The Health Nut

As a child, I was quite thin and active. This lasted through the sixth grade. At the beginning of my seventh-grade year…puberty happened (cue the dramatic music, dah, dah, dah!). The pounds started accumulating. Before heading to school for the day, my breakfasts consisted of buttered biscuits and a “big cookie” from Hardees. We ate out a lot. Needless to say, the weight stayed.

I faintly remember being in 9th grade and weighing about 180lbs, and increasing to over 200lbs by about age 16. Fast forward a little to my late teens, dating, and eventually marriage, I tried several “diets.” I almost got back into the 100s, but never quite saw that on the scale. This continued, and even added, after having my three beautiful, peculiar treasures – my children.

In 2013, and I’m not sure which came first, actually, while I was attending Liberty University, I had the privilege of being educated in Health and Wellness Coaching. I gained a tremendous amount of education in nutrition, fitness, and overall wellness. At the same time, I began a cross-training program at the YMCA and developed better eating habits. This was a total mindset change for me. I had crept into the doorway of the 300s, and something in me clicked – offering me the desire for change. Without such, I would never have advanced when I did. .

After months and months of hard…I mean hard…work, I was losing weight. About 80+/- lbs. – on my way to those 100s again, and almost there! I was in a regular routine (something CRUCIAL for wellness) of exercise with my husband and kids, and I was becoming the “poster child” for the YMCA. I was receiving attention from left and right. I eventually ended up teaching cross-training and working at the YMCA.

Then, things changed.

Little by little, step-by-step. When I’d exercise, I’d get lightheaded. I wasn’t finding much change in weight after a while. Plateaued. My routine was demolished as my husband was working and no longer attended exercise class with me. I was working at the YMCA, and I found myself busy with other stuff. Life. I fell into my older eating habits, quite easily. Pounds started adding up, once again – slowly – but I ignored it.

“I can get back on track again later,” I’d tell myself. But later came, and I found myself completely lost to everything that I had worked so incredibly hard for.

I was ashamed of myself, mostly because so many people looked up to me for inspiration. I literally had an elderly man at the YMCA telling me I was his inspiration. Boy, I had let so many down. All the weight I’d lost, every bit, was regained. Plus more. My health is 10x worse now than it was even before I’d lost all the weight. And the mindset. That’s where it all begins. If you are not in the right mindset, ready for change – a life commitment, not a diet, you are setting yourself up for failure. I have all this knowledge of what to eat, what to do for overall health and wellness, yet I cannot bring myself to put it into action. I’m praying to one day find that mindset again. In the meantime, I’d love to offer my knowledge to anyone who needs help and is seeking better health through eating and fitness.

Not dieting!

And, if I’ve learned anything, it’s to take Matthew 6:16-18 to heart.

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Although this is in a different context, I think it totally applies to how we treat weight loss and fitness today. I encourage you to study it, meditate on it, and reflect it in your life. Not trying to be a downer at all, but encouraging you to glorify God in what you are doing, without bringing the attention on yourself, like I did (even though it was seemingly quite innocent).

I learned from my mistakes.

UPDATE: 2022

A right mindset has returned, and I pray it is permanent! I can only take one day at a time, like anyone in recovery, healing by retraining my brain and habits.
As of now, I’m really focused on self-education about gut health, hormone health, and balancing blood sugar (on top of what I already know and have shared). I look forward to possibly sharing what I’m learning in the future, but for now, I am using this time for healing, learning, and relearning. Glory and honor to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, friends!

References
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and
English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway