Angela Benson
Do any of you struggle with healthy eating or maintaining an exercise program? Well, I do. I’ll do well for a while and then I’ll get lax and fall apart. This happens over and over and over.
Anyway, I found this Bible-based health program, FirstPlace, that I’ve going to try. I bought the materials a while back but never really got into them. So, starting Monday, April 10, I’m starting FirstPlace.
If you’re interested in joining me in this 1o-week journey, let me know. The Bible study books are structured for daily study, and require much less time each day than what we’ve been spending with the 90 Day Plan. I’ll post each week on my progress, so you’ll have a chance to keep me encouraged. I’m starting with the Everyday Victory for Everyday People study. You can probably get a copy from your local Christian bookstore or you can order it from Amazon.com.
You’ll notice that I haven’t used the terms “weight” or “weight loss” and that’s intentional. We’re not going to focus on weight; we’re going to focus on meeting our weekly exercise and eating goals. Let me know if you want to join me. Also, feel free to join in even if you’re using another plan. We can still encourage each other. Ready?
Yeah, I want to do it. Gotta do something. I’ve gained a bunch of baby weight (post baby) so you know that’s nothing but stress and my typical way of handling it which is through eating!
Great, Rhonda! Thanks for joining with me. I am certainly familiar with stress eating and I’m convinced that there is a better way that God would have me handle it. That’s what I hope to learn doing this study.
I will join you, but I must admit that I will focus on the weight and fat numbers. Let’s not fool ourselves; at the end of the day we want to look and feel good. Look…then…Feel…
Mike T, some of us have to feel then look. The feel first approach tends to help those of us who have a long journey ahead of us.
Angela, I may have been wrong to focus on the weight when it’s not the purpose of your dialog. But, most of us have been looking for ways to feel good or better about ourselves, emotionally and physically, all of our lives. Some of us have tried psychotherapy, drugs (legal and illegal), relationships, family nurturing and yes, a personal relationship with Jesus to enrich our feelings. The problem with trying to change how we feel as the first step is that we continue to gain weight which compounds the problem. People can refuse to admit it, but at the end of the day, our desire to loose weight is about how others view us, thus affecting how we feel. Most people under age 60 don’t go on diets for health reasons, it’s for looks. A female can be 5’10’’, 160 pounds with 5% body fat; and will look in the mirror every morning with disappointment. Her body looks better and her health is much better than the 105 pounder, but her values or feelings are centered on the world. If you want to loose weight, then loose it. It is scientifically proven, that lowering your calorie intake and moderate exercise with make us loose weight. The unknown in this equation is the strength of our will to do what it takes. I firmly believe that this is where Jesus is waiting to give us a helping hand through his words.
Hey Angela. I’ll have to check this book out. I actually had just ordered a program I wanted to try by Jordan Rubin, the author of The Great Physician’s Rx-Seven Keys to Unlock Your Health Potential. I ordered the entire program through Paula White’s ministry. I received the 300+-page book, the audio book, the 7 Weeks of Wellness Success Guide, the dining guide and Paula White’s book on Fasting. Also I will be purchasing Joyce Meyer’s book tomororw “Look Great Feel Great” at her booksigning. I’m always trying to find information on health, nutrition and fitness. If you’re looking for more information, Dr. Don Colbert (http://www.drcolbert.com/) and Dr. Ted Broer (http://www.healthmasters.com/) have some of the best Christian resources out there!! I have learned so much through their readings. I’ve never heard of the book you mentioned, but believe me, I’ll be ordering it before the week is out! 🙂 Let’s do this!
Geigh, i’m going to check out some of the these books. I’ve already bought the First Place book and it looks like it’ll be okay.
Hey, everybody, MikeT is my brother so feel free to tell him he’s wrong and I’m right. I’ve been trying to convince him of this basic truth for years.
Busted! I am running for the hills. I sincerely wish you all the best on this journey.
