Monday, March 14, 2011

If He Can Do It, then So Can I (and so can you!)

The Toledo Blade reprinted a story from the Dallas Morning News the other day that was incredibly inspirational to me.  It's the story of Harry Chapman, who lost more than 100 pounds in two years.  His epiphany was very similar to my own, and his starting weight was just slightly more than mine.  He was wearing size 44 pants; I was severely straining my size 42s.

Harry lost his weight the old-fashioned way: he burned it.  He pulled on swim trunks and dived into the pool.  The heavy-duty exercise routine, combined with practical, healthy eating, eventually transformed his flab to fab.  You can see more pics on the Dallasnews.com website.


If Harry can do it, then I can do it.  And I'm well on my way.  As of this weekend's weigh-in, I'm 4 pounds away from the wedding goal weight, and 24 away from the year-end goal weight.  I'd thought I'd be a lot closer midway through last week, but I stayed bouncing around 224-225 all week before settling at 223.6 on Sunday. 

In weight-loss terms, I was "plateauing" - establishing a new equilibrium in my body before it was ready to restart the body-change process.  Although I couldn't see the changes on the scale, the changes were still taking place.  I'm definitely stronger at the Y.  I can lift more weights for greater rep's now than I could 12 weeks ago.  And as I do the exercise, I can tell that my body's tone is different.  My shoulders and arms are more pronounced; my belly is definitely smaller, and hints of the underlying muscle structure are beginning to be revealed.  I don't plan to ever look like a professional body-builder, but I do want to experience greater muscular definition, and reduction of fatty tissues in all the obvious places.

There's only one way for that to happen: keep up the work-outs.  And the inspiration to keep up comes from many sources - stories like Harry Chapman's, observations of other folks who tell me to keep up the good work, the extra energy and joy that comes with putting on clothes that look good and feel right.  But the greatest inspiration continues to come from God.  As I shared at last week's Ash Wednesday service, I have given my whole body to God: my physical condition, my mental attitude, my emotional outlook, and my spiritual health.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:1, "[L]et us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."  The Lord has brought to my attention all the things that I was previously doing to contaminate my body and leave it unholy.  And therefore, I was being irreverent to God.  Dr. Pepper may taste good in my mouth, but it leaves me contaminated in my pursuit of holiness.  Ditto for potato chips, 3/4-pound burgers from Chili's, loaded pizza from Donato's (or anywhere else, for that matter...)  But more than polluting my body, I was polluting my spirit with thoughts of unworthiness, irresponsibility, helplessness, and more.  But God is purifying me, giving me the strength of will to resist the high-calorie, hi-fat foods, and renewing my mind to accept God's image of me rather than my own image of me.

Later in 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote this: "'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." (2 Corinthians 10:17-18).  I am working to live into this verse as I lose the weight and get healthy.  This is something that I'm doing only because God is making it possible.  It's divine action followed by human response.  So if there is divine action happening in your life to get serious about your weight and health, I encourage you to respond.  If God wants it to happen, then it will happen.  The Lord commends by bringing us all that we need. 

So while I really like and admire Harry Chapman's achievements, and am encouraged by them, I look to God as the source of my power, ability and success thus far, and trust that the one who began this good work in me will be faithful to complete it! (And He'll complete it in YOU, too!)

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Turning 30 Never Felt So Good!

Today, I reached a major milestone: 30 pounds lost since the beginning of January!!

I've got a big pile of clothes on the floor of my closet that will soon go away because I've gotten too little for my britches.  Got a whole bunch of clothes dug out from the basement storage that I can wear again for the first time in almost a decade.  In fact, the suit I wore to church this morning had ticket stubs in the jacket pocket that I didn't discover until I took it off.  The stubs were for a performance of Rogers' & Hammerstein's "Cinderella" at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas - Wednesday, July 18, 2001.  That was probably the last time I wore that particular suit before getting too big to fit in those britches.

To be able to fit in these clothes again is a minor miracle that I can only credit to God.  I believe that my changed eating habits, enjoyment of exercise, and strength of will to keep on keeping on are due to grace.  I don't deserve it, and I haven't earned it.  But I have worked hard to be blessed by it.  And that's the secret of my success: putting my efforts into sync with God's activity within me.

I'm only 6 pounds away from my initial goal weight of 220 pounds.  At my current pace, I can reach that goal in less than 3 weeks - and my daughter's wedding is still 13 weeks away.  That means that it's possible for me to reach my year-end weight goal by her wedding date if God and I keep this rate of change going.  If that happens, I will declare it to be a major miracle!!

In just 10 pounds, I will surpass my lowest post-collegiate weight.  I made it to 217 a decade ago, but almost immediately started gaining it back.   This time will be different.  Not because I'm different, or because I'm doing this differently (although both are true), but rather because last time I was doing it only through my strength rather than relying on the One who strengthens me.  By the grace of God, I will do this and stay at a more healthy weight for the rest of my life!  There's no turning back for me!!

I have several friends that I pray will be encouraged and challenged by what God is doing in me.  Please believe me when I say that if God calls you to lose your weight, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!  Pray about it, and see how God answers you.  The season of Lent begins this Wednesday.  It's a perfect time to give God your next 40 days and discover the new life that God will raise up out of the old one you're now living.