Sunday Weigh-In And A Spiritual Perspective

This week, I maintained.

Today is Sunday Weigh-in. I am happy to say that I have maintained my weight from last week, for a total of 10 pounds lost.

I hope to lose some more next week.  I will not give up. I know I have to learn how to be more consistent. For the last couple of days, I have been a bit lax. Not tracking properly. Not exercising.

For me, it's all about learning how to live a healthier life. Replacing bad habits is hard work and requires a lot of resistance. I feel like I'm about halfway there. I create good habits for myself of eating better and exercising but the old life of overeating and being sedentary is always calling back to me with his ugly cry. I am tugged between the two worlds, torn.

But at least I am torn. Not just living in my old life. I hope someday that the old life will not even hold an attraction for me. But I'm not there yet.

When I started walking four months ago, it took me 40 minutes to walk a mile. Now it takes me about 22-23 minutes. I am making progress.

For those of us trying to lose weight, we have to learn to make these habits part of our overall life: to make it the new normal. A  normal we will keep for the rest of our life.  Change is hard.

As a Christian, I see this battle as the battle between flesh and spirit:

Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

The flesh is my body that so badly wants to just eat whatever it wants and my mind that encourages me to stop exercising and be lazy. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit who encourages me to do right: to be moderate in eating and to move my body because that is what is good for my health and well-being. It's a spiritual battle, and a mental battle.  We all know what to do. But we don't always do it.

So I pray this week for strength to keep going in the battle for my mind and body.  I pray for strength to not give up. To not be a glutton. To not be slothful.  For wisdom to balance all of the responsibilities of my life and to include exercise as one of those responsibilities. To not listen to the enemy talk of defeat and depression.
  

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I can do all through him.  I claim the victory in faith. Not because I'm great but because He is.