Hi Friends!
In honor of "Fat Talk Free Week", I've decided to share part of my journey of living free from the scale. Enjoy this repost on my dreaded "weight topic".
As you know, my weight has been an area of struggle for most of my life.
You name it, I've tried it to lose weight over the course of my life ~ Cabbage Soup diet, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, eating disorders, and yes, even cocaine.
This past year, I decided ENOUGH. I would pursue FREEDOM with my whole heart. I would not allow myself to talk so unkindly to myself anymore ~ in fact, my life would be a "Fat Talk Free Zone"
And I've been enjoying this new freedom...until all of the issues with my breathing.
Between the extra steroids, being unable to exercise without an inhaler, and two bouts of bronchitis, my trips to the gym have been minimal.
Needless to say, the scale has gone up, and I'm not happy about it. At all.
How can you not go to the grocery store without all of the magazines screaming at you...saying "Look like me." "You, too, should be wearing a bikini" "Try this" "Buy this diet aid"....you get the drift.
Anyway...my commitment to myself is to continue to live Fat Talk Free. I will not buy into the "not good enough" mentality. I WILL pursue freedom, health, wholeness, self care, wellness, and TRUTH.
I will speak kindly to myself, with words of grace and hope.
I will not become self focused, crazy in the head, and allow my worth to be defined by a number on a scale or the size of my jeans.
I will not!
However, I do recognize I need a plan. I will be "careful" with my choices and select foods that are healthy and good. I am choosing to go without Diet Coke/pop so that I will drink more water. I will increase my exercise (esp. now that I can breathe!!!). And, lastly...
I WILL FOCUS ON FRUIT.
In fact, I'm calling this my "Fruit
Rather than focusing on food, being hyper-sensitive about calories, and spending my days thinking about what I should/could eat ~ I will meditate on FRUIT, and ask God to help me be more...
*Loving
*Joy-filled
*Peaceful
*Patient
*Kind
*Good
*Faithful
*Gentle, and yes,
*Self Controlled.
When I'm tempted to run to food, I will STOP and ask God what is really going on (what do I really need?? Usually the answer is NOT chips and salsa!).
And then I'll ask Him how I can love someone else. Be kind to one of my kids. Share *joy* with a friend, family member or neighbor. And ask Him to fill me with more of His Spirit. I need an abundance of Jesus in my life! Anyone else??
This new "Fruit
Important Disclaimer: Please hear my heart...I'm not saying WW, going on a diet, etc.. is bad. For me personally, given my track record, I just recognize choosing a weight loss plan is NOT getting to the ROOT of my ISSUE.
If I'm ever going to live free (Galatians 5:1), it's time to eradicate the ROOT ISSUE, and allow God to plant NEW SEEDS ~ Seeds of Truth, that will grow HEALTHY FRUIT.
I need a healthy heart & mind, as well as life-giving, God-honoring habits. And this is just personal for me ~ I am not judging whatever anyone else senses God is calling them to do.
Lastly, please know....whatever size you are, whatever body shape God has given you, whatever hair color you have, the size of your bank account, the job you have (or don't have), whether you are a wife, mom, student, grandma, or single woman, whether you have big muscles or small muscles....none of that stuff defines you.
None of it.
In fact....
....just the way that you are. Will you say that out loud, "I am beautiful."
It's true! You are Beautiful!!
How about for you?? How do you live separate from the culture's definition of beauty?? How do you pursue a "Fat Talk Free" life?? Share with us please! I would love to hear from you!!!
Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*! God's richest blessings to you!
P.S.
If you haven't signed the pledge, will you please take just a quick minute to do so?? Leave us a message too. Let's celebrate this important step towards FREEDOM together! :)
P.S.S. I'm linking up with Finding Heaven and the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood today. Be sure to check out Jen and these amazing women. You'll be blessed indeed! :)
6 comments:
The other week in my class, I used this stat from Dove:
4% of women worldwide believe they are beautiful. Only 11% of girls feel comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves.
Terrible, isn't it? But as Christians, we know we are because God created us. Gives me fire to go out and spread His love!
Sorry, I had to laugh because I am eating chips and salsa as I read this.....but it is lunchtime! Love these encouraging words my friend!
Love this. Thanks for the encouragement. Praying that I can sign that pledge. ;)
I know all about those chips and salsa and the sense of feeling inadequate because of my weight. I have been blessed with a husband that loves me no matter weight I am and tells me how attractive I am no matter what. I have to admit that I often ignore him, like I do God when they both say I am beautiful. I will be praying over this.
I just wanted to tell you how much this journey of yours has encouraged me to start early with my daughter. I don't want her ever to feel like she is less than she is because of her outward beauty. I want her to know what is more important: her inward beauty which radiates daily.
O how I love this post!!!! This is so powerful and it echoes my passion for women to know they are beautiful. Not just say it...but to know it...why? Because God says so!
You are beautiful Cindy!!!!
O how lovely,
Teresa
You are talking (writing) my walk girlfriend. I wrote about this in my new book. We often defeat ourselves with our own words and we allow others including magazines to define us rather than what God says about us.
I love your heart Cindy. I stand in this walk with you humbled by our Father's love and that when He looks at any of us He sees His son not our bodies!!!
Said a prayer for your health/breathing and that you'll continue to shine His light of Truth!
I love you!
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