Since February I have been on what I like to call a "health journey." Really it was a belated New Year's Resolution, but I didn't want to put that title on it because, well, how many New Year's Resolutions have you kept? Anyway, I had gained a significant amount of weight and I was sick of it. I was sick literally, and I was sick of being sick. I won't lie, I contemplated some different diets. Slimfast, Acai Berry, HCG drops... Yuck, yuck and BIGGER yuck. I was the health reporter at the Amarillo Globe-News at the time, and essentially read studies on all of these. I knew how dangerous and overall double-sided they were, but like practically every other American, I wanted instant results. Like a microwave, I wanted to pop it in, set the timer, and voila! Fit and healthy.
I couldn't do it. I knew in my heart of hearts that taking the easy way out just wouldn't cut it. I would get to an end result, yes, but not one that was maintainable. We've all seen it over and over. Every woman who diets is like a yoyo... up, down, up, down... fat, skinny, fat, skinny... I didn't want to be that girl.
So, true to my headstrong self, I dug in my heels and determined that I was going to lose the weight and get healthy again... the REAL way. The NATURAL way. The HARD way.
Here we are, 15 pounds later. It has been one heck of a back-and-forth journey so far, but I'm proud of every painstaking pound I lost.
A few days ago, after feeling particularly crappy because of the crummy food I had put into my body, I decided to get reinvigorated. I'm on what I call a 30-day challenge. For 30 straight days I am going to stay at or under my calorie count. (For those of you who need a good resource, My Fitness Pal is a free app on iTunes and it is amazing! It calculates how many calories you need to eat a day to lose the weight based on how much you currently weigh and your goal weight, but it forces you to focus on losing it gradually. Oh and yells at you when you don't eat enough that day with a warning in bright red, bold letters:
YOU ARE EATING TOO FEW CALORIES! My absolute favorite thing about this app, though, is that it gives you a weight estimate after you log in each day that reads, "If every day were like today, you would weigh ___ pounds in 5 weeks." It's very encouraging to see what you COULD weigh if you keep on keepin' on!) So, this week I sat down and started journaling. Somehow I ended up coming up with the top 10 reasons I want to lose the rest of the weight, get to my goal and be healthy for a lifetime.
Enjoy!
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1. A healthy heart.
Earlier this year I was put on a heart monitor and sent through all kinds of tests to determine why I was having heart flutters. Turns out (thank you Lord) it was no big deal. Even though I wasn't to a dangerous point on the BMI scale, the doc lectured me about my current weight and said I needed to eat healthier. (I know your curiosity is killing you, so I am going to bury what my weight was deep into this blog... on my 5'8 frame I was at 176 pounds at that point.) Talk about a wakeup call!
"...be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!" 1 Chronicles 22:13
2. To look good for my husband.
Ok women, quit your scoffing. I have no doubt that my husband loves me no matter what, no matter my body shape and size. He is the best at reminding me how beautiful I am on a regular basis. But the bottom line is that it really IS important to look good and take care of ourselves for our spouses! For men, what with them being all visual and everything, I think it's especially important. Yes, he loves my heart, my personality, blahdeeblahblah, but it's important to me that he finds me unequivocally attractive. When we're together, I want him to be like, "Ohhh yeah! She's with me!"
"Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate what God has joined together." Matthew 19:6
3. To feel comfortable and confident.
Everyone's confidence and comfort levels are different, and specifically tailored to who they are, how they were raised, who and what surrounds them, etc. For me, comfort is being physically fit. I was an athlete growing up. Physical fitness wasn't just something I desired, it was something I needed to function in my sport of choice. I feel the most comfortable when I am physically fit. Don't misunderstand; physical fitness is not the same as being skinny. I was never skinny (my big booty was the "butt" of many a joke... pun intended. lol). But being able to run, walk, climb stairs and so on without being winded... that's important. I literally noticed that I would get winded walking up stairs. So NOT a good feeling! And confidence... I have always been a relatively confident person. Yes I've had my inner struggles with confidence just like every other human being capable of feeling on this planet, but for the most part I've held my own. I do not believe that your confidence should specifically be TIED to your weight, or your body image. That's just plain unhealthy. But I'm not so ignorant as to think there's not a connection between the two! If you are eating right, exercising regularly, and your body reflects that... trust me, you are much more likely to walk around feeling confident.
"It is the branch that bears the fruit that feels the knife." - Annie Johnson Flint
4. To honor God with the abilities He gave me.
This goes back to the whole physically fit thing. God gave me the athletic abilities I have. He gave me the desire to continue on in the athletic field I work and thrive in. He gave me my headstrong nature. He gave me my curves, big volleyball thighs included (lol). He gave me the ability of leadership. He gave me so many things that are very closely tied into taking care of my body. If I don't take care of my own body, how in the world could I preach to my volleyball players the importance of getting in shape to play their sport? Hello hypocrisy! I can't do that. I won't be that person who preaches one thing and does another. It is important for me to honor the position God has placed me in, and that includes taking care of myself.
"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7
5. To prove to myself that I CAN.
Boy oh boy is weight loss an up and down ride. There are high highs and there are low lows. But basically, one of my reasons is to prove to myeslf that I really CAN do whatever I set my mind to, with the help of the Lord. If I committ to Him what I am doing I know that my plans will succeed. Why? Because the Bible tells me so. ;) It also tells me that I can do ALL THINGS (not some things) through Christ who gives me strength. Talk about a promise! I definitely feed off of feeling successful. This has proved both a blessing and a curse, because when I am unsuccessful at something it frustrates me terribly. Luckily in this situation, each pound or inch is a small victory; a small battle won in the war. Since I thrive off that, it keeps me pressing forward.
