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Entries in Weight Control (3)

Thursday
Dec022021

Preparing for the Holidays

Kathy Carlton Willis is a mentoring master, helping people achieve their goals through a practical, biblical focus, and challenging them to embrace good choices for their wellbeing. In this Christmas UPGRAGE, she offers helpful strategies for health and weight control.

“I love the holidays," Kathy says, "and unfortunately, I inherited the food-as-a-love-language gene from both sides of my family."

Hmmm. I (Dawn) think we must be related, because I have that gene too. But Kathy doesn't stop at acknowledging a problem; she's determined to offer creative solutions!

Kathy continues . . .

While others are gaining the holiday five to ten pounds, my goal is to hold my own.

In Kathy-math, that’s like losing during other times of the year. That way, when I dive into “getting back on track” on January 2, I don’t have that extra holiday weight to lose as others do.

See? It’s a win! I’ll be ahead of the game.

What is YOUR holiday strategy?

I’m finding a variety of methods to enjoy the holidays without setting back my health and weight-loss progress. Sometimes, implementing what I know goes better than at other times!

Accountability helps. And keeping close touch of my WHY.

Let’s savor the flavors for our holiday meal, but not for weeks on end. Be mindful to eat well when we’re celebrating, but eat for being well the other meals.

One of my holiday meal plans is to allow myself to eat what we don’t commonly have throughout the year.

  • I can forego the mashed potatoes on my plate, knowing I can have them next time we have roast or meatloaf.
  • We seldom have homemade yeast rolls, so it’s worth not eating other carbs to enjoy those fluffy orbs of goodness.
  • When it comes to dessert I choose the pumpkin pie option and don’t eat the pie crust.

Here Are Some More Tips

1. If you’re going to a buffet or potluck, look over the whole food line before choosing which ones you’ll put on your plate.

Better to savor some of the food than be miserable after eating all of the food.

2. Eat slowly, enjoying conversation as much as the food.

Ask others questions and invest in truly listening. Reminisce favorite family memories. Tell younger generations stories of their ancestors.

3. After you finish your plate of food, offer to serve others.

Refill glasses. Delay seconds or dessert.

Let your food have time to catch up with you so your brain starts to register that you are getting full.

4. When you decide you are finished, pop a mint or piece of gum to freshen your breath.

Put on some lipstick. You’re less likely to want to mess that up with more food!

5. Choose extra activity to offset the extra food intake.

Make group activities a new family or friend tradition.

Go to an area known for Christmas lights. Park the car and walk as a group to see the decorations.

Be sure to have on light colors or reflective gear so you don’t get hit, and carry a flashlight. Or think ahead and give everyone in the group a glow necklace to wear. (Or even some twinkly Christmas light necklaces!)

6. Bring a healthy recipe option to carry-in dinners.

Make it so good, others can’t believe it’s healthy. They’ll start asking for it at future gatherings.

7. Make the non-food parts of the holiday shine more.

Focus on the love. Make new memories.

8. Have a plan for the day before and after a holiday to eat more produce and proteins.

Clean eating helps offset one day of savoring special foods.

9. Make an extra effort to get more sleep.

We need it more than ever during the holidays, and it truly is the one thing that affects wellbeing of body, soul, and spirit.

Let’s focus on being good caregivers of our bodies this season of worship and turn down what doesn’t help us live well for God.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2 NLT)

At a time of year when we have a lot on our plates, we need to make sure we don’t pile a lot on our dinner plates!

And for that matter, we need to reduce what we have on our life plates too—so we can truly SAVOR the SEASON.

What will you have on your holiday plate?

Kathy Carlton Willis is God’s Grin Gal. She writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. Over a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she has several books in her Grin Gal brand. Her latest books are The Grin Gal’s Guide for Wellbeing: Being Well in Body, Soul & Spirit, and the ancillary product, The Grin Gal’s Planner for Wellbeing. Set yourself up for success by joining one of Kathy’s wellbeing groups, which will start in January. More information at www.kathycarltonwillis.com, or contact her for details at kathy@kathycarltonwillis.com.

Article content adapted from The Grin Gal’s Guide for Wellbeing: Being Well in Body, Soul & Spirit ©2021.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Cara Crobbelaar at Unsplash.

Tuesday
Feb052019

Shed Your Past—Shed the Pounds

Julie Watson is inspiring. In this UPLIFT post, she shares her story of how dealing with personal pain from her past enabled her—with the help of a healthy nutrition program—to lose weight and gain confidence.

“You can’t shed the extra pounds,” Julie says, “until you shed the painful experiences that put them there in the first place!”  

Exactly! I (Dawn) discovered the same thing over the past two years. I had to deal with the underlying emotional causes for my weight gain, and I appreciate Julie's honesty here.

Julie continues . . .

Last summer I set out to lose weight… a lot of weight! It’s not weight that came on recently, or even in the last 10 years. I’ve been carrying around this extra weight my entire life.

I often joke and say, “The last time I was thin was in the birthing room the day I entered the world!” 

Laughing about my weight has been my coping mechanism for as long as I can remember. But the truth is, there’s a lot of pain under that laughter.

My guess is that’s the case for most people who are obese. There’s always going to be a memory or two of the mean kids on the playground who called you, “fatty” or, in my case, my third-grade crush who called me “moose” while standing behind him in line at a Sea World drinking fountain.

I can still remember it like yesterday, and that was nearly 40 years ago!

Worse yet is when a person of authority crushes your spirit with words that are hurtful and damaging.

Such was the case with my pediatrician when I was 10 years old. I was told that I was overweight and needed to go on a diet immediately or I might get a myriad of health problems. 

Perspective for just a second:

  • I was five feet five inches tall at 10 years old.
  • I was a fully developed young woman and weighed 145 pounds.
  • I realize that’s a lot for an average 10-year-old. But I was NOT average! I was 3 inches taller than my fifth-grade teacher!

Back to the story . . .

My pediatrician sent me home with instructions for a 1,000-calorie-a-day diet and requirements to come back weekly to weigh-in. You would have thought I was the fattest person she had ever seen! That’s how I felt, anyway.

I remember crying in my room later that day. Nevertheless, I listened to her instructions and followed the plan. Of course, my mom made my food because, quite frankly, at 10 years old I didn’t know what a calorie was!

The following week, back we went. The scale read 144.5 pounds. I felt good that I had lost! But, that’s not the response I received. I got a FULL-ON YELLING LECTURE!

She was upset that I ONLY lost a half pound and needed me to understand—quite loudly—that if I didn’t lose weight, I was going to have High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, and would die of a heart attack really young!

I was 10—what did those words even mean? 

Traumatized, we left, and thankfully, never returned! However, the damage was done.

As I aged, I learned what those diseases were. I started having anxiety and panic attacks that I would get them.

I became a moderate hypochondriac in my teen years as the weight piled on. I used food to escape my emotions and feelings about my weight. If I heard one more person tell me, “You have such a pretty face, if only you lost weight,” I might have just exploded!

Fast forward to June 25th of 2018.

Desperate and alone I cried out to God for help!

I had self-fulfilled much of the prophecy that pediatrician had placed on me. I was in a very dark place, imagining an early death and that my family was going to have to bury me in a double-wide coffin.

God was faithful and graciously led me to an amazing, life-changing health program!

  • It broke through “why” I had a food problem, all relating to the pain compiled over the years.
  • It helped me look at the triggers, why they were there and how to be free of the pain that kept me in bondage.
  • At the same time, I learned new, healthy habits to replace the old, bad habits, one at a time.

The weight began to melt off and I began to heal from the inside out!

I learned that you can’t shed the extra pounds until you shed the painful experiences that put them there in the first place! 

I’m just about halfway in my weight loss journey—nearly 90 pounds down in just over 6 months! I have a long way to go yet, but I haven’t looked back because I haven’t wanted to!

When you feel good—really good—you don’t want to give that up! I found true FREEDOM, one directed by the Lord, for such a time as this!

When someone gives you keys to the jail door, you DON’T give them back!

Painful pasts must be dealt with so we can reach our goals! Whether it’s losing weight or another desire, speak to a pastor, counselor or therapist to work through your past and reach for your dreams!

You are worth it!

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’”  (Jeremiah 29:11).

Are painful experiences keeping you in bondage? Are you ready to shed them?

