I Hate Exercise!

I hate exercise.

 I seriously hate to exercise…until I start exercising. Then I feel great! Did I just describe you?  I have female clients who can hit the gym [with gusto] for 2 hours at a time. Other women I work with are yoga instructors, [not just plain yoga, but the 90 minute, intense hot yoga!] or runners. Then of course there are the women who come to see me because they just can’t get a handle on their cravings. Some cannot will themselves to go for a walk or drink 60 oz. of water a day.  Can I tell you the difference between those two groups of women? Not much.

Honestly.

 Both groups have self-esteem issues and insecurities they struggle with. Yes, even the women who have 18% body fat and wear a size 2. Want to know why? This is a secret I have learned from hours in the office listening to women pour their hearts out, plus through my own struggle with acceptance and confidence.

We have all allowed the wrong messages take root in our being.

You’re only pretty when you’re thin

You’re too big to be sexy

If you have arm flab you look old

Buns of steel are healthier

If you can’t lose weight you’re a failure!

You’re lazy if you're not active like the other girls your age

I’m sure you can fill in a lot more of those wrong messages from the recesses of your memory.  Where did these come from and how in the world did they get stuck in our head?

Well, some of them came from a parent [are you happy with your weight? Remember that one?]. Others may have come from entertainment media, weight loss programs, magazines, even friends or God forbid a spouse!

How did they get stuck in our head?

They struck us at that moment when our eyes were on the water and not on Jesus.

Remember Peter when he was going to join Jesus walking on the water? As long as he has his eyes fixed on Jesus he did just fine—walking tall across that water, full of confidence. But when he looked around at the storm he became insecure and afraid. What happened? He started to sink.

We do that.

Oh, our confidence is strong and we are finding our beauty in the acceptance of our Savior but then we start to look around at the other women. Maybe our friend grabs a size 2 when we are struggling into a 10. Our sister brags about her latest weight loss and we just want to hide and eat a bag of Oreos. We start to sink.  We can’t hear the Spirit’s voice whispering His approval and acceptance. We just hear the dressing room attendant’s recommendation that we try on a bigger size.

How can we get unstuck?

Remember what Peter did?  He cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!”

My favorite part of that story is in verse 31 [Matthew 14]. It says, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him…”

Can I hear an Amen? Yes and Amen!

Developing a healthy body takes discipline. Not just discipline to exercise and eat right but discipline to constantly keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember, when you start to sink it’s because you’ve taken your eyes off Him. Cry out and immediately He will catch you!

 

 I bless you my friend with knowing at the very core of your essence that you are a beautiful branch of the TRUE VINE. You are blessed because of the word He has spoken to you. You are blessed with abiding in Him as He abides in you. With Him all things are possible and when you abide in Him the Father is glorified. [John 15:1-6]