Start Now

Driving past  my favourite Chinese restaurant was the hardest thing I've ever done in a while. I was craving king prawn fried rice so bad that it took super human strength to drive straight on and not give into the urge to order some. The chef and I are not quarrelling rather I am on a strict diet to achieve my target weight goal. ..again.I decided to give weight loss another go three months  after falling short of my plan. I felt there's no use waiting till the new year to embark on another weight loss journey. There's no better time than now.

2015 is practically upon us! It seemed just like yesterday that the world ushered in 2014 with much pomp and celebrations. Its that time of the year when people start deliberating and planning for the new year. New year resolutions will be the focal topic of discussions for the next few weeks. Old habits will be dumped and new habits formed;new agendas  will be set for the coming year by all and sundry. The plan for the new year by everybody entails getting better and improving on every endeavour.

Photo Credit:www.funatzoo.com

 I'm all for making new year resolutions but believe some things can't wait  till a new year to be started.
You don't have to wait till 2015 to develop a good attitude or forgive someone.
You don't need to wait till its a new year to get rid of bitterness and live in love.
You don't need to wait till the new year to start a bible reading plan or improving your prayer life. TODAY MAY BE ALL YOU'VE GOT.

 Bad  habits like gossip, over eating, procrastination, laziness, smoking e.t.c. need to be dealt with now not tomorrow  Imagine waiting till a future date to lend a helping hand .ITS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH. "do not say to your neighbour "come back tomorrow and i'll give it to you..when you have it with you" Proverbs 3:28. These aspects of our life don't have the luxury of time and neither do you.  You don't know if you've got hours or days so why wait? LIFE WAITS FOR NO ONE.

Photo Credit:www.marcmauro.com

Some things can't wait till the first of January to get the green light in life.  Such things don't fall under  the calender or seasons of life. They deserve attention NOW.
If you don't like something in your life, don't put it off till tomorrow to change it, DO IT NOW. It does not matter if its mid-year, end of the year, or beginning, if its worth imbibing, embrace it!  How many times do we find ourselves putting off something only to realise we should have done it earlier? COUNTLESS!
. Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do now. The time to start is now. Don't delay.

Choose HAPPY.

No, the lady in the first picture is not me. I wish!

The next picture looks more like it..lol.

The battle of the flabs is taking too long abi? I get frustrated sometimes too.

In a bid to shift the belly flab, I went for my normal exercise this morning. Exercise for the body, music for the soul remember? At least according to my Physical Education teacher back in secondary school. I was so engrossed putting one leg after the other that I did not notice the man on the bicycle until he shouted a boisterous greeting that startled me. He rode away barely missing a stride while I mumbled a response in return. With a smile, he busted into an Irish melody and whistled away oblivious to the cold weather.

Many things came to my mind as I continued my walk and top on the list was the whistling stranger.  His high spirits did not match his appearance. He looked very unkempt with very shaggy beards and somewhat dirty clothings. It wasn't a work-dirty look, more like a lack-dirty-look. There was nothing about him to even suggest "secret millionaire", I would have known(I have an inbuilt raider for these things..lol)

He was singing this very catchy lively song but his circumstances was contrary. It didn't matter that the weather was cold and nippy, my new friend chose happy over dreary. He could have chosen to be morose despairing on whatever was wrong with his life but instead he chose to enjoy the day and spread his joy by shouting a warm greeting to a strange woman battling to shed her belly fat. 

This strange encounter reminds me of what scripture says about happiness. It is devoid of the circumstances around us whether good or bad but founded on the truth of God's Word "Whoever trusts in the lord, happy is he"Proverbs 16:20.

 

If happiness was determined by circumstances and stuffs, what poor fellows we are indeed. For such people life will be frustrating because circumstances change. "weeping may last for a night but joy comes with the morning" psalm 30:5. Basing your joy on transient situations is an unstable way to live. So instead of wallowing on what you have or don't have, the storms that are raging in your life, the situations you may not be able to handle at the moment, chose Happy.

I finished my walk with a new bounce to my feet grateful to be alive belly fat or not. Instead of complaining I am spurred to LIVE HAPPY.

