For years I have battled with my weight and many diets. The funny thing is I know exactly how to lose weight and always have. It is all about what you are putting in your body. Broken down real easy – calories in have to be less than calories burned. I am also watching fat and carbs. I have not cut them completely out of my diet but reduced the amount I eat. But I have known all of this since I was in high school. So why has this been so hard for me? And I am sure I am not the only one. It is the mental battle where I struggle.

I watched Dr. Phil years ago and he said that the biggest issue to loose wright is the battle going on in our own heads. This was very true in my case. I know how to eat right, I know how to exercise. With all of my time with trainers over the years, I could probably become one myself.

5 years ago when I turned my life over to God, I started working with a life coach. There was a lot of heart ache, hurts and bitterness that I needed to finally let go. Forgiveness of others that have hurt me was key. All that bitterness and unforgiving was like a cancer in my body, holding me back from true peace in my life and in my mind. It has been a long but very beneficial process. Through the process I have learned how, with just a willingness to forgive and turning it over to God, will allow Him to completely change my heart and give me such peace and joy.

Even after letting go of all of that I was still struggling and could not figure out why. I would eat right for 2 week and then have a bad day and give in and then I would totally be “off my diet.” I went to a nutritionist back in February to figure out what I was doing wrong. He looked at my food journal of what I was eating and told me it was great and that he wouldn’t change a thing. But the one thing he pointed out to me was life changing. Every time I ate something that was not a part of my acceptable foods, I would have such guilt and shame that I would completely throw all of the good work I had done away. I would beat myself up and make myself feel bad for giving into a temptation. And then I would self-sabotage and continue to eat bad stuff … always telling myself I would start over on Monday. That was always my diet starting day. When-ever I messed up, which mostly happened on the weekends, I would just enjoy the rest of the weekend and start over on Monday. Which did not get me far. The nutritionist told me that no “diet” is perfect and that no person is perfect and I needed to give myself some grace. Wow, was that really the key to my weight loss? Yes! Even though the nutritionist didn’t help me at all with my food, the visit was priceless.

I hope this little bit of information that I have learned through this process helps you as much as it has helped me. I have learned that it is okay to indulge in moderation. Once a week I will have one meal that is still healthy but is over my normal calorie amount. It has worked for me and I hope it works for you.

Letting go of the guilt I had when I would eat something that was not a part of my food plan was instrumental in my success in weight loss. I still struggle with guilt and anytime I start to have shame I just think that guilt and shame are definitely not of the Lord and his grace is definitely more than enough so I should also give myself grace.

“Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7