Since He Isn't A Baby Anymore-It's Time To Lose The Weight! (The Daniel Plan)
I have an intensely hot mug of water in my hands this morning. Not strong, flavorful, sweetened, creamy coffee. Water-with a dab of lemon. It’s all part of a decision my husband and I made to be better stewards of our bodies.
It just couldn’t wait until January. It had to be part of 2013 and there is still time left.
I reached the point of being so totally sick and tired of being sick and tired that Guy and I decided to do an intense detox for the 10 days leading up to Christmas-including Christmas day!
After that, (including my birthday which is the day after Christmas!), we will continue on The Daniel Plan by Pastor Rick Warren and several best-selling doctors who co-wrote the book. The plan focuses on more than just diet and exercise-it helps you incorporate your faith and fellowship into the process so that you can have a total body makeover.
Yesterday, I ate more variety of vegetables in one day than I have all year. Seriously. And I survived!
This plan means saying “no” to a lot of foods I eat on a daily basis.
It means saying “no” to my favorite Mexican restaurant with the girls from my Life Group this week and no to that new pizza place we were invited to go to this weekend with some friends.
It means baking Christmas cookies with the boys and not licking even my finger to taste one crumb. Sigh.
But it also means that saying no to those things means I can say yes to the right things.
I’m saying no to my lack of self-control, to sleepless nights from caffeine highs, to buying yet another size up this month, to sugar substitutes that are poisoning my health and triggering my migraines, to feeling groggy, fatigued, defeated, guilty, and weary. I'm not making excuses anymore-after all, my "baby" is 2-blaming my extra pounds on baby weight gain is a bit ridiculous.
Over the past two years, I have gained more weight than I ever imagined-after my youngest was born I simply let food be my comfort and daily pleasure. It got out of control as you can see from this timeline of pictures.
I’m finally saying "yes" to honoring God with my body, yes to my health, yes to believing that God will help me through it and give me strength to make good choices-not to mention being a role model to my sons.And even though I have started and stopped and started and stopped many times before, true strength is about never giving up trying.
I’m sharing this with you because I need the accountability. And maybe you can relate.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14
Is there some area of your life that you know you need to address, perhaps even before the season of New Year’s Resolutions begins? A relationship that needs attention, a job you need to walk away from, someone you need to forgive, or maybe something as simple as scheduling that appointment for yourself?
Sometimes the first step is sharing it out loud. Go ahead. Say it here in the COMMENTS. Take a bold first move towards saying yes to the right thing-2013 isn’t over yet!
On that note, I’m sharing over at The Mob Society today about what to do if 2013 wasn’t what you expected. It would bless me if you headed over and read the blog-I pray it will encourage you as you look back over 2013!
YOUR TURN! What do you need to say “no” to that is plaguing your heart, mind, or body? What can you say “yes” to instead?
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