Persist without Exception

Even though people make fun of you... Persist without exception

Even though they don't believe in you... Persist without exception

Even though you're sad and want to emoeat... Persist without exception

Even though you fall down, get up... Persist without exception

Even when you miss you alarm and wake up late, find another time to workout... Persist without exception

Even though making dinner is inconvenient... Persist without exception

Even though soda sounds tastier than water... Persist without exception

Even when everyone else is eating it... Persist without exception

Even though you're afraid of failing... Persist without exception

I've been creating too many exceptions for myself lately... Oh it's dinner out with friends, I can eat a burger and have a coke! Oh it's Sunday night, I can eat an excessive amount of dessert... Oh I just ran 3 miles, I can eat what I want today.

I'm so tired of this mindset. So tired of the excuses, tired of the fat clothes and especially tired of reaching for food to support myself emotionally. I was made for so much more than this. 

Today my new script is "persist without exception". When something happens and I want to deviate from the plan... Persist without exception. I am not the exception, I am the rule. I'm worth sticking through it and reaping the rewards of true health and physical fitness.

What areas of your life need a little script re-writing?

Quick Update 2/2

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I have some neat things going on in my life I'd love to share.

I ran 3.1 miles in just under 54 minutes the other day. It was my first 5k (on my own). I walked about half a mile total. The third mile felt SO good! I know 54 minutes is really slow but I'd like the haters to remember that I am carrying around 60-80 extra pounds over my healthy weight. I fully expect to be running faster 5ks as the year progresses and my weight drops and my endurance builds.

I signed up for the Disneyland 10k in August! Going with my best friend and I am so excited. Feb 2015 is the Princess Half and I will begin to train for it in the fall.

My first 5k EVER is in 6 days. I'm so stinking excited. I want to run it in 50 minutes or less. With my marathoner bestie by my side I know I can do it!

I can now do 15 push-ups consecutively. I still modify with knees but I'm working on it!

I've been reading the book "Made to Crave" and it's really been eye opening to realizing that this journey is highly spiritual. It's equipping me in new and transforming ways.

In January I lost 8 pounds! I gained some over the holidays, but I now claim victory over that struggle!

Fight on friends!

Jaci

1 Cor 10:23

1 Cor 10:23

Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial (paraphrase)

This week I started a bible study through proverbs31 ministries (p31.org). We are studying the book "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst. In all honesty, this is perfect timing.

You all know this blog is about my weight loss journey. As much as I want to lose the weight to feel good about myself, to be healthy, the glory of fitting into my skinny jeans (and posting it on Instagram)... I'm realizing that this journey has to be so much more than that to continue to be successful.

So in the 4 chapters I've devoured of this book (pun totally intended), I have just been blown away by how much The Lord has shown me about ME this week.

Let's cast some light into the dark corners for a second. I hope this is as healing as they say it is. 

I dislike the conflict and disorder In my life so much that I try to avoid it at all costs. Sometimes this is subconscious for me and sometimes I'm clapping my hands over my ears and screaming "LA LA LA" to ignore the blindingly obvious problem in front of me. This isn't just a one-facet-of-my-life kind of disease... It has worked it's way through *almost* everything I'm facing.

When I avoid, I eat. Like shameful, hiding in the corner, throw away the fast food bag so my husband doesn't see it, pretend-that-didn't-happen kind of eating. It's obvious from the last 8 years that this isn't working for me. I don't even know how much weight I've actually gained since then- because I was avoiding the scale.

Reading this book, all 4 chapters I've read so far, have just completely ripped off my blinders. I've realized that this isn't just a control over food kinda issue... This is a hiding from God, perfectionistic, walls up, stinking thinking kinda problem.

So there's the problem. It's funny to me how simple simple simple the solution is: ask for help. My job is to ask the Helper, the Healer, my Hope, my Father to replace my fearshamedoubt cravings with cravings of Him.

Cravings have become a prayer trigger for me... A trigger that I need to ask for guidance. In "Made to Crave", Lysa shares on page 29 "God never intended for us to want anything more than we want Him." I mean, wow. How simple and profound is that?

I've been repeating 1 Cor 10:23 to myself. Of course it's permissible to eat whatever I want. When I'm in the kitchen making myself a meal, I'm asking myself: is this beneficial? Is this food going to fuel me to complete my purpose- my God given assignments here on earth? Chances are when I frame my decisions with fueling the Father's will and my work for the Kingdom... I'm going to eat something green instead of something white and refined. Because when I'm really honest with myself, that's what He created for me to eat. God didn't send down Doritos from heaven. He didn't plant Oreo trees either.

I need lots of prayer in this journey. I'd love to pray for some of my brothers and sisters going through this journey too... Share in the comments how I can pray for you and know that you'll have me warring for you as much as I'm warring for myself.

Blessings.

Jaci

I'm back! Lessons from 2013

I took a little holiday hiatus from the blogging thing. Forgive me.

Things I learned in 2013

I'm made from a stronger fiber than I realized- but only when I depend on God for strength to continue.

Cancer does not stand up to our Heavenly Father.

The words that come out of your mouth matter. You either speak life or death.

Emotional eating is another form of idolatry.

Angels are real, and so are demons.

My husband is an amazing spiritual leader for our family.

I am an overcomer.

