If you are currently struggling with weight loss, you know that it is not easy and there are no shortcuts. The concept remains simple: burn more calories than you eat. As easy as that sounds, it is not. I am sure you have tried many diets and exercise plans before, but you are looking for something different. I want to help you by sharing small changes I made in my daily routine that made all the difference.
Every time I have decided to lose weight it felt like I was going to battle unprepared and without armour. It created fear, and I surely did not look forward to it. The pleasure of losing weight was not tangible enough because it was in the future and I could not experience it right away. The pleasure of eating all the sugary treats I was accustomed to daily, outweighed the possible pain of gaining more weight in the future. In short, there was more pleasure in the present, thus I could not convince myself to stop my bad eating habits.
I am also a strong-willed person and I do not like to be told what to do. I discovered that I especially disliked it when I told myself what I could eat and what I should remove from my diet. Being told what not to eat increased my rebelliousness and every time I thought about all the delicious things that were removed from my diet, an increased craving developed for it. So many times, this resulted in me eating exactly what I told myself not to, and in greater quantities than ever before. More times than not, I picked up weight rather than losing weight after one week of “dieting”.
I was looking for something different, something deeper. As Albert Einstein explained: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. This time I wanted to be well prepared for my battle. There are two very important aspects to consider when preparing for battle: know who the enemy is and make sure you have appropriate armour. I am not surprised that I failed during my battles previously, because I had neither.
After spending a lot of time creating my link chart in order to find possible suspects, I had success finding my enemy. His name is Deceit. He brings a great gloomy cloud into the room that makes it extremely difficult to see past the immediate, brief pleasure of eating sugary treats. His wicked red eyes prevent me from realizing the pain of gaining more weight and having an unhealthy body in the future. The more I allow him into my life, the bigger and stronger he becomes and the less resistance I have against his powers.
As a young child my dad told me that God gave me one body and I need to look after it, appreciate it and develop it to the best of my ability. I always laughed when he told me that it is impossible to exchange my body for another if I messed it up. Deceit is the only one laughing at this point and I have had enough of him. I was ready to figure out what to use as armour and how to use it optimally. I choose a shield which represents the change in my state of mind and a sword to symbolize forming new habits.
On my shield I wrote my “Why”: “I want to destroy the power that Deceit has over me by wisely choosing food that will nourish my body and avoiding food that can harm it”. First thing in the morning I take my shield and stand in front of the mirror. By doing this I am getting into a state of mind of confidence. Afterwards I take my sword, hold it high and speak life over my new habits: “I love fruit and vegetables and prefer them to sugary treats”, “I will not buy sugary treats today”, “I will eat slowly and think about the benefits the food holds that I am busy eating”, “I will eat only the amount that is necessary to nourish my body” and “I will drink more water today”.
Every day I wake up and take up my shield and sword, Deceit knows I have arrived. I am the confident and strong warrior with the shield of faith that makes me stand tall against Deceit. In my left hand I hold the sword of Solomon high, cutting through his smoke and shining light onto darkness, revealing the truth.
Today you have the choice to take up your shield and sword and become a warrior to defeat Deceit. Start today and discover how powerful your shield and sword can be!
Maria Lunt 