This post is part of a 12-week journey through the lies that keep me eating. Please click below to read the other posts in the series or subscribe by email to receive next week’s update straight in your email inbox.
I didn’t lose even an ounce this week.
Yep, I wrote a motivational blog series to challenge people to get healthy and the scale mocked me. Maybe you aren’t as surprised as I think you are. Perhaps you stepped on that scale this morning with the same result. Maybe you also had every single intention to stop the lie that food isn’t really hurting you and put down that bag of oreos one day at a time…but it simply didn’t happen.
I’ll be really honest here. I am plum tired of this result. I am tired of standing on the scale and crying over the number. I am tired of replaying hateful words spoken over my weight by others, believing that I simply can’t change this. Friend, I am desperate for it to be different.
So what went wrong, you ask? Why didn’t I see a change? The claim was made that cutting out just 3 oreo cookies a day would make a slight difference. But the trouble was, I didn’t make the changes. I made three simple rules and I didn’t keep a single one. Nope, not one. Instead I bought another lie. Not a new lie, one that has kept me company for years.
Lie #2: Food is my relief
Life this week was stressful. An attack on my sweet friend’s home hurt deep, piercing places that were barely grasping that thread of hope. A collapsed shelf ruined valuables that I cannot afford to replace, and a hateful text message begged to walk me into a pit of despair. I let circumstances take control this week as I gave my body over to stress and anxiety.
Did you know that stressed spelled backwards is desserts? Probably the goofiest thing to say in this moment, but it pretty well matches my behavior. The second something unexpected threatens, I reach for a bag of chocolate chips or pack up and run to the donut shop.
Does it work? Of course not. Honestly, there will never be enough donuts and root beer to drown out my sorrows. The world is a messy place and my problems are far too complicated for a mound of sugar to solve. What I need is not food, but God. Believe me, I know this. I just don’t always ACT like I know this.
The choice to relieve my stress with food is an idol. I choose to rely on food instead of the only thing that can actually do something about my mountain of circumstances, our Savior. This choice is not only a huge problem on my thighs, it’s a huge sin my heart. I don’t like writing that anymore that you like reading it, but sometimes truth really hurts.
Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7
Instead of binging through a bag of chocolate chips or box of donuts, God’s solution for stress is to pray. Not just pray, but to pray with thanksgiving, trusting fully that He is sovereign over the circumstances that rage in our lives. Did you notice the second part of this verse? If we obey Him and submit our stress and anxiety to Him in prayer, our hearts and minds will be guarded by HIS peace. Maybe you are like me and this verse has been on the fridge for ages, but you simply don’t claim the promise. I KNOW that I give God every circumstance through prayer, but I am still very guilty of eating my way through the situation. It’s almost like saying to your child, I trust you to cross the street alone, but let me carry you just in case you mess up.
This is what we need to get through our heads—> God does not need our help! He can fix this problem without a box of donuts. We only need to let Him.
Friend, I had every intention to write a post about starting over today until I realized that life always brings trouble. We buy the lie and things don’t go as planned. But we can’t keep starting over. There will always be temptations and we will always feel like we didn’t get it right. The question is- did we move in the right direction? Or the wrong one?
Did I do anything right this week? Yes, I went on four walks with my kids. I made some healthy choices. I greatly reduced our trips to the drive thru- including my beloved root beer. The number on the scale may have brought tears, but it doesn’t define my success. I made changes. Good ones. No I didn’t follow every rule, but I did better this week than I did the last and that is progress.
I have a friend who always yells at me for talking negatively about my self. She says, “hey, you can not talk bad about my friend like that.” It makes me chuckle every time, but she is so very right. God is grieved when we speak words of despair or defeat over ourselves. So, in your best interest, I will not allow you to do that today. Today, we will celebrate what we did right, all the while, looking forward to a new week and the chance to make even more changes.
Action Points:
- Tell me ONE thing you did right this week, even if it wasn’t one of your rules. You MAY NOT leave a comment telling me anything that you did wrong. (I mean it, I will delete it!)
- Write out Philippians 4:6-7 and put it on your fridge or on the pantry door, reminding yourself to pray instead of eat.
- Consider choosing foods that are known to chemically help relieve stress. 10 Foods that Relieve Stress
- Visit my Get Healthy pinterest board for recipe ideas and easy workout ideas.
Looking for other ideas? This series is part of a Get healthy & Fit Series hosted by 19 bloggers. You will find fitness tips, ideas, and various eat plans. Click below to see what everyone else is up to!
Kim Sorgius
Kim is just a girl, crazy in love with Jesus. She's a single mother of 4, a passionate homeschooler and life-long student. After teaching 8 years in public school, she traded her M.A. in Early Childhood for sippy cups and homeschool co-ops. Kim is the owner and editor of The Homeschool Village and Not Consumed where she encourages others to rest victoriously in the hands of God, rather than allowing life's difficult circumstances to consume.
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Walking through a difficult time here as well and I am using food to comfort. Thank you for the post.
All I can say is that I haven’t had my diet soda’s…just water. The sweets have just been too comforting…
Only drank pepsi on the weekend, that’s good. Really, really, really reduced my intake of refined sugar. I know this week will be better. Thank you so much for the inspiration! The new key you have introduced for me in my weight loss challenge is God. I always thought I could do this by myself( and failed) but now I know that it is with Him that i will achieve my goal. Thank you Lord, I lost 3 pounds this week. And thank you.
I ate clean for a whole day
) Found a buddy who will do this journey with me and set up accountability! Hurray for week 2!
Thank you for allowing God to use your gift of writing to help inspire me and many others!! I had a fairly good week without any desserts! Wow, I can’t believe I went an entire week without sweets. Even passed up on some delicious birthday cake at a party this weekend – I’ve never done that before!
