Milestones and Convictions

MILESTONES: One of the great things about rapid weight-loss and shocking your body suddenly eating right is that you reach milestones quickly.  I want you to celebrate some of them with me.

• I can do push-ups!  In 2011 I was doing push-ups on the wall and they were tough!
• I did 10 sit-ups with a 6 pound ball!!!!!  This milestone almost made me cry.  On Tuesday I asked Laurie when I'd be able to do a sit-up as I was struggling to keep up with the others and couldn't even imagine doing a sit-up.  Just two days later I did sit-ups.  The momentum of the 6 pound ball helped, but 2 days ago I had a 6 pound ball and couldn't do it!  I'll also say that this was the 44th out of 45th exercise of the night!!!!!!
• I did suicide drills without stopping down and back almost the entire length of Laurie's driveway.
• A major milestone has been realizing just how strong I am.  I'm doing all these exercises carrying around 300 pounds.  God's going to allow me to do awesome things when I'm carrying way less than 300 pounds!!

CONVICTIONS: Even though I've surrendered my weight-loss to God, it's easy to slip back into the 'I' mode of it.  I found myself 3 times since Saturday thinking negative thoughts about not being able to do it or thinking 'wow, look at ME' thoughts.  I checked myself each time and remind myself that it's not about me, it's all about God.  As cliche as it sounds, I have found myself literally shouting, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" to get through a workout set.  I did that tonight while doing wall squats and I was able to make it the entire time (with lots of moaning and grunting, of course)!  Yes, it's a cliche phrase, but think about how true it is.  God gave me my body and the strength I have to move comes only from Him.  


My biggest conviction came from some discouragement this week.  I keep stepping on the scale over and over wondering how much I had lost.  I became discouraged when I realized I hadn't dropped very much.  I was eating between 1200 and 1500 calories.  I never once put anything in my mouth that wasn't on the meal plan.  I was doing extra workouts...12 workouts in a week rather than just 10.  Then all of a sudden it was as if God slapped me in the face only it was that still small voice in my gut that I knew was Him.  He said, "Get off that scale and don't get back on!!".  Yes, Lord!!  So, as of this morning I will not be weighing myself until I step on the scale at Northwood on Sunday morning.  This journey is not all mine, it's the Lord's.  If I lose 2 or 3 pounds, great; if I lose 7 or 8 pounds, great.  Whatever I lose is from Him and of His will.  What could be more perfect than that?