My Body - His Temple

1 Corinthians 6:19-20


19 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. 20 You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

I've struggled with my weight my entire life. Top weight ever was 340lbs. I was busting out of an XXXL. Alcohol, depression, pregnancy, bad nutrition and no exercise is what got me to that mass number and size. A typical meal consisted of 10 sausage links, 8 cups of rice smothered in cream sauce, and a big ole' soda. I used to eat two whole rows of Oreos in one sitting with 3 glasses of milk. Multiply this three times and that's pretty much how I was feeding myself every day.

Fitting in to cars, public transportation, and society was an everyday struggle for me. The cruelty I experienced was enough to make anyone depressed. Let's not even talk about how it hindered my relationships because of my low self-esteem! The only thing that kept me feeling good about myself was my gift of singing but even then, the number of people willing to work with me were very small because of my appearance.

Since then (nearly 9 years) I've had a few good moments of weight loss. My inspiration was always vain. The weight would come back and the cycle would start again.

BUT GOD!

In my new found walk with Christ I became aware of and began to fast with my church. I learned I had an emotional attachment to food. I realized a deep rooted sense of control I kept over food. It was my right to eat whenever and whatever I pleased. It scared me to see how attached I was to food. Indulging consumed me. My time, my money, my energy, and my hope for the future was being eaten - by me. The conviction started settling in to my spirit more and more with every bit I learned about God and His desire for my life.

I confessed to gluttony. I successfully did an all vegetable and fruit fast for 60 days. I learned that I had it in me to take better care of myself. The accomplishment fueled the little bit of fire in my belly. The accomplishment made me realize I couldn't have done it without the Spirit of God.

One year later (yes, another year passed) we begin a 40 day fast. I did it without fail. Somewhere in that fast, being in communion with God, I knew it was time for me. It was my season. I made a vow to God to take care of my health so that I can serve His kingdom with all of me, my best, and with diligence. I vowed to lose my weight.

Eight weeks ago I hired a trainer. In those eight weeks I have went from a size 26 to a size 20. I can now do man (LOL) push-ups and jog a little over a mile without stopping. I haven't done this in over 15 years. So many people have told me how I've inspired them to make a lifestyle change. I get all choked up thinking the sluggard I was could ever be an inspiration to others but it's true and I am.

I know this is only the beginning and am more certain than ever that NOW is my time. I have the Lord to thank, His Word is a lamp to my feet, His spirit works with me and pushes me, He is always near when I have to call on His name to help me get through a workout or an emotional bout. I think of how He carried His cross up the mountain for me and I tell myself He deserves my sweat, tears, and sacrifice.

May God bless your efforts towards a life of wellness in your mind, body and spirit. If I can do it, you surely can. Pray for me and I will pray for you. We deserve the best and so does God, our families, and all the people waiting to be inspired and touched by your life.


Love, Anna
Some tools to my success are:


I track ALL of my food intake and exercise. At first this might be trying to get used to but trust me, it will help you make better choices. It's proven that people that keep food journals lose more weight than those that don't track food!


Consume 1300 calories a day (see your doctor)

Strength train three times a week

Do cardio 6 times a week

WORK YOUR CORE - no matter how bad it hurts!

Invest in a trainer OR YouTube videos for strength training

PRAY and FAST

Get a workout buddy!

Prepare food in advance

READ Labels and watch portions

Make time for self

Drink water (Oooops, I am bad at this one) If you don't you will retain water and the scale will be on the rise!

Stick in there long enough and your body chemistry will change. You'll begin to automatically make healthy choices! I'm excited for us!

UPDATE: My progress as of 03/23/2012


Comments

  1. FarahEMay 25, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    You are an inspiration and I am so pleased that you are sharing yourself here in this beautiful blog! I look forward to staying with you in spirit and along your journey. Hearing you put your heart in God reminds me to do the same! ~ with love & positive energy & prayers for your success! xoox

    ReplyDelete

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