When I was enrolled in my master’s degree program at Indiana University, one of my favorite courses was the The Growth and Human Development of Children. David Gallahue, PhD, was the professor. He went on to be the Dean of the Physical Education department. Gallahue shared with us that to learn a new sport or skill, three essentials were involved – effective instruction, lots of practice and plenty of encouragement and support.
This important concept can also be transferred into learning any new skill and changing health behavior. As many of you are attempting to change a behavior or learn a new skill, I’d urge you to consider the application of this tip to your situation.
Here’s an example. I’m helping lead a weight loss program at our church beginning this week. We’re using a book by Kara Davis, M.D.. I made a blog entry about her book – Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss – a few months ago. Right off the bat, Davis writes in her introduction the importance and value of having an accountability partner for people who are entering a behavior change program. She urges us to find a person who will encourage, inspire and motivate us as well as speak a word of correction if necessary.
When wellness coaching clients partner with me, one of the key things they recognize they need most of all is encouragement and accountability from another person.
God clearly encourages us in scripture to rely on others for this type of support. Whether it’s an attempt at losing weight, stopping smoking or changing some other behavior, consider asking someone to stand along side of you as you take that journey!
Questions to Consider:
Are you attempting to make behavior changes on your own, without the encouragement and support of another person? If so, who might you ask to support you along the way?
Scriptures Related to Accountability, Support & Encouragement:
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report that reflects obesity and diabetes rates by counties. The estimates, in this week′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are the first to provide county–level snapshots of obesity across the United States.
Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation′s highest rates of obesity and diabetes.
For data on obesity and diabetes in your county see this link.
Personal Wellness Coaching
If you personally struggle with your weight and it’s affecting your health, I invite you to consider a complimentary wellness coaching session with me to explore whether this service might be beneficial for you. Read how my wellness coaching can help you make lifestyle changes.
When I learn of information that I think will help others, I’m likely to pass it along more quickly than more slowly. This is one of those times.
About 5 years ago I read a book by Dr. Kara Davis, a practicing internal medicine physician, on the secrets to losing weight. It was based upon the application of the different “fruits of the spirit” addressed in Galatians 5:22-23.
I’ve read the introduction and the first of the 50 four-page chapters and scanned over the remainder of the book. One thing is clear - Davis’ heart is that people know the loving God of the Bible and that they be in good health. This book would be great to read read as a devotional over a 50 day period and I suspect could be a life-changing experience for some of you.
“For He (God) has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He (God) has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
Questions to Reflect On:
Are struggling with your weight and ready to grow more deeply in your relationship with God and yourself? If so, I strongly recommend you read this book.
Do you know of a friend or family member who is challenged by their weight? Consider sharing this post and book with them.
If you’re a late night eater or snacker, it may be detrimental to your ability to manage your weight.
The study is said to be the first to show directly that there is a “wrong” time to eat. This was just reported in the current issue of the journal Obesity which showed that mice who ate at night gained more weight than mice who ate at normal hours.
The childhood obesity issue is huge! If you are involved, especially at the local government level, the following should be a helpful resource.
Recognizing that local government officials are eager to address the childhood obesity epidemic, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) produced Local Government Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity, a report that serves as a practical guide for government officials at the city, town, township or county level who want to take action to address healthy eating and active living.
This report recommends 58 action steps organized under 15 broad strategies. The IOM Committee also highlighted 12 of the most promising strategies across the report with the greatest potential to make a difference based on available research.
Obesity and diabetes levels are still on the rise. That’s according to the State of the States Report released this week.
According to this Gallup Poll, my state, North Carolina had a nearly 2% increase since last year. Twenty eight percent of North Carolinian’s are now obese – a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater. (Calculate your own BMI) Almost 12% of the people in North Carolina have diabetes – the 9th highest state.
Obesity Rates in America - 2009
Certainly, many people in our country die of weight-related problems each and every day. These deaths are preventable. Let’s take a deeper look.
There are many factors that contribute to the high obesity and type 2 diabetes rates in our nation. Access to health care, the environment, annual income/poverty level and heredity all play a role. But the cornerstone of these two conditions are physical activity and eating habits. The bottom line is that these two lifestyle choices most contribute to both of these conditions and they are almost totally under one’s control. These are choices we make, day in and day out.
Faith and Health
High levels of body fat and high glucose both represent a form of “death.” The Bible tells us that we have a choice. We can choose between life and death. In the Old Testament, God tells his people -
“Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Later in the same book, God continues to share his instructions about the choices we have between life and death. He says “Today I am giving you a choice between life and death.” (Deut. 30:15) In verse 19 he urges us “Oh that you would choose life, that you and your descendants may live.”
We Can Choose "Life" or "Death"
We all have choices to make each and every day or our life – all throughout the day. We can make choices that are life-enhancing or death-enhancing; good health-enhancing or poor health-enhancing. The choice is ours.
