This is the day (and life) that the Lord has made….for YOU.
Don’t waste it watching and comparing what others are doing. It’s OK to not be plugged in all the time, to not know what everybody else is up to. I know it’s so easy to get sucked into, but you won’t miss anything huge or important, I promise!
I want to encourage you today to spend a little more time in your own life. It will be SO worth it! Let your mind wander. Let yourself breathe and relax a little. Focus on you….better yet, focus on Christ and what He has done for you! Let that determine how you want to be (and what you do) today.
“Therefore, my beloved…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” ~Philippians 2:12-16
I see so many things about how I must “believe in myself”, but wow, if it’s all up to me, that is SO. Much. Pressure. So I don’t. 🙂
I believe in the strength, sovereignty, and grace of God.
I’m not saying we just get to sit back and wait. We are absolutely called to act and take risks and to do it without fear BECAUSE we believe in something much bigger than ourselves! Because we can trust the outcome to the One who knows what’s best for us and promises to do just that.
I know that’s hard to do, but think about it for a second….if you had gotten everything you wanted at 16 or 21, would that really have been what was best for you? No way! But God…. he sees the whole picture. Not only does he want what’s best for you, he KNOWS what’s best for you. So he says, trust in me and I will act.
Tim Keller says “never ever think that God’s not working, no matter how much it seems like he is absent. And at the same time, never think you’re going to be able to figure out what He’s up (at least, for a very long time). God’s guidance is not something He gives, but more something He does. If you’re frantically searching for it, know that you’re already in it! We are standing in the current and it is moving us along.”
God has got you. So be motivated to go out and live fearlessly! Do your best and leave the rest to Him.
Forget “believe in yourself”. Believe in God instead. 🙂
When I first became a trainer, I really thought that if I could just get people to try working out for a couple of weeks they would be hooked just like I was. Needless to say, I was shocked to find that this was not the case. I still remember the first time a client said to me, “I just don’t get that high. I don’t feel amazing at the end of a workout. I don’t notice all these benefits you guys talk about.”…….
Anyways, if you’re reading this and know exactly what this client is talking about, then this post is for you. Having been in the business a bit longer, here are the most likely reasons I’ve found for why you haven’t fallen in love with it….YET 😉 ……
1)Your workouts are too intense
There’s a good possibility you’re starting too hard or pushing yourself too hard if….
you never feel good or more energized at the end of a workout
you’re always sore
you go back and forth between feeling really strong and awesome in a workout to feeling really lame and weak the next workout
You don’t need to run yourself into the ground to benefit from working out. In fact, you likely won’t if you’re doing too much. Most people only need 2-3 hard workouts in a week. THAT’S IT. I’m not saying you can’t workout more than that, but the other workouts should be less intense. Dare I say, easy to moderate. 🙂
2) You’re not getting enough rest
Being able to balance stress with rest is a critical step towards fat loss and overall health. While working out can be a mental stress reliever, it is also a physical stressor that your body still needs to recover from.
Two of the best ways to balance out stress is by getting adequate quality sleep and restorative movement like walking or yoga, etc.
3) You’re not eating enough to fuel your body
You need to be giving your body enough fuel to actually make it through the workout. If you’re too low in calories, proteins, or carbohydrates, this can cause lethargy, weakness, low energy, and an inability to properly recover. All of which will lead to not feeling so good at the end of the workout and not feeling the benefits of exercise.
4) You’re doing something you don’t enjoy
You had to know this one would be in here! 😀
Life is too short (and consistency is too important) to force yourself to do something you hate, especially when there are so many other options.
Yes, there are certain types of exercise that can probably help you achieve certain goals faster. However, ANY movement is great for your body!!
Before the age of technology, nobody “worked out”. Yet people were generally pretty healthy and there was no such thing as an obesity problem (much less an epidemic). How is this possible?? People simply moved more….a lot more. When you are up and moving, it’s also a lot harder to eat at the same time!
Anyways, the point is that if you’re looking to be healthier and feel better and you know you need to move more, forget what you think you should be doing and just do something (anything!!) you enjoy and do it daily. Most importantly…. Just move.
5) Your mindset
Instead of focusing on how hard it’s gonna be or how much you don’t want to be there, write out all the benefits you get from working out. Instead of focusing solely on the changes you want in your body, list of all the other reasons you’re working out.
