"Give us today the food we need." Mathew 6:11
I am going to take advantage of the blog to journal the health improvement, weight loss journey, to use it to think about what needs thinking about. It's a big help for me to reiterate what I am learning by putting it into my own words. Which really isn't doing anything different than I've done all along. It's that this time it's about building a relationship with my body. We are encouraged to journal so here we are.
Gina Livy (whose plan I am following) does a live video six mornings a week. Initially, I had some trouble listening because she talks extremely fast, loud and sometimes her language is rather colourful. The more I've listened, I've been able to let go of my Christian religiosity because what she is teaching us, her sincerity, and experience make listening well worth while.
Point in case: God tapped me on the shoulder this morning and said, "You need to hear this." My ears perked up because in that very moment Gina said, "chocolate cravings can occur because of a magnesium deficiency."
Dark chocolate is rich in the stuff.
And, if I remember correctly, I'd missed my nightly dose the night before yesterday's all day chocolate cravings.
So here I was, proudly acting all noble (aka. stubborn), determined to deny myself and stay the course when in reality my body was screaming at me, "I need magnesium NOW!"
(Smile. It's good to be able to laugh at my own foolishness.)
For those of you who have been reading my posts a long time, you know how much I love a why answer. I didn't even know a question had been asked. That's when an answer is extra special!
There's much more in todays video so I will listen to it again later. We've been asked a few times to think about our relationship with the BATHROOM SCALE, that terrifying, nasty, measure of just-how-fat-I-am, digital beast. (Smile.) Up to this point, it's only ever been a shame generator. Even when losing considerable weight during the renovations. Even though it stayed off, the scale gladly announced, "You're still fat!"
Oh, dear.
There is a way to tame this particular beast and defang the lifelong understanding of what the numbers mean. First of all, I give it to You, Lord and ask you to forgive me for giving a machine so much power over my life. We only know what we know until we know better. Thank You, Lord, for providing the opportunity for me to gain knowledge and understanding.
Debunked myth #1: The rigid height/weight standards which have been around for years are not the ideal standards. There is no allowance for bone structure or muscles in these generalized calculations. So let's toss the "ideal weight for my height and age" out the window and discover what my wonderfully made body's happy place will be. This will take time so Lord, grant me patience.
Debunked myth #2: The scale is the perfect way to measure weight. Maybe, if you are buying a pound of cold cuts, but not when it comes to humans. There are a thousand different reasons for weight to fluctuate. Gina frequently tells us the body will gain weight, even while doing her program, right before it loses because it's storing water to help with the shedding of fat reserves. (It doesn't want them either, by the way.) Salt intake, hormones, and a slew of other things can cause a spike. This does not mean your body has added to it's fat reserves Isn't that the greatest news ever?
The scale is a tool which will help me learn to be in touch with bodily rhythms. Shame has no place here.
Debunked myth #3: The scale is a measure of beauty. Isn't that what the world wants us to believe? Is this what I believe, too?
There needs to be more thought and prayer around this idea. It will take time to unravel the multitude of layers involved. I know I need to forgive a whack of people who consciously or unconsciously enforced this idea. So, Lord, please bring them to mind.
Help me let go of the anger that has flared up after writing those last lines. In Jesus Name, AMEN!
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