Julie Watson became an independent C.O.P.E. Certified Health Coach after finding freedom using an amazing health program that is transforming lives one habit at a time. Her husband became her first client, lost 43 pounds in three months and remains in maintenance. She loves helping others find the same freedom she found! Julie and Shawn live in San Diego with their three children and myriad of pets.

(NOTE from Dawn: This article is not meant to promote any specific program, but if you are interested in learning more about the specific program Julie is using, let me know and I will contact her.)

Graphic adapted, courtesy of MoreHarmony at Pixabay.

Tuesday
Mar202018

Spring into a Healthier You!

Morgan Farr's passion and wise choices always inspire me. In this Health UPGRADE, she inspires us not only to better self-care, but also to consider how our bodies might better bring glory to God—and spring is a perfect time to make some fresh changes.

"God calls us to obedience and self-disciple, and your physical health plays a huge role in your ability to complete the task God has given you," Morgan says. “Is a lack of discipline with your body holding you back from serving God?”

A nutritionist challenged me (Dawn) with exactly that question more than a year ago. Then said, "How are you going to continue ministering when your body is falling apart?" It really got me thinking, and I came to the same conclusions Morgan did.

Morgan continues . . .

Many women spend a huge amount of time battling their bodies rather than bringing them under their control, and it doesn’t have to be that way!

Remember, God has given us the power of self control (2 Timothy 1:7).

God wants more for us than being enslaved to an unfit, sick, broken body.

Here are my top three ways to spring into a healthier you, and glorify God with the body you have been given.

1. Eat Real Food

Taking care of your body is going to start with what you put in your mouth.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

While we are not bound by levitical dietary laws, I do think we should be more discerning in what we consume.

God designed every intricate part of our bodies. He also designed what we should eat and how our digestive tract works. Did you know that roughly 70% of our immune tissue is located in our digestive system? Wouldn't it make sense then to show respect for our bodies by eating real foods rather than processed junk?

If you need an idea of what I mean by “real” foods, stick to the OUTER SIDES of the grocery store. If it can sit on a shelf for more than a week or so, it probably isn’t real food.

2. Move Your Body

Proverbs 31:17 says, “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”

This used to be true. But, the reality of modern life is that it can be very sedentary. We no longer have to spend hours to do basic things like gathering food and water. With the advent of household appliances life form many women has become a lot less physically demanding.

This means that we have to be intentional about moving our bodies daily.

It isn’t enough to count on chores to keep you fit.

This does not mean that you need an expensive trainer or a crazy gym membership. There are plenty of exercises that you can do at home, with zero equipment. (See note, below) *

3. Refresh Your Soul  

The final portion of your health that I want to address is your spiritual life.

Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones”.

There are two parts to this in my mind—fearing the Lord and shunning evil.

To fear the Lord, here are some basic questions:

  • Are you in the Bible every single day—not a devotional or a Bible commentary, but a real Bible?
  • Are you, every day, in conversation with the One who gave up his life for you?  

For shunning evil, let me ask you these:

  • What are you watching on television? Does it honor God?
  • What are you listening to in the car? Does it proclaim His glory?
  • How do you talk about other people when they aren’t with you?

Now, here is the caveat.

You have to understand why you want to be healthy.

What is the goal?

Being thin isn’t a fruit of the Spirit.

A certain size isn’t listed in the Beatitudes.

And believe it or not,

God didn’t list a certain body fat percentage as the 11th commandment.

Health and fitness can easily become idols if you are not careful. Make sure that you are doing these things for the right reasons and to glorify God.

We are called first and foremost to live out lives:

  • For God’s glory, and
  • To see His purposes fulfilled.

How can you spring into health and fitness this year to bring glory to God?

Morgan Farr is an Army wife currently stationed in San Diego, California, with her wonderful husband Brian and their children. Morgan is a homemaker who dedicates her free time to ministering to other Army wives through Bible studies, one-on-one mentoring and physical training. Morgan writes about her transition out of feminism and into biblical womanhood on her blog The Forgiven Former Feminist. You can find her training programs, nutritional information and meal plans on her blog, Farr Functional Fitness.

* At-home fitness is a real passion of mine, so I coach people in this everyday for free. If you need more help in this area, feel free to contact me personally, I would love to help you.

Graphics adapted, courtesy of Momental and OmarMedinaFilms at Pixabay