Beth B's new journal

[LINDA RN]

Congratulations Beth B.
Your goal is getting very close now!

[mylifeforhim]

Congratulations Beth B.!  You are such an inspiration to me and I am sure to others! 

[Beth B.]

Hi everyone!
I haven't posted in almost 2 months, but today I am having a leasurely morning before church.

Just as I wrote that first line, I received a phone call that we are leaving for church in 1/2 hour! Leasurely is over!

We arrived back in South Africa Jan. 5 and last night I started going through my clothes in an attempt to find something to wear to church today.  All the skirts and slacks I've tried on so far are way too big (I've been gone for 6 months, I should have known).  Now we're leaving in a 1/2 hour and I still don't know what I am going to wear, so I'd better sign off and get busy.

This month I should have plenty of time to be on the boards.  I've missed everyone!  Happy New Year!

Beth

PS Watermelon is in season here and I just had some for breakfast:)

[LINDA RN]

Congratulations Beth
Having nothing to wear because everything is too big sure beats having nothing to wear because everything is too tight!
I remember standing in front of a clset full of clther crying, just 3 months after getting married. Nothing in my closet fit.

[Beth B.]

That is so true Linda! I did finally find something to wear but I just didn't feel good in it. I'm going into town tomorrow and maybe I'll get a chance to shop for a new skirt.  At the churches we go to here all the women wear a skirt or dress.

Well, I'm off to make my grocery list. After thinking about it, we were only back in the States for 4.5 months not 6 months like I said before.

Linda, you are doing great with your weight loss!  Thanks for always being so encouraging!

Beth

[Bethann]

Thinking of you! Take Care! 
Love Beth(Ann)

[Beth B.]

Thanks Bethanne,  I'm thinking of you too. I hope you don't run into any bad weather taking your daughter back to school.

I don't have a scale here but I think I've lost the few pounds I gained over Christmas.  I haven't had any soda and only a total of 3 cups of coffee since I've been back to Africa. I'm drinking water and herbal tea. I hadn't had any processed foods or desserts other than fruit until tonight. I made some sugar free pudding w/low fat milk. I've been walking every day and I'm starting an exercise group on tues. and thurs. We'll just use dvds. I just decided it's too far to the gym and I am going to do arm and leg exercises in the AM, walk in the evening and then the exercise group.

I went clothes shopping today. With my new motto being "If I don't love it, I don't buy it" I tried on 13 items, came home with 3 and not sure I even love them enough to keep them.  I did not find a skirt but I only had 20 minutes so I only got in one store.

I am determined to be down to 190 before the team from my hometown church arrives mid-Feb. I am also determined to plan the menus and purchase groceries as much in advance as I can and not get stressed out. There will be 29 of them.

[Bethann]

Excellent! You have done great! 
Christmas didn't go as well for me but I'll do better now! 
It is good to have goals! As they say: If you aim at nothing you will hit it! 
Take Care and enjoy Africa! It sounds wonderful!

Beth(Anne) 

[Joyful Friend]

Beth B, How long are you going to be in Africa?  Where are you in Africa?  Somehow, I've missed your posts.  I admire missionaries so very much.  We have many who we support through our church.  you are doing well on LDL.  Keep it up.  It is a Wonderful WOE.  I don't feel that I've been on a diet, so I never have to go off.  My body just stopped losing.  I am at goal, but still eat mostly LDL.  I never want to go back to the foods that caused me to be over weight in the first place.  I don't plan to ever consume white sugar products again, nor pizza.  With the great recipes on the boards, I can get the taste I want.  I love all the fruits.  I bet you are enjoying the watermelon.  I think i read they are in season.  I bought a personal one the other day, and it was good.  I wonder where it came from?    JF

[Beth B.]

Hi Joyful Friend! Thanks for taking the time to post.  I followed your weight loss journey and I am so happy for you that you are at goal!  It is also wonderful that you and others who are at goal continue to encourage the rest of us--Thank you!

We are missionaries in the province of Limpopo in the country of South Africa.  We are about 3 hours North of Johannesburg and our ministry headquarters is on a safari game farm that is owned by a South African ministry.  The money made from guests coming to the lodge and going on game drives is put back into their ministry to help children.  Our ministry works a lot with kids too. We are currently feeding 1,000 children every day. Eight short term teams are coming over this year to help us build an after school drop in center and an orphanage and to help with children's ministry and outreach, and we also are organizing a woman's conference, a conference for teenage girls, several pastor's conferences, several vision clinics--we have given away over 30,000 pairs of brand new eyeglasses in the last 5 years, and we have done an annual International medical conference the past 3 years.  We stay pretty busy!  We are always back in the States Sept, Oct., Nov. and Dec.  We just arrived here Jan.5 and will go home to Iowa April 19 for 6 weeks.  We have one full time missionary here with us who stays 9 months out of the year and we have several individuals and families who are coming for extended periods. My husband is the main fundraiser for our ministry so that is why we spend about 1/2 our time in the States.

Yes, the watermelon was delicious!  After dinner tonight, I asked my husband if he would like some and he said yes we probably had better eat it before it goes bad--I brought him the remaining 2 small slices--I had eaten the rest!!! And it was a BIG one!

Yesterday the traditional chief of our town took us to his small farm out in the country.  He gave us beet root and green peppers. I had only tried beets pickled but we boiled them and I was surprised that I really liked it.

I started an exercise class for the women here on the farm. Tonight was the first night.  Most of them either work for us or the lodge or their husbands do. 8 women came (9 including me) and 2 babies--they sat on a blanket and cheered us on! Pretty good considering I just came up with the idea yesterday and it was just word of mouth.  I had planned to use a dvd but must have taken it back to the States so I ended up leading them and we exercised to some songs on Christian CDs that I have.  I have NEVER done anything like this and never thought I would be any good at it, but it worked out really well and they enjoyed it.  None of them have ever been to an exercise class or a gym before so they didn't know what to expect.  I had to explain how to form the rows and to leave enough room in-between for arm movement. We started with the very basic stretches and then cardio, cool down and ended with stretches.  Then we had about 15 minutes to visit before one of the husbands came to pick them all up. It was really fun.

Today I went through my shoes.  I planned to give away most of them as I remembered them being uncomfortable, but when I tried them on I ended up keeping all but 2 pairs.  Apparently I have lost weight in my feet! 

[Joyful Friend]

Beth B, thanks for the info.  It sounds like you are busy.  We have a young couple who left for S Africa after Christmas.  He is a teacher.  They were home the same months.  It's nice that you can get fresh veggies.  I  also lost weight in my feet.  I had two nice pair of boots that I was going to give away, and they now fit me comfortably.  It is wonderful how our weight redistributes on LDL.  Where in the states do you live?    JF

[Beth B.]

We live in Iowa, near Des Moines. Where are you from? Where do your friends in S.Africa live? I really would like to come to the LDL reunion in Key West. I'm home during that time so it may work out. Have you ever been to one of those?

[Beth B.]

I was able to wear a pair of slacks today that I bought over 3.5 years ago. Still had the tags on AND they didn't fit last week!  I wish I had a scale--I really want to update my ticker.  I'm going into town tomorrow maybe I'll buy one.  I still need a new skirt or dress for church Sunday too.  I love LDL!

[Joyful Friend]

Beth, I live in Ohio, right by the beautiful Ohio River.  My daughter and I went to San Antonio last March(Julie's Home  and her family made it a special day  not only for me, but  also for all there) and then we were also part of the Ohio Reunion in October.  Meeting people who has true empathy with you about weight and the path of gaining and losing did something for me.  I have lost the weight many times on different plans; however, as soon as I went off the plan, I gained back.  I never  dreamed there was LDL.  I'm so grateful for it and for the people on the boards who have encouraged me and have given me tools, and recipes for success.  I've been true blue since I started because it is not a diet, but a WOE for life.  Since I am at goal, I have tried  a few different things to see if I gain or get those terrible cravings. So far, so good!!!  I do not plan to ever use  white sugar products or eat pizza again.  I have found other great foods that satisfy. The nice young couple, Steve and Vicky are from my town. I hope you make it to Key West.  I want to be there, and if God allows it, I will.  You are young, so you have a long time to enjoy your new size and to enjoy the health benefits.      JF

[Bethann]

Thanks Beth for your encouraging postings!  It is inspiring to hear how well you are doing! Congratulations!    It is good to be reminded of that wonderful feeling of fitting into smaller clothes! There is nothing like it!!! 
I have been struggling but really hope and pray I can get back into LDL way of eating better now that it is just the 3 of us left here at home again. It is always with me but I haven't been consistent.

I enjoy hearing about your ministry as well! So thankful for the wonderful things you are doing there! And you are so adventurous! Your exercise group sounds like a lot of fun! Wish we could have joined you!
And as you know I have a personal interest in South Africa and secretly  wish I could visit there and look up my cousins. Lord willing some time I will. 

[barrypaxton]

JF, you finally got a picture on here!!!!  and 

Ollie

[Bethann]

Yes, JF .... You look fantastic!     

[Joyful Friend]

Thanks, Ollie and Bethann.    JF

[Beth B.]

Beautiful picture Joyful Friend!  Thanks for posting it and for way you encourage all of us who are still losing! How much have you lost?  The reunions sound like so much fun!

Bethanne, just promise me that when you come to visit your relatives in South Africa that you will come when I am here and can host you in our home--we have plenty of room!

I had 1/2 hour to shop for a skirt on Saturday; I tried on lots of clothes and finally settled on a black skirt, but I didn't have time to try it on in the store. I got home, and that night before I went to bed I tried it on and it fit perfectly. The next morning I tore off the tags and put it on and lo and behold, it was about an inch too big! Can't take it back now so I wore it anyway and I'll have to take it in. We are going to a formal event in about 3 weeks so I am looking forward to shopping for that, although, now that I think about it, I have the perfect dress at home in Iowa that I could maybe have a team member bring over--it still has the tags on it too!

I have two friends here who asked me to send them the link to LDL! I hope they will join us on this journey!

[Joyful Friend]

Thanks, Beth B.  My DH was stationed at the Sioux City Air Base in the late 50's.  That's where I became pregnant with Country Girl, so it has always been a favorite place.  It is so nice that your clothes are getting too big.  That's what happened to me---I lost in inches more than lbs when I first started.  I shopped in my own closet for a year.  Now, most of those are all gone, and my closet is in order.    I plan for it to stay that way with LDL.  I won't have to get new sizes.  I hope you all get to the size you want, and have good health.      JF