With God in our life in a big way, it’s easier to make healthy choices. It’s easier to make the countless healthy choices that are important in managing our weight. But even that begins with a choice. We must make a conscious choice to involve God in our life day in and day out. It really all begins with this decision.
The more diligent we are in involving God in our life, the more strength he will provide for living and making wise and healthy choices. God can enable us - empower us – to choose to be more active and to eat more nutritious food. One key to this is to relinquish control of your life to God and to live in a more surrendered way to him.
The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit lives in us if we have accepted Jesus into our life as our Savior. Imagine, God lives in us. When we relinquish control to his Spirit, it is actually God that is empowering us as we live. In this case, it is God’s Spirit that helps us to get off our seats and be physically active. It is his Spirit that prompts us to buy and eat healthier food. His Spirit gives us greater discipline. It is God’s Spirit that comforts us when we are stressed and feel like opening the refrigerator and eating a carton of ice cream or devouring a box of cookies.
My hope and prayers for all of you who might struggle with your weight is that you lean more heavily on God and a deeper faith to assist you in making healthier lifestyle choices. That you’ll make a conscious choice to tell him in your prayers that you need his help and that you are unable to make these desired changes on your own.
I hope that you will experience the love of God in it’s full measure and that that you will be empowered by God to make the kind of healthy changes in your life that you might want to make. See the verses in Ephesians 3:16-19
Questions To Reflect On
If your health is impacted by your weight, what lifestyle changes could you make that will help you lose weight?
How much are you really depending on God to help you with these changes?
Does God’s Holy Spirit live in you that he might enable you to make any desired changes in your life?
Struggling with life as well as your weight? Desire to know God in a personal way? Desire to have God’s Spirit in your life to empower you to live? Read about God’s love.
In late August I’ll be starting a 4-week webinar series addressing unhealthy behaviors and the role of faith in changing those behaviors. I’ll be sharing my insight about the faith and health link from the Christian perspective and equip you with skills and knowledge to change unhealthy behaviors – with God’s help.
The first session of the 4-week series will be an introduction to the spirituality and health connection and will be free.
Help me determine which of two focuses to have during the remainder of the series by answering the poll below. I’ll announce the series focus and provide details on how to register soon. Stay tuned.
Know Others Who Struggle with Unhealthy Behavior?
If you have a loved one or a friend who struggles with unhealthy behavior, perhaps you’ll consider forwarding this post to them in an email.
Earlier today I received a call requesting a listing of scriptures related to weight management and weight loss. The lady is leading a Bible study and searching for Bible verses and came across my web site.
After looking through my material, I consolidated many scriptures I had identified and developed a listing. They are now on the Scriptures Page of the site and available as a PDF file at this link: Scriptures Related to Weight Loss and Weight Management.
A Few Scriptures or Bible Quotes Related to Weight
“You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.” Psalm 63:5
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
“For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus in John 15:5
A Weight Loss Resource
Soul Food (a book) – “Food won’t fill a God-sized hole.” Terri Lykins, R.D., author
Many people follow a strict diet to try to lose weight. Most of the time this doesn’t work for them and it’s not surprising because according to this scripture, this strategy goes against God’s design for us.
Colossians 2:20-23 says “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
Diets are about rules. God is about freedom, grace and love. When we try in our strength to follow a set of rules, as we do when we follow a stringent diet, we set ourselves up for failure. These diets might seem to be wise, these rules are “of this world” and contrary to the freedom that we have if we have accepted Jesus in our heart. When we try to follow a set of rules associated with a diet, we are attempting to do this out of our own strength. I believe God wants us to abandon these “rules” and to look to Him for wisdom and power and the ability to eat well and to live a healthy life.
If you’re dieting in a formal sense consider this – surrender the “diet” and go deeper inside to God asking Him to help you eat in a manner that will help you lose weight. Make sure you’re getting in some regular physical activity as well. And don’t forget to ask God in prayer that He empower you, through His Holy Spirit to make the changes you’re trying to make. Then give God the glory when you lose the weight!
POWERPOINT FOR PURCHASE
Preview this 85-slide package. Includes permission to administer a Spiritual Fitness Assessment & the 30-page booklet, Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life. Fully customizable.
When I was enrolled in my master’s degree program at Indiana University, one of my favorite courses was the The Growth and Human Development of Children. David Gallahue, PhD, was the professor. He went on to be the Dean of the Physical Education department. Gallahue shared with us that to learn a new sport or skill, three essentials were involved – effective instruction, lots of practice and plenty of encouragement and support.
If you’re a late night eater or snacker, it may be detrimental to your ability to manage your weight.
Earlier today I received a call requesting a listing of scriptures related to weight management and weight loss. The lady is leading a Bible study and searching for Bible verses and came across my web site.
Many people follow a strict diet to try to lose weight. Most of the time this doesn’t work for them and it’s not surprising because according to this scripture, this strategy goes against God’s design for us.
