I have to get in good physical shape, but I can't do it

[Infinite777]

I just can't! It's very frusterating being 18 and being 220 lbs, when I should be around 170 or 180. It's been like this for almost a decade. And I am constantly aware of the fact that God wants me to get in shape. I also know that I want to get in shape. For those who aren't overweight or obese, it's hard to fully understand, but it literally dampens every single experience you ever have. Even if you're having the best time of your life, there is always that thought in the back of your head about how much more enjoyable it would be if you weren't lugging around dozens of extra pounds of blubbery lard. You learn to live with it and sort of accept it, but that's not how I want to spend the rest of my life. In fact, I'd much rather die tonight than live another 80 years overweight.

The sad truth is I've tried, and I've tried, and I've TRIED. Yet I always fail, and I don't know why. I'm not doing it for selfish reasons. I want to be a good steward, glorify God, and be physically able to accomplish all He would have me do in this life. Every time I attempt it, I always involve God, trying to do it for Him out of love and obedience. I pray, I earnestly ask for willpower and guidance and endurance. I try to be diligent. But I always fail. During the month of April this year I went to the gym 22 times and ate very sensibly, but there wasn't noticable change at the end of the month. I know it takes longer than that to see true results, but it's indescribably frusterating to spend that much effort on one of your main goals in life to see barely any progress. I think I lost about seven pounds over that month. I know I also gained some pounds in muscle, and I know that if I would have kept doing it I WOULD be in shape right now. But I stopped. And I promised myself that I would devote this summer primarily to getting in shape. But I haven't.

I'm lost, I don't know what to do. In fact, I joined this forum about a year ago, and made a thread about this same topic. I've grown so much in my walk with God over the past year, and feel closer to Him than ever, but there has not only been lack of progress, but actual regression in this area. I'm more overweight now than I was a year ago, by about 5 pounds.

I say I'd do anything to get in shape, but I obviously don't mean that or else I'd do something. I just don't understand how I'm not able to do anything right and stick with it, and I don't understand why, despite countless earnest prayers and attempts to fully depend on God, why He hasn't brought me through this yet.

I don't know what can be said here by you guys that I haven't heard before, but maybe something will change in me this time. I know God, I love God, I'm becoming extremely knowledgable about God, and I'm feeling Christ's transforming power in literally all other areas of my life. But I'm stuck here, in the area I most want and need help. It's discouraging and often times depressing.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go order a pizza even though I'm only mildly hungry and could opt for a healthy yogurt from my fridge. After the guilt from consuming it sets in, I'll head back here to check some responses. The sad part is, I'm not joking :/

 

[drich0150]

Sometimes we are placed thru trials to learn to lean on God. At other times hardship befalls us so as we can have an opportunity to learn to say that God's grace is sufficient. Paul had the same kind of Thorn in the Flesh. It may not have any thing to do with weight, but he felt as you did when he asked God to take away this thorn 3 times. You got to remember how frustrating that had to have been for a man like Paul. Being to heal so many other people, but wasn't allowed to use his gift to help himself.

Why didn't God allow this? As Paul said, May things were shown to him and this thorn was to keep him humble.
So because of this people knew it wasn't Paul strength or power it was God...
Paul did have the ablity to help himself, and thru Paul's weakness God's Strength, His Glory is made perfect thru our short comings.

This Thorn you endure may not be forever, but on the other hand it may. I think the important thing here is to learn to look at your lot in life as a blessing and thank God for what you do have! You could be on the other end and be starving. I'm sure thru the history of the world billions have meet there end that way.

Generally speaking, when we come to terms with our lot or trial it is only then do we graduate, and get to move on to the next one.

 

[Infinite777]

The only thing though is that I'm in sin. Gluttony is most definately a sin, as is not being a good steward of the body. If it was a chronic illness or something that was beyond my power, I would understand. But it isn't Biblical to be complacent with where you are if you are in sin. I do often times feel though that it's a trial, and I rarely feel as if I'm sinning. That might even be part of the problem. American Christians are the most overweight group, from some studies I've been reading. It's just a poor witness since we aren't living out good stuardship.

 

[drich0150]

Gluttony is most definately a sin

I'm just curious. Can you or anyone else point to chapter and verse where it says: "Gluttony is a sin" or a "Thou shalt not be gluttonous?"
And IF you can, where does scripture draw the line between starved, Normal, Husky? and Gluttonous.