I have to disagree with Mike T. I just turned 40 and I want to lose weight before I feel too heavy. Walking in heels has become more work, an old knee injury is really starting to bother me, etc. I could care less what people think about me, because no matter how much I’ve weighed in my life, at the end of the day I’ve always thought I was beautiful. (I don’t mean to be vain, but it’s true). I think women come in all shapes and sizes and there’s a place for the superskinny and the big gurl. But if you have gained too much weight for your frame or we can see your ribs, it’s time to do something.
Yeah, Rhonda! Put a brother in his place. Now, MikeT, come on back. Your big sister luv’s you.
Angela, I just finished Look Great Feel Great by Joyce Meyer and I believe it will be a wonderful supplement to your progam. I have read NUMEROUS health, nutrition and fitness books, but this is BY FAR, the best I’ve ever read. It just came out this week, and I completed the entire book in a few days. The informatoin is so good, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s very practical and realistic. Joyce combines the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of why people don’t take care of themselves. It’s not a diet plan, nor it is a physical regime.
One important point I will share is this: is you despise your body and hate the way your body looks, why would you be encouraged and motivated to take care of it? Subconscious feelings could very well be preventing ALOT of us from taking that first step, OR if we take that first step, it could be preventing us from sticking with anything we start.
What I read was a real eye opener for me. I’ve even repented to my body for not taking care of it like I should. I believe this book is going to make a big difference in my life.
I look forward to hearing how the health and fitness plan goes for you. Since I just spend $65 on Jordan Rubin’s plan, I guess I’ll stick with it, but as long as we’re both producing results, we can celebrate together. I’ll share tips I learn along the way and you guys do the same! 🙂
Angela:
I’m with you on the journey. Hadn’t been by in a while and dropped by today, April 10th. Been feeling convicted and committed for a couple of weeks now regarding my own health — look, feel, and yes, weight. Whispered my needs to the Lord and waited for direction. Have all of the excuses everyone else has — no time, too hard, always failed before, slow metabolism, etc. but feel like I’m running out of time to make a significant change. (43 and don’t want to celebrate 50 where I am now.)
Well, went through a week of health assessments last week on my job. Good news is I’m more healthy, according to the numbers, than I expected. Found out my metabolism is not even close to what they call “slow” — 1 excuse bites the dust. Also found out I’m very well hydrated (I drink a lot of water) but my body fat number is too high. No revelation there but not excited about learning that a full 1/3 of my body is fat! That did it!
I’ve read (and tried) every diet known to man. Decided that I would not spend another cent on diet programs or books. What I would do is try my best to eat healthy (after 20+ years of healthy eating attempts, I figure I pretty much know what is healthy and what isn’t, even if I don’t follow it), cut my portions down, try not to snack at night and most importantly focus my energy and resources on exercise. So I went to a nearby Curves yesterday (proximity, low cost, good hours) and got a free two week pass. Excited because I can get started without spending a dime!
Geigh — you had to bring up that whole thing about despising oneself being counter to motivation. Now that was the final kick from the Lord that I needed. So I will add to my list of focus items daily affirmation of myself as God sees me, which is beautiful beyond imagination!
I feel better already.
Patricia W.
Patricia, I’m SO GLAD my nugget from Joyce’s book helped. That was just ONE of the priceless things she shared. We’re on our way to being healthy–with the help of the Lord!! 🙂
I definitely know that I have to develop healthy eating habits. I don’t think mine are particularly unhealthy except for the fact that I constantly forget to eat. That in turn makes me forget to take my medications which…
I guess I set a whole train of negative health functions in motion. I suffer badly from IBS and have done so for too many years to remember. I also have no energy. I could sleep all the time and sometimes it has been 15 hours straight and that’s not healthy either. And I hate to cook.
Most of the time, I’d just as soon not bother eating. (grin) I always seem to have to pay for it somehow in pain.
Hello everyone,
I agree with Geigh the Great Physicians Plan is awesome and everyone should try it.I really never looked at the Bible for my nutritional needs before.I don’t know why I never thought of that before.The Bible is our Basic instruction’s for life so of course God would not leave nutrition out.I highly recommend this program. I hope you had great success with the program.