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LEVEL 10!!!….

What’s all the hype? What is “Level 10”? Herbalifers talk about it a lot these days. Ton’s of people are reaching their “Level 10” results. I’ve been striving for my “Level 10” but my idea of what exactly my Level 10 is has changed on my journey to reach it.

I was an active kid and teenager. I grew up in the country and there wasn’t a slew of things to keep busy inside the house like there is now. There was no internet, no ipods, cell phones, or video games. We didn’t even get cable where I lived so all the excitement was outside. Riding bikes, running around, skateboards on the little bit of concrete near our house, running, walking.. moving.

Of course, the older we get and the more responsibilities we find ourselves with, the harder it can be to stay active. Now the priorities switch to family, work, house, yard, and just taking the time to eat healthy can seem like a burden. That’s reason # 1 why I love my Herbalife. It’s easy. #2, it tastes pretty amazing! #3, it takes all the work out of trying to figure out if something is healthy or not. The experts at Herbalife have that covered for me. #4, it’s helping me see my personal Level 10 without needing to find hours to spend in the gym.

I say that my Level 10 has changed. Does that mean that I just got lazy and don’t want to work for it anymore? No.. actually, I realized how crazy busy my life can be, and the thought of adding anything else to it right now just isn’t going to happen. But despite all of that, I feel better than I’ve felt in longer than I can remember. That’s a Level 1o result right there!  I. Feel. Great!!!

Am I a size 2? no..

6? no..

Do I have to keep a day planner just to keep track of multiple doctor visits? NO!

Do I take any medication for chronic diseases? no.

Am I healthy? YES  🙂

Someone asked me recently if Herbalife has any side effects… uhh YEAH it does!  Feeling GREAT is the most common one. Losing weight, getting fit and healthy from the inside out. Side effects lol… you mean like the ones listed on the inserts to all the medications that most people take? no, no side effects like that.

Side effects… I’ll take my Herbalife side effects any day over the most common ones listed on most medications:  nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, headache, itching, and muscle aches and pains. And don’t forget my favorite medication side effects: seizures, stroke, death. Seriously?  why are we willing to take medication that has those risks?

I’m in charge of my health. I’m in charge of how I feel.  Do I ask my doctor before I start an exercise program? No. Do I ask him before I start eating healthy? No. When did that even become necessary? Do you ask you doctor before you eat fast food? I didn’t think so.. then who is your doctor to tell you that Herbalife isn’t good for you? It’s time to take back your health and be in charge of YOU!

So, what is my Level 10?  Feeling good and enjoying life. Feeling really good actually. Feeling better than I did when I was 25 and having energy to enjoy living. My level 10? The smile that I get when someone honestly thinks that my daughter and I are sisters!

Do you have to be lean and ripped to be a Level 10? No.. you just have to feel your best and be happy with your results! You may be at your Level 10 and not even realize it.

Stop.

Feel good.

Enjoy life.

Enjoy your Level 10!

week ?.. nevermind.

I’m not sure what week/day I’m on anymore.. I stopped the 5k thing.

During the 1000 miles, I developed horrible heel pain. Plantar Fasciitis. The first thing to try to resolve the symptoms is to stop walking/running. At the time, that wasn’t an option. So, I finished the 1000 miles and then decided that I was going to train to run 5k… Maybe I should have rethought that a little.

After a couple weeks of trying to start running, my feet (heels) were killing me even more. As much as I hate to not finish something that I’ve started, I had to make the decision to stop.

I guess I will try and give my feet time to heel. I’ll get to focus on some other important life things for awhile… and then when the time is right, I’ll get back on track and train to run a 5k.

I’m not quitting the 5k thing forever.. just for now.

Week 1, Day 2.. I think?

Week 1, Day 2.. because that one day doesn’t count.

So, I took a few days off. I’m sure I beat myself up more than anyone else could. Things happened. It was cold. My legs were sore. I went to my parents for the weekend. I couldn’t find the jacket and gloves that I wanted to wear yesterday so it just didn’t happen. That’s the one that bites me more than all the other excuses of the other days. Just because I couldn’t find the jacket and gloves that I wanted, I couldn’t walk/jog… because of course I couldn’t have worn a different jacket and gloves, right? I was an excuse waiting to happen.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. I’m just glad to get them out of the way at the beginning of this new experience. No more excuses. It’s about how bad I want to get fit, and I want to get fit bad. It’s not an obsession. It’s just my time. Time to ditch my shell and challenge myself. Push myself, and be more than I thought I could be. God keeps showing me that I can be so much more than I ever thought!

Week 1, day 1 again…

I know.. yesterday was Week 1, Day 1. I decided to look at the ratings for some other C25k apps, since I had a user error with the one I used yesterday. I just thought if I’m really going to do this then I might need to make sure that I have an app that I can work with, or at least one that is easy enough for me! The new app talks to me instead of just beeping at me. It tells me more stats, like how far I’m going and how fast and a bunch of other stuff if I really want to know.

So, day 1.. again. Of course it was the same as yesterday. Warm up for 5 minutes, jog for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, repeat, repeat, repeat for 8 reps and cool down again. I did notice a difference in today’s jogging/walking. The time didn’t seem as long to me. It was like as soon as I started jogging good then it was time to walk already, and the same when I was walking. So, either the timer is faster than the other app – not likely lol. Or… maybe, the 1000 miles I just finished walking has me in decent shape to start this training.

Don’t get me wrong.. I was still a hot, sweaty mess when I finished and it was a chilly 60 degrees out there so my huffing and puffings made me look like I was in my own personal fog. But I did it. Again.

I think that I couldn’t have started at a better time. No real reason, except that this is my time.

Week 1, day 1

(Thursday, October 4)

So, I downloaded a Couch to 5k app and yesterday was my day 1.

I thought it would be harder? I don’t know what I thought but it wasn’t so bad. There’s a 5 minute warm up, then run/jog for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, repeat jog, walk, jog, walk for 8 sets and then cool down for 5 minutes.

Somewhere in the middle, maybe when the trash truck was going by, I must have missed the beep to change from jogging to walking or the other and when I ended up my sets, I was actually jogging for 90 seconds and walking for 60.

I guess I can do this… and if I can, you can… one day at a time 🙂

Be the hero!

I’ve been winding up in places lately and kind of wondering how exactly I got there.. physically and sometimes just mentally. Apparently, it’s a God thing because I’m right where I should be, right when I should be.

This week, I was standing in line at CVS to pick up a prescription for a patient that had no way to get it and she needed it desperately. She didn’t live too far from me so I immediately volunteered to bring it to her after I got off work… how did that happen? It’s like I just wound up there and don’t even remember offering to do it.

That happened a few months ago. I was exhausted, it had be a crazy week or month. It was LifeGroup night and we were cancelling because of illness I think and then suddenly my fingers were flying over the keyboard to offer anyone that wanted to come was still more than welcome to come. It was like I didn’t even have control of my fingers but they were on a mission!

Even now… as I’m typing out a blog post, I’m not sure where it’s coming from because I was so relieved to be finishing my 1000 miles so I wouldn’t be on a schedule to blog anymore. It’s a little stressful knowing that I had to come up with a blog every week. Now that I don’t have to do one, apparently I have things to say.

My latest out of body/mind decision: I decided that I want to run. I LOVE watching people run and have envied them because I told myself that I can’t. I broke my leg several years ago and had to have an 8″ metal plate screwed to the bone with 6 screws to hold it together and then just for good measure they put a big “pin” thing through the bone just above my knee. I’m not sure what the purpose of the pin is, except to maybe let me know when a storm is coming by hurting really bad in that spot.

Anyway.. ever since then, and feeling pretty blessed that I didn’t lose a leg or have to live out the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I was just happy to be able to walk. I couldn’t run. That’s what I told myself. For years.

Then after spending many many miles walking with Jesus and getting to know myself a little better, I started thinking… “who am I to tell myself that I can’t run?” I didn’t think that I could walk 1000 miles in a year, and I did it with a little time left over even. So, why can’t I run? Beats me! That’s when I downloaded an app to teach me to go from my couch to 5k. Today was week 1, day 1. I messed up doing what I was supposed to be doing but I actually ended up jogging for the times that I was supposed to be walking. It was jog 60 seconds, walk 90.. I got switched and was jogging 90 and walking 60 seconds. That’s kind of huge for someone who has told herself for the last 18 years that she couldn’t run…

I’m kind of shocked that I believed myself since I’m always feeling that I should try harder to prove someone wrong when they say that I can’t do something for whatever reason. But, I bought right into it when I told myself that I couldn’t do something. That was pretty rude of me!

So, I’m at this place in my life when it’s time to try new things. It’s time to step out of the box and be different, be daring, and be present in my life. I’m going to keep training to run this 5k, and maybe even do The Crucible run thing that is like a 5k obstacle course, similar to something that would be at a military boot camp. I’m going to keep pushing myself and get into the shape that I want to be in. I’m going to take care of this temple that God has entrusted me with, so that I can do what ever He calls me to do. I’m going to be the Hero of my story instead of the damsel in distress.

