Mondays are for Motivation/ Weigh In!

Because I am an anal retentive organizer/planning freak, I have decided to assign a different topic to each day of the week! And Mondays are for... Motivation! I mean seriously, who couldn't use a little more motivation at the beginning of the week?

I'm gonna let you all in on a little secret- most days I don't feel like I need to lose weight. Not sure why or how this has happened but even though I've been overweight literally my whole life, it has not been until recently (aka- the last year) that I have been even in the least bit unhappy with my weight. Isn't this strange? And because being unhappy with the way you look or feel is what drives you to change- I've never been unhappy so I haven't changed. So I guess the question is...why have I never been unhappy with my weight until now? My only guesses are: I have an extremely supportive family that has never made any negative comments about my weight, it is only recently that I have had embaressing situations like not being able to fit into certain chairs or airplane seatbelts to make me realize just how bad the situation is, and I really do have a solid sense of who I am outside of the way I look.

All of that to say- I know it's always beneficial for anyone trying to lose weight to remind themselves of all of the reasons they want to and the way that it will make their lives better- and for me this is extra crucial because it's easy for me to forget that I need to lose weight. (If anyone has any suggestions as to why this is, feel free to play psychologist! lol) And that is why I am choosing to dedicate my Monday posts each week to a different reason why I am doing Project 365 to give me motivation for the rest of the week-some will be more serious while others are a big silly, but hey- motivation is motivation!

Reason #1 I want to lose 100lbs this year :BTW- (These are in no particular order of importance)....

I want to be able to fulfill my purpose here on this planet.

I have been a follower of Jesus now for about 9 years and I believe that everyone has a purpose- well a multiplicity of purposes actually- and just recently I have discovered one of mine and have been able to begin fulfiling it as the outreach pastor at a local church here in the 'Burgh. You see I just graduated in May from Bible college and couldn't wait to get out of the classroom and start putting into practice all that I had been learning- and it's been such a great adventure thus far!

However- a few weeks ago something happened that pretty much shook me to my core and was a the event that pretty much pushed me over the edge into starting this journey. For Halloween, my team and I put on a Fall Festival for our community at a local coffee shop (it was super cute!) and in order to get the word out we went around passing out flyers. Now if you have ever been to Pittsburgh you know that we have some intense hills around here and let me tell you that I just about DIED trying to hike these hills to pass out flyers. Seriously- I just wanted to burst into tears when I realized that I am leading this group and can barely get up the stinkin' hill!

I am losing 100lbs this year because I refuse to allow something like my weight to play ANY part in not allowing me to do what I know I was put on this Earth to do. From being a mother, a wife, a pastor, any of it- no way. I want to be able to lead teams on overseas trips without worrying about fitting in the plane seat or hiking crazy mountains.

There are always things that are going to get in your way in life- and some of them you can't control and just have to work around- but my weight IS something that I can control- and I'm not going to let it hold me back from anything anymore. I was put on this Earth to serve a purpose- and I'm going to do it to the very best of my ability.

And now...the Weigh In!

This week I am down...2 POUNDS! Whoo hoo! That brings me to: 338lbs- a total loss of 14lbs since Nov 8th!

And now, I leave you with a picture of me from last night before heading out to a Christmas party where we were having an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest!" Sadly- there were other sweaters at the party that were FAR more ugly! Gotta love it!

So what's YOUR reason for becoming healthy this week?