A Lifestyle Change

You know, when I hear the words "lifestyle change", I always think of someone switching from one gender to the other. "Hi, My name is Amber and I use to like men."

That kinda thing.

But really, a lifestyle change is kind-of like being saved. You die to the person you once were, you give yourself wholly to the Lord, and with His help, you decide that you're not going back to who you once were. You are pressing forward onto bigger and better things. You are not living for you now, but for Him.

I am needing a lifestyle change. I need to stop thinking of this weight loss as something I'm going to do for a year....and change it into an overall lifetime achievement. What will be my reward? A fit, healthy body that can stand up to the trials of life. Physical Fitness: that is my reward.

But what do you do when you have no idea "how" to make a lifestyle change? What do you do when you get on the scale after 2 and 3 weeks of working out and the number remains stubbornly unchanged? You cannot give up because a "lifestyle change" takes - well - a lifetime. It's not a quick fix. It's not an overnight success. It's not a pill that I can take and look like a model. NO... these are things that will take me until the Lord takes me home.

I'm not traditionally good with long-term projects. I like to start and accomplish things, or I feel like a failure. Right now, three weeks into my gym routine (working out 3-4 days a week and doing SOMETHING active on the weekend) I have lost not a single pound. If truth be told, I'm still UP ten pounds from where I was last year at this time. If the deep dark fat girl in my closet was let out to comment, she'd tell you that when Danny and I married (three years ago on the 24th) I was nearly thirty pounds lighter. But, you won't hear from that girl because I have a donut in her mouth and fried chicken on a plate, just out of her reach. She cannot think to comment because all she sees is fried goodness.

Today, on my ride in to work, I decided mentally that I was going to just have to make a lifestyle change. My "official" weigh-in for my Pursuit of 30 is this Sunday morning, as soon as my rolo toes hit the floor. I'm not having one final she-bang. The "one last fat meal" isn't taking place this time. Instead, I'm easing into my program early. I've already began changing my eating habits, introduced sweat into my daily routine, and began writing in my journal (I call him Mr. Green Jeans).

So many times I feel like I'm really going to "do it this time" and fall flat on my FACE. I'm hoping and praying that doesn't happen this time. I have to. No one is stopping me but me.

Until then...