Wednesday Weigh-in ~ 4 weeks

Ugh. Major cheat week. Stuffing Easter eggs. Easter dinner. Chocolate... well... everything. You'd think, during the very week that we watch Jesus Christ walk Himself up a hill to His own death, I could have a little willpower. Nope. Proves, once again, that I am human and unworthy. I accept that.

Stupid jelly beans.

Moving on.

I did hit a 16-lb weight loss, with the help of a weekend stomach flu; but I know I didn't stay there, thanks to Cheat Week. or Cheat 3-days. That's all it takes. So I'm not even getting on the scale today, not until I'm back on track.

People have been asking me what my secret is (that is, when I am on track and am losing weight.). It's no secret, but I'm willing to share. I'm no fitness or wellness guru, I'm just an average, normal, overeating, wrong-choice-making gal trying to get healthy.

Going through this process got me thinking about the DON'Ts I've encountered lately.
I think they're fact enough to share, so here we go.

• DON'T expect to lose as much weight every week as you did in the first week. It just ain't gonna happen.
• DON'T give up after 1 week or 2 weeks. That's my previous mistake. (Revelation 2:3)
• DON'T have weekly goal. Stick with the overall goal. Ending goal.
• DON'T have a time limit. Time frame, yes; time limit, no. Add two weeks to that time frame, too. =)
• DON'T cheat for a full day (okay, okay, or 3). It will set you back, or at least slow you down, especially if you're battling old bad habits. I take my cheats in bites or sips only. Maybe a meal. Make sure your willpower is set to high, though, because you will have to be able to walk away and say stop by yourself.
• DON'T think dieting is a quick-fix or a money-making scheme. If you're promised results in a small amount of time, run away. If you have to pay an arm and a leg for a meal or an exercise dvd, run away.You'll probably lose the same amount of calories running from it and it won't bust your wallet. =) ((p.s. I AM a fan of weight-loss programs that teach you how to eat real foods. Sometimes it's just a matter of redirecting your portion size or learning about nutrition.)) 
• DON'T think of losing weight as a diet. Do think of it as a healthier lifestyle. A lifestyle change. It is a fact that being in shape is better for the health of yourself and everyone around you. Even ten or twenty extra pounds could mean the difference between a clean bill of health and a problem.
• DON'T think that your old ways are going to get you there if you're stuck at a weight or a lifestyle.Be ready for a change. Be ready for new way of living. 
• DON'T think you can do it on your own. Do your research. Find an app. Use a friend. Join a group.
• And lastly, DON'T think those old yummy foods or sweets are going to get less yummy as you eat healthier. That ain't gonna happen, either. As a matter of fact, they will probably taste even better (at least at week 4 they will). But at an end time, at the end goal, the rewards will be sweeter when you've earned them.

Hmmm, that sounds familiar... 

²⁶ To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— ²⁷ that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’^[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. ²⁸I will also give that one the morning star.
Revelation 2:26-28

²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Revelation 3:21

Sigh. Stupid jelly beans.