Adding Joy in the Midst of Weight Loss

Tell me, when did life cease to become a game to you?  When was the last time you played simply for the pure joy in it?

Everyone became so serious! “Well, have you seen what’s going on in the world today? Financial ruin, natural disasters, tragedies everywhere . . .”   Sure, I have. I’ve also read the last page of the Bible and I understand that no matter what man does to me, I am under God’s Will and face eternity with Him. I anchor my life to Christ and it makes this Christian smile.

Philippians 4:11 professes, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

God will not withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11) and absolutely desires that we lead a joyful life.

What does that have to do with weight loss???  Stress adds weight, so find a way to de-stress. Find JOY!  PLAY! SMILE!  LAUGH! Joy brings contentment in all situations.

When we were kids, we played for the sheer pleasure of it. We ran, climbed trees, rode bikes, played ball . . .  I worry about this generation who sit in front of computer screens playing games and aren’t outside. Fresh air releases endorphins that uplift the spirit. Also breathing through your nose produces a short-lived gas named nitric oxide which reduces stress, creates younger-looking skin, greater memory, and even better hair. Amazing, just by breathing deeply through your nose.

How does one take strides to find joy?  First thank God for your many blessings. There’s always something to praise Him for! Then find ways to play! Make life a game even in your weight loss endeavors.

1. Remember when you were a kid and your parents placed your artwork on the refrigerator? It was your proudest accomplishment!  When did we stop rewarding ourselves for a job well done?  Get colorful stars and for every small victory, you overcome, (walking the golf course instead of riding) place a star on your graph. (College coaches place stars on their player’s helmets.)
2. Speaking of graphs, create a weight loss one. Line off graph paper with weekly dates across the top and pounds lost down the side. For every five pounds lost, reward yourself with a non-food item. Color it in solid and you’ll observe your achievements as you see it filling in.
3. Make exercise fun again. Dance, swim, play tennis, hike, or Zumba. Create active games with your children, like making snow forts and snowmen, piling leaves, and playing catch.
4. Talk yourself into success by creating mind-games.  For example, I really wasn’t excited about exercising the other morning. Okay, I told myself, I’ll simply have a shorter exercise period this morning. I worked out for five minutes and thought, Okay, I can continue a few minutes longer – by the time we finished I had exercised through my normal routine. It felt so good to conquer my reluctance.
5. Take a photo of yourself as you are right now, today. Put it aside and don’t look at it again until a month from now.  Chances are when you see it again, you’ll notice your face is thinner and you’re achieving a more defined waistline. Put it away for another month and reward yourself with a non-food item: DVD, nail polish, cologne, pocketbook . . . reward success!
6. Find something tangible like a belt and mark off the inside as you see it decrease in size. You’ve won again – you get another non-food prize.

Life on earth is a series of actions/reactions until we reach our final destination. You only have one earthly life; is it your healhiest life? Make It Victorious!

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”  (1 Corinthians 9:27)

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