Day 3!

Wow so it has been 3 days already Woo-hoo! I am feeling good. Although, today was a tough day for me because I did not  grocery shop over the weekend and had very few healthy options. I am just happy that I did not succumb to my hunger and eat junk food or order a pizza. I made it through the day and learned a lesson, the quickest way to get off track is not being prepared.
Today, not having the "right food" accessible caused me to think back on how I gained this weight in the first place. I realized that this is probably the number one reason for my initial weight gain. Growing up I had my chunky moments in elementary school but for the most part I was thin up until the age of 23. That year I gained 40lbs in less than 3 months it happened so fast that I did it even realize it until I was too late, the damage was done. I went from 110lbs to 150lbs because I worked nights and I would eat snacks in the vending machine for dinner and then come home at 2am and eat fast food or whatever packaged food I could warm in the microwave before I passed out into bed. When I finally slowed down to see how I let myself go I went into denial about what I looked like and began to avoid scales and mirrors. I did not even make an attempt to lose the weight or change my habits. It's funny how up until I really put on weight I never appreciated my body and I always saw myself as fat.  At 110lbs I thought I needed to be a 100lbs and I always complained and called myself names. I am now learning that no matter what size you are or how much you weigh you can not attach your self worth to your physical appearance. You need to love yourself from the inside out, love and appreciate yourself for who you are and for what God made you. When you love yourself than taking care of your body is automatic. (Psalm 139:14)
I know for women we can always see how important it is to take care and nurture others because we love them and can't imagine them going without.  But so often we neglect ourselves and deprive our bodies of the most basic and fundamental needs.  Could it be that we don't love ourselves? I looked up the definition for love and found that Love is the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. So if you don't have enough human kindness, strong affection or personal attachment for yourself  to nurture and care for your own body can you say that you love yourself? If I were to be honest with you, that year I really hated myself and the rapid weight gain was a by-product and it was evident in choices I made in other areas of my life. Just like my weight gain, I was in denial about those things too.
My prayer for everyone today is that God would shed a light on any dark places in your life so that He can heal you. I pray that you would value and love yourself they way that Jesus loves you. (Ephesians 3:17-19)