Not eating dessert was one of my 3 rules I posted from last week, and honestly, that was the inspiration that gave me the strength to walk away. I made the promise, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to deal with the guilt if I went back on my word (even though no one here knows me, and no one else would ever know, God knows my heart). It also helped to remind myself that I wasn’t hurting or depriving myself, but rather that I was taking care of God’s temple. 1 week down, 11 more to go! Can I stick to it? According to Philippians 4:13 I can. =)
Thanks, I truly needed that! Already ready to give up over here!! So, new resolve and new prayers
Last week I went on purposeful walks pushing my one daughter in the stroller after dropping the other 2 at school!
I opted for an apple over pretzels.
I chose to NOT buy the ginormous pack of Oreos at Costco.
We bought a new vegetable to try from the farmer’s market and I’m going to prepare it tonight!
(spaghetti squash)
I would like to suggest something. Stay off the scale. Think of this as a 12 week journey to changing habits and making your life healthier in every way. The scale is actually another lie that Satan uses to discourage you. Maybe you lost a pound but the time of day you weighed didn’t show it. Or maybe you gained a pound but the time of day you weighed didn’t show it. Too much emphasis is put on the pounds. I can fluctuate up and down 3 lbs in a day. It’s not the pounds-it’s the changes that are important. The healthy changes and the spiritual changes. Maybe wait til the 12 weeks are up to weigh and not give Satan the weekly (daily?) ability to discourage you. Focus on the journey!
I love, love, love how honest and real you are; thank you a zillion times for expressing what so many feel and are afraid of. may God be glorified!
Our Associate Pastor made a comment yesterday and I love how God used your post to remind me. Make it a point to look for the positive in any situation. NOW that is HARD STUFF I tell you. Especially for me. And here you are wanting to hear the “good” not the bad. Cause in my mind, I was thinking that maybe my pants would be a little lose by this week…. cause we have scales, but ,I chose NOT to step on them cause they are of satan! HA! Any way, my pants fit the same, Ugh! Sorry…don’t delete here comes what I did right!
Ate at least one or two fruit a day – instead of crackers, chips or sweets
Drank more water and less sweet tea!!!
Went to stevia in my coffee instead of sugar (fyi – stevia isn’t good in making unsweet tea drinkable)
Our family finished Week 2 of Couch to 5k!! Yaaaayyyy!!! Please pray for me for week 3. Cause 2 was HARD!!!
Our family joined our youth group in a Walk for the Pregnancy Care Center – it was 2 miles (about 2 hours after we finished the 2nd week of Couch to 5k)
I do know this… my pants may not be lose, but I am feeling like I have a little more energy. And I am still walking!!! ( I thought for sure I would fall out during one of the runs last week!!)
I know this is A LOT more than ONE thing right… but it made me feel better seeing it all before me!!
Press on girls!! We can do this!! I told my youngest to be like the little engine that could “I think I can” “I think I can” “I think I can”
Thanks!!!
I did not eat two entire birthday cakes {two separate sets of friends surprised me on my birthday!}, I actually only had a couple of small pieces of each throughout the week. Normally I would have consumed at least half of each {chocolate one, red velvet with cream cheese frosting the other}! Also, when I was grocery shopping I passed up my favorite reward for going grocery shopping — a cream filled donut.
Thanks for having us remind ourselves what we did right!
I tend to focus on what I did wrong too much.
Oh, I just have to say that I used to reward myself with a donut while grocery shopping. We are going to get to that issue.
hehe. The only reason I broke the habit was I moved to a new state and my grocery store here doesn’t make donuts that are worth the calories. But they do have free cookies…
Chin up, friend! Next week will be better
I absolutley love that scripture from Phillipians! And yes, God’s solution for stress is to pray and turn to Him. He has all the answers we need…we don’t find them at the bottom of the Pringles can. LOL! This week I kicked the coffee habit and replaced it with green and herbal tea. …and I prayed A LOT! Hope your week 2 is a great success!
Great post. I have been looking forward to #2. This week, I exercised. My self control in eating is awful, but I did MOVE, and that is something.
Funny, exercise actually IS relief… much more than that comfort food.
What strikes me in this struggle, is that so often what I think is just comforting myself, or self-medicating, actually goes so far as to be self-abuse.
God intended this food for my GOOD, not my harm!!!
I am so grateful you liked to Engine2. I am beginning a plant-based lifestyle/going vegan and I feel so good. I’m not measuring weight but I know I’m shrinking, have a happy tummy, and more energy. I’m retraining myself as a cook, looking for new things my girls like, and working with my husband to get his support (participation is a dream).
I’m loving this series! I’ve been exercising this week, and cutting back on the sugar. I’m so sorry for the hateful words and stressful things filling your days.
Phillipians 4:6-7, if there ever were a scripture that I could claim as “mine” that would be IT.
I’ve leaned on it for so many things in my life and even have a bracelet I wear with the verses engraved. But I have never thought about it in terms of my weight struggles. Thanks so much for helping me make that connection!
I kept all my rules, 90% of the time, which is good. Was faced with my trigger foods, but just remembered how good 130 is going to feel and that God deserves and expects me to take better care of this temple He has loaned me. Worked out in some context everyday. Saw a saying on Pintrest that says “A Good Mood is only a workout away” and that proved true Sunday morning. Thanks for the series!!!
I left food – GOOD food – on my plate this week before I felt “full”.
I have gone bowling with my family this week several times. I have ordered pizza only, without soda, on more than one occasion. I have (knowing that ALL these things are only happening by God’s grace) turned back around to move forward after taking a wrong turn here or there, without just sabatoging everything in self-condemnation.