No Excuses!

Something that I'm learning about life this week is to not make excuses!

I'm currently trying to lose a little weight. I think I might be bordering on "over weight" according to my BMI or something, and I do have a little extra fat on my body, but I'm not obese at all. I'm 5'4" and about 155 lbs right now. I'd like to get down to 135, which was what I weighed when I was 19. Back then I wished I was 120, but now I laugh at my 19-year-old self.

Anyway, It's been hard, because everyone around me tells me, "You're perfect just the way you are!" or "It's good to get in shape, not that you need it." or "Why are you trying to lose weight? You don't need to!"
Another hard part about trying to get in shape and lose weight is me making excuses. It's easy to go on a 30-60 min. walk/run everyday, but the eating gets me every single time!

 I've been finding myself telling people "It seems like every time I actually start getting on track, another party happens. Someone has a birthday, someone has a graduation, or there's a church event!"
Well, I realized last night at a party (sadly, while eating cheetos, jalapeno poppers, ice cream and drinking soda)  that it's an excuse.

Two days ago, on Wednesday at prayer meeting, my pastor was teaching from Titus 2. He was talking about how older women need to teach the younger women to be self-controlled, and when he asked what self-controlled meant, someone said something about food. That started a whole discussion about how in Crete the people were taken over by gluttony and drunkenness and stuff.  The world told them to gratify their desires, but once they became Christians, they were no longer supposed to be controlled by their own desires. Instead, they were to become slaves to righteousness.  When they no longer needed to drink alcohol, or stopped after one drink, they would stand out. When they limited how much food they ate, they would stand out.

I realized that's how the American culture is. Everyone eats. We eat because we need to, we eat when we're bored, we eat because it helps us feel better. We eat, eat, eat. That's why America has a problem with obesity. Even in Christian circles you have people telling you, "You're fine. you don't need to lose weight!" or "Oh, go ahead eat that cookie, it's okay as long as you don't eat 10 cookies" Even in Christian circles, we make excuses for why it's okay to eat. "It's so-and-so's birthday. It would be rude not to eat at their celebration." "This is a church meal, I did pretty good this whole week, it's okay to indulge today"

 Stop right there. No more excuses!!

As Christians, we are called to die to ourselves, daily. We are to be known by how self-controlled we are. We have the Holy Spirit working in us!

Last night I realized instead of looking at birthday parties, graduation parties and church events as excuses for why I can indulge, I should view these events as opportunities to practice self-control. These are opportunities to stand out and be counter-cultural. These are opportunities to glorify God.

So, to everyone who tells me I don't need to lose weight:
Please stop telling me that! I do need to lose weight! Not because I'm insecure about my size, but because I need to get healthy and because I need to be self controlled! There are health concerns in my family history. My Grandma died while in her 60's due to complications of diabetes. My dad just had a heart attack last month. I don't want that to be me. I don't want that to be my future. I don't want to leave my grandchildren at a somewhat young age. (I'm sure she'd be flattered by that..heehee) I don't want my husband or children (If that's in my future) to have to worry about what will happen to them if their mother dies.

 I'm going to continue getting in shape, trying to eat healthier, and losing weight, because it is something I need to do.

Soon I will be like this dog: