Revelations...pls. add some of yours

I learned that this is a conscious journey. You cannot just magically get slim and fit without being intentional with your eating habits, thinking habits, and even sleeping habits. I really agree about the Spirit, Soul, and Body notion. I believe they all work hand in hand.

You can't successful without incorporating each element into your life. My Soul can't prosper without my spirit, and spirit can't prosper if I'm not taking care of my body (your body is the temple of God), so they are all intertwined.

My biggest revelation is to set your own goals. Don't let anyone alter your goals because of their opinions (negative or positive). There will be people that will say you have lost too much weight, you shouldn't be doing this type of program, you should or shouldn't be eating this type of food. Do you your own research, set your own goals, because you are the only one that has to live every minute of the day as you!

Yes, Yes, YES!!! Love your post! Everything you've said is LIFE giving/sustaining/enabling to me...especially this:

" My Soul can't prosper without my spirit, and spirit can't prosper if I'm not taking care of my body (your body is the temple of God), so they are all intertwined.

AND

My biggest revelation is to set your own goals. Don't let anyone alter your goals because of their opinions (negative or positive).

It "appears" when I do what I need to do for ME, which more often than not contradicts and goes against the grain of popular and tried and true "diet" eating/drinking solutions, I find myself doubting myself and not sticking to what I KNOW I need to do (which is saying no to things that aren't good to/for me and YES to things that are among other things) to succeed is drop kicking this fat & flab out/off of me to the place where the sun will never shine, and that right permanently.

I do so VERY much appreciate you taking the time and care to post here. Words of Life indeed they are to me. You ROCK!

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

I am a food addict, and I am in recovery.

Yes...that you can and do admit that is tremendous to me and even more so that you know you are in recovery--that's really terrific.

Ya know, speaking of addiction--I personally have tons of them. Many seem acceptable or even "respectable"...but I'm discovering or have been getting the "revelation" that they are so NOT cool for or to me at all. Example...I've always considered having a "bad attitude" or being impatient, frustrated or irritable as "acceptable" (ya know, the ole "everyone does it excuse/justification--UGH). I NEVER looked at being impatient as being a "sin" nor anything close to that, just something acceptable that everyone does and is--nope, it's an addiction of sorts and not cool at all. I just got done reading this book called:

Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges and it's a shocking eye-opener and blessing for sure--here's the full title and link to the reviews of this tremendous book:

Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges
http://www.amazon.com/Respectable-Sins-Confronting-We-Tolerate/dp/1600061400

Anyhoo...calling things like my being lazy, slothful instead...my calling this like food addictions as gluttony or my being a glutton instead, calling things like exaggerating or being in denial, calling them lies or myself a "liar" and doing something about "being in denial" like calling my "denial" out and other wrong and self-destructive behaviors and embracing the TRUTH instead of accepting/welcoming/petting/babying these enabling negative and mentally, physically, spiritually harmful issues instead--I'm discovering that by calling these character/behavior issues by their more dramatic and truthful/real, less "tolerable" names is helping me in so many ways I can hardly describe.
I am getting the revelation accepting what the majority people "wink an eye at" instead of reject as unacceptable to God and myself is helping me win this DAILY battle of the bulge and rather than petting my addictions--calling them out for the hurtful and self-destructive character flaws that they truly are more often than not helps me WIN. For me, it's a daily, moment by moment choice rather than a personality issue and I'm so GLAD to know that though I have a multitude of addictions and woes, I haven't arrived--but I've left the place of helplessness and woe because of them.

Thank you so much for posting...you ROCK sir. :flowerforyou: :drinker: :flowerforyou:

My revelation hit once I was maintaining. First, my weight will always fluctuate given the time of day I weigh myself and the amount of water in my body. Maintaining means maintain weight within a range. It's hard to get out of the lose lose lose mode once you hit it, but a weight gain or loss of a few pounds is not big deal so long as you stay within a healthy weight range.

More important to me, though, is what I tell myself on 'fat days,' because sometimes weighing one extra pound more than I did yesterday weighs on me mentally. I look myself in the mirror and say " you still fit into the awesome jeans and your boyfriend still thinks you're the hottest girl he's ever laid eyes on. I don't care what that scale says, because you have it made."

realizing the above was my revelation. Weight no longer matters so long as I am healthy and feel good in my skin.

This is such an essential and helpful revelation...I'm so VERY glad you've shared here with us. It's crazy how the negative "self-talk" can absolutely stir up all kinds of YUCK in my heart and mind. I found this quote yesterday that may help us remember these important things you speak of...

"Tell the negativity committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up. (Read Learned Optimism.) "

P.S. I've NEVER read that book, "Learned Optimism", but it was part of the quote I found, so I wanted to include it.

Thanks again for posting...you ROCK! :glasses: :drinker: :drinker: :glasses:

Honestly being away from my parents and living in a new country has helped me focus on myself. I realize how important it is to take care of yourself, first. Living a healthy lifestyle has helped me become a happier person. I know I would like to succeed not only with my career in the future, but also with being healthy, having a healthy marriage, and being able to raise my kids to live a healthy lifestyle.

{{{{ Hugs }}}} How courageous you are to attempt a new lifestyle of living a healthy lifestyle in a strange and new country. I'm so proud of you...YOU ROCK!

:drinker: