New Years Resolutions!

Hey everyone! Happy New Year!!! May God continue to bless us all in this year, 2010!!!!

Now, the rest is mostly for the ladies...if you are a guy who is in any kind of decent physical shape (and no, that does not include the presence or absence of a six-pack), you'll get hardly anything out of this...but ladies...I hope this encourages anyone dealing with this problem...

Warning, this post is long...I'm sorry, but I couldn't justify taking any of this out. I promise future posts will not be this long...But, as one last fyi, if you want a quick read, skim what I've made red italics...

My new years resolutions are to:
1) Be more organized
2) Be slower to speak
3) Finally read the entire Bible
and Last but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST...
4) To lose all my excess weight...

Before I continue... I want to remind all of us. Gluttony is a sin...Now, the world is telling us we are beautiful no matter what we look like. And this is true, at least I know all of my friends are beautiful. But beauty is not the point here, and therein resides the lie...it is about health, not beauty.

In God's Eyes, we are His children and therefore we are beautiful. But God looks at the heart of a person, not their outward appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7). Now, I am not addressing those with health situations which have caused unintentional weight gain...and I'm not even trying to bash those who gained weight the old fashioned way...you know, the I-don't-care-if-it's-bad-for-me-hand-over-the-Little-Debbie-and-no-one-gets-hurt way...

But when God does look at the heart, He's looking at our thoughts and intentions and everything that makes us who we are. Rest assured, we (believers) are perfect and in the process of being made perfect all at the same time in the eyes of God (Praise Him for Sanctification!). But, if we are struggling with gluttony, we need to call that sin what it is, sin. We are not victims of circumstances, we have sinned, and we need God's help to overcome that sin.
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Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to get rid of the old and start with the new...so I'm going to do away with my excuses for not losing weight.

1. I don't have the time...
Um...I'm unemployed right now. God gave me ample time and opportunity lose weight all this time, and I didn't take it. Clearly, having extra time is not a problem for me right now in the pursuit of my health, and yet I make it an excuse. However, I'm sure if I added up the amount of time I spend eating, sitting around doing nothing...I'd see where all my time is going...eating and thinking about eating, and planning what I'm going to eat next...no more!

2. It hurts to work out...
It hurts to not work out! The aches and pains that come when we don't move around, come because we don't move around! I hate to sound cliche...but no pain, no gain!

3. It's expensive to eat healthy...
Did you know that, when in season, kiwi's are usually around 2/$1? Even at Publix? Now, how much is that candy bar? Actually, nowadays it's gone up to anywhere between 65- and 85-cents...now, let's see...50 cents or 85 cents? I don't see this being more expensive...and that's just one example...

4. Foods make me happy...
Since when did we decide that food should dictate our emotions, and vice versa? Birthday party? Let's get cake! Bible Study? Let's get doughnuts! Christmas? Egg Nog! Bad day at work? Chocolate bar...Bad argument...a drink...and the slippery slope continues. As long as we decide that food is our link to our emotions, we will not be free of it's bondage.

Food is for nutrition and fuel...not for happines...Want fun? Happiness? Laughter? Girls, give me a call! Let's go to the mall, watch a movie, start a book group...Laughter is the best for all that ails you...not to mention it works your abs ! :)

4. But, I'm at it alone!
My dad has created the 6th love language...food...He prepares elaborate meals and then gets very offended if I cannot be there or say I cannot eat it. So, I had to lovingly (ok maybe a little more harshly than lovingly) tell him that I was going to be starting a diet, and if I turned down a dish, to not be offended...It's hard when you're the only one in the family trying to lose weight. But, I promise you, it can be done! Inform your family. Let them help you along the way.

Ever notice how losing weight is like having your first baby? Everyone wants to tell you how do it right...how to discipline, what napping schedule...which formula...The list goes on and on. It's no different for dieting...everyone has an opinion...

Don't fall prey to this. Find a plan you think you can work with, and just stick with it! Everyone is different, and we all need to do what's right for us...what worked for your neighbor's friend's sister might not work for you...so don't sweat it!

Find an accountability partner!
Find someone, preferably who is also trying to lose weight. If there is anyone here who needs someone to hold them accountable in their weight loss efforts, I'm here! We can work together.

Above all else, though, we have God. How many of us truly pray the blessing over our meals? As I grew up, and my family stopped praying, I did as well. But I've never thought about what we're asking God to do when we "say grace"...

We're asking Him to bless the food
We're asking Him to allow it to nourish us

How amazing is that? I've been recently convicted of this. Every food I've been eating recently has been positively toxic to my body. So, I encourage anyone who is trying to lose weight to bathe the effort in prayer.

Don't just pray that He would bless the food. Pray that He would help you with the self control to not buy the unhealthy foods. Pray that He would lead you to make healthier choices. I mean, God works miracles, but we also have free will...and we can pray till the cows come home, but it doesn't mean that fastfood McSkillet Sausage Breakfast Burrito is going to nourish our bodies...In this, we must meet God half way, and make healthier choices for what we decide to eat.

Trust me, people, I'm preaching to myself as I'm preaching to you! I'm no authority on this, these are just ideas I've come up with...but they sound good, right?

I encourage anyone trying to lose weight to write down your excuses, give them to God, and then burn the paper you've written...a little weird, but symbolic of your decision to not look back.

I'll keep everyone posted while I work to reach my healthy weight...

Happy New Year Everyone! And may God bless you in your New Year's Resolutions!!!

And I promise...future posts will not be this long....