16 Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (AMP)
27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].
I got on the scale and I could not believe that I had not lost a pound in spite of the cardio fitness class I had just come home from. I really thought that even though I had eaten one and one half McDonald quarter pound hamburgers and an order of fries, that after working out I would still see some weight loss. Feeling discouraged about my weight I committed to myself to keep working out 3 times a week and believe God that I would see some kind of weight loss. My weight had climbed up to 227 lbs, but I would tell myself that no one could really tell because of my height.
My dress size was now 18 XX and when I looked down to see my feet, I couldn't see them! My stomach was in the way and my arms were getting bigger and bigger; looking flabbier and flabbier. I decided it was time to take drastic measures. I committed to an eating program that consisted of salads. I would go to salad bars and feel that I was doing good after eating 2 plates of food, because after all, it was a salad bar. I would always reward myself by splurging on the weekend and having whatever I wanted to eat. I found myself thinking continually about that splurge day, I could eat whatever I wanted and however much I wanted.
After a few months of the change in my eating, I started to loose weight. I had lost 10 lbs and I was still working out 3 times a week, but I wanted to see more results. My daughter Jasmine was also on the weigh loss program I was on and had gone to a meeting where she was introduced to a program called "Weigh Down" by Gwen Shamblin (I have had experience with and agree with the fundamental "Weigh Down" principles of her ministry only). The main concept of the program was, using the Word of God to control your appetite instead of changing what you ate, so you wouldn't need portion control. I remember seeing her have a hamburger and french fries, but she only ate one half of the burger and one quarter of the fries. I was still eating the uncontrolled portions of salad. but I was not seeing the additional weight loss results I wanted. Jasmine, however, was eating one half of a hamburger and one quarter order of french fries and she was loosing weight! Needless to say, I quickly joined her and started the Weigh Down program, also.
The first day of the program required me to wait until I felt the burn of hunger, in my stomach before eating. I waited and waited for that burn of hunger to come. It did not come until 3:00 PM in the afternoon. I realized on that day, that I had not been eating for hunger, but out of habit, out of emotions and for entertainment. In fact there was very few times that I ate when I was actually hungry. In one of Gwen's lessons, she talks about our bodies storing up food like a refrigerator. She said that the food I ate that I did not burn, my body would store and that really hit home with me.
My daughter and I continued on the "Weigh Down" program and got the remaining excess weight off. Looking back I realize that going through this process of training myself to not eat until I was hungry, through mind renewal to the Word of God, was meditation. Amazingly enough, my thoughts and discipline with food came to the point where, I was eating a hamburger and fries if I wanted it, but I was getting 2 to 3 meals out of 1 serving. I was also maintaining my weekly workout schedule, burning what I ate and the excess weight came right off.
As time went on, I grew in being a disciplined eater. I was meditating the Word of God about what food was for and it broke the lust for food off of my life. I no longer see food as an answer for emotional gratification or pleasure. I don't think about or crave it when I'm not hungry.
To this day, I have no desire to overeat and I only eat when I am hungry. Even though I eat a healthy menu, I am more free, happy and healthier than I have ever been, because food does not have a hold on my flesh any longer. Praise God! When I go on vacation and want to try something that is not in my regular menu, I try it. Because of the Power of the Word of God through meditation, I can try it and not overindulge. It is so freeing. I now wear a size 4 and I maintain it easily, because I believe this is the size God created me to be. Meditating the Word of God keeps Him as the center and source of everything in our lives. When that happens we are free to be who He created us to be.
http://lvchonline.org/home.html
Joshua 1:8 (AMP)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
Renewing your thoughts and imaginations to change your life.
http://harvestradionetwork.org
Join our anointed worship service...
Every Sunday 10:30 AM
Las Vegas Church of the Harvest
3140 Polaris #5 & #6
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 364-9041
www/lvchonline.org