Food Freedom Forever: Resources

While a lot of my journey to finding food freedom has been spiritual, a lot of it has also been HARD WORK in the kitchen!  I didn't waste a single second trying to get my eating back on track.  I knew that I needed to give myself some boundaries.

So I went back to what I knew best.  In 2014, I found a program that actually changed my thoughts about food and changed my body.  It had helped me rid my body of the inflammation that I had and I got rid of the pain I was in.  I was simply amazed at my results, and I knew that was the program I was going to use this time, too.  What was it?  The Whole30.

So...what exactly is the Whole30?  I'm so glad you asked! ;)  Whole30 is a 30 day program designed to help reset your health, habits, and relationship with food.  It has gotten more popular over the last year or so, and some still consider this a "diet."  I would not.  The Whole30 is more than just a diet.  Sure, it's a way of eating for 30 days, maybe even longer.  But the program isn't designed for you to eat this way forever.

The resources that come with this program are incredible.  I read the book called, "It Starts with Food," by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig back in 2014.  I couldn't believe all that I learned.  It really gets into the science behind why we eat the way we do and how food effects our body.  So I knew that I should give the book another read, and I read it again...this time with a different perspective.  It's an incredible book, and I would encourage anyone and everyone to read it just so you know how our bodies work!

                   




















I read the book at the same time that I was doing the program for the sixth time.  It helped encourage me along the way and really take into consideration how the food was actually nourishing my body.  However, if you've never done the program, I would encourage you to read the book first.

I know that I'm a bit of a nerd, so if you don't feel like knowing the science-y stuff behind the food we eat, you can still get an overview of the program and some great information as well in the book called, "Whole 30."  

During the program, you eliminate "certain food groups that could be having a negative impact on your body composition, health, and quality of life with you even realizing it."  It is designed to help you live optimally.  Once you figure out the foods that effect you negatively, you feel empowered to make decisions going forward about how you eat.

It was just the program that I needed to be able to get rid of my sugar cravings and to focus on what was actually going into my body instead of allowing myself to mindlessly eat junk in large quantities.  It can be a difficult program at first, but once you get going, there's an amazing online community to help you and encourage you!

I finally felt free of my "sugar dragon."  I wasn't craving sweets and I felt that I could finally make good decisions for myself.  For once, I actually had a plan when it came to eating, and that was something I didn't have for months.

I will definitely be talking more in depth about this program as we go, because it's something I'm passionate about, and it has changed my life.

Food Freedom Forever: Tip #2

The journey to being free of the shackles that food holds on you is a long, tough road.  It's one that is worth it, but it won't be easy.  I am still a work in progress.  I am unfinished.  Each day, I might face a temptation that could lead to another binge session.  Each day, I have to fight that battle.

After I realized what was going on and that I knew I needed a whole body reset, I did what I knew how to do.  I prayed.  Over the course of several days, I prayed and asked God to help me.  I wasn't sure what my next step was, but I knew that going to Him first would be the right thing to do.  And it was.

Over the course of a couple weeks, I came to know what He was telling me.  He was saying,

Beth, you are trying to fill the emptiness of your heart with food.  But it's not a food-shaped hole.  It's a God-shaped hole.  You need Me.

Okay, God.  You're right.  That's exactly what I was doing.  It was a harsh reality, but it was something that I needed to hear so that I could move along this journey.  Maybe it's not food that you struggle with.  But is it something else?  Are you trying to fill some sort of void or emptiness in your life with something you think will take away the pain? 

God wants the number ONE spot in your life.  He deserves that spot.  So if something is taking up that spot, He will let you know.  I was struggling with depression, binge eating, loneliness, my identity, and it was all because I was trying to find happiness, friendship, and who I was in ALL of the wrong places.  I can find true happiness, friendship, and identity in HIM!

Start putting Him first in your life.  Have a daily quiet time where you sit and read His Word before the crazy of the day starts.  It may take some sacrifice on your part.  You may have to get up earlier.  You may have to do things you don't want to do.  But in order to have a real relationship with God...to find the true happiness, friendship, and identity...you've got to put some work in.  All relationships take work, and the relationship with God is the most important one in your life.

We all have desire.  We have the desire to be loved.  We have a desire for a lot of things in our life.  But we may be looking for the answer in the wrong places.  I want to share a few sentences from an author who has helped me along this journey:

God made us capable of craving so we'd have an unquenchable desire for more of Him, and Him alone.  Nothing changes until we make the choice to direct our misguided cravings to the only one capable of satisfying them. --Lysa TerKeurst

What are you longing after?  Are you putting Christ first in your life so that you can find those things you truly desire?  This is the one thing that made things click for me.  Because when I finally had my priorities straight, I found exactly what I was looking for.  God wants all of me so that He can give me the desires of my heart.  I don't need food to fill that void.  I need God.

Finding Food Freedom: Tip #1

I think one of the most difficult things to do is to tell others your faults.  I felt like such a fraud.  I felt ashamed of what I had done.  I was trying to teach other women how to eat healthy and incorporate exercise into their lives, but I was holding onto a powerful secret.

I was publicly showing others what I was eating only when it was good, healthy food.  I wasn't showing the food that I was secretly eating.  Unfortunately, what you eat in private will be worn publicly.  And that's exactly what happened for me.  I wasn't losing weight because I wasn't doing the hard work.

I finally came to grips with my "self-diagnosis," if you will.  I knew that I had been binge eating.  And it was time to come clean.  I needed to share with someone.  I needed someone to know.  So I went to Facebook.  It seemed like the easiest place to share my struggles, and to allow the ladies that I have worked with to know exactly where I was at that moment.