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
6. To set a standard for those in my circle of influence and be a good example to those under my leadership.
Like I mentioned before, I refuse to be the person preaching one thing and practicing another! I see a desperate need in the world around me for people to quit blaming and complaining and step up! I take full responsibility for the weight gain, and therefore I take full responsibility for the weight loss. If everyone in a leadership position stood up, I guarantee others would follow. And by leadership position I don't mean you have to be an athletic coach, a business owner, or the President. You lead in many areas of your life that you don't even realize. Are you a mom or a dad? You are a leader to your children. Are you a school teacher? You are a leader to your classroom. Are you a nurse? You are a leader to everyone who steps through the doors seeking medical care. Let's all step up and set an example for those around us!
"Without good direction people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." Proverbs 11:14 The Message
7. To practice discipline.
Oh discipline. Just the word typically makes us all shudder. It seems like such a hard thing to achieve, doesn't it? And let's be REAL - it IS hard to achieve! But I think it's worth it. If I didn't think it was worth it I wouldn't be going after the goals I've set. I know for myself that if I can be disciplined in the area of taking care of my body, God will entrust me with other things for which I have to exercise discipline. I have to start with me. I have to be disciplined in the area of MY life. For those of you wondering, I am so not naturally, intrinsically disciplined. I am headstrong, which helps, but being disciplined is not a natural thing for me. Actually, I am literally a part of the so-called "entitlement generation." I have to FIGHT to not be lumped in with that term! I despise that term! Nothing comes easy, and nothing is free. We have to practice discipline in our lives, without someone holding our hand everyday. I have to take these things one at a time, or I get overwhelmed. I am not disciplined about keeping my house tidy, or the laundry done. I am not disciplined about eating healthy foods. I am not disciplined about working out (even though it's something I very much enjoy). I am not disciplined about getting up early (I hate mornings). I am not... but I CAN BE. One step at a time, no matter how small. I know that the more I exercise discipline in the small areas of my life - the areas that I have total control over - the more responsibility I will be given in say, my work life.
"The road to life is a disciplined life..." Proverbs 10:17
"For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him." Phillippians 2:13
8. To feel better.
Bottom line: I feel crappy when I eat crappy. I feel good when I eat good. It's like that whole "you are what you eat" thing. Man if we really think about that it's sort of gross. At the same time, it's true! When I eat lighter, smaller portions... when I add vegetables and fruit into my diet... when I drink enough water... I feel lighter. I feel more comfortable. I have more energy. I am more focused. When I eat heavy foods, I feel heavy. I feel sluggish. I feel lazy. I feel like I want to just sit on the couch and watch TV. I feel unmotivated. I feel overall... crummy. When I work out, I feel invigorated! When I work out, I feel energized! When I work out, I feel successful! So why... why in the world would I choose NOT to eat healthy and exercise? You got me. But I do. So to feel better, I'm going to make the CHOICE to live better.
"I have chosen to participate, rather than spectate; to do, and not just dream; to risk stumbling, and rise to try again." - Anonymous
9. To not become another "fat stat."
Yes, I said it. Fat stat. Have you read the statistics on obesity in our country? It is literally TERRIFYING. I don't want to hear the whole "but obese is based on your BMI and blahdeeblahblahblah"... the bottom line is, we need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for being overweight. We've got to stand up and say, "I'm done." Do we seriously want our children to FEEL the way we feel when we are overweight and out of shape? I don't have children yet, but looking down the road, I NEVER want them to feel the way I did when I was 15 pounds heavier than I am right now. And I'm sure, when I reach my goal, I will look down the road and say I NEVER want my children to feel the way I did when I was 30 pounds heavier. Have I mentioned that my all-time favorite foods are Mexican food and Italian food? I am Italian. We Italians love to eat! I could live off bread, cheese and wine. Having a home cooked meal, sitting around the dinner table with family and catching up... I LOVE doing that! But boy do we need to be careful. Portion sizes... smaller. Ingredients... healthier. After all, we'd all like to live a little longer to enjoy those meals, wouldn't we?
10. To prove that the hard work of losing weight by exercising and eating healthy ALONE is worth it.
Man have I been tempted by every diet fad out there. The cleanses and the pills and the powders and the juices and... oh the list goes on. It's especially hard when friends and family get on the bandwagon of these fads... and guess what? THEY LOSE WEIGHT. It is REALLY hard to feel "left behind" them as they skyrocket to their weightloss goals, losing literally 1+ pounds per DAY. Yes, it's dangerous. But do I see that when I see them shedding pounds? Of course not! I see results. And I so yearn for those same results. What do I not yearn for? The FINAL result. The final result, a very large amount of the time (pun intended), is excessive weight gain. Gaining what they lost PLUS some. This isn't necessarily because the diet isn't effective (some are), it's just that people lost the will to maintain it, because most of those plans just aren't realistic. Maybe they ran out of the money to continue paying for it. Who knows. But the end result is usually weight gain. That's a sad twist of irony. The end result of a diet is usually weight gain. Hmm. Bummer. So, every fiber of my being is aching to show the world that hard work really does pay off. I'm itching to show everyone, one painful pound at a time, that by counting calories, eating smaller portions, making a few healthier decisions, and adding some activity in your life, even if it's just walking for exercise, you CAN lose the weight and be healthier.
I hope that you'll join me on this journey. My goal is to reach my desired fitness level before the one year anniversary of when I started this journey. Please be encouraged, I know this route is not the easiest. Trust me, I know it's hard. I'm right there with you. But I also know we can do it. We can get back to healthy... one step at a time...
"Anybody can quit. It's easy to quit. If you don't have any other testimony, at least have this one... 'I'm still here...'" - Joyce Meyer
