We’ve all been there. You make the wonderful decision to lose weight and get healthy, and then your scale decides not to cooperate with you...LOL.
What exactly are you to do if you find yourself in a position where you are doing "all the right things" to lose weight, and nothing seems to be happening?
As with every struggle in our lives, let’s first dig into God’s word and see what biblical truth can help us in this situation.
Let’s reflect on Matthew 6:33 which says, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Typically, when we embark on a healthy eating plan, our main focus becomes the number on the scale and whether or not that number is moving in the direction we want (down, of course).
But in this passage from Matthew, which is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is assuring those listening not to let their worries occupy them, as they are in fact tiny in the scheme of their Father who will grant them their every need as long as they entrust fully in His Kingdom first. He says to them "Do not worry saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear, for the pagans run after all of these things. And your heavenly father knows that you need them," which he follows with verse 33 saying once again, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The two parts of this short message are immensely important in understanding the side you are on when embarking on this health and weight loss journey.
You are either walking through this journey wondering when the needle on the scale is going to move your way (which can be related to what Jesus calls Pagan worries, like worrying what they should eat, drink, and wear) OR you are strutting in a more confident manner through this journey asking yourself if you are abiding by God’s kingdom fully and honestly, and thereby seeking the path of most abundance and long-term sustenance.
The hardest thing is that we humans love results, and to see progress as quick as possible. This is why we want the scale to move, and move fast. But this number is not a true reflection of our success on this journey of honoring God with our bodies. This is where our faith comes in, because God’s word shows us that if you seek Him first over your highest worries (which is a big leap don’t get me wrong!) then you will not only receive resolutions to those little problems, but you will allow your body and mind to step into something so much greater than yourself.
I can assure you, this will not be an overnight switch (I know this first hand with myself) That’s why we call it a journey and if you let it, this journey can change your life into such a stronger, sturdier, and more peaceful way of living and thinking. When you’ve been working hard, eating the right things, and abiding by the right decisions physically and you still don’t see the results you desire on the scale, your old frame of mind may say you need to eat less and less, whereas a big picture frame of mind says you should check where your heart is, and whether or not you are doing this for the right reasons. This will make you so much more powerful in the face of setbacks that you you’ll take them with a smile instead of feeling disappointed or discouraged just because the number on the scale is not reporting exactly as you would like.
Seeking His Righteousness
You may be asking, "What does it mean exactly to do this for God and not for me?"
And that is a really great question to always ask yourself. The answer to this question can quickly steer you back on course when perhaps you’ve gotten a little lost.
Do you remember back to your decision to embark on this challenge in the beginning? Think back to how you felt called to do this, the moment you knew this was something you had to do. Every day that you honor your body by feeding it right and giving it the encouragement it needs to get better, and feeling like you’re being obedient to guiding the temple inside you where it needs to go, you are honoring that calling of God on your life. Now this might not sound like the most sure way to get those results on the scale you’re looking for, but remember that the only way you can go when facing that struggle is down deeper and truer into your heart, asking why you’re doing this and being open to the answer even when you’re scared about what it might be. I can assure you it’s the only real way to get through obstacles like these. Aiming only for short term physical changes is dancing around the real issue. So take a deep breath, open your arms and say "Lord, show me my heart." I promise it will feel like a breath of fresh air.
After you have spent time examining your heart and your motives and praying for God to show you the truth, it’s time to set goals the right way.
Setting Goals the Right Way
Many people set goals in the form of "I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of this week," but setting goals in this way can automatically set you up for failure.
Why?
Because this is a goal that you cannot control. There are so many variables that can alter the number of pounds gained or lost at the end of each day that this is not a reliable way to gauge the success of your efforts.
Instead, choose a goal that is within your control like…
- Have your meals ready for work 3 out of 5 days this week
- Bring something healthy to church for an upcoming event
- Exercise a certain number of minutes this week
Have your measure of success be reliant on whether you met those goals or not, and not if you met the number on the scale you were hoping for. It comes down to what is in your control versus what is not, because the only way to keep moving forward in a positive way is by setting goals that are in your control to reach.
Small Changes to your Daily Plan
And lastly, in addition to seeking God’s Kingdom first, and setting goals within your control, there are practical changes you can make to your eating routine when things aren’t exactly going your way after a few weeks.
- Are you drinking enough water? If you are not drinking half your body weight in ounces every day, this is the first measure to change to start seeing the results you want.
- Check for a potential issue with dairy. Sometimes, even if you’re not allergic to dairy your body can still have a hard time losing weight with it. You may want to switch to an almond milk yogurt (or coconut milk or cashew milk) instead of Greek yogurt. You could switch the cream in your coffee to coconut milk or almond milk.
- Get a yearly medical checkup along with bloodwork. I recommend this to all my clients and readers, especially once they reach 40 years old. With age, our hormones change, and it's important to test for any possible nutrient deficiencies or increased dietary needs. For example, you may not be getting enough Vitamin D, or may not have enough iron stores, or may need increased thyroid support. Your body may be lacking something that it needs in order to release the excess weight.
And most importantly, please remember, even if pounds aren’t falling off your body as quickly as you had hoped, there are so many changes going on inside you that you can’t see with your eyes. Maybe you’re less addicted to sugar than you were before, even if that's not showing on the scale quite yet.
And not to mention the emotional voice happening inside your body that maybe it hasn’t heard in your entire life! It’s funny to think of your body and your mind as two different people, but if you think about them getting to know each other, maybe your mind is starting to make that switch to going right to the Lord in prayer when you hit road bumps instead of attacking yourself, and it’s almost like your body is meeting that new friend in your new and improved brain. It’s going to take a little while for these two to get to know each other before they really start working in your favor, but if you continue to feed that relationship what it needs to flourish, then you will start seeing what you ultimately want to see.
And until then, don’t overlook the little strides you’re making, like feeling better, younger, more agile and even happier, and all the things going up for you when maybe one number isn’t going down quite yet. Continue to focus on the many positives happening in your life and keep your eyes fixed on the Lord through it all.
Are you ready to make God part of your weight loss journey? Look no further than the New Life Promise plan!