These shoes were made for running

A few weeks ago I somehow ended up with an injury to my left foot. I don't recall doing anything or even feeling anything abnormal after working out that Friday but by the end of the day my foot was killing me and I couldn't stand on it long.

I could walk and it only hurt on the bottom but it was really uncomfortable. I decided to wait it out for a little while to see if it felt better on it's on, they go to the doctor's if necessary. I'd cancelled my Monday training class but still went to the gym, doing low impact things but found it to help my foot a little. Decided to do my Tuesday session but asked that the trainer keep it low impact as well which she did. She'd mentioned to me once before about getting some better sneakers to work out in. I had some cute tigers that were meant to be just that, cute. Had some better puma's at home but again not meant for working out. At the time I was in just do it mode so I went to the gym, picking up little things here and there as they came to mind to get and my body just let me know now is the time to invest in those sneakers.

So one day on my lunch break I stopped at a store called Philadelphia Runner philly runner is a store for runners obviously, but good for those that workout period, also obvious. What's different about this store is you go in and they watch you walk in order to recommend a shoe to you based on your foot specific. The lady that helped me mentioned that my arch wasn't that high (or deep forgetting:)) so she suggested a type of shoe that I of course don't recall the lingo but that would function correctly for me. She then measured my foot to my surprise I'm up a size to 11!!! Shocked lol I asked doesn't your feet stop growing at a certain age? In which she responded never because as you age the arch begins to flatten. Oh fun:)

So I tried on three pairs of sneaks and ended up with a pair of asics which were most comfortable and thankfully most affordable. These sneaks were not cheap however I felt the price I paid was worth it in the end so didn't look around and compare shop. Now that I'm typing this I probably should have:) But the extra service given was a factor too so no regrets.

I've worked out in my new sneaks for a week now and they feel so good on my feet, I'm tempted to wear them daily but am reminded of the fact that I want to make these last for as long as I can, letting only workouts wear them down.

Getting ready to go to work so will post an image of them at a later date:)

Getting it together

I prayed that I'd focus on my weight not for vanity reasons but health and oh is that prayer being answered. I posted last about my kidney situation, I'm also dealing with high blood pressure and migraines which I believe I mentioned those in other posts also.

I've never been a sickly person and always been overweight yet now it's beginning to have an effect on my body to where it's necessary to get this stuff off. I'm grateful because I've been struggling with losing for the past couple of years and I concluded that's partly due to the fact that I'm not focused on outer as much. Not frontin like I don't find it important or still like clothes and things. But there was a time when all I needed was for a pair of shoes not to fit me right for me to get going with weight loss. Being a believer and I'm sure growing older plays a part as well, that's no longer my focus.

Also my prayer is to glorify God in my body, it's where He dwells it's how I carry out His work and being drained, tired and sickly won't render me effective in doing so. So I'm grateful for the suffering I'm having to endure because it's pushing me to get er done.

I'm doing well in my training I'm so happy about that. As mentioned I keep getting migraines so I had to cancel a session once, the second session I decided to take it on but work lightly and found the exercise helped to alleviate it. Also looked into foods that can trigger migraines and of course many of them are foods I love yet if I don't want a migraine I'll give them up which will also help with the weight lost. Not sure exactly if any of the foods listed triggers them but I'm being mindful. Did notice when I missed drinking my water I had one for two days straight, helps to get in all my water I tell u that much:)

I have 4 more sessions with the trainer then it's off on my own again, I'm grateful that I did it, I'm losing inches I think I'll have my trainer take measurements at my last session. She'd done so before we trained so I'll see the results afterwards but I learned a lot of techniques and that fatigue is a good warning that it's time to stop. She also did full body work outs with a mix of cardio and weight training. The variety helps to stick to it because you know that tedious thing she has you doing is going to end quickly and on to the next. Find I hate just about all floor exercises but I'm getting stronger so I'm getting through them better.

I'm so excited to be enjoying working out, getting over hurdles with my health that would have been my reason for throwing in the towel in the past and God being faithful in allowing hardships to grow me up.

Oh and I'm not going to weight in today, every now and again I have to walk away from the scale because although I'm seeking to lose weight I don't want to be focused as if I'm on a diet but a change of lifestyle so at least this week I won't weight thinking maybe three and it will be a nice surprise to see how much I've lost once I do.

Jehovah-Rapha -God my healer

A few months ago a friend of mines sent me this email about fruits and veggies and how they can impact health. I was hesitant to read it as first, as I am those types of emails because often times it's some bogus claim seeking to sound godly that says at the end pass it on to x amount of people to be blessed in some kind of way.

