VP Health & Fitness

Wow.  Another year of life.  Amazing!  Thank You, God!  I have written some words of reflection incase you all want to read a little bit more:

Birthday Reflections

So… this year is almost over!  I can’t believe it!  On the fitness front, the Turbulence Training Contest comes to and end this Sunday.  To be completely and truthfully honest, I kinda slacked it at the end but only because I have been going through some pretty serious drama within the last couple of weeks.  School has taken up a lot of time as well.  Even through this, though, I have managed to maintain my weight and I think i’m even still losing inches, which is crazy.  I still have no idea how much I weigh.  THAT’s how important weight has become to me. LOL.  I am still playing a lot of basketball which has been my saving grace when I can’t get into the gym and lift some iron.  To compensate, I have also been doing body weight exercises such as push ups, dips, burpees, lunges & squats.

Am I gonna win?  I wish!  But, even if I don’t… I have gone through a inner & physical transformation and I know that I will NEVER be the same.  Today marks the beginning of a new start for my life… a new ME!

Ok, off my soap box now.  

I hope you enjoy my reflective thoughts…

~ Vilma

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I haven’t slept much and am running on this 5 hour energy stuff at the moment. Everyone is still sleeping and trying to recover from “Black Thursday” and Black Friday.  Did you know that there was a Cyber Monday? AND I just found out that there is even a “Buy Nothing Day“!!

Whew. 

My sister and I have participated in the commercialism of black friday for many many years… mostly to spend quality time together, talk & walk off the food that we stuff our faces with. This year was no different. However, I think I will probably be doing things a bit differently from now on.

Why, you may ask?  Black Friday shoppers are CRAZY people! Well, most that I run into anyway. 

This year we actually didn’t buy much. My sister took advantage of some really good sales to buy herself some sweaters, scarfs & cold weather gear that she will be NEEDING when she moves up to Chicago at the begining of 2009. I did end up buying a couple of things for my nieces & nephews… but stood firm and bought nothing for myself. YAY! I am sooo proud.

I’m really contemplating on doing things a bit different this year.  We all know that times are bad and money is tight and it will probably not get better anytime soon.  Although I have an ING savings account specifically set up for a Christmas Fund and have some pretty good chunck of change in there… I think that maybe I can do something more meaningful with that money like pay off some debt, help someone in need, or invest it.  

Get Rich slowly has a interesting post on participating in the Black Friday madness, or not.  It’s pretty insightful & you should check it out when ever you get a chance.  And for those that are tyring to be really froogle but still want to do something special for your loved ones, I think you should check out a special site that can help you do just that.

As far as the eating goes… I did alright.  I indulged a bit too much with the stuffing (which I made & was delicious…) and those crossaints were to DIE FOR!  Besides that, I think I measured my self pretty well… ate good and until I was satisfied - NOT stuffed.  Will probably make it out to the gym later on today to burn some calories off with some running, shooting hoops & body weight exercises.  I still have not weighed myself, so I have NO idea how i’m doing in that department, but I have given away some size 12 jeans already and am finally down in the 10’s!  It’s been about 2 years since i’ve been abel to experience this!

Awesome!

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I cannot share my journal with you at this moment, but I do want to share someone else’s thoughts. This is writen far better than anything that I could write or express, but it describes exactly how I was feeling this morning as I sat outside on my porch, enjoying the rain and just meditating on everything that life surprises us with. I hope that it is a blessing to you as it has been to me.

~ Vilma

My Thanksgiving

Rachel Olsen

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

~ 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NASB)

This morning I will wake up thankful. Not because my life is perfect and I have everything I want or need, but because I’m taking the time to count my blessings and give thanks to God.

¨ I’ll be thankful that I am off work today, and that I’ll have work to return to.

¨ I’ll be thankful that my children are able to enjoy a day of play at home, and thankful they have days of learning ahead that will help shape them into who God intends them to be.

As I pass my desk on the way to my kitchen, I’ll open my Bible that sits on a shelf.

¨ I’ll be thankful for the Word of God that I am able to freely read, distribute, and teach in this country.

I’ll put on my “Through All Generations” CD. It’s an album of hymns recorded by my friend Gwen Smith.

¨ I’ll be thankful for the various friends in my life – both far and near – who enrich me, challenge me, listen to me, pray for me, and make me laugh. I’ll be especially grateful for God’s friendship.

¨ I’ll also be thankful for music and its ability to lift my mood, touch my heart, energize my body, and connect my soul to an eternal God.

I’ll turn on my Christmas tree lights – I like to have my tree up by Thanksgiving Day. The lights and ornaments will twinkle amidst the backdrop of an evergreen tree.

¨ I’ll thank God for giving us trees that stay green all year long despite the cold weather.

¨ I will thank Him for giving us the day and the night, and the stars that twinkle in the sky. I will also be grateful for the Light of the World and the eternal life that He brings, represented by the evergreens in our holiday decorations.

Soon it will be time to start cooking the Thanksgiving meal. In my home that will be turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh, and deviled eggs.

¨ I’ll be thankful for God’s provision of food – thankful for the farmers and ranchers, and for a kind family member who gives us a turkey and a box of sweet potatoes every year.

