We (God, wife, & I) finally did it! I have had this dream for over 13 years, and as of this morning (08/16/2024), it finally came to pass. I stepped on the scale and there wasn’t a “2” that started my weight, but a “1”!
199.3 lbs. to be precise. A few weeks ago, another goal came to pass, and I can now say that I am no longer on regular prescription or over the counter medicine. GOD IS GOOD!
On May 11, 2021, I was at my heaviest, 266.6 lbs. I surrendered and had to change my relationship with sustenance (food, drink, and medicine) in order to let go of 67.3 lbs. of baggage. At a certain point over the past 13 years, I believe I was on 6 different prescriptions in addition to some over the counter (OTC) medicine.
On May 11, 2021, I was at my heaviest, 266.6 lbs. I surrendered and had to change my relationship with sustenance (food, drink, and medicine) in order to let go of 67.3 lbs. of baggage. At a certain point of the past 13 years, I believe I was on 6 different prescriptions and some over the counter (OTC) medicine.
On top of that journey, also came my wife’s and middle son’s health issues. Because of that, so much has been learned in the past 3+ years. (Thanks Covid!) To boil it down, what passes as food, drink, health, and proper portions in the divided states of America, isn’t. Even when you stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, the “healthy food” really isn’t. Then, on top of that, what is considered medicine is really poison. (Think critically of all the new health issues in the past century.) But God can even bless what humans have messed up when your heart is in the right place. My family still has a journey ahead of us as we navigate being healthy with what is available to us, but we are blessed.
One of the coolest things that have come out of this is my wife’s and mine’s new “hobby”. Cooking healthier, and quite frankly, tastier dinners, jammin’ to music, and praising God is something I look forward to.
Some baby-step practical advice:
- Drink more water because it is probably not enough.
- Eventually, you may get to the point of even questioning what passes as water.
- Control your portions.
- That Chicken Alfredo dish at Olive Garden could feed my family of 5,… as long as none of them have active growth spurts.
- As opposed to a 90/10 rule of eating out (including delivery) to cooking at home, it needs to be flipped where eating out is the low exception to the rule.
- To be frank, if you say that you don’t have time, then your priorities and boundaries need to be changed. Yours and your family’s health and well-being is second only to God. All other things need to be after that.
- Is it a struggle? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes!
- If you (or more specifically ‘common folk’ since there are some smarty pants out there) cannot pronounce an ingredient, put it back.
- As a side note, why is sodium / salt in EVERYTHING?
- Soda, sports drink, etc. needs to decreased to as close as you can to the point of elimination.
- There is way too much sugar everywhere!
- You will have withdrawal symptoms, which in and of itself should be a sign that it is bad for you.
- They had to break up the types of diabetes because of the side effects of sugar!
- Reflect on your alcohol consumption.
- Beer was my daily choice, and now, I wouldn’t call any alcoholic drink a weekly choice.
- (Honestly, it was kinda freeing to type that.)
- Side effects of man-made “medicine” are typically worse than the ailment you were trying to heal.
- Why is there even a “need” for vitamin and mineral supplements?
- When your goal is to have healthier relationship with your sustenance and you ask God for blessings on your food, blessings will be received.
- Ask more ‘why’ questions.
Go in peace & God bless,
Friday, August 16, 2024
Volume 15 Issue 18 (80)
