Body by Vi Giveaway Winner!

I'm so excited! The deadline for my first giveaway has passed, so now it's time to determine the winner of the Body by Vi Balance Kit.

There were 16 total comments ...

So like I've seen on other blogs, I went to random.org to find out who is the lucky winner ...

Then I checked to see who had the 5th comment ...

and it's TZel!

I'm not sure how TZel initially heard of my blog and giveaway, but I'm very glad she did. Her new blog and its posts are very well-written and are obviously very purposeful in expressing her thoughts. Her posts about prayer and her relationship with God speak volumes to me. Although this giveaway is just one small act, reading her words in her post on Tuesday just seem to round out this giveaway in a very nice way. She wrote:

"Now, here is where balance really comes into play. We have already discussed our relationship with God and taking care of our own needs. But Jesus advises us that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving ... Nurturing involves helping fulfill the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others. Volunteer work, taking care of family members,' workmates' and friends' needs satisfies in us that basic human desire to serve others. Without working hard to help others, our lives will seem empty and without purpose."

Looking back at the first 8-9 months of 2010, I realize now that I was not living and enjoying life as God wants us to do. I was not leading a life of purpose. Was I depressed? I honestly don't know. There were no huge factors going on in my life to bring on a depression. I am incredibly blessed: I am married to my best friend since childhood and we have 2 wonderful, healthy children. I have a job which I enjoy. Materialistically, there is nothing that we truly need that we don't have. Spiritually, I know that I am a child of God who gave us all the gift of His Son so that we may live forever in a relationship with Him.

Why was I in such an "inner funk" for much of the year? Why did I feel that I couldn't love myself as others love me? I haven't resolved all of the emotions associated with this, but what I do know with certainty is that I felt that a part of my life - my health, my body - was spinning out of control. Finding Body by Vi changed that for me and for the first time in 20+ years I am loving my body - and all of me - again. To say that is a good feeling and that it has changed my life is a tremendous understatement.

That is what I want to share with others and why I write about Body by Vi on this blog. Yes, I'm selling the product because Taylor and I need the extra income to help patch some holes in our budget. But even if I did not have the financial needs, I would still be telling everybody I possibly can about how Body by Vi has helped me gain control of one part of my life which obviously makes everything else so much better. I want to nurture others and help them gain that same control by reclaiming a healthy lifestyle.

So, TZel, I do not know your story but since you entered this giveaway, I hope that in some small way this balance kit can help with nutrition and weight loss. I sincerely thank you for entering so that I can now follow your journey.

To everyone else who entered, I thank you as well! I know this will not be the only time I host a giveaway as it has been a wonderful blessing for me.

God is good!

Goals for 2011 - Recycling is the Key!

Geez, way to start the new year. My first post of 2011 is kind of late. Oh, well, my blog, my rules, right?

Like so many others, I have set New Years resolutions for countless years. And, then again like so many others, those resolutions fall to the wayside by February not to be looked again until it's time to set resolutions again for the next year.

A new strategy for this year: recycle last year's specific goals for this year. Recycling is always good!

Anyhoo, let's take a look at last year's progress and what I'm working towards again this year.

Lose weight: reach and maintain 150 pounds - FAIL

I'm actually quite pleased with my weight loss success in 2010. According to my Buckeye Outdoors training log, I weighed 181.5 1/1/10. At some point during the year, I distinctly remember weighing 186 pounds because I had setup a weight loss ticker for this blog that I deleted once it started depressing me. I didn't reach the 150 pound mark, but I am in the low 160s for the first time in years. That is a huge accomplishment! I will weigh 150 pounds or less on 12/31/11!

Run more miles: run 520 miles before January 1, 2011 - FAIL

Not just a FAIL but a big, fat FAIL! The disappointment of a super-slow time at the half-marathon in March resulted in a huge let-down and no running at all until June. Not only did I fall out of love with running, I moved past like and viewed it as a chore for several months. It took a long, long time to start enjoying running again. I've hesitated setting this as a goal again, but I'm going for it anyway since running is so much easier and enjoyable now that I've lost weight.

Race different distances: complete at least one at each of the following distances - 5k, 10k, 10 miles and half-marathon - SUCCESS

Well, that's better. I'm not sure which of the distances I prefer. I liked them all, actually, and would love to run a race of all these distances again in 2011.

******

Don't forget my Body by Vi giveaway that ends tomorrow (Thursday, January 6). A little self-promotion never hurts, does it? And you have a pretty good chance of winning because there aren't a lot of entries yet!