I have written before (June, 2010) about wanting to get my weight down to 202 lbs. on a eat less and do more (EL&DM) program. It didn’t work then, it is working great now, but with a difference.
Things changed in July 2011 when I began breaking down, which I wrote about here. I also wrote about my initial rebuild efforts here. Progress was being made, but I was circumspect in my reporting then.
Not so now. I started out 67 lbs. overweight. That was stage one obesity and I was at the high end of stage one, headed straight towards stage two. Things were not good. Today, I am no longer obese, but I am still overweight – 16 lbs. overweight. I have lost 51 lbs. in just over 12 weeks.
How did this happen? In the second week of the Part-1 Rebuild I was walking across the Great Miami River on the Main Street bridge and stopped midway across. It was then I realized my efforts were doomed to failure.
Even though I had my weight going down and was doing what was necessary I had not asked God to guide my efforts. I am able to do a lot on my own, God has given me great strength of will, but I believed that would not be enough for the task at hand – a return to real health.
My thoughts were guided by a study of Genesis and the trouble Abraham got into time after time when he went off on some direction or action either without involving God in the decision making or not seeking God’s approval. This turned out to be true for his offspring as well until Joseph. My thoughts were also guided by Matthew 12:43-45 where by strength of will a man drives a demon out of his house (out of himself), but the man does not bring God into his heart – the demon returns and brings along seven others. Things end up worse than where he began.
So in the middle of that bridge on a hot (very hot) afternoon, holding on to the railing, looking over the river, I prayed God would involve himself in my seeking for spiritual strength to pursue the weight loss and health as He would have me pursue them and to change in such a way the effort would focus on Him and remain focused there.
God has been faithful throughout the process. I have tripped a few times as I have moved forward on the “Eat Less and Do More” program, but with God as my partner in all I do I have not fallen down. He has always been there to help me avoid eating a single sweet in this time period. He has also provided me with an incredible helpmate – my bride, Sharon. She has walked with me almost every morning and evening.
The program itself has me eating fewer calories than needed to maintain my weight (sufficient to lose some weight) and also to walk 2 to 4 miles of a morning and 2 to 4 miles of an evening. And in my (our) walks, I have reinterpreted WWJD from “What Would Jesus Do” to something new and wonderful “Walk With Jesus Daily” and it works and continues working.
I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful it feels to have His strength when sweets are placed in large number before me. The season for snacks and sweets is upon us now. My likely failure during this season is turned into an expected success with the Dietician I am working with day in and day out.
Bottom line: include God in your efforts and let Him give you the strength and ability to succeed. What do you have to lose (literally)?
ADDENDUM
On our walks together Sharon and I normally hold hands, building intimacy over our normal three or three and a quarter miles. It is an amazing blessing to us. Lately however, I have taken carrying a 10 lb. barbell in each hand for two to 4 mile. Now the blessing is a real increase in muscle tone and strength in the arms and shoulders. Not bad for 63 rapidly approaching 64. God is Good – All the time.
