Better Not Bitter

“Jesus is my personal trainer” is the logo on the t-shirt that I wore this morning to workout. This little slogan was coined collectively by my church’s fitness/wellness ministry some months ago…yep the one I was an avid partner of for a while. I was determined like so many others to get this body right for the summer….I was off to a great start too….within three weeks I’d actually been running because I wanted to. I felt even better when my daughter commented that I wasn’t squishy anymore….we laughed it off and it seemed that I was A-okay with a new healthier lifestyle…I mean, the trainer at my church was so tough on us that you wanted to eat better just so the pain of the workout is bearable.

But then we had “white-out!” That’s the time that all church ministries take a break from meetings to allow time for family vacations and the like.

Well…it was already agreed that we would continue the workouts anyway so we wouldn’t get off track…Well, I kind of fell off track…way off…it started with one day when I wasn’t feeling well…then the next day I had too much to do…then the next day…and so on…by the end of the first week, I tried to rebound my workout with a trip to the zoo…of course the Wendy’s burger, fries, and Frosty weren’t the best option for meal time…but I surmised that I would walk it off in the sweltering heat anyway….fast forward a month…needless to say…before long…I felt the bulge again….Oh no!

Yep, what took a few months to lose took weeks to find!

I’d gained every ounce back…Now oddly enough, I could still “techicnically” fit my size 10 jeans, but sitting down in them became mission impossible…consequences of being an endomorph…smh….but at least I’m in good company….teeheee-had a silly moment!

So this morning I decided to get back in the game and stop tripping with excuses. I really have no room for any…I mean when I paid for a gym membership some years ago, I had no problem staying there to workout for over an hour at a time, but the hardest part of that journey was actually getting there.  Even still sometimes, getting there is just the beginning….Get this, I have a fitness center at my job for free and I’m in the building 5 days a week! So why has it been months since I dotted those doors and weeks since I’d seen my workout buddies at the church?

I could say lazy, but that is too easy…so I’ll use “inconsistent.”  It’s been said that it takes about 21 days to form a habit…I imagine if that is true, given my situation, it only takes about 2 days to break it…sad but it always seems easier to break the good ones….

Oh well, I have to be real with myself…I’ve gained weight and I don’t like it…

I’ve been lethargic and an old back injury has started bothering me again because of the extra pounds…so though I’ve tried before and failed, I’m grateful that God reminded me that a righteous man can fall 7 times and get back up…I know I’m righteous because of Jesus’ sacrifice so getting back up isn’t as hard as I thought…

…So although my coworkers love to cook, bake, and spread the love by way of Chocolate treats several times a week…that it’s much easier to stop at McDonalds or Wendy’s I realize that there is someone greater in me than the temptation ahead of me…so yes, I’m done with the excuses.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 (NIV)

This morning, I made a decision to do what I should have been doing all along…take better care of myself inside and out…not just to lose weight, but to gain perspective.  I know that my children are active and nothing shocked and thrilled my son more than when I was able to run and chase after him playing…I felt great that I could keep up…I had more energy overall and my stress levels tanked so naturally the exercise thing is a win-win. I’ve quoted “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” for years…

…the thing I suppose I’d forgotten to do is believe what I’d read…I mean…all things means everything?

So yes,  I have the ability to control my portions, pick better food choices, workout regularly, and enjoy the process!  

Yes, it’s possible to get off track quickly without an accountability partner to help you, but thankfully I realized this morning that I don’t have to fall off track anymore because Jesus is my personal trainer.

 

 

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