Leah Stirewalt

Out of Deep Waters

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Not Quite (a Makeover Monday post)

April 29, 2013 by Leah Stirewalt 4 Comments

Thanks for meeting me here again this week. If it’s your first time to my website…check out my first Makeover Monday post to see what Mondays are all about here at Out of Deep Waters.

Well, it’s been quite a week – weight loss speaking. My husband came down with a wacky virus that landed him in the hospital for a few days. That’s never great for someone that’s trying to eat healthy (yours truly, in this case). It seems the stress of a hospital adventure for the caregiver either leads to eating the wrong things or not eating enough. Add to that the lack of exercise, rest, and enough water, and you end up with a potentially ugly situation. In all honesty, I didn’t do great, but it also wasn’t a complete disaster either.

The first 24 hours resulted in me eating a total of about 400-500 calories (too few, obviously). The next 24 hours left me very hungry, resulting in “wrong” eating. I won’t say overeating, because I really didn’t do that in this case. However, I did make food choices that weren’t the best for me. High calorie or high carb with little protein. Add to that the fact that I didn’t get a post written last week to report in about my weekly weigh-in at my doctor’s office.  What a week!

But, you know what? That’s life friends. The challenge comes in learning how to adapt to the obstacles that are thrown our way and not completely “fall off the wagon” so to speak. But, if you do, get back up and start again – right where you’re at. Historically, when I failed…I threw in the towel…permanently. This time, I’m having to choose (with a little prodding from my hubby if I’m being truthful) to give myself a little grace when needed. This is a journey…a lifelong journey. While I won’t always be in strict weight-loss mode, I will always be battling this thing called slow metabolism and food addiction. I’m just calling it what it is…addiction.

We were at the beach this past weekend for a brief getaway. While there, we met a gentleman in one of the stores we shopped at who happened to share his testimony with us. We learned that alcoholism left him homeless for NINE years! Homelessness for NINE years friends! I couldn’t fathom it. But, I could fathom the hold an addiction can have on a person. My addiction isn’t alcohol, but it’s still an addiction nonetheless, and it still has life altering repercussions at times.

OK…enough of that for now… Two weeks ago (or in my last Makeover Monday post), I promised to report in on how I did with my goals. Did I reach them? Well…not quite…but, I moved a little closer in some areas.

Goal 1 – Lose 5 pounds. I DID lose 5 pounds…just not in one week like I thought was possible. Rather, I lost exactly 5 pounds over the last two weeks, so I’m up to a 31 pound weight loss. That was probably a more realistic outcome considering the two weeks that I’ve had. I was actually quite thrilled!

Goal 2 – Exercise 4 days for at least 30 minutes. I didn’t get to that goal at all. But, I DID get exercise in 3 days for each of the last two weeks, and a minimum of 20 minutes each time. The BEST workout I had was this past Thursday at our local YMCA. I did 21 minutes on the eliptical, 25 minutes on weights, and another 12 minutes on the walking track. I felt great! I’ll be headed back there tomorrow evening and hope to make this a regular part of my week.

Goal 3 – Seven days straight of drinking my personal minimum water requirement. Nope! Didn’t reach it. I managed to get in ALL of the water 5 out of 7 days each of the last two weeks. So, I’m almost there.

That’s where I ended up with my previous goals.

My next goal list:

1 – Lose 3 pounds this week.

2 – Exercise 4 days for at least 40 minutes.

3 – Try to reach that 7 day water minimum.

There you have it friends! 31 pounds lighter, and I’ve also lost 5 overall BMI points. I learned that each BMI point that I lose adds 4 months to my life. So, I’ve potentially added another 20 months to my life. That’s really what this is all about…good health! Sure, I want to look better, but what’s going on internally is truly the most important aspect on this journey!

Thanks for being faithful followers and prayer warriors! I cherish you more than you know!

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Best Laid Plans (a Freedom Friday post)

April 26, 2013 by Leah Stirewalt Leave a Comment

Well, my intentions were good…until…

You know how it goes. Please tell me I’m not the only one. You strive to be more organized, you make all your plans, you have it all figured out only to see everything you’ve planned unravel all over again.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Don’t I know it!

I had made plans for more structured blogging with the new weekly Makeover Monday, Whimsical Wednesday, and Freedom Friday posts. I did great…for two weeks…and then life was interrupted by the unexpected.

My husband was suddenly hospitalized after we returned home from a fun weekend out of town last weekend. We went to the ER late Sunday night, and thinking we would return home a few hours late, I was shocked when they admitted him to the hospital early Monday morning. The good news…it was just a virus. But, a nasty one at that! It attacked his body, and he needed some additional medical help to go over this nasty thing. The bad news…it derailed my week. In doing so, it pointed out some weaknesses in my “plan making” (#1 being procrastination). After I beat myself up about it for a little while..I had an epiphany, of sorts.

My life has been one big (or little) interruption after another. Seriously. Just when I think I’m pulling myself up by my bootstraps, some little spark ignites into a fire all over again. So, why do I do this? Why am I tempted to throw in the towel, assuming I’ll never get it together enough to be successful at anything?

I am a target of the enemy, and he knows where the bullseye is with me…my low self-esteem. He knows that if he can get me there…he can get me anywhere. But, what he doesn’t seem to realize is that God knows this about me too, and He promises that His power is perfected in my weakness (2 Corinthian 12:9). I don’t know about you, but for me…that’s some shoutin’ material!

Thank you Lord that when I fail and turn to you, You are glorified!

Thank you Lord that when I come to you with my weaknesses, Your strength is illuminated in me!

Thank you Lord that Your plans for me are the ones that will succeed!

And so…I’m standing back up, dusting myself back off, and getting back in the saddle again (so to speak), and I’m not wasting one more second in my self-imposed pity party.

I HAVE had two successful weight loss weeks for my Makeover Monday followers. I’ll fill you in on Monday. Stay tuned…

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Meet Leah

Leah StirewaltI became "twice widowed" when my beloved prince, Joel, went to his Heavenly home after a brief and sudden illness on February 12, 2017. I’m in a place of shock and devastation, but I intend to use this format to journal my second widow journey, much like I did my first. It’s my open journal, my electronic oasis, and it’s often the place I find true healing as I allow myself to “come clean” with my feelings. Read More...

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