Time for me to get real! So real, in fact, that I am posting this silly picture of me after spending 20 minutes on the elliptical; or what I like to call, one of my “Giants”.

I am coming from my own perspective today, and I am a woman, so…. ladies listen close!

Growing up, I never struggled with my weight. I was active in dance, cheerleading, and gymnastics and could eat pretty much whatever I wanted. It was not until I graduated high school and was wrapping up college that I realized I was putting on some weight. I don’t care about the “freshman 20…or 30”, or even how “happy” relationships cause you to put on weight. Although I could use those excuses, I am not going to. My weight gain was purely because I became less active but still thought I could eat anything I wanted…(ok, and maybe because I love pizza and beer…give me some grace here girls)

So here I am, already putting on the pounds and I have baby number one. I became 100% motivated after having my firstborn. My mom and I became weight watcher buddies and I dropped significant weight. I felt great and managed to keep most of the weight off for some time…. then came baby number 2. I was doing ‘ok’ with my weight but ever so slowly the scale started creeping back up. I was not happy in my job. I was never one of those mommy’s that ever became ok with going back to work, and adding on the stresses of my job, which then trickled into my marriage…. lets just say food became my close friend.

I am an emotional eater…happy, sad, angry…you name the emotion and I will celebrate or sulk with it in my food.

Finally, after an ankle injury and surgery (pounds kept adding up), my husband was blessed with a pay raise, and we were finally able to reach one of our goals: I became a SAHM! I was introduced to a clean eating program and workout regimen and was starting to get back in the groove. I made it a few months, lost weight, increased muscle mass, felt fantastic and then the holidays hit me with a vengeance. I quit after that.

I found that when I was motivated to exercise is when my children needed me. I vowed to get up before my family and get it in, but my husband had to pick up a part time job and if I wanted to see him, I would stay up late…I needed that extra hour sleep. My favorite excuse… I have been non stop helping out everyone else, I deserve some chips and queso and to do nothing else but veg out watching the Hallmark channel. (So incredibly hard not to do this time of year!!!)

I shared a glimpse of my back story to now tell you this. I read this from a well known book, and it is finally starting to stick to my heart:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19

I have read this scripture so many times and for different reasons. Today, it was time to get real. I am a stubborn woman without question. I seem to make a game out of what I can and can not control; and I have always felt that I can eat and drink whatever I want because it is MY body. I dug deeper into this great Book:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. – Psalm 139:13-16

How am I taking ownership over something I did not create? Not only that, why have I spent so much time picking apart what the Lord has made? “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful…”

Now, here I sit today. I joined an accountability group, started my clean eating again, and even got in some exercise today. (Although that elliptical is my giant…it will not defeat me) I know there will be times I slip up and have that extra helping or not get that work out in. That is ok. My motivation has become something much deeper. I want to honor God not only with my actions and words, but with a healthy body.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16

By His grace

Misty