Back on the Wagon

I had started writing a post several weeks ago about how hard it is to lose weight. I wrote about spiritual aspects and psychological aspects, and then scrapped the whole thing. That's because the bottom line is, it's easy to gain weight and hard to lose it.

Until now, the most I weighed was in college, before Eliza was born (I'm not talking about pregnancy weight). I've surpassed that now by a pants size. And the more I hear and read about how weight affects overall health, the more I want to do something about it, so that I can give my family the best of me.

As my friend KS in Iowa says, "I have a relationship with food." And it's true. Food always makes me feel better, and it's always there when I need it. But that's what self-control is all about. And I have self-indulgences in large doses, and self-control in miniscule doses. But I'm working on it.

So I'm getting there, one day at a time. Not because I want to be a size six (I'll never be one - these hips o'mine which have borne three children will see to that!), but I want to be healthy. I want to be able to run and play with my kids without feeling like a slug and having to sit down every three minutes. So I'm eating better and exercising more and really taking things at my own pace. I didn't gain it overnight; I won't lose it overnight. So I'm trying not to beat myself up and trying to stay positive.

And, yes, I'm looking at the spiritual side of things, and not to over-spiritualize things, but for me, this is a spiritual journey as well. If I'm supposed to be doing all things as if for the Lord, and if I'm supposed to be glorifying Him (as the Scriptures say), then that goes even for the way that I eat, right? So I'm trying to make changes not only as far as eating, but in how I treat my family, how I arrange my daily schedule, what I watch on TV, etc. . . . all in exercises of self-control, which is part of the fruit of the spirt.

All of this to say - I have such a long way to go to being what God wants me to be. But I'm so thankful that I'm hearing His voice guide each aspect of my life. Even the Weight Watchers part!!!!