Today begins the fourth week of the FUMC Staff Meltdown.
Wow.
And really, this is where the hard part of sticking with those diet and exercise changes gets a little more difficult.
The first week? You're pumped up and self-discipline is high.
The second week? You've probably seen some movement on the scale, which is encouraging and inspiring.
The third week? Well...maybe things didn't go as well as you'd hoped. That self-discipline slipped as life got a little crazier. The food you swore you'd never eat again for the rest of your life somehow found it's way back on your plate.
The fourth week? It's a struggle. It's so easy to let those changes slip away. What you're hoping would be habit still isn't. Exercise is a struggle. Making those healthier food choices isn't getting that much easier. You start to question whether or not you really want to make those food sacrifices you know you need to...and you're pretty sure 15 extra minutes in bed is worth way more than a little exercise.
Sound familiar?
It certainly does to me!
Which is why I'm re-examining my goals and my purpose this week. I do believe taking a few moments to do just that is something we should all be doing on a regular basis on a life-level, but I find it to be so helpful when I'm working to lose weight as well.
I started on this newest weight-loss journey the day after Thanksgiving last year. I wanted to lose 70 pounds before the next Turkey Day rolled around, which seemed fairly reasonable at the time. I gained a significant amount of weight in a very short amount of time when I developed fibromyalgia a year and a half ago...a significant amount of weight that I'd just lost over the two previous years.
Nine months later, it's been frustrating. There are weeks I lose two or three pounds but more often than not, it's been a few ounces here and there...with lots of weeks of small gains. Overall, I'm 35 pounds lighter than I was nine months ago, but I'd hoped to be at least 55 lighter by now.
So I'm re-evaluating...
How much weight do I want to lose?
It's always important to have a goal whether it's a certain weight or size, but it's also important to be realistic about that goal. Doctors tell us that losing 2 pounds a week is a healthy rate of weight loss and, boy, would that be amazing! That's not going to happen for me and I don't think I can realistically and healthfully reach my goal by Thanksgiving. Slow loss is still loss, and that's okay.
My new goal? I'd still like to hit that 70 pounds, but I think I'll give myself this school year to do it in. If I can do it sooner, that's great - but I also don't want to set myself up for feelings of failure and discouragement.
And I also have to ask myself...
What is my purpose for losing weight?
*for my health - because I know my fibromyalgia symptoms are generally lessened as I get more fit
*for my future - because there are so many forms of cancer and heart disease in my family, and I'm doing everything I can to break that hereditary line
*to bring honor and glory to God - because I know that in making these changes I am breaking down the strongholds I have built in my life
That last one has been a huge motivator for me lately. I know it's one of those pieces of Scripture that tends to be pulled out of context for everything from ear piercing to smoking to weight loss and beyond, but this passage in First Corinthians has really been speaking to me lately:
19Do 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; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
~1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If I truly do believe that, as a follower of Christ and Child of God, I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit then I need to be doing everything I can to take care of this body He's given me. Perhaps more than anything else right now, this truth has been speaking to me and giving me the strength to carry on through this journey.
What's speaking to you this week? Are you taking a few moments to re-examine why you're taking part in this or what your ultimate goals are?
Loved this one, Sam!! I need to do some evaluation of my own!
Posted by: chksngr | August 31, 2010 at 09:28 AM