Now if one can be Overweight can one be Underweight? Would that be a sin? is there scripture to back this up? And given the potential of the human body to build muscle mass, then wouldn't it be a sin not to be a sculpted body builder? If there is no direct scripture to back up anything else.. Then who to say? Who to say that all skinny people aren't poor Stuarts of there bodies too? They are not living up to the human bodies full potential.

If I were a betting man I'd give 10 to 1 odds that the trial your enduring here has little to do with food, and maybe alittle more to do with "Tradition based Christianity." Or like maybe like so many times before I'm wrong, and all of your troubles hinge on the surface issue of you loosing a few pounds. Either way it will be up to you and God to resolve this issue.. If that's what all of this is, and not a method of keeping one humble. Sin or thorn it's getting the Job done.

 

[Infinite777]

"17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

From Phillipians 3

Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 23:2-3 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

I'm not disagreeing that there are different body types. I know that if I were in good shape, I'd still be larger than other people in good shape. I just have a bigger build, and I'm fine with that. But it shouldn't be excessive fat.

I think the problem with gluttony is that it's a source of comfort that tries to fill the void in our souls. Instead of God we use food. I know the majority of my problem is from "Comfort eating" or just eating when I'm bored. For example, the pizza I had a couple hours ago. I ate it because I was feeling down about being overweight, and since I'm already overweight, one more pizza won't do much, so I'll eat it to get my mind off of my current problem. That's how my mind works, and that's sinful. I know I'm not living a healthy lifestyle, and that's a problem.

I'm sure though that God is working good through this. But I can very clearly feel Him calling me to work on this area in my life. It's not some vague thing I'm just inferring from Bible verses, it's an actual conscience issue. Maybe in God's providential timing and appointments I was meant to post this here

 

[dodolah]

everybody has given you a wonderful biblical advice.
What you are doing is called "emotional" binging.
When you are depressed, you eat to bring about some kind of euphoric state (high state).
Find a way to connect that desire to God. When you are depressed, you lean to God for a relief, not food.

There is a better way for this. and, I am not saying that it's easy.
I think you have the correct desire; but, you lack the determination to keep up with it.
You want instant gratification. Becoming overweight/ obese does not take overnight, but many2 months. And, you should realize that going back into healthy body will not take overnight either.

Find a support group. Ask somebody to become your partner that will check on you and (perhaps) exercise together with you.
It's very easy to get distracted when you are alone.

Boy, is it gonna be a hard thing to do.. but, trust me, it is worth it in the end.
Look forward to the final result.. not in between..

 

[Wrexscar]

I admit I've only skimmed over your post, but I have to take issue with your thread title.


You can do it. I was 35 yrs old, 240lbs. It takes years to lose that sort of weight sensibly it took me over 2 years. You have spent years being out of condition. It took me almost a whole year to get healthy enough for me to start to jog. Your cardivascular system wont be up to serious workout yet. Your joints also are unlikly to take impact if they are anything like mine where.
It will not take a summer it will take a whole lifestyle change, and if you slip back into unhealthy eating you will gain weight far quicker than you lose it. You metabolism is geared to storing fat not losing it.

However take heart. Firstly I'm down to 180lbs. So it can be done.
Secondly you are a child of God look for your comfort with him not your food.
I don't know who you see looking back at you from your mirror in the morning, but I doubt you see Gods child whom he loves.
Also the place to start a diet is when shopping for food if only buy healthy food you haven't got the unhealthy stuff in your house to feed on.

You can do all things in Christ. But it still has to be you who does them.

 

[heron]

If I were a betting man I'd give 10 to 1 odds that the trial your enduring here has little to do with food, and maybe a little more to do with "Tradition based Christianity.

I agree. People who have eating disorders toward thinness have the same problem -- it is so often more about anxieties and needing more control in their lives. Other people get these emotional problems too, but it comes out in less visible ways. Society criticizes some more than others.

There has been research on oxygen, and also on stress. You've probably seen the cortisone pills on the market -- these are based on the observation that the stressed mind causes the body to release hormones that trigger the storing of fat.

Think about caveman days, where food might be scarce. It could be weeks before a person finds a food source. Anxiety over lack of food would trigger the cortisol release, which saves as much of the food energy it can and puts it into storehouses in the body. This body defense was a good thing, but if a person is continually stressed, it gets out of hand.

