Personal Food & Fitness Challenge - Post 1

How do I even begin to start this challenge introduction. Hmmmm, let me see.....I'M A PROCRASTINATOR! There, I said it. Now, allow me to let it sink it for a moment.........**tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock**..........**Final Jeopardy music is now playing**.......okay, I think it's sunk in. Hahahahah....If you're wondering why I've started this blog, and even this specific challenge, I'd have to dig way back into the crevices of my life and highlight every moment in which I felt like a lazy bum who was capable of doing so much better than what I was giving to a particular situation. Now, don't get me wrong; I'm no slouch. Far from it actually. I've always been a results-driven, moderately successful, hard-working, committed-to-the-task-at-hand, go the extra mile woman. Believe that! BUT, I've also allowed procrastination to rob me of many, many wonderful things in life...healthy and fit lifestyle included. Thus, I believe the only way to step past that realization is to acknowledge it, face it, defeat it, retrieve all the 'plunder' it's stolen and then keep it my eye on it so that it can never attack me again.

This is the root purpose of this 'Personal Food & Fitness" challenge: to transform my mindset about the negative effects of procrastination into a mindset about the positives of capitalization. By 'capitalization', I mean capitalizing on every second, minute, hour, day, opportunity, success, failure-EVERY possibility that we are allowed in this one life that we're given-to make a positive difference and lasting impact on my life, YOUR life and the lives of the billions of people around me. Yet, how can I do this if I'm 'gone too soon'?

I'm recalling the song "Gone to Soon" that the legendary Michael Jackson (R.I.P.) sang when a young man named Ryan White who (ironically, he was from my hometown of Kokomo, IN) died at a young age from the complications resulting from contracting HIV and AIDS from a blood transfusion. I won't delve into the emotional layers of that song, but it's message rings true in the case of those of us who are robbing years of our lives by living unhealthy and unfit lifestyles by either overeating, under-exercising, smoking, drinking excessively, doing drugs, practicing promiscuous and unsafe sex, walking in unforgiveness (yes, this too!), etc. We don't need some supernatural enemy to attack us - we do an excellent job of that ourselves every day of our lives when we shovel massive amounts of food into our bellies! What about our families? What about our children? What about OUR future!

I have something to contribute to this world. Sometimes I haven't a clue what that is, but I'll never be accused of not searching, trying and attempting every day of my life to make SOMETHING positive happen for SOMEONE. Now, it's time for me to strip off that final layer of resistence that slows me down: the fat.

This particular blog chapter will highlight LOTS of things. I can't even begin to tell you what because, quite honestly, I'm simply winging it. I feel much like the Biblical prophet Elijah (see the Holy Bible, the book of 1 Kings and start reading at chapter 17 to learn more about him, or simply follow this link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20kings%2017&version=NIV). He got a word from God and then just moved. That's pretty much how the rest of his life played out...can you imagine? Well, I can. I believe I've been given a vision from God (the sad part is He gave me this vision years ago and I've just been dragging my feet and eating chitlins and greens and stuff! hahahh....) and I'm simply going to walk it out in obedience a day at a time. Period. I know it's from Him because it's BIGGER than anything I could ever do on my own. I need Him. And I choose YOU to walk with me. Will you join me on this journey?

If you choose to join me, we'll be reading through the cookbook "The What Would Jesus Eat" Cookbook by Don Colbert, M.D. (http://www.drcolbert.com/product_info.php?products_id=64). Now, you don't have to be a Christian to join me in this challenge. That is NOT a requirement, although I must share with you that Jesus is the Root of this challenge for me. Therefore, the principles we apply throughout will be biblically based even if you can't perceive them (smile). But, if you even just respect the historical Christ, I'd like to believe that you'd value maybe trying an eating plan that He might have tried during His life. Why not? It can't hurt, right? Go 'head! Give us Christians a try for a minute, huh?! It's just food and exercise...hahahah. In addition to this book, I'll provide links, facts, plans, events, recipes (found in the book), etc. throughout this journey that I hope will benefit you along the way. I invite you to comment, share and chart your progress along with us. Who knows what we'll ALL learn about ourselves along the way.

I'll close with these two comments that I believe are appropriate as we begin this journey:

1. "How are you going to cast out a group of demons, if you can't put down the fork!" (for the Christian)

2. "Ohhhhh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss from the book by the same name...see this poem at this link: http://www.teamhope.com/seuss.htm.

Welcome Queens...

Estefani