Instead of people making snide comments or harsh remarks, I was met with grace.  I was met with love and encouragement.  And in that moment, I can remember feeling free.  I felt free because the burden was no longer on me.  It was out in the open.

So if you struggle with any type of disordered eating, my tip is to tell someone.  Tell someone that you love and trust.  When you share that kind of burden, it allows you to free yourself so that you can get started overcoming it.  When you share it, you are stronger because you have someone on your side to help support and encourage you.

It's nothing to be ashamed about, so if you feel shame and guilt from the friend you tell, they aren't the right person for you.  The person you share that information with should be nothing but loving towards you and want what's best for you.

If you don't feel like you can tell anyone, please know that I am always here.  I understand what you're going through.  I would love to encourage you and support you.  I'd love to pray for you and with you.

Finding Food Freedom

I have never been an emotional eater.  So in 2015 when my Granny passed away, I entered into new territory.  I didn't know how to grieve or cope with her loss.  My husband was traveling for work at that time, so he was't home for me to talk to.  My dog and I had a lot of conversations, though.  He didn't respond back in ways that I had hoped. So I dove head first into all the comfort food I could find.

Panera's mac and cheese?  Yep.
Pizza?  Oh yes.
Cookies, cakes, cupcakes?  Absolutely.

It's no wonder that I gained all the weight back that I had lost previously.  I didn't care about whatever "eating plan" I was supposed to be on.  Half the time I didn't even get a workout in.  I was trying, but I wasn't giving it my all.

Well, that emotional eating turned into binge eating somewhere down the road.  I have no idea what point it was in my journey, but it happened.  I didn't realize that it had happened until I was doing some research on PCOS.  I realized that binge eating was something that "naturally" happened in girls with PCOS.  I realized that I had many of the symptoms of binge eating, but not enough to have Binge Eating Disorder.  But I knew it was a struggle.

Over the next few days, I want to share the things that I have learned during this time.  It was just about a year ago when I realized that I was struggling with binge eating, and only then did I try to figure out how to help myself.  I want to share the resources that I've used with you, and I want to encourage you.

If you struggle with binge eating or emotional eating, I want to tell you:  You are not alone!  

I hope that you will stick around to be encouraged and feel supported.  In the video below, I share a little bit more of my story and why I am opening up about this topic.

 

It's Not JUST a T-Shirt

I had a package coming, and I stalked the mailman.  He was two hours late, and I tried my best to busy myself while the time passed.  That is easier said than done...especially when you are waiting for something special!

But I was excited. I thought I knew what was in that package, so I ripped it open as soon as I got it in my hot little hands.  I was right.  It was exactly what I had been waiting for.



Now, you may be wondering why it was so exciting to get a free t-shirt in the mail and why in the world would I be stalking the mailman.

Last year, I struggled a lot with my nutrition.  I could not seem to get it under control, and after the hardest year of my life, I knew I needed to get it together.  Here is an excerpt of what I shared in the linked blog that was published in January:

In October, I committed to completing my longest fitness program yet. It was 14 weeks long, and I was not sure what I was in for.  It was a program from the creator of Insanity. I think that I was mainly scared of being committed to something for that length of time. I already knew the program would be difficult, but I also knew I needed it at the same time.  But I could commit to 25 minutes a day. 

This past Friday, I marked the last day, day 96, off my calendar. It was emotional as I finished up, and I could not help but burst into tears because I was so extremely proud of myself. I have been focused on my nutrition these last 14 weeks, and I am excited about where I am headed.

I went live on my Facebook page and shared my excitement over there as well.  I could not believe how emotional finishing a program made me, but you can watch for yourself:

 

After I finish each fitness program, I can submit my results and I will get a free t-shirt in return. Last year, I had made a commitment to finishing as many programs as I could and receiving my t-shirt for each program completed. I dubbed it #theyearofthetshirts.  This was the last program that I had planned for in 2016, and it was the program that got me thinking and planning for the future! It was the program that took the most from me, but gave me a fabulous return on my investment.

I learned so much about myself during this program.  I learned that I could stay committed to myself. I learned that even just a 25-minute sweat session made me feel so much better during the day.  I learned how to figure out when I needed to back off or push myself harder. I learned that I could do hard things.

So to me, it was not just a t-shirt that I was waiting for.  It was my "reward" for finishing the program.

It is something to be proud of.  It is more than just a t-shirt.

Why We Quit: So Many Excuses

As we come to a conclusion of this series of Why We Quit, I want to give you another reason why we sometime throw in the towel with our health.  These are certainly not ALL the reasons, just several that I have experience with or have talked to other women about.

We all run busy lives.  We have things to do and people to take care of.  We have work responsibilities, house work, and kids' sports.  We have church activities, volunteer responsibilities, and so much more!  We are busier than ever.  Sometimes we allow those reasons to be the reason why we do not take care of ourselves.  We let our excuses run our lives.  Here are some of the most popular ones that I have heard over the last couple of years of coaching women:

I don't have time.  We all have the same 24 hours in a day.  We all have to spend those hours doing something.  How we spend those hours is what is going to make us successful in our healthy journey or not.   If something is not a priority, it will not happen.  So if working out is not a priority, it will not happen. If eating healthy is not a priority, it will not happen.  Will you make your health a priority today??

I don't have money.  This is one that I hear a lot.  Fitness does not have to cost money.  Some of my best workouts have been using my own body weight and getting a quick sweat session in.  It does not require money to get it done.  Take a walk or hike.  Go for a run.  Do a body weight circuit (squats, lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, etc).  Turn on some music and have a dance party in your kitchen.  Get creative!

I'm too tired.  If you are just starting your health journey, this may be a valid excuse.  Did you know that the food you eat has direct impact in how you feel?  If you are eating foods that are found in the aisles of the grocery store, you may be feeling tired because of it.  Try eating more veggies, fruit, healthy fats, and lean meats.  If you have been on your health journey for awhile and are feeling tired, maybe it is time to re-evaluate why.  Did you stay up too late binge-watching Netflix?  Is your diet off?  Are you getting enough sleep?  There is a reason you feel this way.

I hate working out.  I get it.  I really do.  I hated working out when I first started this journey.  I had to make myself do it because I knew that it was good for me.  I knew that it had to be part of my lifestyle.  But then I found a workout that I really enjoyed.  It did not seem like I was working out because I was having fun.  If you struggle with this aspect of fitness, I would encourage you to find something you like doing.

I don't have motivation.  Motivation is an emotion.  It is something that we feel, so we may not wake up with it everyday.  We may have to look for it.  But once you find it, it is easier to regenerate the next time you need it.  Some days you may not have it at all, and you do things out of discipline. That is okay, too.  Eating good, healthy foods will also help with that motivation, because you will have more energy.  With more energy comes more motivation.  It is a win all the way around!

There are going to be excuses everywhere you look.  If you need one, you can find one. but what makes you successful on this journey is pushing past those excuses and breaking free from allowing them to have a hold on your life.

It is not an easy feat.  Anyone who is successful {in anything} should tell you that they have pushed through their own excuses and gotten past the roadblocks standing in their way.  A lot of times the one thing standing in our way of being successful is ourself.

Why We Quit: It's Not Sustainable

There are so many different diets out there.  You may feel a little overwhelmed if you are just starting out and trying to research them all.  Maybe you are like me and you have tried several of them. I mean, you could choose a different one every day and not run out of options for awhile!

Atkins. Weight Watchers.  South Beach.  Ideal Protein. DASH.  Nutrisystem.  Jenny Craig.   Paleo.  Keto.  

And those are just a FEW of them!

I have always been a yo-yo dieter.  I would try something for awhile and feel like it was not working or I could not keep doing it because it was making me crazy.  Then I would jump over to the next hot diet and try it for awhile.  That was not healthy for me.  My weight was all over the place, and to be honest, none of the food that I was eating was really healthy anyway.  I was giving up and throwing in the towel a lot more than I wanted to.  I really wanted something to stick!

You have to find a way of eating that you are going to be able to sustain long term. This is exactly why I host Free Clean Eating groups as well as monthly Focus Groups.  I teach clean eating in my groups because it is totally sustainable.  It is teaching you to eat real food.

I cannot see myself buying supplements and packaged foods for a specific diet for the rest of my life.  Can you?  But I can see myself buying fruits, veggies, meats, and healthy fats for the rest of my life.  You can do a lot with those foods, and it is more freeing to know you can eat anything you want.

Your body feels better and works better when you are eating real food.  You are giving it the nutrients that it needs to perform.  Packaged food does not give you the same nourishment. So if you are struggling with finding a "perfect diet" for yourself, I would suggest trying to add more real foods into your day.  It is something that you do not have to give up because you can always just get right back on track when you mess up!  Plus those foods are easy to find. ;)

Why We Quit: Lack of Planning

There are a lot of reasons why people quit things.  But for the next couple of days, I want to continue to shed some light on some of the most popular reasons and help you stay on track and committed to your journey.

One of the biggest reasons I see that people quit on their health and fitness journey is because of their lack of planning.  I know that we are busier than ever these days.  There are so many things going on in our lives, and every free moment is booked solid with some kind of activity.  Maybe the last thing on your mind is your health.

But with a little planning, we can stay on track and make it easier on ourselves!  Making our health a priority requires planning whether you are a "natural planner" or not.

Have you ever walked into a gym with the intention of working out, only to get there and have not a clue what to do?  I was just chatting with a friend yesterday about how she does not go to the gym anymore, even though she kept her membership.  When I asked her why she said that she just does not know what to do, so she finds herself on the elliptical, which is boring day after day.  If you have a gym membership, going to the gym with a plan is super helpful! ;)

Here are some ideas to help you with making a plan:

1. Follow a workout calendar.  I choose to do a program from start to finish.  The best part about these programs is that you get a workout calendar.  It tells you what to do every day. This helps with the indecisiveness so that you can get it done in 30 minutes or less!
2. Lay out all of your workout clothes the night before.  Also, prepare your pre-workout drink and any meals you will need while away from home.
3. Learn to meal plan and prep efficiently.  Having healthy food that you can pull out of your fridge at a moment's notice and stay on track is an amazing feeling!

What other things can you do to make your life easier?  What can you do to help make your health a priority and not something that you give up?

Why We Quit: Lack of Commitment

Over the last few days, I have been thinking about why people quit.  I have not necessarily been thinking specifically in the area of health and fitness, but overall.  Why do people quit?  Why do we start things, having the best intentions, only to throw in the towel a couple days later?  In the next couple of days, I want to share with you some reasons why I have found that we quit and how we can pressing on, even in the hard times.