Yet being over the health ministry at my church, I decided to check it out and read further into it. Basically the article showed how these different fruits and veggies connected to a part of the body in which it would serve. For example a carrot is good for the eyes, would help to post it just as it's written but I'd have to dig into my inbox to find it, will post a separate day.

Anyway so it showed how the carrot resembles different parts of the eye. Hard to picture but if you cut the carrot it's seen better. Or the kidney bean, which helps with the function of the kidneys etc.

Thought it was cool after I'd read it but left it at that. A few weeks later I had a check up at my doctor's office and she ran some tests. She gave me a call a few days later stating she'd seen some things going on with my Kidney's and wanted me to get a test done. First thing I did was begin doing some research on the kidney. I'm not use to being very sickly so although I man know of different things to be on the look out for, not something that I think about too much so to familiarize myself more with what could be, began to do some searching on line.

I came across one article and it showed a picture of a kidney and I immediately thought of the article my friend sent me. How much this kidney looked like an actual kidney bean. I was then reminded of how I'd been craving these foods with kidney beans in it. Literally ate chili and rice and beans for about a month. Not daily but couldn't get enough of either!!

I was so excited I began to pray and thank God for His provisions and that whatever it was she saw, He'd graciously showed me He's got it taken care of.

I went to get the test done last week and the technician told me she didn't see anything there. At first she kept asking me questions like are you getting fevers, ever have problems as a child etc. And I'm worried a bit like oh she must see something. But reminded of His provisions, just began to pray. She told me that my doctor must have requested the test due to my having high blood pressure and that she saw nothing there. I recall her saying specifically that she saw something so all I say is praise God and thank you Lord!!

Believin Stephen- The Perseverance Mixtape

Check out Believin Stephen's latest Mixtape over at 317media or rapzilla .....100% for free! I've only got a chance to peep a few tracks thus far but from what I've heard it's a blessing. God is so gracious I know I often find myself missing out on some music or have this long list of stuff I want to buy because there is so much bangin music out there within the body and I want to support them all. Yet it's a blessing when God lays it on one's heart to labor for free!

Be sure to take advantage of this offering and peep one of the two websites for your free download.

V-day

This use to be a really hard day for me as an unbeliever. The closest I'd come to having a valentine during those days was telling my daughter's dad I was pregnant. And I purposely did it on that day to enhance my pity party I was throwing for myself and reminding myself yet again I was solo on Valentine's day to top it off I'll tell the ex I'm with child.

Actually I stand corrected, another time I was down about not having a Valentine and actually as a believer, I was on the train going home from work and just thinking about it. A guy on the train selling roses walked up to me and gave me a rose. It was so pretty it was yellow and pink with glitter on it. The glitter wasn't as tacky as it may sound:) But I remember thinking wow that was the Lord, no way someone hustling flowers is going to just walk up and give one to someone and walk away, then proceed to sell the rest of them. Wasn't visibly down either as I try not to be ever.

Today I'm in a place where it's like eh. I'd love someday to say Happy Valentine's day to someone, specifically the individual I'm married to. And I now view it as nice to have that as something I haven't shared with someone else that I can share with a lifelong mate. But even if that doesn't happen I'm good. The rose that day reminded me of His love and how He'll always be the one who loves me unconditionally and at all times. That He's always giving me good gifts so what is a mere rose really. And apart from Him, no other love is truly worth anything nor can any other compare.

Don't say this as a cliche-esque thing either but as a witness of how He's come through for me in those times I'm down, rather as husband father mother brother, you name it He's true to His word if you're His, He has you and is sympathetic to all pain you go through so don't beat yourself up if you find you are down in the dumps, let the Holy Spirit minister to you and love on Him, realizing how fully satisfying He is and that you'll be alright with or without a mate rather you are male or female reading this.

Now I'm not saying don't pray for a mate, be fully satisfied in Christ alone, we're wired to be communal so nothing wrong with having a desire for folks and yes marriage too peep what God did in the beginning. But I am saying that, and because of sin, we don't always have the sort of relationships that would have flowed naturally apart from the sin nature battling to take rule in us. Therefore you may have all sorts of people forsake you yet God never will and contentment can be found in Him even when the relationships that should be just are not.

Right now I'm waiting for my daughter to finish getting dressed and we're going to hit the mall for a few and head back home, probably watch a dvd or two. And I'm grateful not to have a poked out lip about what I'm lacking but rather able to rejoice in all that I've gained and that I can fully enjoy those things on this day.

