The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind. – G. K. Chesterton
I joined a three-month weight loss competition group led by an old friend, called “Slimmer Summer.” There are 18 women participating via Facebook from several states. It begins today.
Through reading the book Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin, I’ve discovered that I’m an Obliger. In other words, I let my own expectations slide but attempt to meet outside expectations all I can. It means I tend to be motivated by external accountability. This group is one way for me to get exactly that. I have to report in every day or lose points. I put money into the pot so I answer to my husband if I waste the money he’s earned from work.
My goal here is to see how much I can safely and happily lose in 12 weeks, to feel healthier and stronger in general, and to begin to form better habits to last me a lifetime. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress (another form of external accountability).
BUT–
As the quote by Chesterton above says, it’s all too easy as humans to get obsessed by the number on the scale and fad diets and lose sight of what really matters: our souls. It’s not about how I look or what other people think of me. It’s not about living as long as possible or finding fulfilment through something I’ve created.
Getting healthy should be about respecting the temple God made your body to be.
If we don’t seek God first, we won’t have an accurate theology of the body (holla John Paul II), and then we won’t ever be successful in finding true health. To help with that, I’ve focused on scheduling in plenty of time with God, spiritual readings, and the Sacraments to shift my perspective and focus on what I really need to be concentrating on: My Heavenly Father.
I want to get healthy and feel better in my body, yes, but I also want to be at peace with the vessel God gave me through which I navigate the world. I want to respect it properly. I want junk food to be put in its place: the trash. I want to discover the physical as God meant it to be. My hope is that I will be a better role model for my son, and that God and I will be ever closer for this journey.
No Body But Yours 