First of all, quitting in somewhat of a new concept for me.  When I was growing up, my parents never let me quit anything.  I remember particularly, when I was a freshman in high school, I listened to my dad's advice and played volleyball and basketball.  I had really wanted to cheer in high school, but I thought I had better listen to him.  So I did.  In order to play volleyball, it was a requirement to run an 8 minute mile and to jump 305 jump ropes in 2 minutes or something crazy like that.  The funny thing is that I got my jump ropes no problem.  I struggled with running.  We were well into the season before I ever got my mile.

I had wanted to quit so badly before the games even started.  But my parents would not let me.  I even remember my grandpa encouraging me.  He told me that I could do it, and that is one memory of him I will always treasure.  Even he believed in me.  But I digress.

It was probably a good thing, though, that they would not let me quit.  I finally ran my 8 minute mile in 7 minutes and 42 seconds.  It is the only mile I have ever run that fast.  But when I finally made my time, I felt that I had won.  I learned that I could push myself, past my limiting beliefs, and meet what I thought was an outlandish goal.  So, thank you, Mom and Dad. :)

But as an adult, I did not have my parents telling me I could not quit. Ultimately, I decided to quit a few things, and as I look back on them, I can see why and where it went wrong.

I was not committed.  There was no reason keeping me committed to doing a certain job or fulfilling a role.  I did not feel a connection at all.  So I gave up.

Are you like that with your health and fitness?  When you start your new routine, you may be all gung-ho, but when it gets tough, are you quick to throw in the towel?

When we quit something, we inevitably let someone down.  When we decide to give up on our health and fitness, the person we let down is ourselves.  That is why it is so important to find a reason to stay committed to it.

In my focus groups, I ask the ladies to tell me why they are starting their journey.  Sometimes, I get answers such as, "I want to lose 10 pounds," or "I want to look good in my swimsuit this summer." Those are valid reasons, but once you reach those goals, will you still be committed to working out and eating healthy?  Or will you decide that since you hit your goal, you do not need to do those things anymore?

You have to dig deeper.  Find a reason that is going to get you out of bed in the morning.  Find a reason deeper than a simple goal that will allow you to make fitness part of your life rather than just for a moment.  Dig deep and find that "why."

When you think of that reason and it pushes you to keep going, you know that you have found the reason to help you stay committed.  What is it?

Getting Started with Health & Fitness: Listen

As we conclude this series of getting started on your health and fitness journey, I want to encourage you in one more area.  Living a healthy life is very rewarding.  I know it is not easy to get started or even to continue with it, but once you get to the place of dedication and actually making it a lifestyle, it is enjoyable!

Maybe you started this journey because you have some health issues.  Maybe you have constant headaches, migraines, tummy aches, joint aches, swelling, or other things going on.  Those are signs that something could be wrong.  But if we listen to our bodies it will give us those hints that we need.

For example, I started this journey because I had headaches every day.  They started when I was in second grade, and by the time I was in sixth grade, I had my first migraine.  Honestly, I thought I would be stuck with headaches for the rest of my life.  But what I found out was that processed foods trigger headaches for me.  Unfortunately, my migraines are hormonal, but at least I know that now and can work to balance my hormones out.

It is truly amazing what the human body can do.  God created our bodies so intricately that we may know what is going on with them.  If something hurts, then something is wrong.  It may be as simple as telling you that you need to drink more water.  But if you find yourself constantly sick or in pain, it may be time for you to see a doctor so they can help you figure out what is going on inside your body!  Do not ignore those little things, because they could eventually turn into bigger things.

At some point, you are no longer a beginner on this journey to wellness.  It just becomes part of your life.  Learning to listen to your body makes you past the beginning stages. ;) As you keep learning on this road, you will keep growing.  It will become second nature to you.  So keep working.  It may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it!

Getting Started with Health & Fitness: There WILL Be Days...

There will be days that you just do not wanna...

This newly found lifestyle is exciting at first.  You may jump out of bed for the first couple of days, excited to get your workout done and lunch prepped before you run out the door.  You may find yourself feeling happy and motivated to get things accomplished.  It is a wonderful feeling!

But the newness and excitement of the lifestyle will wear off at some point.  You may be sore in the first few days.  You may have spent your energy chasing around your kids, doing homework, working overtime, or staying up too late binge-watching Netflix.  You may wake up on the wrong side of the bed with the wrong attitude one morning.  It happens.

Yes, it happens to all of us at one time or another. We all lose our motivation.  It may happen at different points in your health journey, and I will warn you, it will not happen just once.  Here is why:  motivation is simply a temporary state of mind.  It is an emotion, just as happiness, sadness, and joyfulness are emotions, so is motivation.  It does not stick around permanently.  You have to conjure up motivation every, single day.

So what can you do when you do not feel like doing anything?

You do it anyway.

Yep, you do it anyway.  Why?  Because you have to discipline yourself to make good habits.  You have to do what you know needs to be done, no matter how bad you do not want to do it!  According to Google, the word "discipline" means to:

train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way.

We want to train ourselves to live a healthy lifestyle.  It does not become a habit overnight.  No, the new habit needs lots of practice.  We have to discipline ourselves to create that new habit...to make it part of our lifestyle.  Discipline is going to be the thing that keeps our motivation going.

In 2015, my life fell apart and I was not focused on my health or fitness.  In 2016, I was working to make my workouts a part of my daily routine.  I knew that I needed to focus on completing a whole program all the way through.  I did not allow myself to make excuses, and I knew that I always made an excuse about not being a morning person.  So I got up everyday and worked out in the morning. I got it done day in and day out.  There were days that I did not want to workout.  There were days that I did not want to get up when my alarm went off.  But you know what?  I did it anyway.

I disciplined myself to make my fitness part of my routine.  If I knew that I would be traveling or I would not be home for a workout, I made sure to pack what I needed so that I could still get that workout in no matter where I was!  It was that important to me.

In December, as I was reflecting on the year of 2016, I had realized that since I made my workouts a priority during the year that it was easy to make sure I got my workout in during the day.  I knew that my foundation was ready to be built upon.  I knew that no matter what, I would take time to get a thirty-minute sweat session in no matter where I was.  If I had to rearrange the schedule, I would do just that.  But I knew going into 2017, I was ready for more discipline.

I was dedicated to my workouts, which in turn brought me more motivation.

Some days you will have more motivation than others.  Take advantage of that motivation when it comes!  Some days you will have to dig deep into discipline and just do it because you are trying to make it a habit in your life.  Then there are days that you do the action because you are dedicated, which in turn will bring more motivation to you.  

Getting Started with Health & Fitness: Focus on THIS

Diet.

What do you think about when you hear that word?  How does it make you feel?

Sad? Mad? Crazy?  Like you want to run away and hide?  I personally think that it has a bad connotation because of all the feelings that comes with being on a diet.  

If you have ever been on a diet, you have probably come to the conclusion of:

1. It is not going to work for you because you feel too restricted.
2. It is not going to work for you because you do not want to be on the diet the rest of your life.

I have felt both of those things in my years of dabbling in the diet world.  It is not fun.  Life is pretty miserable.  But it does not have to be that way!

As I was getting started with my own health journey, "clean eating" was a popular term that was floating around cyberspace and yet I had no clue what it meant.  I was not sure if it was just the next popular thing or if it really was something worth checking out.  Was it something that I wanted to focus on in my health journey or did I need to focus on something else?  What did I need to focus on?  Where was I supposed to focus?

I had figured out that I was going to have to change the way I ate...I think that much is always given.  But what I thought I would have to do and what I actually have to do is totally different.  I was thinking way too much about the foods that I was going to have to give up.  I was thinking that it was going to be just like a diet for the rest of my life.  But I was wrong.

If you are just getting started with your health and fitness journey or if you are wanting to make eating healthy a lifestyle instead of just another crash diet, then you are in luck.  I have a tip for you that you can implement today!

Do not think about all the foods you will have to give up.  Instead, focus on adding ONE healthy thing into you daily diet.  For example, we all know that vegetables are good for us.  You can simply start by just adding one more serving of veggies into your day.  Then tomorrow add in another healthy option.

As you focus on adding healthy options into your diet, the not-so-good-options will take a backseat and you will start craving the good things!  You do not have to think about what you should not be eating, or rather want to keep out of your diet, but you can think about all the good, nutritious things that you can eat!  Pretty soon you will be feeling good about the options you are choosing to eat, and then your body will be feeling good because of the nutritious foods you are choosing to feed it!  

Getting Started with Health & Fitness: Avoid the Overwhelm

Starting your fitness journey can be scary and sometimes it can be overwhelming.  It is something new that you are trying to implement into your routine.  You are doing things that you are not used to or maybe you have never even done.  It is okay to take it slow! In fact, I would encourage you to do so. If you try to implement too many new things, you will likely give up early.

Maybe you are completely consumed with where your lifestyle is currently and you are thinking about everything that has to change in order for you to be healthy.  I mean, if I allow myself to think about that, I get overwhelmed!  I would encourage you to take one step back, and only allow yourself to think about the moment.

What can you do in this very moment that will take you a step towards a healthy lifestyle?  Do not allow yourself to think about the big picture yet.  I know that if I allow myself to think about the amount of weight that I need to lose to get to my goal weight or how many sizes are in between my current size and my goal size, I get really discouraged.  It is an overwhelming feeling that takes over.  That makes me feel like I want to crawl in bed, pull the sheets over my head and never come out.

This is a journey.  It is a journey to making health and fitness part of your lifestyle.  When you make it part of your lifestyle, it is with you forever.  It becomes second nature to you. You do these things because that is just what you do. There will be time to add and subtract things along the way.

So if we think about it as a journey, we need to think about all the different stops we will make.  There will be stops to pick up new things.  There will be stops to dump the garbage out.  There will be stops to sightsee.  There will be road blocks.  There will be stops to re-route.  There will be all kinds of these stops along the way.  It will allow you to implement new options.  It will allow you to get rid of what you do not like or want.

So do not get overwhelmed at the thought that you have to change everything today.  Take it slow. Do not get burnt out before you even get started.  Do not get discouraged.

How do you avoid the overwhelm?  Take it slow.  Take it one step at a time.  Focus on what you can do right now.  Change one or two things at a time until you have control.  Then add in a few more things.  You can do it!

Getting Started with Health & Fitness: My #1 Tip

There are so many different voices being yelled at us these days.  We have many options when it comes to finding information.  We can look on numerous websites on the Internet.  We can go to our social media accounts and ask our friends.  Someone we know and trust can recommend something to us.  There are so many options!

But when it comes to your health, who do you trust?

I did not know either.  When I started this journey over four years ago, I had no clue what to do.  I did not know what to eat or how to workout.  So I started doing research.  I did research for months!  That was the worst thing I could have done for myself.

Why?

Because I wasted all of that time on my computer trying to come up with the perfect plan for this journey. I could have been using that time to work toward my goals, but I did not do that. I wasted so much time.  And guess what I found out?  There is NO perfect plan.