Cortisol reduces protein synthesis, facilitates protein turning to glucose, and stifles tissue growth (so energy goes toward survival instead of growth) Having less caffeine reduces your stress, and having more vitamin C reduces cortisol release. Making yourself relax is important, so look at your emotions during the day -- do you get wired with video games, irritated with people, depressed over your goals or home situation... keeping a positive mindset can help your health.

Another group of studies is around oxygen. When we are stressed, we tend to hold our breath more often. Being stressed over weight can cause a person to take in less oxygen, that would fuel the burning of calories.

There was a Hollywood weight loss plan out years ago, where people suggested breathing deeper, and all sorts of people found they lost weight when they remembered to breathe! (But they couldn't continue to make money once the information was out... nothing to sell but information.)

Watch yourself at the computer sometime -- see if you are taking breaths. Sometimes I find myself going four or five seconds between breaths! Exercise drives this up, because you'd have to take a breath when you're running or working hard. I even notice that singing helps.

But if you know your problem is more about eating, try to be aware of what sugar does in you. Sugar and simple carbohydrates digest fast, giving a spurt of energy and then a drop in blood sugar.

Eating things like pasta, white bread and white rice can actually make you hungrier after you eat them that you were before. They can feel like eating nothing. Some people are more sensitive to this than others. This is the age of ramen noodles -- while they're simple and cheap, they're also loaded with msg that makes you hungrier (for another post), and higher in carbs than proteins.

Certain fruits throw off blood sugar balance too, like bananas. I find that berries don't throw my blood sugar off balance, and melons and grapes aren't too bad, but some others can really throw the blood sugar off balance.

Dense foods like peanut butter keep the body feeling satisfied longer.​

 

[drich0150]

The bible does mention Gluttony a few times, but in Philippians 3 Paul is speaking of living up to what we have already obtained thru our Christianity. He does this by showing the sharp contrast of the Legalists demand of physical circumcision in the first part of the chapter, then He shows the starch opposite behavior of the Libertines by saying:

"17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

By knowing the two Extremes of faith (or lack of) he was counting on the Church of the Philippians to strike a balance, and "Obtain what they already had." In no way was he condemning to hell all those with circumcision, or those who were over weight. And again if this was a condemnation of those who were over weight where are the parameters? Who qualifies as fat?


In Proverbs The sayings, knowledge and wisdom there is great. But these Idioms are not to be interrupted as law. There more like wise sayings like: An apple a day keeps the Doctor away, A penny saved is a penny earned, The early bird catches the worm. Would you consider it a sin of you didn't eat an apple a day? This is a good healthy practice. Would this even make you a bad steward of your body?

23:1When you take your seat at the feast with a ruler, give thought with care to what is before you; 2And put a knife to your throat, if you have a strong desire for food. 3Have no desire for his delicate food, for it is the bread of deceit.

In this instance Solomon is warning those who would potentially take an audience before a wealthy man or ruler. He is telling those who read this Not to wish or want anything from the rich man or his table. Because he will use anything on or off his table to get what he wants. and it's better to die than to be trapped like this.

23:20Do not be among those who give themselves to wine-drinking, or among those who make themselves full with meat: 21For those who take delight in drink and feasting will come to be in need; and through love of sleep a man will be poorly clothed.

Clearly, it shows that people who eat too much, drink too much, and sleep too much are endanger of poverty, but I don't see anywhere here or any of the other verses you mentioned, or the ones you didn't like in Titus1 or the other one in Proverbs 28, where Gluttony is a scriptural sin or even a result of poor stewardship.. I'm not saying it's right. I'm just not aware of any place except in the Oral traditions of the church where gluttony is a sin. But because you believe this and you bind this principle here on earth then it will be bound for you in heaven as well. Meaning if you think it's a sin then it is one, no matter if is scriptural or not.

Like I said earlier. this may infact be about a matter of a few extra lbs, or it could be some thing alittle deeper than all of that. Remember Question all things and hold on to what is good. 1Thess 5: 21

 

[MarkSB]

You seem pretty convinced that God wants you to change this habit of yours, and you have stated that you want to as well. The choice seems to be left to you as to how you want to do it.

