Getting Real about My Struggles

I have said this before and I will probably say it again, maintenance is hard. I no longer have weekly weigh-ins where I sit in suspense wondering whether or not I have lost weight. I weigh in weekly, but for the most part I hope that I ate enough to maintain my current weight. As I entered maintenance I began to loosen the reins, but I think I have made them too loose. That being said I feel as if I have come to a place where I am slowly losing site of what I want. I think to myself, “I wanted to lose weight and be at goal right? So now that I am at goal what is the problem?”

In one of the many Weight Watchers meetings I have attended, I heard someone say that if you are losing weight for someone else or to simply be thinner, you will never get there. I know in my head that you must make a lifestyle change, which includes habits, thoughts, and a lot of self control. I do not want to live like I am on a diet the rest of my life, being so strict and rigid with myself. On the flipside I also do not want to lose all that I have accomplished and spiral out of control, suddenly back where I started. What is the key to lifelong weight loss maintenance? Is there such a thing?

The last few weeks of my life have been very stressful and I really have felt like I am eating more in the habits and patterns that I practiced before Weight Watchers. These patterns are most comfortable to me and when the going gets tough, the tough hide out, eat some cake and ice cream, and wait for the storms to pass. The storms of life my never fully leave, so what will I do if life continues to remain challenging?

However, the stress is not the main reason that my eating habits are going topsy-turvy. To be completely honest I think that what has also taken place is a lack of God in my daily life. I am struggling to daily spend time in His word. I believe that without a close relationship with the Lord I will not be able to maintain this weight loss. This weight loss victory was won by the Lord. I obviously will lose this battle if I try to fight it alone, because that’s what I tried to do before and I ended up weighing 225 pounds. I do not want to go back to the Lord selfishly longing for Him to just make sure I stay healthy again. Is God using this to bring me back to Him? Maybe I will come to the Lord with wrong motives and He will change my heart. Do I believe that He can do this? I hope He will. The bottom line is that I am not going to make it without the Lord by my side. It is incredible that humans really are this self destructive. Wow.

There you have it this is really where I am at with the Lord and my weight loss. I did not know if I was going to share this with you, but I think it is important to let you know where I am at especially if someone else finds themselves in a similar place as me...you are not alone. The battle belongs to the Lord. If there is anyway I can pray for you and your struggles please let me know and I would be honored to pray for you.

Lord, please forgive me for getting so busy and not making you a priority in my daily life. Please come and change my heart. Help to give me the strength to fight this weight loss battle, because I cannot do it alone. I need you. I love the Lord. Amen.


The Battle Belongs to the Lord
Words and music by Jamie Owens-Collins

In heavenly armour we'll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that's fashioned against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord

We sing glory and honor
Power and strength to the Lord
(repeat)

The power of darkness comes in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He's raised up a standard, the power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord

When your enemy presses in hard do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord