Zero to Ten! The First Step is Always the Hardest

First 10 Days of My (spiritual) Journey to (physical) Health

​When I follow someone else's diary of 'real life', I want all the details! The victories & the failures and big life lessons learned. Because that is real life, right?! 

If you missed the introduction to this journey series, you can read it here: My Spiritual Journey to Physical Health.​

PRE- Start: I had a head start with this 'health plan' that I've never had before. It came in the very uncomfortable form of conviction! For several months! Conviction is never, ever fun or comfortable.  The first week in December I decided I had to obey Him in this. Did I immediately obey...sadly, no. But I set the date for Jan 2 when all the holidays & out of routine would be over. No excuses. :)

IN THE BEGINNING: I really should have taken a pix of myself & did all of the measurements to tell you my starting point. I just didn't. Previously, the numbers were my motivation! I tracked it all. BUT, this time it feels completely different. 
- My weight on day 1 was 125 on my 30 yr old scales I got when we got married! I don't hate that number, or my size, but as I've said before, my motivation is NOT numbers. My motivation is to obey the Holy Spirit's leading to RESTORE MY HEALTH. I have had others tell me all my life "if I was your size I would be so happy, thrilled, worry free...you fill in the blank." We always need to remember that HEALTH DOESN'T COME WITH A CERTAIN NUMBER. Every human body is unique & I know sugar is my mouth's favorite thing but is destructive on my body's functions! 
You know what it is called when I eat something with full knowledge that it will not benefit my body....either TREAT or NEGLECT. What is it called when I do this every day, all day....ADDICTION & SELF HARM. OUCH!! That is the conviction I've been talking about.

THE "NOT a  DIET" PLAN I WILL BE FOLLOWING:  Clean Eating with a special emphasis on eliminating as much sugar as I can from my regular eating. It is much like a diabetic diet...no white bread, white pasta, & bad carbs that turn into sugar. My plan does not include stressing, counting, measuring or other burdensome things tho!! I learned good information about nutrition my last rodeo & will use that. I also remember than anything in a package is loaded with sugar!! LOADED. And yes, even if the label doesn't even say sugar, it is in there! (over 50 code names for sugar!)
CHOCOLATE must always have a place in my day!! I usually eat a couple of dark chocolate kisses as my after dinner 'dessert'. I allow myself this treat & do not see it stopping. 

DAY ONE: I can proudly say that my first day was Jan 1. The day before I was to begin! I didn't really think about it, I just felt I had guidance when I was helping my plate at lunch that day??!! :) 

DAY TWO- EIGHT: Success!! I ate good, was not hungry or deprived at all. I grocery shopped with 'natural' in mind. This is pretty much staying around the perimeter of the grocery store only with very little from the packaged food section. It makes cooking more difficult because of the thinking ahead mainly. The actual cooking part isn't hard. Planning ahead & prepping natural food is the hassle, but it wasn't bad. I am just HORRIBLE at the planning ahead for food!? BUT, my effort paid off in spades!! Having tasty & colorful food in clear containers for later makes it so much easier to eat something good for me. 

DAY NINE: The good before the bad is that I had a healthy breakfast & dinner this day. Lunch is another story. I went on a road trip with my Daddy to VA Hospital for appointment. His favorite restaurant is Sonny's BBQ.  I was fine & was planning to get the salad bar. UNTIL....until I kept sitting there smelling the garlic bread and baked beans all around me! So by the time the waiter came back, I caved and got BBQ sandwich on garlic bread, and baked beans and drank water. I will not shame myself because 1) it could've been worse and 2) I will not obsess because that is when it becomes ME trying to do it instead of me letting the Spirit lead me! It was yummy but I ate too much, felt miserable and sleepy.

​DAY TEN: TODAY was when I couldn't believe what happened! I worked this day at an office. I took them the remaining brownies I had made for my bible study group. I only had 1 BITE of this entire pan! WHAT?! In my normal, I could easily eat the entire pan of brownies in a day or two....seriously! Then another lady brought in a big box of doughnuts....real doughnuts! One of my other super weaknesses. 
GUESS WHAT?? I did NOT eat either! I was in the file room with those doughnuts over half of the day and I never craved one! That is another WHAT??!! I didn't fall into craving even at 3pm!! 

Today is when I knew something was different. I found myself talking internally with the Holy Spirit as I was warming up my (good for me) lunch in the microwave beside that box of doughnuts. I smiled and thanked him. I thanked him for the conviction that showed me how I was disconnecting my physical habits from my spirit life. Then I thanked Him for the supernatural self-control & power over the cravings!! It really has me shaking my head even now! When the thought of a doughnut or brownie came, I quickly felt Him take that thought and replaced it with this..."I'd rather obey Him & see what happens!" 

My entire being is to be given over to the Lord, not just my soul. I am seeing this in a whole new way. The Holy Spirit never condemned. He only kept showing me if I would listen and obey, my body would RESTORE, STRENGTHEN and BUILD ENDURANCE. 

SUMMARY:
-   10 days = successful
-   Everyone needs a bite of chocolate in every day!
-   down 3 lbs (and my pants feel much better already!)
-  I actually had a couple of days I woke up feeling 'awake & alive' which is a wonderful feeling!!
-   Best Yet- the power over the normal cravings! not my will to not eat it, but HIS power to snatch & replace my thoughts about it! WILD & CRAZY our God is!!

LOVE Y'All! If you have any questions or comments, let me know. Or any tips & trick to easy & healthy cooking.