Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. --Proverbs 19:21 ESV
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| Long way to go but I honestly can once again wear clothes from high school as this is my senior jersey from 15 years ago :) |
For those who have read this blog for awhile you know that I have been working towards a healthier life. When I started this HealthFULL Journey close to four years ago I figured it would take about a year to fulfill my personal goal to lose a hundred plus pounds as I lived Healthy and began to Finally Understand Life by Living. Well as I began the journey God opened my heart and my mind and my eyes to how unhealthy I really was. By focusing on the weight I saw how many areas of my life needed TLC and STAT! And as I dealt with issues and concerns and rejoined the living the scale only moved slightly (and dramatically up with a complicated pregnancy in 2010.) Different areas improved and I feel it on the inside no longer am I Finally Understanding and beginning to Live Life but the FULL now on my journey is that I am Feeling Unbelievable & Loving Life. I am ready to let my outside match the work on the inside. And the biggest secret I've learned was not to stress about it.
That's right I have started to make progress on the scale and it is that I stopped working so hard. I am enjoying moments in my life, feeling confident in my choices, and willing to accept, understand, and forgive my choices. Could I find more time to exercise? Absolutely. Could I eat healthier? Yeah! But in the past I would be a slave to doing everything perfect to lose the most weight, in the quickest way possible, earning me imaginary praise from my peers about my amazing willpower, self-discipline, and flawless efforts. Noticed I said imaginary praise? Because when you try so hard to be perfect the slip-ups are almost guaranteed and many of them until they become so frustrating and belittling that once again I wave my white flag. I listen to these non-existent critics and felt bullied constantly turning away from exercise into the loving arms of sweets and salty snacks. So recently I noticed my "skinny jeans" are actually my comfy jeans these days. And I jumped on the scale and noticed a little loss.
Which this new development made me analyze what's different as I wasn't specifically overloading my efforts. And I realized I was making good choices without overwhelming my radar to be perfect and seek every possible good choice I could pick. I was making realistic strides and following through with little choices.
Here are ten choices that made a difference:
Exercise:
10. To include my son with at home workouts. He loves to dance or see people moving to music. And if he doesn't want to workout - mommy still tries to get at least a couple of minutes in for the day.
9. That we seek out fun outdoors. I am not the best at loving outdoors but I do enjoy a good park or exploration of a new place. And watching my little one have fun is some of life's best blessings. It takes the work out of the work out :)
8. I honestly tried meeting a friend at the gym and you know what - it works. When we have someone waiting or realize that someone really is going to notice if we miss a workout (or 30 ;) that motivates us out the door.
Eating:
7. The more junk food we keep OUT of our homes the less of it we will tend to eat. Oh sure I am still going through drive thrus but not nearly as many times as I open cupboards in search of those irresistible potato chips. I am proud to say my laziness outweighs most cravings :)
6. So if I eat less junk food by keeping it out of my home. Wouldn't it make sense that I will eat healthier food if I keep more of it IN my home and the answer is yes. I still overbuy in hopes of being extra healthy. But I have to remember I don't have to buy every produce item available. Baby steps :)
5. Amazing how a little planning changes our daily/weekly habit of eating. If we whatever dinner - it includes eating out, or scrounging for easy cravings. But even a 3 - 5 minute conversation the night before to pull out a protein or prep some veggies during the day increases our chances of eating healthier I would guess a whopping 4 to 1. It is a lot harder to rationalize a pizza delivery when fish is thawed for dinner with sides that can be ready before the pizza arrives. It still sometimes happens because there are days that just work out that way but far less when there was that small conversation the night before.
Other:
4. To find distractions that allow the opportunity to engage other senses - Schoolwork was a big one for me to give me the chance to think, to regain confidence as I truly see something followed through and to experience life outside my head/thoughts.
3. New environments - my house has a lot of triggers that make me want to eat and food is readily available. My house also has a lot of comfortable places to be inactive. Also new environments tend to include more social interaction. which leads to the next positive choice.
2. Social interaction - Talking, being, or even avoiding people helps reinforce that relationship connection we all crave as humans. When we are with others we become more molded to who we are meant to be. We learn, we observe, and we change as we allow others participation in our daily lives.
1. and I feel the biggest difference was truly inviting God into my HealthFULL Journey. I was trying to carry this burden by myself for way too long. I would make plans by my standards and forgot to seek God's Will. I feel though I still try to control here and there that I truly have left the baggage at God's Feet. Which that choice alone feeds confidence into why this attempt is no longer like the others.
The world wants us to focus on ourselves and to get caught up in the worldly standards of beauty, success, power, image, control, and other likewise diversions. But God seeks our devotion, our complete commitment to serve Him, our faith and our belief in His Son Jesus, and the love for our neighbors. He wants us to rely on him for the small and the big. He loves me too much to want me to go my toughest struggles alone.
May your HealthFULL Journey offer you the opportunity to Feel Unbelievable and Love Life. May you be able to release some of your baggage and burdens by letting go of overplanning and allow God's touch on your daily walk. 'Til we meet again. . .
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