 >>>hashtag BIG BUMMER<<<

When I started my journey, I did not know who to listen to. I did not know what information to use.  I did not know what kind of food to eat. That is why I did so much research, but if I could go back and start over, I would tell myself one thing.

Just start.

Yep, that is it.  I would tell myself to get off the computer. Stop searching pinterest.  Stop asking people so many questions, and just get out there and make ONE single decision that would point me in the right direction.

If I had that mindset going in, I am sure that I would be in a different place than I am today.  So please, if you are waiting for the right time or the right program or the right day, stop waiting.  Just get out there and make one decision that will make you healthier!

Getting started may be the scariest move for you, but it is the one move that will be worth it.  I promise!

Here are a couple of ideas for you if you are stumped:

1. Take a 20 minute walk instead of watching that show on tv (just DVR the show).
2. Drink water instead of that pop you were planning on having for supper.
3. Go to bed earlier.
4. Eat veggies instead of those potato chips or french fries you were planning to eat.
5. Encourage someone.

Any of those things will help get you started.  Once you get over the fear of getting started and you make that first move, you will see how much better you feel, and you will build momentum and it will be easier to make that decision the next time.

Journey to Jesus: Freedom

Have you ever dreaded something so much that you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders? Did you feel like that burden had been lifted once you did that thing?  You tasted freedom once it was over.  Right?

Life with Jesus is like that.  The freedom part, I mean.

I know that I have felt the heaviness of sin on my shoulders. Before Granny passed away, I was not spending time with God.  I was not listening to Him.  I was not putting Him first in my life.  I wanted what God wanted for me, but in my own selfish way.  Even good things can become idols in our lives.  That is exactly what happened to me.

I knew what was happening.  I knew that I needed to ask for forgiveness in my life.  I knew that I needed God's help to get me turned around, headed in a direction with Him.  But another sin entered my life before I could ask for that forgiveness.  It was called pride. I had too much pride in my life to ask for help.  I had heard the gentle voice calling me back to Him, but I chose to ignore it.  I wanted to do this on my own.

Do you ever look back on a situation and think to yourself how silly and stupid you were?  That would be this moment right here for me.  I WAS TOO PRIDEFUL TO ASK FOR HELP. I needed that help more than anything in the world. I needed saving.  I needed grace.  I needed love.

I am so thankful that God's ways are not my ways.  His grace comes first. He is always the first to extend that grace to me.  And oh how He lavished me with it.

Grace upon grace upon grace.

I am a work in progress.  His grace covers me first and foremost.  I do not have to come to Him completely "put together."  Then the belief of His power working in my life comes and then behavior changes--we are convicted of things He wants us to change or work on.  The farther down the journey we get with Him, the more we trust and obey Him.

As we trust and obey Jesus, He enables us to speak, live, and work for Him.

We can trust and lean on His strength to empower us to do the things that He has called us to do, no matter how scary they might be.

Living a life of freedom sometimes means being vulnerable and sharing how God has worked in my life.  It means living like I am a new creation with the emotions, thoughts, and attitudes that God gives me rather than the emotions, thoughts, and attitudes that I can adapt from the world.  It means that I need to live with Him at the center of my life--making every decision based on how He wants me to live.  And lastly, one of the hardest things I have had to learn in my fitness journey is no believing in who the WORLD says that I am, but rather finding my true worth in Christ.  


Christ came so that I may find life and freedom in Him.  He died on that cross so that I could spend eternity with Him.  I no longer have to live as a slave to sin, but rather I can live in my freedom that Christ has given me.  He has set me free from all my sin and shame.

Are you living in your freedom?  Or are you suffering in your shame?  Friend, go live in the freedom that Christ has given you!  There is nothing more refreshing that Him taking our guilt and redeeming it into something more beautiful that you could ever imagine.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!

Journey to Jesus: Satisfaction

Are you looking for satisfaction in all of the wrong places?

How many times have you done something thinking that you would be satisfied after it was finished ONLY to find that it left you hungry for more?  Have you ever stepped on the scale to see a lower number than previously and felt satisfied?  Have you ever posted something on social media and thought that even if you never got any likes or comments, you would be satisfied?

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that you have probably wanted more after doing any one of those things above.  I have stepped on the scale to see a loss, only to want more weight loss.  I have posted on social media before only to come back and see that I have received the most amount of likes that I have ever received on a post before...and I, then, wanted to see if I could top that.  It seems like anything we do leaves us wanting more.  It never allows us to feel satisfied or content.

Why?

Because we are looking for satisfaction in all the wrong places.

For so many years I chased the wrong things.  I started my fitness journey because simply, I wanted to be skinny.  I was tired of being called fat and I wanted to be skinny.  I thought that if I could lose the weight, then I would be satisfied with myself.  For many, many years I wanted a boyfriend.  I thought that if I could just get a boyfriend--someone to like me--that I would be satisfied.  I thought that if I could just find friends in St. Louis, then I would be satisfied.

But I was looking for that satisfaction in all the wrong places.

I mentioned previously that I had joined a Bible Study Fellowship group.  I originally joined this group to help me develop a relationship with Christ, but later I found that it was healing my broken heart from losing my Granny.  I knew I wanted to continue with the group, so I joined in again this year.  What I did not know was that I would be diving in deeper and be convicted of even more things in my life.

So many times I have looked to material things for my satisfaction, thinking that if I could have the next best thing, I would be happy.  But I found out that when I have a right relationship with Christ, I am content in Him and I have peace and hope.

My BSF notes say this:

When your satisfaction and security are based on anyone or anything less than Jesus, you will always be disappointed.

Maybe you struggle with this.  Maybe you are feeling discontentment in your life.  Simply ask God to satisfy you fully in Him.  He wants nothing more than you to receive that satisfaction and contentment.  But you also have to work at it.  You have to develop and cultivate a relationship with Him daily.

I can be completely satisfied in Him one day and the next, my mind can be elsewhere wanting the latest and greatest. I have to meet with Him daily...multiple times a day to keep my gaze on Him or I will get caught up in this world.

Are you unsatisfied in your life?  What things are you chasing?  Ask Him to help you satisfy you desire for Him.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!

Journey to Jesus: Trust

I used to be a trusting person.  I believe we are all born with an inherent ability to trust others.  As babies, we are in the most vulnerable state we will probably ever allow ourselves to be in.  We are supposed to trust our parents to care for us and our family members to love us. We are to trust our friends to give us that connection that we long for.  But this world is broken, and sin is present.  We do not live in a perfect world.

 I remember a time where I did trust people.  I lived in a small, conservative town where everyone knew everyone else.  I did not have to stay away from a certain part of town.  I did not have restrictions on who I could or could not associate with.  I know there were people in my community who watched out for me, but I had an overall trusting attitude towards people, too.

Unfortunately, a couple of situations happened as a young girl that hurt me deeply.  I am a words person.  Words of affirmation is my love language, so when someone says something hurtful or hateful, it drains my love bank.  It also drains my trust bank.  These unkind words shaped my life.  I did not know it at the time, but my mindset was built around these events, and it has been difficult to trust people ever since.

Over the years, I had lots of experiences where I was hurt by various friends growing up.  I was hurt by people I was supposed to trust.  Each of these situations depleted my ability to trust others.  I became slower to make friends because I wanted to make sure that I trusted them before I allowed them in my life.

In late 2014, I heard the song, "Oceans," by Hillsong and immediately fell in love with it. I already knew that my relationship with Christ was lacking, so I started using Hillsong's lyrics and started praying:

Spirit, lead me where my trust is without boarders, Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior.

Shortly after I started praying that prayer, my Granny passed away.  Looking back now, I understand what God was doing.  He was using that circumstance to bring me back to Him.  But I was in a hole...a hole that I did not know how to get out of.  I was definitely in a situation that was deeper than I could ever get out of myself. I had to trust Him--that He would bring me out of the depths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

I had to learn to lean on Him in the hard times.  I had to learn that my way was not better than His way.

In 2016, my word for the year was "trust." I knew that I needed to put more trust in God, my husband, and my living situation.  I knew that I needed to trust in a relationship being restored.  I needed to trust that my home is in Him.

I started praying this prayer again.  I want to live my life in a way that glorifies the Lord in every aspect.  I know He not only desires I put my trust in Him, but others as well.

 

Trust can be rebuilt. It is hard, and it takes time. But it is a beautiful thing when it happens.

 Proverbs 16:9 says,

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

I fully believe that this phase will be one that I am in the rest of my life.  I know that I have a long way to go with my issues, and I know that God is capable of restoring and redeeming every bad thing in my life.  This is a phase that I do not want to lose sight of.  I am sure that I will need reminded of it a million times!

I hope that you have put your trust in the Lord.  If you are struggling with this, can we connect?  I would love to be able to encourage you in your faith walk.  I would also love to be able to pray with you.  I feel that this is one of the most important things that you can learn as a follower of Christ.  It is one thing that I will keep learning.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!

Journey to Jesus: Attitude

I got to thinking a little bit about this journey to Jesus that I have been on.  It is a lot like a weight loss journey.  There are going to be ups and downs along the way.  But once you commit to it, you just learn to push through on the hard days.  You learn to lean more on Christ and depend less on yourself.

When I realized that I needed to get my act together, it was not something brand new that I was learning.  I grew up in a home where Jesus was talked about regularly.  I think that it was a process that I had to go through to find my own faith.  I had to seek out what I truly believed. I could not just take my parents' faith and say that because they are Christians, I am a Christian.  It does not work that way.  I had to develop my own relationship with Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it talks about who we are in Christ:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

We are made new in Christ when we decide to give our lives to Him.  My Bible Study Fellowship notes say, "God creates within us new emotions, a new attitude of mind and new power of will--what the Bible calls 'the new self.'"  I really love that quote because when we are in communion with Christ, He changes our heart, our mind, and our attitude.

The third phase that I went into on this journey is what I call my "attitude phase."  It kind of goes hand-in-hand with the mindset phase.  Once you change your mindset and what you are focused on, it is a lot easier to change your attitude.

I knew that in my health journey, my mindset had changed from, "I need to lose weight," and "I want to be skinny," to "I need to take care of my body because that is honoring God."  With that change in mindset, my attitude shifted.  I went from feeling pure dread about working out everyday to actually wanting to work out.

This was not an overnight shift, however.  It still took time for me to figure some of this out.  A lot of the time I felt that I had the attitude of "fake it 'til you make it." But each morning, I would sit in my quiet time and pray. I would ask God to help me have an attitude of "want." I wanted to want to workout because I knew that it was another form of worship.  I asked Him to help me "want" to eat healthy. I asked Him to help me "want" HIM more. I wanted to want to make this my lifestyle, because ultimately, I knew that is the attitude HE wanted me to have.