Do you want to be your hero? Let’s do this!

Click here to Start with good nutrition. Your body will thank you!

The Big Easy!!

Pam’s Journey ~ Day: 362

Miles walked: 1000

Miles remaining: 0

Days remaining: 4

Before I give the wrong idea… let me just say that there is NO Big Easy. Whatever you want, whatever your goals are, it’s not going to be easy. Anything worth having is going to be hard work.

I finished my 1000 last week and let me tell you that it was an amazing feeling when I dinged 1000… and let me also tell you that it was 1000 miles of hard. It wasn’t easy. It was awesome and I would do it again and again but it wasn’t easy. There was no magic button on the days that I didn’t think that I could walk another step, let alone another mile. But there was Jesus every step of the way, He was there and at the end when my 1000 miles of doubting myself was lifted from my shoulders.

The next chapter of my life has me a little nervous. Not scared nervous but just nervous because it’s a brand new thing for me.  I’m going to open a nutrition club. I have worked for doctors for 20+ years and I’m going to phase that part of my life out during the next year and run a nutrition club. It shouldn’t be so different really.. I’ll be helping people get healthy from the inside out instead of watching them cover symptoms with medication. But still, it’s new.. so I’m nervous of change.   

Finishing my 1000 helped me have the confidence to know that if I lean on God during the next chapter, like I did during my walk, then I can do it. Maybe the walk prepared me, built my strength, renewed my faith, and gave me courage.

My devotion today was about Jesus healing the lame man who had been sick for 38 years. The man had been lying near the healing water, but didn’t have help getting in the water. The devotion didn’t focus on Jesus healing the man, but on the man’s excuses. The man was waiting on someone to help him instead of trying to help himself. He blamed the people who went ahead of him for him not being able to get in the water. 38 years.. Did he ever ask anyone for help? He made excuses for 38 years, until Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk.

– Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”~ John 5:8

Now it’s time to “pick up my mat” and go. It’s time to stop watching everyone else go by while I sit and think that I can’t. I’ve got to make the choice to get up and do what God has prepared me to do. It’s time to go after my goals instead of watching everyone else pass me by as they go for theirs. My life is changing and I can either jump on board and sail my boat with God at the wheel, or I can find another unsatisfying place where I’m just treading water day in and day out. (I think God has more in store for me that just treading water!)

There is still one thing that I probably fight God more than anything else. Accepting help from other people. It is so HARD for me. God has brought many amazing people into my life. People who inspire me, encourage me, and people who I want to inspire and encourage. I have always found it hard to ask others for help but I have learned that when God brings people into your life, sometimes He brings them there to help you. I’m definitely not saying that God brings people into your life to do everything for you so you don’t have to work hard to get what you want. Not at all… but if you’re going after your goals and trying to reach the dreams that God has placed in your heart, then maybe you should look at the resources around you instead of trying to get there all by yourself.

These people who God has placed in my life don’t wait for me to ask them for help, they offer to help me. Who am I to turn down the help from someone who God has placed in my life for possibly that one specific thing? Am I turning down help that I need when God has put it right there for me? That’s like turning down God’s help, right? So there is my struggle.

That’s where I’m at. I know that I can’t do everything by myself as much as I might try. God intended for us to do life with other people for a reason and then He puts specific people in our lives because He knows the plans that He has for us. His word tells us to love others and help others. So every time I don’t ask or accept the help of someone that’s right there and offering, it’s like I’m doubting God as much as I doubt myself.

There will be trials.. He tells us that. There will be hard work, but it will be worth it and rewarded in the end. There will be people along the way that are sent to do what God has led them to do and that might just be to help me at the moment that I need it most. So, again… When God is trying to help me and save me. All I have to do is accept it.

I want to thank everyone that has been on my 1000 miles with Jesus journey with me. You have supported this walk and encouraged my steps. If you were walking the walk and logging miles on this journey, I hope you never stop walking with Jesus. If you started but stopped and don’t think you can start again, you can! Jesus is waiting for you every step of the way. Don’t ever give up and don’t ever think you can’t because we Can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Don’t doubt that. 

More than anything else, I want to thank Kristen for sharing this walk with us and letting us join her on it and I want to thank Tasha for taking God’s lead and bringing us all together or none of this would have ever happened. When God brings people like them into your life, AMAZING things are in store for all of you! ~ pam

lessons learned..

Pam’s Journey ~ Day: 355

Miles walked: 999

Miles remaining: 1

Days remaining: 11

Would you believe that I’ve still been wondering if I’m going to finish my 1000? I’ve tried to keep on track and caught up when I got behind but until it’s done, it’s just not done. The last few days have even caught me being cautious that I don’t twist something or pull something that I haven’t already pulled because you just never know. Someone even said, “you’re as good as done”… No, no, no.. Not until I hit 1000 miles will this commitment be met.

Sometimes we do that though. We think we’re done and so we kinda quit. We quit trying. We think we’re “good” so we quit putting in the effort. That’s one of the lessons that I’ve learned on this journey. You’re never done, so don’t quit. Don’t give up on anything that God has directed you to just because it wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be. Don’t decide that you don’t want to put in the work, so surely it’s not what God had in mind for you. Keep at it… at least until God changes your direction.

I’ve learned LOTS of things about me in the last 999 miles. I’m kind of a nut, but I think I already knew that before we started walking. I’m a “prove you wrong” kind of person. Say I won’t and you can bet that I will! I’ve said that I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal.. but I’m really not. I’m a planner. No matter how hard I try not to be, I am.

I’ve learned that neighbors are more than just people that live on your street. Some of my neighbors (my new friends) have watched me walk this walk. I have several that sit out in the mornings and wave as I go by every day. They were there at first when I was walking in the really really cold – we’re talking 2-3 pair of pants cold…  They have seen me  walking in the rain, walking in some crazy heat, walking in the dark, walking with friends, and always walking with Jesus. They wave, they cheer me on, they have even visited with me and offered me a drink. They are people that I would have never met if I didn’t start this walk.

I’ve learned that when I think I can’t go any further, I can. A little more strength is just a prayer away.

I’ve learned that no matter how much you think you can’t live with missing some TV show that claims to be “reality TV”… you can. You won’t even remember that show that you thought you had to watch, but you will remember the walk that brought you to your knees because God was working so delicately on healing your heart.

I’ve learned that another mile might mean another blister on my heel but it will also most likely mean peace about whatever is on my mind.

I’ve learned that no matter how late it is at night, and no matter how early that alarm is going to go off to get up and walk in the morning, it’s totally worth being a little tired to lay in bed and catch up on life with my daughter if that’s what she wants to do. There is nothing more priceless than her wanting to tell me what’s going on in her life. Those are the times that we share inside jokes that no one else would get but us and we think we’re hilarious when we’re really just two peas in a pod. Those are the memories that I will cherish and smile about when I think of her.

I’ve learned that Thursday is the smelliest day to walk… trash day.

I’ve learned that people will doubt until the very end. I suppose it’s in our nature, or maybe it’s come to be in our nature because so many things aren’t a sure thing. I grew up with a dad that taught me that a man’s word is something you can count on. If he said he would do something, it was as good as done. I like that quality and will always try to live up to it.

I’ve learned that I can literally spend hours thanking God. Hours. The people that He has brought into my life are amazing. The things that He brings me through and the strength that he gives me to handle life is such a blessing. The obstacles that He places when I’m not quite ready for what I have planned for me,  but then He removes when I am finally ready for what He has planned is nothing short of perfect.

I’ve learned that I’m not the person that I thought I was. I had a list of things that I let define me.. I’m a woman, I’m divorced, I’m a 40-year old single mom, a tired out of shape couch potato, an office working, over-weight, shy, homebody with a bad leg that won’t let me walk for long without hurting, so why put myself through that pain for nothing, I’m an unfinished project with no hope of getting done. I could go on, except I’m not those things anymore. I let myself be those things when it was a convenient cover to shield myself from anything outside of my comfort zone. I have held myself back more than any other person could and it’s taken more than a few miles with God to break that shell.

I’ve learned that without that shell of excuses holding me down, I am strong, independent of others but dependent on God, fearless of failure, determined to succeed, courageous to conquer any obstacle that stands in the way of where He leads me, and I am His.

I’ve learned that I’m not alone, ever.

