In October 2011, I started a popular meal replacement diet (again). After about a month, the Lord instructed me to STOP and convicted me that He wanted the glory for my weight loss and He had a better plan for me if I would engage with Him about my health.
I had lost about 15 pounds quickly (again) using this meal replacement diet program. I was enjoying my lighter frame (about 210 pounds) and lower A1C (down to 5.6), but over the next couple months, proceeded to gain it all back (plus eight more pounds) when I stopped eating the packaged meals (now about 230 pounds).
At the end of January 2012, I started praying in earnest about what to do. I have looked at several “diets” in search of a plan and am convinced that in order to overcome obesity, I’m going to need to figure out how to live and eat properly for life-starting now. I also realize that I need HELP! Thankfully, the Lord is ready and waiting for me to put aside my own ways and connect with Him in this. In fact, I can see now that He is drawing me into another area of self-education.
My first area of self-education was about planning and preparing meals for my family, then tidying my house (digging out of piles of stuff) and now here we are at becoming healthy. I have been completely TRANSFORMED in the areas of cooking and cleaning over the past year and a half. That process began in January 2011. Thank you Lord for the good work you are doing me! You are empowering me to overcome and do things I've never been able to do before in my whole life!
I don't know what this is going to look like. I know I can't do "diets" to change my life. I always lose weight for awhile and then gain it all back again. I also know this isn't about what I CAN'T eat, I have to be able to
eat real food. I can't always be worried about 100% organic, non-processed, always wholesome, fresh, real food. My reality includes cheese, chocolate, carbs and some refined sugar! I can't function if I'm always eating weird stuff, this has to work in real life. I know that calories are calories...there's nothing "righteous" about sugar-free, fat-free or high-protein. I know I eat too much and need to consume smaller portions. I need to change my eating habits and lifestyle. And I don't know where to start.
What I do know, is that I am willing to do whatever it takes to escape this trap of fat I'm caught in. But I'm no longer willing to do fake things like eat meal replacements for a year, not willing to starve myself, not willing to eat cabbage soup for a month, not willing to fast this day and eat only veggies that day, not "grilling my way to health", not food combining or restricting all refined sugar or trying to pray against temptation, I'm DONE WITH DIETING! This is about my fifth diet blog I've started over the past few years, but it will be my last. I'm trusting that the Lord has brought me to this place for this time and will indeed lead me out.
This blog is going to document my journey of “Spirit-Led Weight Loss” as a record of His goodness to me. This is my story and will be different from how He might lead you in your own weight loss. I'm blogging for me so I can look back and see the progress, struggles and process when I'm done. And to SEE how faithful the Lord truly is because I tend to forget! I hope this might someday inspire someone else along the way, as well.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? (dieting!?) Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
-Matthew 11:28 from The Message
