Winning the Battle of the Budge (Part 1)
Weighing every morning keeps me in reality about my body size and the impact of what I am eating. I recently noticed the number on the scale was bumping towards the higher end of my weight range. My typical adjustments didn’t budge the numbers beneath my toes.
Then, I recognized God’s communication to me via my mid-40’s metabolism drop combined with being in the off-season of my triathlon training. I wasn’t able to get away with the sloppy consumption of chocolate and sweets like I in the past. So, like the other times God communicated to me through my weight, it’s time to make some changes.
You see the number on the scale, like the amount of money in the banking account, is neutral. They simply reflect our lifestyle, habits, inner game, and special circumstances. And like everything else, our Catholic faith can pave the way to mastering it.
Weight control the Catholic way begins with virtue and a wholistic view of the person. We may wear unwanted weight because of your lifestyle. Christ had a mission, but he was never in a hurry, and he was always present for the people he encountered. Yet, many of us, busy moms and Americans, are always on the go, not allowing the time for proper rest, healthy food preparation, exercise, quality connection with others, and relaxed downtime. God is the architect of the body. When we tax it beyond the manufacturer’s recommendations, things don’t work as they should. Our body clings onto fats and fluids in a stress fight or flight mode, making releasing those pounds elusive. Temperance and balance restore the body and our lifestyles to the proper equilibrium for optimum health.
Our physical appearance and body size mirror our habits. We habitually have proper balance and self care blended with generosity to others or we don’t. Replacing even one or two unhealthy habits can dramatically change your weight. Rather than beat yourself up if you don’t like how you look, take a softer, more nurturing approach. Identify how you have not been the friend to your body, mind, and soul, that you should have been and begin making amends immediately. When treated with love and care, your psyche feels safe to begin to let go of the extraneous layers it may have gripped to self nurture and feel emotionally safe.
Tune in next time to see how we can alter our inner game and create the necessary attitude adjustments to our special circumstances to have a desired impact on our weight.
The Catholic Women’s Guide to Healthy Relationships Tip: Identify a lifestyle habit to change that will make you healthier and take the first step to change it.
