My Biggest Mistake

A plan for food...a plan for exercise... it was all set. And, I was ready to go. Or so I thought.

While talking to a friend who struggles in similar ways this week, God reminded me of the biggest mistake I made in those first few months. I underestimated the amount of calories I took in daily and overestimated the amount of calories I was expending through exercise. For example, I would estimate that I had eaten 2000 calories when it was more like 3500. And, surely that walk for thirty minutes at a slow pace burned up 1000 calories...right?

When I learned that for every 3500 calorie deficit I incurred, I would lose a pound, I became keenly aware of my NEED to see the truth. I desperately needed to watch the amount of food I ate and what I ate. I wanted to know exactly how many calories I was using up in exercise.

Don’t you just know it...there’s an app for that! I’m sure there are hundreds of apps as well as websites that will do just that for you. I personally use Livestrong’s My Plate and the Nike+ app. But, a good old fashioned journal works just as well...JT and I are logging all of our food for the next week for our Crossfit group, and it has made us very mindful again of exactly what we are eating.

The basic idea is this...SEEING THE TRUTH. It is NOT easy at all...to really look at how many calories you are taking in and to see how many calories are going out. But, facing the truth is the first step in the process!

I challenge you to fully look at what you are eating and what you are doing exercise-wise. Is what you are doing helping you to reach your goal of honoring Christ with your body? Are you drawing close to Him? Would you choose Him over chocolate cake today? If what you are doing is not working, why not? Have you started with the truth FIRST?

Lay this challenge at His feet and see what He wants you to do with it. I hope you will join me in facing the TRUTH!