The Un-facts of Nutrition

I'm going to say some things that you probably wouldn't find in a nutrition journal.  I'm going to say them because my journey to health is a whole lot more than just the facts.  Let's be honest.  If information was the biggest influence on health, America would not be the second fattest country on the planet.  Sometimes it is simply just not having the right information,  but often the root for the weight runs deeper than any adipose cell in our body.


I really believe the weight we carry on the outside is reflective of the weight on the inside. (Too big or too small.)


I believe that sometimes we overfeed  ourselves to fill up a need we think we have.   Or we starve ourselves because we feel too unworthy to take up space.


I believe that being heavy gives us some sort of sense that we belong in this world.


I believe an addiction to food is bondage.


I believe in a lot of weighty-matters, but more than any those things....I believe in freedom. 


I meet people all the time who have a greater body mass index (BMI) than I do and not because of muscle mass either.


BMI is just ratio of weight and height that can be used as an assessment tool to identify nutritional status.  From a BMI, we can identify people who are underweight, healthy weight, over weight, obese, or morbidly obese.


To hear someone with an unhealthy BMI (low or high) pour their heart out about their situation is really something special.  I'm often in awe of people's situations.  I'm trained to assess where they are and give them facts to how to reach healthy goals.  I get paid to teach when I'm actually always learning from them.  It is amazing to me that some of the struggles they share are things I've also struggled with at times.

How many diets have I been on in my life that only lead to weight gain?


How many pictures have I not been in because I was embarrassed?


How much anxiety, guilt, frustration have I felt because "I should, but I can't."


It's over.  I mean it is really, really, really over!!!


I've tasted freedom before.  I've lost some weight.  I'm trending down.  But I always had this voice in the back of my mind.  "What if its not permanent?"  "What if I fall back into old habits."  "What if...what if...what if?"  And guess what?  Remembering bondage always made me look backward.  Do we think focusing on the problem creates a solution?  No!  What we focus on becomes bigger.  It sure is hard to run forward when you keep looking back.  Even if you can keep running without stumbling, you miss the exquisite view.

Freedom is not just a snack any more.  It's the main course.  It's the meat and potatoes. It's the central line. It is what keeps this baby rolling.


Freedom used to be in a tug of war with fear.  I had gotten to the place where freedom was stronger.  I was making headway.  But every now and then that fear would give a big jerk, and I would struggle a bit.   Still, I kept pulling.


I struggled because I saw an area in my life where I didn't measure up.  Come on now! I can calculate a BMI faster than I can remember the names of ex-boyfriends. I know I fall off the nutrition charts, but I no longer struggle in my mind!   I'm not naive.  I know what I weigh.  It's just that now, I can see clearly without sins of the past casting a shadow on my path.


Now everything is different.  The rope has been severed.  Where did the fear go?  I don't know.  All that remains now is freedom.  How can I struggle when there is nothing to struggle with?


It's so easy really, but it was so hard for me at times to smear Grace on the weight loss issue.  It just took a little time.  I would get a better view then fall back.  Get a deep understanding then stumble again.  The Texas Two Step.


I had lots of mantras I tried to adopt.  You know those things you repeat to yourself while your chugging up a hill or shopping at the grocery store....


"Baby step across the finish line."


"You are not what you weigh."


"Slow and steady wins the race."


"Whatever it takes."


All of those are great, but I finally have one that resonates with every single fiber of my being!"


LET HEALTH HAPPEN


When I hear that, I feel this journey is not at all about my efforts.  It means that no matter what I do, my body was created for health.  Health will happen!  It is my nature to allow it.  It is my nature to provide an environment for health to happen in.  The struggles are gone.  I live in total freedom!  I can eat what I want!  It is just that I choose to have long-lasting pleasure from health instead of momentary pleasure from taste that only keeps me from the real deal.  I desire foods and activities that is conducive to a life style of health. Food no longer has a hold on me.  It is something to be enjoyed.   It is hard to interpret revelation into English words, but I hope you have ears to hear.


This is not about finding my place in this world.  It's not about being a good example or trying to improve myself.  It's about living, resting, and enjoying life.  If there is anything I know about the Creator, it is that he is good.  I mean REALLY, REALLY good.  It's that this life was created to be enjoyed (PERIOD!)  I was never meant to live in a cage of rules, laws, expectations from anyone or myself.  I was created to bask in absolute freedom.  To be happy, content, at rest, inner peace, present....whatever you want to call it...but it is good.


I began to "see" about two yeas ago.  I recently posted a success story of someone who took four years to find her place.  You may not feel as free as I do, or you may feel freedom more.  Let's not compare.  We are on level ground here.  Everyone find their own path.  Let's just get out and walk in the light that we have.


The best advice I ever got was from a man who I first heard the pure message of grace. I told him that I felt like I've been standing in front of a wall for years.  He came and knocked down that wall, and all it did for me was show me how far I have to go.  He gave me a hug and simply said, "Just rest."

That was about six years ago now.  That resonated, but I didn't really understand it.  Today I feel at rest.  At this place of rest, I am content.  I am happy.  I can let health happen.


Oh and I lost another pound!  It's happening and it's happening in freedom!