Stalling…

Pam’s Journey ~ Day: 350

Miles walked: 980

Miles remaining: 20

Days remaining: 16

You may notice that I’m a couple days late with my blog post this week (or you may not have noticed).. anyway, I had a few thoughts of things to write about for Wednesday but nothing that would have gotten me more than a short paragraph probably. I mentioned to Tasha that I would be a day late, and now I’m two days late. She said exactly what I’ve been feeling, “The blogs are becoming so difficult to write”. I thought it was mostly me, but over the last several weeks they have become harder and harder to come up with something. I had the brilliant idea that maybe we don’t have so much to write about because we’ve given it all to God. I mean, we usually write about our life, troubles, trials, etc.. so if we’ve finally handed it all over to God and are just following His lead, then we aren’t letting it consume us and we don’t feel it’s a topic to warrant writing about, right? I hope that’s why it’s gotten harder to write… it’s either that or I’m just stalling.

From the decline of miles that I’ve walked the last couple of weeks, I would have to lean towards stalling. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to end the first 1000 miles, because I haven’t “committed” to walk another 1000. I’ve said I’ll keep walking and I know that I will but this week, when I slowed down and took a couple of days off and slept later, it was so easy to just sleep later and get up and get ready for work. No Jesus time. I read my devotions but it’s not the same as being outside with Him. It’s not as alive.

As I’ve been dragging my heels and delaying the end of this walk, I started thinking of all the things that God has brought me to and through in just the last year. The strength that I’ve felt come straight from Him, just when I needed it. The love that He wrapped around me at just the right times. The forgiveness that He showed me so that I could show others. That was just during the walk. He knew that I was committed to 1000 miles and I have purposefully delayed other things until I finished this walk with Him. So, what might be waiting at the end of the 1000? I’ve been wondering that for months.

I can’t imagine that God would put me on this path, and be ok with me not finishing it. I can’t help but think that there has got to be a reason that he started me on this road and it’s up to me to see it through. He has a plan and I ask Him frequently to show me the way and keep me on track, so I need to quit stalling and get ‘er done!

I’m a sucker for seeing what’s at the top of the hill or around the corner, so I’ll keep walking with Him until I feel that He has a new plan for me. I’ll keep walking with Him until the things that I feel led to do are being done in His time and not mine. It’s so much easier when I let Him lead instead of trying to jump in and do it when I want.

I have hope… and He has my future.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Never give up

Pam’s Journey ~ Day: 341

Miles walked: 951

Miles remaining: 49

Days remaining: 25

This week has been trying. If there was an obstacle any where near me, I seemed to find it. It’s been one of those times when I just wanted to stop. Stop working so hard, stop trying so hard, and just stop for awhile. I hate that feeling. I’m more of a “keep pushing, don’t stop, everything will work out if you keep going” kind of gal.

The “keep going” has been part of the problem. I wanted to finish my first 1000 miles before I took on anything else in my life that would interfere with it.  Then other things (life) started happening that were taking a lot of my time, but I was still determined to finish my initial commitment of 1000 before I really let them get too big.  Now that I’m nearing the end, I thought I could start concentrating on some other things. The more I concentrated on them, and the more time and effort that I spent on anything else, the worse everything was doing. It was starting to feel like a failure before I even got started. It felt like I was sinking… and I don’t do failure very well.

Then it hit me.. I guess I do fail pretty decent. What I don’t do well, is Give Up.  I fail awesomely well at times! I even fail hilariously well at some things! If you’ve ever tried one of my cooking concoctions, then you know what I’m talking about. My favorite failure of recent is a shake that I was making for the first time. It was supposed to be a mint chocolate chip Herbalife shake that my daughter and I had tasted, loved, and wanted to make it a regular at our house… Well. Measuring the mint extract didn’t work out so well for me so it was a little extra minty. OK, it was a LOT extra minty. HUGE failure! I’m telling you that it was an awesomely hilarious failure and we drank those super extra minty shakes in record time and then we renamed it the “Date Shake” because we had minty mouths the rest of the night!

What I’m saying is that even if you think you’re failing at something, it’s OK because chances are that you’re succeeding at something else. Don’t give up. Giving up means you start over again and again and that can be pretty exhausting. Just keep going through the failures. Laugh them off. Shake them off. I needed to remember that this week. Just keep going because your time will come.

for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…. ~ Proverbs 24:16

I want to be an encouragement to others. I want my life to make a difference in the life of others. I even want my failures to be an inspiration if that would help another person. So, I’m going to keep moving and keep going. I’m going to work on me and seek God to guide me on the paths that He wants me to be on. Maybe some of the disappointment that I found this week is because I’m not on the path that God has planned out for me. I would much rather fail with my plan now that to miss the one that He has for me, because His is bound to be much better than what I can even imagine.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ~ Isaiah 58:11

I won’t give up. What ever you’re going through… don’t give up. Find a success in your failures and keep going, but never give up.