Changes and Choices

Weight Watchers, or any other weight loss plan, is not my liberator.   It’s merely a tool, a device for me to implement changes in my life.  Liberation (freedom) comes with a renewed mind.

It starts with a thought.  Everything begins with a thought, both failure and success.  Therefore, I must change my thinking.   Thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become a lifestyle.   I am going to have thoughts…lots and lots of them.   It is my choice what I do with my thoughts; I can choose to arrest thoughts that are detrimental to my mental and physical health.   I must learn to cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  (2 Corinthians 3:5)   This does not mean every time I think I’d like to have a cookie that I must strike that thought down because cookies are evil!    I will eat cookies again, I am sure.   For now, I’m happy that I’m saying… “Mmm, not right now, thanks!”

Success involves choices.   More directly, it involves making the right choices.   I know that the right choices are often the hardest choices, but when the temptation has passed, my joy for choosing correctly far outweighs the fleeting pleasure I had while giving into the temptation.   And there’s no guilt, no self-loathing, no wallowing in hopelessness and discouragement.  No cookies I ever tasted were worth those negative and very real feelings. 

Victory (freedom, that is) to me, is not switching one obsession for another.   It’s not spending precious time counting every calorie…every fat, fiber and protein gram that goes into my mouth.   Success doesn’t come when I am figuring out ways to eat every morsel I can and still remain “on plan.”  Ultimately, I will achieve only limited success when I still allow food to be the core purpose of my day.  It’s about eating healthy food when I’m hungry, and stopping when I’m satisfied.    It’s saying “No, thank you!” when I’m not hungry, and when I’ve had enough.  

It’s about TODAY.   It is knowing that I have God’s Grace to live today as He meant for me to live.   He promised that His Grace would be sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

I. Can. Do. This. Today.

I know I can because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13) I don’t have to fear tomorrow’s failure.   When I awake in the morning, I will have a brand new and fresh supply of Grace to sustain me.

It’s my plan that on January 1, 2011, I will be able to say, “I lost 15 pounds in December!”   And I know at that moment, I will be so happy that I didn’t eat all the goodies available to me this Christmas week.   (I do plan to eat some goodies on Christmas Eve at my little party, and on Christmas at Mom’s!   I will have to go to WW and weigh on Sunday, that that will help me keep things in check, but I know deprivation isn’t the answer.)

I am grateful.