¨ I’ll remember contributing to a local church’s Thanksgiving ministry for those less fortunate, and I’ll be thankful for the people who act as the hands and feet of Christ in ministry – they inspire me.

As I cook, I’ll set aside cans, plastic bags and cardboard boxes to put into our recycling bin.

¨ I’ll be thankful for this beautiful planet teeming with life and flowing with water that God entrusted to humankind to steward.

More family members will join us and we’ll gather around my kitchen table to eat. We are no Norman Rockwell painting - our family has its struggles and issues just like the next family. But on this evening, we will set aside any differences as we laugh, talk, pray, and eat together.

¨ I’ll be thankful for the bond of family – that there are people who know you fully, and love you anyway. And I’ll be grateful for the family of God to which I am bonded through Christ.

After dinner we’ll play cards or board games, or perhaps watch a movie. Then I’ll say goodbye to our guests, tuck my children in bed, sit and reflect on the day. I will ask God to show me any blessings I missed or failed to count, because I’m convinced we all have more to be thankful for than we ever notice. Today, let’s purpose to notice, and to be grateful.

Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings You have bestowed – help me notice them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Pause to count your blessings today. A grateful heart can usher you into God’s presence.

Reflections:

Perhaps you don’t have family with you today, or much food to prepare, or a Christmas tree to gather by. But you have a godly purpose to fulfill in this earth, a world of beauty outside your door, and most importantly, you have eternal life and the friendship of God available to you.

Do You Know Him?

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Hello… Vilma Here. I hope you all are doing well.

In thinking about what I wanted to say to you all, this being a “Thanksgiving” blog entree and all, I considered the standard message about how Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday but a lifestyle, and how we ought to be perpetually thankful to God for all things throughout the year. But, then i thought about the fact that you are probably hearing that from everyone right now and if you go to church, you will probably be hearing it as well, so I thought I would spare you another redundant sermon.

Instead, let me say a couple things to you.

1. I firmly believe that people come into your life for many reasons… and there is always a lesson to be learned and a chance to grow from knowing them. In a spirit of “thanksgiving”, my heart is grateful for every single one of you who have shared or now share a part in my life one way or another whether big or small. Thank you for those that have supported me in through out the years and in this fat loss journey. Thank You for your encouraging words when I didn’t want to do anything with fitness or was struggling to find my fitness groove.

2. My hope is that you my find joy in the simple things and learn to love yourself. After you have learned to love yourself, you can then start improving yourself and your body. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in wanting to look certain way because it’s all we see in magazines, on TV and in movies. YOU that are reading this right now are very special. God made you unique.

The word of God says:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” ~ Psalms 139:13-16

Your health is very important. Let THIS be the motivation that you need. Do it for yourself, your family and the ones you love — nothing else. Don’t EVER give up… keep on striving, keep up fighting… one day at a time!

Enjoy this special day with your family and close friends and always remember and be thankful for all of the blessings in your life.

3. I’ve decided to make a list of 10 things I’m grateful for this year, so here it goes:

1. God’s grace, love & forgiveness (Wait! That’s three! LOL)
2. My wonderful family
3. Cindi McMenamin’s “Heart Hunger”
4. Music
5. My guitar
6. Basketball
7. Turbulence Training
8. Donna Partow’s “Becoming the Woman God wants me to be”
9. i.d. bareMinerals makeup
10. ING savings accounts

Have a great Thanksgiving Everyone!

Smiles & Hugs,

~ Vilma

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At least on myspace I am.

So I’m looking at my myspace home page and I see an advertisement on the top right corner to lose 42 lbs with some diet product.  And then I look at the girl, and I say to myself …

“Man, she looks familiar…”

So, I look closer and I realize that I’m staring at ME!  Yeah.  ME. 

I was like…

“WHAT THE… ??!!”   ”How the HECK did my picture get there!?”

Then I remember that I was featured as a weight loss success story last year… and I submitted that picture. 

But come on, that’s false advertisement!

I didn’t lose 42 lbs. with Acai powder… it took a lot of hard work & sweat to be were I am today.

CRAZY!

Oh well…

I guess i’m totally famous now.

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How many time have we said one or more of these things?

I know I have and that kind of attitude held me back from pursuing and doing many things.  There will always be something that will hold you back from starting.  I challenge you to look at your life and your situation right now, whatever it may be.  There is hope!  You CAN do this!  One step at a time is all it takes. 

Start by writing down some goals.  When we fail to plan, we plan to fail.  Want to lose 10, 20, 50 pounds?  Write it down.  Do you want to lose 4 dress sizes?  Want to wear a bathing suit without a shirt or shorts over it? Write it down.  Want to graduate with your degree, start a new business, run a 5K?  Write it down! I think you get my point, right?  Write down everything that you want to accomplish.  It doesn’t matter right now if you feel it’s impossible. 

Now that you have gotten these dreams and goals on paper, write out steps on how you are going to accomplish them. Remember to keep it simple and take baby steps.  You can’t lose 20 pounds in a week. But you CAN lose one.   Focus on your everyday habits. Remember, it’s about baby steps, consistency, and taking it one day at a time.  You CAN do it!  No more excuses!

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