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| "Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit."-(3 John 1:2) |
(Editor's note: Today's post comes from my friend Michelle.)
A year and a half ago, something changed. I started to learn about clean eating and
found myself worrying less about losing weight. I was eating whole foods to fuel
my body, my taste buds changed and I started to crave the healthy foods. I ate more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins,
and healthy fats. I cut out added sugar, artificial sweeteners
and flavors, as well as processed foods full of chemicals. If I didn’t recognize an ingredient . . . I
didn’t eat it! I started planning my
meals and snacks in advance so that I didn’t make bad food choices when the
day didn’t go as planned. Writing down
everything that I ate helped me to be more aware of what and how much I was
eating.
A month after changing my nutrition, I started a new
at-home fitness program. I had joined
gyms, started running programs and bought tons of fitness DVDs in the past, but
didn’t stick with them. This time was
different. I had an online group that I had to check in with that was full of
ladies grounded in their faith. We were
there to encourage each other and hold one another accountable. I was so proud of myself as I finished Day 60
of the program. I was in better shape
than I’d been in a long time and had grown to love exercise. I continued my daily workouts because I loved
them and loved how I felt as a result. I continue to do daily workouts at home
as my twin girls sit watching and my son frequently jumps in and joins me.
This health and fitness journey has centered in reliance
on God and His strength, doing it for a much bigger reason than changing the
number on the scale or what size jeans I am wearing. This was as much a journey of faith as it was fitness or nutrition. I began
seeking the Lord to help break my old habits of emotional eating. I started paying attention to why I turned to
food and turned that desire for comfort into a prayer for guidance and
surrender. As I have sought the Lord in
this, I have become much more interested in treating my body as a temple and desire to honor God in my choices. I want
to take care of my family by setting a good example, and making better decisions that help us to avoid illnesses and medical issues that could be controlled or
eliminated by healthier choices.
As my mind-shift changed, and I sought the Lord, my health
became more of a priority than how I looked, but did result in a physical
transformation. My new outlook and
beliefs are no longer all or none, focused on MY will-power, or driven by the
number on the scale. I still enjoy occasional
treats, but eat mostly whole foods.
If your story is anything like mine, I’d encourage you
with these tips –
- Pray! Ask God to show you where to start and more importantly seek Him for your “why”. Why do you want to get healthy? What is getting in your way?
- Start looking at nutrition labels and ingredient lists. Every good choice matters. This is not an all or none way of life.
- Find something you enjoy doing for exercise. Do you like dancing, boot camp, walking, running, lifting weights, kickboxing, or something else? You won’t stick with it if you don’t enjoy it.
- Connect with others who can encourage you and hold you accountable. Share your goals and successes with them. We are so much more successful in community.
I pray that through small changes and
refocusing on the Lord and the life and body He has gifted you with, you will
also start to experience a physical, emotional and spiritual transformation.
In health and in Him,
Michelle
In health and in Him,
Michelle
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