Category: Fitness

In times of FAILURE get back in the saddle again!

Get back in the saddle toward your success!
In times of failure whether spiritual or weight loss or nutrition. Don’t focus on the failure.

Imagine for a moment that you are riding a horse…I know you may not yet have had the pleasure like I have, but you’ve likely seen plenty of folks on TV or online to at least get the idea.

Ok…so you’re galloping along (which is faster than trotting, but not a full out run and your enjoying the scenery.  The sun is shining and your surroundings are beautiful.  All you hear is the rhythmic sounds of your horse’s feet hitting the ground and the snort from your horse breathing.

All of a sudden you hit a tree branch and are knocked to the ground flat on your face.

Ouch!

Your horse being an awesome, owner-loving-horse (nothing like my last horse Malika) stops just a few dozen feet ahead of you and does what horses do…immediately starts grazing on some grass next to the trail.

I share this somewhat painful imagery to hammer home a point of getting back in the saddle.

So, what should I do if I’ve cheated on my weight loss nutrition plan, or I’ve missed my workout three days in a row, or I binged on Chocolate Cake & Ice Cream last night…whatever the personal “failure” it doesn’t matter.

So, in a sense you’ve lost some momentum somewhat like you just did on your imaginary horse. So, what?

The good news is that its’ only been a little while since you were riding the horse off into the fat loss sunset, before you decided to gracefully (on your own accord) dismount and take a break. again…Ouch!

In our Christian Fatloss Program (not yet released as of the time I’m posting this) I designed some breaks from the diet & exercise on purpose.  It’s helpful by design. It allows your body & mind a reset the system of sorts and help break up any thoughts of monotony.

So, partner, its time to saddle up and start back down the trail to your Spiritual & Physical Recovery.  Dust yourself off (get rid of any bad foods you’ve might of indulged in during your free/cheat days) pick yourself up (get ready to exercise & eat clean again) and mount up.

Some of my victories along my journey to lose weight
Celebrate your accomplishments on your fat loss journey

It’s much easier mounting this horse this time, than it was when you started, isn’t it? You’ve likely made some gains and had some small victories.  Allow yourself to celebrate them. You are a Victory In Progress.

Your new title: V.I.P.

Doesn’t that feel great?

Celebrate now…take a quick look down the road from where you came from and turn back down the road to a healthier happier You!

 

So, what changes have you made in your life so far that you can celebrate? Any diet or exercise changes? drop any pounds (or stones for my UK friends) that we can celebrate with you?  Please share in the comments below…

When ahead in the race…don’t coast to the finish line!

Run the race on your journey with the Lord in such a way as to WIN!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV
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Imagine for a moment you’ve decided to run a race. A real foot race.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s a mile, a 5k, 10k or even a marathon.

You have a close friend of yours that you’ve made a friendly bet with of whoever gets the best time will take the other out to dinner afterwards. You are both at the same level of fitness and you both have an equal chance of winning.

You give it your all and about 80% of the distance to the finish you find yourself so far ahead that, there’s no way that your partner in crime can catch up.

So, you find yourself in this mental game we often get into with ourselves.  Should I ease up and take it easy…you know…coast in to the finish line in style?

You could do so easily, without chancing the loss to your friend.

Taking out the compassion for your friend argument out…you know, slowing down and letting them catch up (which I would fully endorse from a philosophical standpoint), you promised God you’d do your best and accept whatever the outcome.  So, if you ease up and coast in are you fulfilling your promise to him?

What about to yourself? Would you be letting yourself down by not staying the course and giving it your all?  You’d still win, wouldn’t you?

I’d like to make the point that once we commit to the race, whether its the race Paul talks about on our spiritual journey and service to Jesus or whether it’s your weight loss program that you should always give it your best…your very best.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

That way you’ll finish knowing you didn’t let yourself down, you did “everything unto the Lord and not to men”, and finally you wouldn’t be letting your friend down either.  Don’t you think they’d be upset if you told them you pulled back and coasted all the way in?

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

Whatever you have on your plate for today.  Give it your best effort…your very best.  Some days your level of best will vary and that’s okay.  Just give it the best you can today. You’ll be glad you did and make God proud in doing so.

let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1b ESV

Be blessed today as you honor God with your spiritual & physical life.

 

Excerpt from Christian Fatloss Program sharing my fat loss journey with members of the private weight loss program for Christians.

 

My Journey Alongside Yours: Today I weighed in at 211 lbs.  Achieving my 5% goal for this cycle of 211.375 (or less).  If you compare last Friday (1 week ago exactly) to today I have lost 2 lbs this week which is par for the course.  It was another one of those weeks where my weight jumped up a bit from my lowest 212.5 of last week and it appeared that I might be lucky to hit 212.5 this week.

Yesterday I did hit 212lbs for my official weigh in for week 4 of 5 for this cycle, appearing to only lost .5 lbs.  God is good though and if you stick to the plan the weight loss will come.

In hindsight I was sore for quite  a bit of the week from my softball game last Friday and had my back slightly out (probably from picking up my 3 year old).  The inflammation as I’ve pointed out numerous times in the weeks prior was having me carry around all that extra water.

So, do I sit back and coast knowing I achieved my goal?

No way. I’ll stick to the plan and the fact I play Softball again tonight will likely set me up for a bit of swelling for next week.  I can only hope an pray that I hit 211lbs or lower next Wednesday on my final weigh in for this cycle.

Who’s your judge? God of course. And mostly you are accountable to him and yourself.  Give this week the honest effort you deserve.  “Do everything unto the Lord and not to men”, remember?

4 days to go until the 2 day break and the end of this cycle.  After the break we’ll jump back into to 5 days of grace and then start the next cycle.

Let’s do this! Make him proud…make yourself proud.

What do you think of this post? have you been guilty of coasting through life at times? Share some instances or challenges you faced? Share your victories in the comments below.