O.....M.......Word....

We spent one amazing week in the Outer Banks and enjoyed every single second of our much needed and much appreciated vacation. My kids were fantastic and well behaved. The friends we went with were fun and patient with our tribe of children. I ate more carbs than the average red head, and we came home relaxed, tanned, burned, and ready to get back to life.

I gave myself one day to unpack, grocery shop and settle in, and I started my diet today. When I say "diet," please know that I am well aware that people tell me constantly to not look at this like a diet more than "a new way to live." Cut the crap. No matter how you word it, skipping the doughnuts and cheesecake to attain a healthier body is never going to be fun.

Don't get me wrong. I love my vegetables. I just love them topped with pie.

So, today, I am putting together all of the previous blog posts and pulling them all together for myself....and you, if you like.

I am respecting my God by respecting my body. I am starting this diet by breaking my addiction to carbs. I have made myself a big container of marinated salad (recipe below) and I am drinking all of my water and eating vegetables until my body quits craving the carbs.

My kids are not in love with me today.

God needs to hold me up.

I have a migraine and it's only 2 PM on the very first day.

I can do this.

Why?

Because God's best for me is depending on Him and not turning to cake with every bad or hard day. Those days happen more than I would like and my body is showing a serious dependence on those "feel good" carbs.

Deciding to be healthy is not hard. I want to be healthy.

It's not hard. It's painful.

Pray for my migraine, if you have a chance. Pray for my husband and kids as a tag line, if you have a minute.

I'm fuzzy.

I'm frustrated.

I know that what I have done to get to this point comes after a long list of bad decisions.

I know that every day that passes and my body adjusts to healthier food and plenty of fresh clean water to wash away the past, that I am getting closer to God's best for me.

MARINATED SALAD

1 lb bag of carrots
2 broccoli crowns
1 head cauliflower
3 peppers
1 bunch of celery
1 bunch of scallions

1 c apple cider vinegar
1 c canola oil
1-2 T of garlic powder

Cut up all vegetable into big chunks and put into a container that has a tight fitting lid.
Dice scallions and put them on the vegetables
Pour on vinegar and oil and garlic powder
Put on the airtight lid and shake

Only put salt on your vegetables as you are getting ready to eat them. Salt pulls the water out of the veggies and will leave them soggy.

Let set for a couple of hours and enjoy!