You are going to find more success if you go along with dodolah's advice. Find an accountability group, and have a plan. Wieght Watchers is something I recommend, as it promotes better eating habits and a life style change. You can also eat quite a bit on wieght watcher's, it just depends on what it is your eating. And an accountability group will help motivate you and help you stay honest.

Good luck and God bless.

 

[AshenMan]

I found that it was easier to loose weight when the goal wasn't to loose weight, but to have long lasting healthy habits.

Being 220lbs and wishing you were 180lbs really puts a lot of pressure on oneself to loose the weight with only a superfical goal of appearance as motivation. The reality is 40lbs takes a while to loose, and more importantly developing the habits to stay at 180lbs permanently takes longer. Saying "I'm gonna get in shape this summer" doesn't put you in the proper mindset. People who are in shape maintain that lifestyle their entire lives. You shouldn't get discouraged. Just don't expect instant results. Focus on all the other important gains to be had, like having better cardio and hence more energy, endurance, and more confidence to do other things in life.

You're counting how many times you've been to the gym. Would you continue to count for the rest of your life? No. 7 pounds in one month is pretty phenomenal. Each pound of fat lost represents 3500 excess (above what you've eaten for the day) calories burned. For someone your weight it's about 100 calories per kilometer run, which means you were doing the equivalent of running around 9km a day, in that month. That's crazy. You should be aware that the first pounds you shead are the easiest. As you become more lean, your body isn't so willing to part with fat stores. It's normal.

Remember, the idea is to develop habits that you can actually maintain. If you can't picture yourself eating yogurt the rest of your life, then that's obviously not something you should be striving for. Eat normal meals relative to the amount of work you do in a day. If you try to diet by reducing your calories, what your body will try to do is store food into fat any chance it gets, because it thinks you're in a state of starvation. Also, don't eat pizza on days when you're gonna work out. Cheese and milk products are tough on the liver. Be mindful of things of that nature.

The best thing to get in the habit of things is to start with low intensity, just to wet your pallette. These would be things like walking on a treadmill, stair climber, biking, etc. Then when you get bored or antsy, turn things up slowly.

Stay confident and keep a comfortable level yet a mildly challenging pace. Whether you loose a pound or gain a pound in a given week is irrelevant, since you're going to exercise regularly for the rest of your life anyway. Don't get obsessed with micromanaging the little things. You'll burn yourself out. As long as you feel good about yourself, that's all that matters.

 

[Treasurer]

There has been some really good, insightful advise given here. Nice.

I would like to add mindset to the mix. You know when we are overweight we get this feeling of defeat. We need to learn mindset change. And this is true for everyone, because mindset effects every area of our lives.

We need to focus on scriptures that lift us up and build us up. Scriptures that can replace negative thinking. In Matthew it says not to worry about what we eat, or wear (these are things that the world worries about). And that we need to place first in our lives the Kingdom of God.

It's funny, the time I wasnt even trying to loose weight was when I lost the most. I was so hungry, starving even, for the word of God. I began reading the word of God. And not just eating the word for empty calories, but fully digesting the word to come to a fuller understanding. Soon that became the only food I was interested in. I devoured the word day and night, absorbing as much as possible.

I cast aside all the things of the world. Even my daily chores were spent in meditation of God's Word. There wasnt a moment not spent on His Word.

See we learn who we are to God, and we learn all about His promises to us. We begin to loose the defeated mindset, and gain in its place an overcomers mindset- why, because we can do all things thru Christ Jesus our Lord.

In everything we are trying to accomplish we dont focus on the problem, we focus on what we desire to achieve. Wether it is learning not to cuss, or getting rid of anger and or resentment. They are all things that are difficult to accomplish without God. We first must learn to be disciples before we can become apostles. And being a disciple means we are being taught, and disciplined in the things of God. (LoL, and it's never easy- that is why it has the word discipline in it).

When our focus is set first on the things of God, then all these things (the physical things we need) will be added unto us.

I am not saying this is your miracle cure for obesity. I am saying this is where to start. And scriptures tell us not to despise small beginnings for the Lord rejoices to see His work begin. For it is not by power or might, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

God Bless.

 

[LilLamb219]

I feel your pain!!!

Have you thought about investing in a really good elliptical machine? I've gone down a size in one year by faithfully doing the elliptical almost every day!

Think baby steps when trying to lose weight and as others have said, don't think diet, think life changing eating habits.