To hold tight to the promises God shows me in scripture and remember them when the enemy tries to tell me I'm not what God says I am.

The right worship music will always lift my heart and make my kids moods better.

I can run a 5k.

I will become what I believe I am.

The things I see and ingest on a daily basis (from the media, books, music, movies) will ignite a spirit within... I just have to decide what kind it's going to be.

As an extrovert, social media will not fill my need to be energized by other people... It's a very poor replacement for eyeball to eyeball relationships.

I am worthy of my husband and boy's love.

I am ready to become more in 2014.

God brings all things back full circle, if you seek Him and are obedient to His callings.

Journaling is a very powerful form of prayer and recording what God speaks to my heart.

Things I'm looking forward to in 2014

My first 5k

A deep relationship with my Father

Oneand2 Marriage Conference

2 family weddings (and wearing smaller dresses to them!)

Family reunion

My first Disney race

Watching the boys grow

Fighting for my business

Helping other people get their health back

Waking up next to and kissing my husband every morning

Becoming closer to the Proverbs 31 wife and helpmate I was created to be

Fighting for my purpose

Completing the assignment my Father God has given me this year

It's going to be a good one friends!!!! What is one thing you've learned and one thing you're looking forward to this year?

Winter

I went for a run in 34 degrees today. I do have to say it might have been one of my most empowering runs yet. I woke up really not wanting to go... but knowing that consistency over time breeds results along with a predicting massive winter storm coming, I better get my tush out of bed and go run. The first 5 minutes was NOT FUN, but once my body warmed up I started getting the momentum to keep going. While I was running, certain scriptural themes kept popping into my head: seasons, pruning dead branches, harvest. Just like when winter comes everything dies back- there is no new growth without winter. And oh man, is winter dark and cold and uncomfortable. Winter is when we fight colds, wake up with frozen toes because our feet poked out under the covers while we slept, when being outside is just not too much fun past the 10 minute mark... but when spring comes, we welcome it with open arms and ready hearts. The birds sing, your tulips start poking through the dirt, and the fruit begins to grow.

This is the season I'm in... new growth, tiny blooms, birds singing. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the winter most of 2013 was... my mom's cancer, long distance marriage, grasping at whatever faith I had to hang on, complicated pregnancy, many weeks of bed rest with a toddler, lots of "no"s in our business... I was in tears most days before Noah was born. But the day of his birth, everything shifted. I was born again too. My eyes were opened to my lack of obedience to God. I started digging into my bible again, praying and worshiping again, asking the Holy Spirit "show me", dreaming for my family, speaking my visions of the future, opening my mouth and letting blessings come out not curses, and I began to push myself physically. When you see a little bit of growth, be encouraged. Stay the course. Continue to fight. Soon, you'll have an entire field ready and a reward larger than you ever could have imagined. Prepare your storehouses. Harvest is coming!

Christmas Baker's Edition GIVEAWAY!

It’s Christmas Baker's Edition Giveaway Event

Organized by: Mom Powered Media. Co-hosted by: Shannon's View from Here, My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life, Joans 5 Star Reviews, Sweetphi, Mommy Kat and Kids and Naturally Frugalicious.

MY FAVORITE SEASON OF ALL IS HERE! My favorite childhood memories revolve around baking and decorating Christmas cookies and making our traditional Christmas morning monkey bread with my mother. I am so looking forward to this new season of life as my babies turn into toddlers who are starting to "get" gifts and opening presents and the joy of Christmas giving. Its going to be an incredible Christmas for my family this year.

MPM Network Bloggers are gearing up for an amazing holiday season. Make sure you stop by and checkout all the tasty recipes below. Surely you will find something that makes your holiday even yummier!

One lucky reader will receive a KitchenAid Tilt-head Stand Mixer + accessories!

Giveaway ends December 9th at 11:59pm, open to US & Canada, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:Jaci Hynes from Chasing a Hundred is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Brooks Pure Cadence 2 | REVIEW

Once I was cleared to start being active again postpartum, my husband and I made a trip to REI to peek at running shoes. I was ready to finish the Couch to 5k training I started in October 2011, the month I found out I was pregnant with Ben. My feet had also grown an entire size through both pregnancies.

We left the store with a pair of vibrant purple shoes… I was way excited about the color, they were comfortable and really only time would tell if they were my running shoes or not. (REI has a great return policy if you’re not satisfied with your items long term.)

The Brooks Pure Cadence 2 shoes came with lime green laces which I was completely sold out for. I love running in neon anything! The color I chose is pretty fabulous… purple and teal. I feel pretty when I lace them up!

They aren’t minimalist style shoes exactly, but there is less padding which I’m a fan of. My husband is a bit of a minimalist shoe snob, so he really wanted to get me into a pair close to that for my 5k training.

The shoes are very light which is a plus and there is this feature called the Progressive Diagonal Roll Bar that helps prevent overpronation (which leads to certain foot complications, ouch). The shoe’s tongue is attached to one side which I thought was going to be weird but was actually quite comfortable.

All in all, this shoe gets a 4/5 from me. As my first real running shoe, I don’t have much to compare it to. I can say though, after consistently running for 5 weeks, my feet have had no issues and I plan to wear them out with my new hobby! The Brooks site says they should last me 250-300 miles or so.

Love 'Em! What are your favorite road running shoes?