Thursday, November 12, 2009

On The Lighter Side

I didn’t want to tell you until now. The truth is, when I first started, I wasn’t sure I would even continue past a couple of days. I was going to wait until Christmas for the great unveiling. But, how could I hold out on you when this might just inspire you too and we can all fit into our summer clothes!

I wanted to give you my total because it would sound so much grander, but my premise all along has been to be honest with you even in the average stuff so here it is. I have lost 8kgs! (about 18 pounds for you American gals). I would love to have said 15kg (33lb) by Christmas, but I dont think Ill make that one, and since Christmas is 6 weeks away, if I share it now, you might just reap some benefits by then too! (update - made 10kg by Christmas)

Wanna know how I did it?
I Got Organized, Got Honest and Got Out!
(I just made that up ;)

But… as the Good Book says “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8) … so let me share with you some great spiritual application too.
So if you want to get a healthier body or a healthier spiritual life, read on!

OK this is a long one, so I’ll give you a rundown of my tips then you can read on if you’re interested:
1. Get a diary
2. Weigh in
3. Get ready
4. Be honest about your body (metabolism, cravings…)
5. Don’t skip meals
6. Small portion size
7. Exercise daily

Get Organised

The first thing I did was to purchase a diary. There is no way I can be disciplined in the physical or spiritual aspects of life if the rest of my life is disorganized. You need time aside for important things.

The second thing I did was to commit to weighing in on my Wii Fit every day, even when I knew I had done the wrong thing (eaten badly or missed exercise). You need to be accountable to aid in being disciplined and so that you can recognize the consequences of making wrong choices. Join a group, they will give you training, companionship, accountability and encouragement. Join a church, we’re here for the same thing!

The third thing I did was to make sure I had the supplies that I needed. I required shoes and clothes for walking, topped up the songs on my iPod, got rid of my favourite biscuits, chocolate and sweets, and stocked up on healthy alternatives and water bottles. I also put away my magazines and got out a good devotional book and occasionally an uplifting novel. What you choose to put in will have a direct effect on how you go both physically and spiritually!

Get Honest

There are heaps of things I have realized that have helped me in my journey so far, here are the main ones…

I’ve realized – skinny people don’t just have good metabolism, most of them actually do exercise and generally eat well. And Good people don’t just have a good conscience, most of them spend time reading the Bible and seek to honour God in what they do.

Sometimes it will be easy not to pig out, and sometimes it is all you can do to not have that chocolate slice at morning tea. That’s life. And in life it’s the same. Sometimes it will be easy to ‘be good’ and sometimes you will be trying your hardest and still be tempted even though you know it’s not the right thing.

I had to realize what certain foods did to my body and my hunger. If I eat sugary or highly processed carbohydrates, I crave more of the same. A packet of fruit mentos or some McDonalds fries and a coke make me feel good temporarily, but not for very long, and I end up eating more of that kind of stuff. And if I compromise on values such as loyalty, honesty and integrity, it gets easier and easier to do worse and worse. So, for me, it is way healthier and easier for me if I don’t.

Its important to have a good menu planned out. That way you can have some variety and choice of good things. Have a good bible study, devotional book or reading plan (such as Deliberate People) so you’re getting fed in good quantities.

Now I would have thought that y’all know what kind of foods are bad for you, but for the record, go for lots of fruit, salad or veges with egg or other protein to keep you going and stay away from biscuits, lollies, cakes and fried food. I also cut down on bread, and it actually made me feel less hungry, but see how you go with that. It really really really does make a difference. Give your body what it needs and you will feel better at the end of the day and throughout your life.

Don’t skip things that build you up. While cutting down is the first logical thing to do when you have been overloading, cutting out meals isn’t the right way to go about it. Work out what you need (use a dietary calculator if you like) and do it well. Don’t skip things that build you up. If you’re stressed out or overloaded, cut out on things which don’t add to your life or don’t fit your personal mission. If you do need to cut down, make sure you keep a good amount of things that build you up and are nutritious for your soul.

Don’t have too much on your plate. A amazing little truth that helps every day! If you put too much on your plate you will be overloaded (calories or stress) which may very well have been your problem in the first place. It requires a lot of self control not heaping up an extra serving of lamb, and extra big piece of cheesecake or saying yes to that newly offered position, but if you say no at first and sit back, almost every time you will find that it was necessary anyway. And if you change your mind, it is even more satisfying!

Get Out

By far the most important factor in losing weight is going for a walk almost every morning. Putting this all into practice is the only way to make any difference to your life. Be honest about your commitment. If you aren’t prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to see change, stop talking about it! Seriously, physical and spiritual health require discipline. It is extremely rewarding, has great results, and isn’t really that hard if you get organised, get honest and get out, but you’ve got to be committed.

Did you know that exercise goes on burning fat, even when you sleep? Even when you don’t feel like getting up for a walk, you’ll always be glad you did. And even when you don’t feel like getting up for to read the bible, going church, or going to bible study, you’ll always be glad you did. And the effects keep multiplying even when you aren’t aware of it.
I hope that gave you some inspiration and some tips to living well. I hope your clothes are a better fit after you put some of that into practice and you find that life is a better fit too.
Let me know if it worked!

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1 comment:

Cindi Dailey said...

Really good practical advice. Thanks for the reality check-up! I need to lose SEVERAL lbs...