Have u see it yet? Trip Lee Real Vision

The Love walk---again:)

During my hang out time on Saturday, somehow the topic of love came up. I did 50 things that day so let me clarify LOL while riding in the car with my friend. She'd asked me what did I think about the phrase I love you but I don't like you. It use to be an often used phrase by me as we aren't called to like folks and will not like much of what they do due to the sin nature.

However as I've stated in a past blog, we're discussing love in Sunday School and when this comment came up the same question was posed what does everyone think concerning this and long story short the teacher looked up the word and found that it wasn't in the bible nor could there be found a biblical translation for it. Now I'm like okay that doesn't keep me from using it because when someone says "God is a beast" you're not going to find that in the bible either LOL yet if understanding of the term it's speaking of his awesomeness not used as an insult towards Him.

So okay so far I'm still with I love you but don't like you, until another sister brought up the fact that there shouldn't be reason for that thought to come up. As in if we are to love, what reason would my not liking a person play a part in any conversation or reaction to the person? Then it was concluded that we may not prefer a person rather than stating we don't like them.

Which makes sense, I may not be the best of friends with everyone, but if I love them I will give them the gospel. If we're talking a fellow believer, I'll respond to them as the Father responds to me. There are some things and unfortunately not one specific comes to mind (and that may be a good thing:)) but some things that I may have done and thought God was okay with them, to find out that He'd simply had mercy on me and one day out of the clear blue He'd make me aware of the fault whatever it was so that I could repent of it. Where as, as soon as I'd see someone in a sin I'd be all over them and not in a way that they could hear what was being said to them which of course was written off as their own hard heartedness not a lack of love on my part.

Yet in His response to me I've learned/am learning how to respond to others. And in cases where I find myself not meshing with a person rather it's sin in their life or a personality trait that clashes with my own. I'm learning to pray more speak less or being slower to do so. And being accepting when it comes to non sinful issues but personality traits. For instance a person may be on the quiet side and so what seems like disrespect may be their own discomfort in communicating with someone they don't know. And I can relate to this one for sure to a degree so pray I'm not being an agitant to someone:) But learning who my brother and sister is and loving them accordingly not based on how I want them to be or what I feel they need more of.

Quite a rewarding effort I must say and it's my prayer that the Lord would continue to grow me in this area and get His glory.

Always Something

This isn't a serious always something praise God:) Speaking on the fact that I decided to loc my hair right when I decided to work out. The workouts are sweating out my loc sets and because I'm doing so with extensions this time around, I have poof at the roots and long locs at the end what's a girl to do LOL.

I'm hoping to go to a salon and that they'll get it tighter than I'm able to and it may be something simple like having to set a few of them more often then I would have if I weren't working out. I'll try the salon first and go from there. It's a good thing however, I've never sweat so much and so fast than I do working out with the trainer at my gym. I had a session with her yesterday and I'm truly grateful that I was able to sign up because I'm able to see how far I can push myself without injury. I know I'm usually lighter on myself so to speak to avoid injury and just flat out comfort zone. So it's truly been a blessing working with her. I'll just have to keep up with what I've learned once the sessions are complete.

On that note let me get ready for work. Not weighting in today for personal reasons:)

Monday already!

The weekends seem to go by so fast now adays! Each day moves at the same pace just seems to go so fast and probably a showing of how stuffed our days can get. At least my own. My weekend started off Friday evening where I was suppose to go to First Fridays at Epiph but my friend that I typically go with cancelled due to being worn out from the week. As much as I wanted to go, it was a blessing because I needed that rest as well. And we just ended up (my friend and I) talking on the phone a bit then not sure how she finished out the night but I think I went to bed pretty early.

Next morning Women's Fellowship at my church which is always a blessing. The sister that spoke just encouraged the women to hope in the LORD and remember He's not slack concerning His promises for their lives. It's a recurring theme in my renewing this mind series that I'm doing:) And will be doing until my last breath but simply not allowing self to dwell on things that are anti what He's stated in His words and down to specifics He's shown me in my own life (Which never will deviate from His word let me add!) For example no matter how hard situations get He will not leave nor forsake me. Not myself or anyone else can separate me from His love and on the personal level how He'd been leading me to pray and to believe He will not only give an answer but supply that which I'm praying for (again does not deviate from His word:)) I'm so very grateful for His love and provision for me. So not cliche when I say I am not deserving of it!

Next after women's fellowship I had a moment to hang with my friend E in which we attended a demonstration and chatted a bit to and from. I don't know how I coped before being a believer because there is nothing like getting with fellow believers and talking about our LORD. And even having that listening ear to encourage or rebuke you if need be.

