Chapter 4 - Breaking Bad Habits - Believe

At the beginning of this year I went for my yearly physical. I'd been having trouble with my knees. They were creaking every time I walk down the stairs. They were also hurting any time I walked longer distances. I started to walk funny because my knees hurt and then I was having lower back pain. The doctor told me I was obese. I was shocked. At 5'7" I weighed 186. I knew I was overweight but having your doctor tell you you are obese was just heart breaking.

The first thing that went through my mins was "What am I teaching my kids?" The second was I made a vow right then and there to get healthy. My doctor said I need to get down to 175 to be in the overweight category and 155 to be in the normal range. He said he'd like me to be 145 to stay healthy and fit. I remember saying "there is no way. It's too hard". In the last section Leanne told us about our negative talk. We cannot say thongs like this if we are going to succeed in our journey to break our bad habits.

I walked out of the office already feeling defeated. My oldest was already signed up for an eight week class at the Y for the first session. I'd put my two youngest in child care, get the oldest off to her class and have an hour to myself. I'd run on the elliptical or stair master and do some weight training. Other days I would go to one of those crazy classes. I tried each one and could barley finish the hour long sessions, but I did it.

However, I was still having negative talk I also didn't believe that by doing this i'd lose any weight. I also wasn't watching what I ate or tracking calories. I had set myself up to fail.

At the end of eight weeks working out three days a week for an hour I hadn't lost a single pound. I wanted to quit. At this same time my small group for my Proverbs 31 study was looking for a study to do for the in between study. One of my group members suggested Made to Crave. I was willing to try anything.

Like Joyce says in this section you need to believe you can do it. Also, you need to take a perspective that you can do anything through Christ who strengthens you. I started to pray to God about my eating habits, about my workouts, about all things related to my weight lose that I thought God previously didn't care about. I remember hearing the scripture:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. 1 Corinthians 6:19

And thinking wow God does care about my weight loss and what I look like.

I started to believe I could do it. Every time something negative would fill my head i'd combat it with God's truth. I used scriptures like:

Song of Solomon 4:7 ESV
You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

Proverbs 31:30 ESV
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Psalm 139:14 ESV
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

I gave my weight loss to God and believed through him I could do it.

I was surprised when I had finally completely gave it to him and believed how the pounds started to come off. Approximately 10 weeks into the year I still weighed 186. Today I weigh 169. I still have a ways to go but I know with God behind me I can do it. Start believing in yourself today. Hit your knees and pray to the one and only God about your weight loss. Every time you want to put something in your mouth pray to God about that choice. Believe you can do this!

Dear God,
Please help each of us today to change our attitudes. Please help us each to reply more on you especially in regards to our weight loss. Please help us each to Believe we can loss the weight, eat healthier, and become more active. Please help each of us to become "can do" kids of the one and only father. I love you Abba. Please help me to make your temple pleasing to your eyes. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.