Temple Building

If you've followed my blog for a few years, you may remember back in 2013 when I wrote about the healthy journey I was on at the time. I lost 20 pounds during that journey. I enjoyed that journey. You can read about it if you like - here or here. As I read over the words I wrote over 2 years ago, I feel a twinge of inner pain, guilt, and disappointment. I was so sure then that the journey I was on was unending. And, in all honesty, it is - it just took a detour for a few years. I'm sad to say that probably a few months after that second post I wrote, I took a wrong turn on that journey of mine which lead me back to my unhealthy habits and subsequently a 30 pound weight gain. Yes, I gained all 20 pounds back plus 10 more. This year was the worst. We had started eating out more than we used to, ordering pizza at least once a week, and I drank more soda than I had in a very long time. 

But about 2.5 weeks ago, that all changed. After deciding before we left for vacation in Alabama that something had to change and I had to get serious, I bought the book - The Daniel Plan. I read and finished that book in about 3 days, pumped and ready for our big change when we returned. I stopped caffeine and sugar cold turkey. The first 3 days were tough y'all - - - like mentally, physically, and emotionally. I knew what I was doing was going to benefit me in the long run but the side effects of a full on detox simply suck! Headache, body aches, extreme fatigue - it wasn't pretty. But I made it through. While I didn't do a pure 10 day detox like it suggests in the book, I did enough to lose weight and start feeling way better. 

What's the difference this time? Well, I am so glad you asked. In my journey before, I had a few of the essentials The Daniel Plan describes and, in essence, prescribes. The 5 Essentials are Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. In order to be ultimately successful, you have to combine all 5. Our physical health is tied to our spiritual health in a number of ways. I believe the Faith essential and the Focus essential were the 2 that I lacked before. While I prayed about my health journey before, I didn't quite look at my food choices as a form of worship. The Bible states that our bodies are the temple. I've always looked at that as more of a sexual purity sort of thing rather than a health thing as well. In the Bible, God's people were only to bring in their very best to the temple. If my body is the temple now, then I should only be providing it the very best. I must care for it - the Lord's dwelling place. 

I'm learning a lot on this journey. I'm learning how to read labels and understand ingredient lists. I'm learning that support is absolutely critical. I'm learning that the more time I spend with God, the more I crave Him and not certain foods. I'm learning that certain things I thought were "healthy" were really just disguised very well. I'm learning that I will occasionally make bad choices when it comes to food and that's okay. Instead of beat myself up, I make note of that choice and how it effects me. I'm learning that God loves me like crazy, extra weight and all, but He desires more for me. In order to be truly used by Him in my full potential, I have to make sure my body is up to it. 

I've lost 7 or 8 pounds, depending on the day, so far. I have more energy. I'm in a better mood. I'm trying new recipes. Sure I've messed up a few times. I just dust myself off and move on. I hope you'll follow me on this journey. Perhaps the more I blog about it, the more accountable I'll be, and one day you'll see the real before and after - the me that craved toxic, poisonous garbage and the new me that craves healthy, life giving goodness...and Jesus. 

Here's to building the temple up the way it should be....

Photo Credit: Me:)