From there I went home for a moment then off to babysit my almost 2 year old niece. She is so precious! And and an easy baby to watch!:) Especially since my daughter takes her over which we battle but I let her do so:)

The next morning came home then went to church Sunday school where we're learning about walking in Love. I remember being so intrigued by love growing up. Dealing with so many hateful folks I guess I had the mindset that I didn't want to be that way and would be a loving caring person. Well not so much when you get down to the nit and grit of things. When God exposes you for who you are and all the nice neat relationships had in the world are torn down and you're aligned with people that aren't so much like you and probably couldn't stand while in the word and therefore avoided. And they're not even the enemies let's not get on them! But they end up not just being the folks you're called to love but even within the body those that are now your brothers and sisters in Christ and are to be treated as such. So it takes a lot of dying to flesh.

The of course followed by the word, my pastor has been teaching out of 1 Peter for the past couple of weeks, speaking on what we're called to as believers. To love again that word:) To die to self and to live Holy. Music to the ears of those called to this walk( if submitted let's be real). Non sense to those who are perishing.

Then after church we went to check out the philly car show where we met back up with my bro and his fam plus ran into my sis and her fam (for a minute). I probably wouldn't even want to invest in many of those cars anymore but they are certainly nice to look at. I was thinking as I looked at the Rolls, my mom rented one of those for my prom and my bro's prom and can't imagine how much that must have cost her so was thinking about everything that money could have went towards:) Nevertheless nice to look at.

Lastly my daughter and I went to dinner before heading home. Praying dinner didn't do damage because I did not tread lightly. I went with where my daughter wanted to go rather than myself but should have because the light meal that I planned on getting they were out of so I went for broke. And while I don't want to get caught up like that I'm still seeking to stick to not going there until I'm at least down 50 but we shall see.

When I got home I went straight to bed, watched the end of Extreme Home Make Over and turned the tv off for bed.....at 9:00:) Which is why I'm up at 1:53 blogging now:) But can't blame my early night to bed because I always wake up like this.

But this is why weekends go so fast for me because this is what they look like typically:) With the exception to the car show I usually stick close to home on Sunday's making brief runs but try to get everything done on Sat and straight home after church if not hanging out with the fam from church afterwards.

Back to this early morning thing I'm grateful that today I have a doctor's appointment so I don't have to wake up as early and it may even end up being a day off with the way things work out by the time I finish up my appointment to go to work it may be time to leave so I shall see. Hoping to get to the bottom of why I'm getting these migraines so often. I do believe the culprits are the teeth because now I'm feeling that wisdom tooth that needs to be removed and it ain't nuthin nice! But I'm going to the doctor's first because I'd missed a follow up appointment a few weeks ago anyway, then heading to the dentist from there (not same day btw) I know it won't be fun but I'm looking forward to getting this thing out and I'm somewhat hoping that's where it's coming from so that there is a reason rather than something I just need to expect unless the Lord chooses to take them from me.

With that said, let me go pray and get back in this bed. I tend to write like I speak for those wondering why this had to be this long:) This isn't a newspaper let's converse I say:) Which speaking of feel free to leave a comment know you or not I don't and saints do keep me in prayer concerning my health at this time.

Moving at Turtle Speed

Welp I lost a pound this week, I'm grateful for the pound but I also realize I'll need to look into why I've gained the weight last week and only loss one this week. I'm also considering weighting at my gym because their scale said I weighted less at the end of the day fully clothed on there than when I weighted myself that morning at home.

And actually there are different factors as to why I gained last week and was slow this week. I haven't been counting calories figuring I've done this enough times that I know what to do and typically I'm only guesstimating anyway when I do count. But because of the whole migraine issue, eating out more when I take night classes (Although I'm selecting healthy choices, still has an impact because I don't know what's in the food 100%) and not tracking it's not having as big an impact as it could.

I however am not quite ready to count if I don't have to:) What I will be doing is brown bagging even down to my dinner on my night class days. I typically take breakfast and lunch to work already, not as much this week but typically. But being more diligent in that will make a difference, I know what I'm putting into my own food and I have counted enough to guesstimate how many calories I'm eating, even going back to some of my old journals and just following them by the day.

Working with the trainer has been good, I can see how my strength is building from the time I started up until now and I'm learning all these new techniques. And lastly I've decided not to focus so much on losing the weight. I will be blogging about it here and tracking my losts on the left hand sidebar. But in terms of what I'll be focusing on is that these lifestyle changes will be permanent ones. That I will continue to work out and eat healthier, even if I didn't have a pound to lose because it's not just about weight I just so happen to have to lose some but there are thin people that need to have the same focus. So that's where my prayers will be geared not to say I will not pray for weight loss success but again that's a smaller issue it's how I got to be overweight in the first place that's of focus.