I knew that I could no longer have an attitude of someone in the world.  I could not base this healthy lifestyle on my looks.  I needed to have an attitude adjustment.  God calls us to be good stewards.  I had always applied that term to money, as I feel that it has always been taught to me that way.  But what if we applied that term to our bodies?

Dictionary.com states that the term "steward" means to manage another's property.  As I shared previously, we were bought with a price.  So if you think about it, our bodies are not our own.  We need to "manage" our bodies well.  When I started thinking about it that way, I had a much more positive attitude towards working out and eating healthy.

Colossians 3:23 says:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...

If you are on this journey, this make take you some time.  That is okay! Ask God to help you change your attitude.  He will honor your request and help you!

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!

Journey to Jesus: Mindset

As I was reading and studying God's Word on a daily basis, my heart was changing.  It was also healing.  I had joined a group called Bible Study Fellowship and we happened to be reading through and studying the book of Revelation.

I look back now and realize how God aligned that study with what I personally needed to hear in my own life.  My Granny was gone.  She was with Jesus and while that thought was comforting, it did not help with missing her on this side of eternity.  But reading and studying about Heaven did help. Why would she want to come back to us when she had tasted the goodness of Jesus and everything He has given to her and rewarded her with for being so faithful to the end?

In turn, the study helped start the healing in my life that I needed.  God was already working in my heart, and I was praying that He would move mountains in my life.  And that's exactly what happened.

Last February, I had decided it was time to get back to healthy eating and exercising. We had just moved into our new home in our new city and I knew that I wanted a fresh new start in every area of my life.  Then it was around April that I came to realize that I was still using food as a comforter.  Even though my relationship with God was better than it was, I was using food to fill a void in my life.  I was using food to fill the spot that I needed God to fill.

Now please realize that I was in the "desire phase" for about four months before I took serious action.  But I still had that longing to change until I made a move.  I would have to say that I was in the desire phase, in regards to my health, for a much shorter time.  I knew that once I took action with my relationship with Christ, that I could take action with my health as well.

Over the summer, I knew that I needed to work on filling my heart with God instead of food.  I knew that I could lose weight, because I had done it before.  But I did not want this time to just be about losing weight.  I knew that I needed to change my heart about food.  I was reading in 1 Corinthians and stumbled across these verses:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I had read those verses before, time and time again.  But this time it clicked with me.  I knew that the Holy Spirit was within me.  He was helping me--teaching me and convicting me.  He would help me get through this situation as well.  I knew in that moment that I needed to start treating my body more kindly.  I needed to fuel it with the right nutrients so that it could perform optimally for God's purpose.



I knew that I had been called for a bigger purpose than just surviving.  I knew that God had plans for me...I just was not sure what.  But I had a brand new mindset in my fitness journey. I knew that I had to keep that mindset fresh, because I knew there would be days that I just did not want to do anything.  I knew there would be days when it would get tough.

I was not doing this just for weight loss, but because God called me to honor Him by taking care of my body...the one place where He lives. That was my new mindset.  It was the thought that helped propel me into a different place with my fitness and nutrition.  It gave me a different purpose for getting out of bed and sweating each morning.  And it was the thing that keeps me going.

I want my life to honor Christ.  I never thought that working out could be a form of worship, but once I had that mindset, it became something greater than myself.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!

Journey to Jesus: Desire

My circumstances allowed me to feel my emotions. I knew that I needed to change.  I had known it for a while, but I did nothing about it.  It was not until Granny passed away that I had a full understanding of where my life was headed.  I was tired of being a "Christian" without really acting like a Christian--and unfortunately, this is exactly why Christians get a bad reputation.  We do not truly act as a follower of Christ would act.  We simply just take the name.  And that is not how I wanted to be known!

It was in those moments of her death that I finally had desire to change.  I knew that it needed to happen, and I was going to act on those feelings.  I was desperate.  I was desperate for change.  I was desperate for Jesus.

   
I was finally feeling that desire within me.  I was ready to put my desire into action.  I was ready for something different because whatever I was doing in those moments were not helping me. It was only bringing me down.

I have to be honest, though.  My desire came in pieces.  It did not all come at once.  My desire for Jesus came first.  I knew that was the missing link in my life from the beginning.  I knew that I needed Him to be able to survive Granny’s death.  Without Him, my life is worth nothing.  Without Him, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to keep going.  Without Him, I had absolutely no hope at all.

So I focused on building that relationship.  But that was the only thing that I focused on.  In my grieving, I completely neglected my relationship with food.  I was not focused on what I was eating or how I was treating my body.  I was slowly gaining the weight I had lost back.  I was tired.  I was only working out sometimes.  I was not dedicated to it at all. That part would come later. I just needed to focus on rebuilding my relationship with Christ.  I needed to spend time with Him daily.  I needed to grow in my faith.  I needed to figure out who I was meant to be.

I remember sitting in my kitchen one morning, praying to God.  I was sorry that I had let our relationship sit on the back burner for so long.  I was somewhat embarrassed that I was in that position. God knew everything that had happened, yet I poured my heart out to Him.

To quote a line from my study notes from Bible Study Fellowship, "He always notices those who make the slightest moved toward Him! ...Jesus meets those who desire to know Him and makes it easy to come to Him without fear."

Jesus was quick to meet me where I was at.  He embraced me and sweetly welcomed me back where I belonged.  That desire that I had for Him was met with open arms.  That is a feeling that I cannot describe.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or leave a comment! If you're needing some encouragement on your own spiritual journey or are looking for ideas on how to begin or continue with your own Bible study, join The Core!