BINGO! Right on time :) I am thrilled to do something new AND it's dance! Rock on! I am so ready!

Well, tomorrow is my "partial fast" day. Which means no breakfast, no lunch. Prayers please! haha...No really. PRAY! Good thing is that I can juice veggies and drink that all day until I get home for dinner. (Hello, Perfect Food Berry! Makes my life easier to juice at work, powder form, what's up!) I am excited about it though. Fasting gives your body a chance to repair and heal. And I am ALL for that.

Till the next update...

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  --Philippians 3:14

40 Days Of The Maker's Way

  

Photo Courtesy of http://www.makers-diet.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever since I got this book in the mail only a few weeks ago, I haven't been able to put it down! I had been familiar with Jordan Rubin before when I tried to read his book that was written after The Maker's Diet and that is called The Great Physician's Rx for Health & Wellness.



Tried being the key word.

I obviously wasn't in the right frame of mind. I got a few pages in and felt that it wasn't for me. As I continued on in life trying to "diet" by the worlds standards, I continued to fail and yo-yo diet, losing and gaining weight, never staying consistent and worst of all, hurting myself in the process.

Fast forward over a year later and since then gone through school for Nutrition & Wellness and been exposed to whole new world of REAL food & exercise...my mentality is right where it needs to be. And I am ready!

So, as I embark on these 40 Days...starting tomorrow, I want to take you along for the ride. I'll be documenting my experiences right here.

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What is The Maker's Diet?

"Diet" being a loose term here, these 40 days do not just focus on the simple desire to lose weight for physical appearance, rather it's a lifestyle regimen designed to improve overall health and healing and to return to the foods that our bodies were designed to run best on. Along with incorporating real food, The Maker's Diet encourages real exercise, prayer, and seeking joy to start living a fuller, healthier life.

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So if you wonder, "Hey, can I do this?" Stick around and I'll be giving you play by plays, so to speak, as I do my usual "9-5" job, plus incorporating a huge aspect for me into these 40 Day's and that's....

JOY.

See, I've come to realize that I can eat all the right foods, do all the right exercise and take all the right vitamins and supplements but as it says in Proverbs 17:22... "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." 

This is my challenge. To find my joy in life again and keep it apart of my life as much as taking care of this body for optimum health. Also, I am believing for my knees to get stronger and heal within these 40 Days. I've had trouble with them the past couple years and actually...that is what has kept me from one of my joys, and that is dancing!

All the more reason to get healthy and get on God's plan...

I hope you will join me as I journey through this... and if you please, keep me in your prayers as I commit these next 40 Days to the Lord!

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength..."

Joy--What does it mean?

Good question, right?

We all are in constant search for it. Well, I know I am. How about you?

Lately, I've been reading a lot about how JOY effects even our health. If we are without it, we aren't functioning right. I mean, it makes sense right? We are made to enJOY life.

For me, the past few years I've drifted far from the things I love, and even let go of some dreams I once had... but some part of that dream still remains. Like my love for music and especially LYRICS. I love words.

I really LOVE words. And I think I always will. Something about lyrics in a song pieced together like a puzzle and yet, almost effortlessly that makes me feel... alive. (This coming from a girl who originally went to school and studied Lyric Writing & Music Business!)

I believe it's how my Maker made me. All the simple joys I find, I am. But, I am realizing more and more, even if I don't make a living out of ALL my joys...they are still apart of WHO I am and I need to keep embracing them daily. It's just like breathing....

So, I leave you with a piece of lyric that touched me this week. It has no relevance to my life, but the words are just beautifully written...lyrical excellence! (In my opinion...) And I leave with this question.... What is your joy? Seek it, find it, and then don't let it go.

"You take this hand, You take this heart, Stir my bones from a thousand miles apart, Feels so cold without you, It's like ten shades of winter and I need the sun..."  Won't Stop-- One Republic

New Beginnings!

New beginnings. Starting over... That's right. 'Tis the season!

Yes, I was very skilled in accidentally deleting more former blog "Grace for E.R.I.C.A" ... But maybe it was meant to be?

See, out of a mistake birthed a brand new concept, brand new vision, brand new focus. Whole Body Grace.

Isn't that what it's all about? It's not just about nutrition. Not just about losing weight. Not just how to exercise the right way. It's not just about one thing when it concerns your health. Health is fully encompassing YOU. Your body. Your attitude. Your life.

Through my own experiences, I've learned that you can't fix one area of your life without wanting to fix another... So, I hope these semi-frequent blogs and musings will serve as tool to help you discover the importance of something we all too frequently put on the back burner....our health!

After all, without it...who are we, really?

"Americans will always do the right thing--after they've exhausted all the alternatives." --Winston Churchill