Still believing the lie….

I woke up around two this morning thinking about yesterday’s blog. In particular I began to think about this one short paragraph:

…..I began to think about losing even more weight. I’d see the ladies in my fitness magazines and think I could do that or I’d hear about a product that could help me lose these last 10 or so ponds and be tempted to try it.

The problem isn’t that I want to lose more weight or look like Tosca Reno. It’s that I’m once again believing the first lie.

Genesis 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “It is not true that you will surely die; 5 because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The first lie is when Satan told Eve that she wasn’t good enough as she was. He convinced her that God was holding out on her and that somehow He had denied her what she thought she most needed. What’s worse is that Satan appealed to her desire for the quick fix in letting her believe that all it would take is just one bite.

I don’t know about you but I find it quite easy to fall for this lie over and over again. I have spent years believing that I am not good enough, smart enough, thin enough, strong enough, spiritually enough….. And I’ve looked for the quick fix over and over again.

But there is no quick fix. The only way to believe that I’m enough is in knowing and applying God’s word to all of my life. I’ve got to come into alignment with what God says about me.

You and I are more than enough. We are created in God’s image. We are saved through the grace of Jesus Christ. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. The rest is small stuff that can be changed without changing who we are created to be!

It’s the small stuff that requires  self-control which helps me to:

• apply God’s word to every area of my life.
• focus on the positive and release the negative.
•  keep my mouth shut instead of confessing lies over my life.
•  choose to eat well and deny myself foods that are harmful to my body.
• schedule time for a daily workout.

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One goal….

I began my weight loss journey with one goal in mind. I wasn’t trying to look like a fitness model or try to get down to what I weighted during my teen years.  All I wanted was to lose enough weight so that my belly didn’t lay on the bed beside me.

But then once I got down to this weight I began to think about losing even more weight. I’d see the ladies in my fitness magazines and think I could do that or I’d hear about a product that could help me lose these last 10 or so ponds and be tempted to try it.

But then I remind myself that I can pedal a bike for 20 miles and bench press 2/3 of my body weight. I’m strong. I can endure.  And I’m 50!

I also have to remind myself that God has given me the diet that’s perfect for my body and guarantees that I’m at my best.

Let me remind you too —– seed bearing plants (fruits, veggies, nuts), fish, fowl, and livestock.

If we stick to that diet and not be lured into the weight loss scams, scandals, and gimmicks then we’ll be at our own ideal weight and we can feel good about ourselves because we did it through the fruit of the spirit known as self-control.

McCaskill took Oz to task for a 2012 show in which he proclaimed that green coffee bean extract was a “magic weight loss cure for every body type.”

Even Dr. Oz had to admit that there is no permanent weight loss miracle without diet and exercise!

“I get that you do a lot of good on your show,” McCaskill told Oz, but “I don’t get why you need to say this stuff because you know it’s not true.”

Oz insisted he believes in the supplements he talks about on his show as short-term crutches and even has his family try them. He said his job on the show is to be a “cheerleader” for his audience, one who offers hope even if that means looking to alternative healing traditions and any evidence that might support them.

But Oz did agree that there’s no long-term miracle pill out there without diet and exercise.

Let’s you and I agree that we will no longer be deceived by these false claims, expensive tricks, or dead-end shortcuts to reaching our weight loss goals!

Time to change it up……

After spending the winter months in sweats, yoga pants, and working out in the gm it’s time to change it up! It’s now time for bathing suits, shorts, and going outside to play!

One of the things I like most about visiting Hannah, Austin, and Lil’ Miss Liberty are the cycling trails. Being outside, riding through fields of honeysuckle and past little farming communities is mighty refreshing after being stuck indoors for months.

If your winter routine has gotten boring then it’s definitely time for you to change it up! Dig out your bicycle or go on a long walk. Take your children to the local soccer field and kick the ball around. Remember that tennis racket you’ve pushed to the back of the closet? Today’s a good day to dig it out and go play!

 

shopping, lunch, and guilt

When Hannah was a little girl, I’d see moms and daughters at the mall and hope that one day I’d get to do that with Hannah. And boy did I! When she lived in  Gallup  we would get up early, drive two hours to get to Albuquerque togo to the mall, fabric stores, Costco, and grab a great lunch.

And we did exactly that yesterday – just without the two hour drive! It was  great day made even better by having a new little shopping buddy who is fascinated by the people, lights, and colors.

While we were there I let Hannah pick out the restaurant. I had already decided that this was going to be a treat for the both of us and I would not put any limitations on the meal. We ended up at the Cheese Cake Factory and shared an appetizer, pasta, and dessert.

I ate everything she ordered and am still feeling the resulting discomfort of it this morning.  And the  discomfort leads me to examine and re-examine every bite I took.

I’ve done this with lots of decisions that I’ve made in the past. I’ve spent sleepless nights examining, dissecting, and studying meals, conversations, arguments, and decisions until I feel so guilty that I make myself sick to my stomach.

This is where I must remind myself that it is impossible for  guilt and faith to try to co-exist.  Guilt serves only one purpose and that is to bring shame. The combination of guilt and shame rob me of the peace and joy that God has so graciously given me.

God doesn’t use guilt, shame, or condemnation to get us on the right path. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins to lead us to repentance.  If you are feeling convicted about something then choose repentance and move on. If you are feeling guilty – ask yourself what changes you’d like to make and MOVE ON!

Don’t let another day go by beating yourself up for something you did yesterday!

 

 

Road trips make it very difficult to eat well and get plenty of exercise.  But it can be done! While on the road I chose nuts, carrots, and popcorn as my snack foods and got my meals from Subway.  Eating well at Hannah’s is quite easy because she is fantastic cook and keeps lots of fruits and veggies on hand.

And I think I’ve found my new favorite form of exercise and that is taking Lil’ Miss Liberty for a long evening walk.

The truth is that there are very few  excuses to not eating well on a road trip in the United States! I can find carrots, bananas, apples, and yogurt in convenience stores and most truck stops have a subway.

And when I am staying at someone’s house I  volunteer to make dinner one night to guarantee that I’m getting a meal that meets my needs and the opportunity to share some of my favorite foods with people I love.

I can order almost anything you want in most restaurants.  Today we went to Chipotle’s – I began my burrito bowl with shredded lettuce and tomatoes and topped it with a a little bit from Hannah’s bowl. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything but didn’t eat as much as I would have if I would have had my very own bowl.

And all I really need is my body to get a good workout in. The other morning I did pushups and sit-ups for my resistance training and have taken a few fast-paced walks with Liberty for my cardio work.

I’m hoping that the change in my routine will produce positive results. And so far the most positive result I’ve had is in knowing that the changes I’ve made in the last few years are permanent changes! On this trip I haven’t started eating sugar like I would have in the past, haven’t reincorporated bread and pasta into my diet, and choose to exercise whenever I can find the chance.