Read through it before going into a workout. Focus on them when it gets tough. Remind yourself what a gift it is to be able to move and of all the things that it allows you to do.
Just like we have to maintain our homes and cars so that they don’t fall apart on us, our bodies require the same thing. The cool thing is, unlike the house or car, we get to maintain our body through fun things like playing or exploring or dancing or lifting (that’s right, some of us actually find that kinda fun. 😉 ). God made it in such a way that movement actually gives back to us on so many different levels.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be crossfit or biggest loser. It doesn’t even have to look like exercise!! Just be kind to your body. Show it a little bit of respect and gratitude by making it a priority and putting in a little daily effort. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for all that it does for you.
Which one of these most applies to you? What’s one thing you can do this week to change that?
https://bethburnsfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/63d78b9948491186a30ae541c3db54c6.jpg500524Beth Burnshttps://bethburnsfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Beth-logo-NEW2.pngBeth Burns2015-10-14 13:54:562015-10-14 14:06:315 Reasons You're Not Enjoying the Benefits of Working Out
What is your hope in and how does this affect motivation?
I dunno about you guys, but I lived a large part of my life being paralyzed by fear. What I finally realized was that this fear came from placing way too much of my hope and my identity in the outcome.
So if the outcome was good, I was worthy and acceptable. But if the outcome didn’t turn out the way I wanted, I was a worthless failure who sucked at everything.
With such high stakes as that, the outcome had the ability to crush me. I think this is the case for many of us. Therefore, we end up just staying in our comfort zone or doing things for the wrong reasons (like for the approval of others or even our own self acceptance).
HOWEVER, if Jesus is your hope, if you believe that your identity lies in him, if you seek the approval of God and not men, then you are motivated by freedom….
Freedom to act without fear of the outcome because you know that whatever the outcome it is for your good.
Freedom to enjoy the process because you know that Jesus is working in you through the process and his timing is perfect.
Freedom to not worry because you believe that He will give you enough grace to get done what needs to get done.
Freedom from an identity in anything that is as temporary as beauty or wealth or approval of others.
Pray this with me today friends….
Lord, as we begin another week, may our hope and our identity be in you alone. For we know that without you, we can do nothing. You have given us a spirit of love, power, and self discipline. We ask you for the grace to throw off every hinderance and be the people you want us to be today. May we trust you, and believe your promises, so fully that it leads us to act unhindered and without fear of the future, then be at peace with whatever the outcome. May our choices reflect our hope in you and not our fears. You are the great helper and healer. Thank you for another day to live for you. Amen.
How does this apply to your life? And specifically your health journey? What is hindering you? What are you placing too much hope or identity in?
Ever find yourself searching through the pantry for something to munch on when you’re not even hungry?
How about at a party, throwing back food while thinking, “Why am I still eating?!”
Anyone struggle with eating at night? Even after a nice satisfying dinner??
I’m always surprised by how often I catch myself wanting to eat when hunger is nowhere to be found. From my own experience and talking with friends and clients, I don’t think this is an uncommon problem, but it is a problem.
So I’ve come up with this SWEET method, which is a 5 step process to taking control back and learning how to combat emotional eating. I call it the SWEET method 🙂 and here it is….
Stop – set the utensil or food down, walk away from the pantry, whatever it is that you’re doing, stop. Wait – give yourself a wait time 15 minutes before you eat anything else. Exhale – just breathe…. and remember that it’s just food and it’s not going anywhere Examine – why are you eating? Treat – treat yo self….by treating the real issue
When we are in the moment, whether we are already eating or we’re just feeling the craving, it can be really hard to just stop. So the first 2 steps are really just about taking a moment to slow down and giving yourself some time away so that you can think clearly. What I want to focus on is the last 3 steps.
EXHALE.
Let’s just be honest, it’s really not about the food, right? It’s not. How do I know this? Because 99% of the time, the struggle is with food that is often sub-par and always readily available at the drop of a hat. Yet it’s been placed up on a pedestal so high that we’ve begun to believe the lie that food is so powerful that it has some sort of control over us!
It’s just food.
This is the time to take a deep breath and remind yourself of this truth. Take it to God, lay it down and ask him for help.
EXAMINE.
This is the big question right? WHY AM I EATING? If you want to improve your relationship with food, I think this is an important question that needs to be answered. Then, even if you decide you are going to indulge because it’s a special day and you’d like to enjoy a little cake with everybody else, at least you are making a conscious decision. All too often, I think we’d prefer not to think about it at all. So instead we get stuck in this cycle of mindless eating, then beating ourselves up for it.
Take the time to dig a little deeper and start gaining awareness of why you’re doing what you’re doing. If it’s not about the food, then what’s it about??
Here are some possibilities…
Relaxation: maybe eating is relaxing or it allows you to take your mind off of all the stresses of the day and therefore, relax
Comfort: for a short time, food can definitely feel therapeutic and comforting
Procrastination: anyone else ever find themselves procrastinating by eating? No? Just me then, I guess. 😀
Boredom: eating is an easy and enjoyable distraction
Cravings
Reward: food is often a means of celebration or reward
TREAT the real issue.
When we know the real issue, then we can treat it. Each time we treat the real issue, we feel a whole lot better both mentally and physically and food loses a little bit of power over us.
“The secret to change is to focus your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” ~ Socrates
Instead of just trying to fight the urge to eat, replace it with something else. Take some time to build a list of solutions that you enjoy. For example:
Relaxation: bath, nap/bed, walk, journal, read
Comfort: talk to a friend, pray, meditate
Procrastination: Just get it done! You know you’ll eventually have to do it, so you may as well just do it now. You know you’ll feel better once you do!
Boredom: (some of you are like, I wish!! 😉 ) read, puzzle, walk, dog training, insert your hobbies
Cravings: two of the most common triggers for cravings are stress (too much exercise or deprivation, not getting enough sleep, or not managing stress well) or habit (craving something sweet just because your body is used to it)
For stress, identify what the cause is then go from there
For habit, both mint or cocoa are really helpful for easing cravings
Mint: gum, tea, or brush your teeth
Cocoa: a few squares of dark chocolate, these protein balls, or hot cocoa (1-2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder to hot water or milk, sweeten with stevia or xylitol to taste)
Reward – this is a big one…it’s all about the mindset
Prayer: as a believer, I believe this is the #1 way to combat emotional eating. At the heart of emotional eating is turning to food for things that only God can truly help you with friend. Don’t ever overlook this. He is here. He wants to help you.
Change your perspective: A lot of us feel like we deserve a reward for choosing to exercise or eat healthy because it’s hard, but I’d argue that it’s even harder to be unhealthy. A shift in perspective would be that health is a reward and leads to many other rewards as well.
Instead of pinning or putting up pictures of hot bodies, find deeper, more meaningful inspiration for being fit and healthy
Practicing gratitude:
“What does gratitude have to do with finding peace with cookies? A lot!When we think about what we are grateful for, and survey all the luxuries we have, it helps combat the feeling that we are being deprived, or living a life that is lacking in some way because we choose to pass on some treats.
The more we focus on what we don’t have, the more we feel lacking, wanting, craving.
As it pertains to this habit, there is certainly room to view it from opposing perspectives. We encourage thinking about it as choosing your favorite treats, savoring them and enjoying the experience. (Not limiting, withholding, or focusing on what you are not eating). Focus on the abundance you have and not what you lack.” ~Georgie Fear
So there it is: Stop, Wait, Exhale, Examine, Treat the issue….pretty sweet, right? 😀
The fact is that sweets are not going anywhere. We can not just avoid food or cut it out of our lives entirely. Therefore, we must learn how to live with it. Hopefully, we can do ourselves one better and learn how to keep it in it’s proper place & enjoy it in the way God intended.
https://bethburnsfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/portion-size-control-loose-weight.jpg400600Beth Burnshttps://bethburnsfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Beth-logo-NEW2.pngBeth Burns2015-10-06 17:32:422016-03-10 00:56:07Why we eat when we're not hungry (and what to do about it)
Don’t let it become another burden that you have to fit into your schedule somewhere. Don’t let it become something just to balance out whatever you ate this weekend. Don’t let it become punishment for not having the perfect body shape or size.
You get to thank your body for all it does for you by giving back to it in this small way. And when you give, it gives back to you 100 times over! 😀
What a blessing to have such an ability and freedom as being able to move and exercise! It is a blessing that not everybody has. Don’t take it for granted.