Stick with the programme

Am I the only person that find diets exhausting? thought not! it requires a lot of energy, determination and discipline most of which I tend to have in short supply *shamefaced*. With so much diet fads and trend its no wonder dieting would seem like an overwhelming task. The journey to a healthier and sexier me is further stressful given the ease with which other people seem to lose weight. *sigh*. Never mind those skinny *****es* on magazines cover..lol(blame the bad language on envy). The truth is I love food! If its edible, I'll eat it despite my better intentions. When I see food, all semblance of good sense and sensibility goes out the window especially when I visit my good friend Beauty-her red stew is "sinfully delicious". Oh, why do I have such hyperactive taste buds and insatiable appetite?. WHY!!! Many times I've been tempted to give up the whole diet palava but at the last minute remember I have much more to gain if I lose weight compared with the health challenges of obesity. Its not easy but I'm sticking with the programme. For instance, I have green tea with lemon on my mid day snack plan but my tummy is craving correct Eba smothered in vegetable soup yum yum!! Despite the rumbling of my tummy, I chose to stick with my plan, refusing to give into my baser instinct like a ravenous beast. I've simply had enough of the yoyo diet. I want to shed the extra flabs once and for all. Aside from my uncontrollable appetite *cough*, doctors have identified other reasons but I say bull crap!!(too much expletives going on..my bad). More than ever before, I have come to appreciate the power of the holy spirit in weight loss. Whenever I fall off the wagon (which I do), I get back up with His help without any condemnation. To the many ladies struggling to achieve their dream weight goals, you are not programmed to go the journey alone. If it matters to you then be sure it MATTERS TO GOD. However the holy spirit is the perfect gentleman He would not force his way into where He is not invited or welcomed. Ironically, we invite His help into our relationships, finances etc but shut the door when it comes to weight loss. We boast in self effort and crumble when we fail. The power for lasting transformation lies in GOD. the journey to a healthier and sexier me has been a slow YET progressive one. More than ever before I'm sticking with the program. Aside from the health benefits, I want to look good on my wedding day. I want my husband to carry me across the thresh hold and not drag me by the hair or hire a crane to do his job-don't want him to hurt his back either*cough* All parts are necessary for a blissful honeymoon, I've waited too long to be denied any part of my "entitlement" *cough*. With that picture in mind, I'm putting my back into the programme ."fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God".Hebrew 12:2. It is important for a successful weight loss programme that you identify why you eat, connect with friends with similar goals and seek help from the Holy Spirit-you are just a prayer away from your desired goal.

Who Knew?

Who knew I would someday be running instead of jogging? Not me? I am the queen of strolling, walking and gliding, NOT RUNNING. As a typical teenager, I did my fair-less than average- share of running during school sports or the few times I was chased by the local dogs in my area but running was never my forte more so since I gained weight. To worsen the situation, I've got skinny legs and a muffin type upper body so my legs just couldn't carry the rest of me...think of an egg on match sticks Despite the afore mentioned, I suddenly found myself running instead of my usual gentle walk in the mornings. So what happened? The transition did not happen overnight nor by magic rather was the result of gradual progress steeped in consistency and determination. More than ever before I'm determined to shed the flabs(my son finds my wobbly stomach funny and tries to hide stuffs like coins in them but after a while it was no longer funny but embarrassing!) . I started with a short twenty minutes brisk walk and the impact on my body felt more like a one hour fighting bout with Mohammed Ali but I was not giving up despite the pain. I didn't mind the temporary discomfort rather started enjoying it as part of my daily routine. Today, I proudly run instead of dragging my feet. Spiritual growth doesn't just happen but like every exercise its a gradual build up before the more tasking routines. The more you pray, the more your faith muscles are built up.Simon peter is one of my favourites amongst Jesus' disciples. He'd been dragging his feet in ministry until he metaphorically started running with the vision. like me peter had a lot working against him. He was uneducated, uncouth and brash with a past filled with noticeable failures. However before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit whereby peter spoke before a teeming crowd and over three thousand were added to the church, he'd stood before a smaller audience in Acts 1:15 "In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty). That small private audience was the training ground for a larger audience. Who knew Peter could ever reach his full potentials, I'm sure he never did but God knew. All it took was for him to embrace the little and it enlarged with usage and time. Don't let your past mistakes and weaknesses hold you captive. If my skinny legs can carry my muffin top, there is so much you can achieve if only you will try.

Journey to a healthier me

I woke up this morning feeling *frisky*(it’s that feeling you feel when...you know what I mean...and Yes! I still have those feelings-I'm human albeit one abstaining from SEX b4 marriage). So I decided to soak this hungry body in a luxurious bath complete with candles. After setting the perfect scene, I got into the strawberry scented bath and bring on heaven! Haaaaa! However, before I could enjoy my much anticipated gratifying soak, I faced two problems. 1. I could barely fit in the tub. 2. There was absolutely nothing sexy or flattering about my folds floating above the water! Seriously. That brief experience dashed my dreams of having a scintillating bath and flushed that sexy feeling right out of my head. I REALLY NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT. My excess weight is not only cramping my style but crushing my libido and crashing the fantasy of a SEXY ME. I'd started a journey to a better me last year but my effort went down the drain because I was not serious enough. I completely lost the plot during my visit to Nigeria (I just could not resist my sister-in-law's cooking). Beyond the urgent need to be SEXY again or more importantly fit in my bath tub, I need to lose weight because of my health. I went for a medical examination yesterday and the result was ALARMING. The results showed that I NEEDED to drop a WHOPPING 60kg!!! So right now I'm logging two of me around. I realised my organs were created to carry a single me so the other half is definitely EXCESS LUGGAGE. Today, I have decided to start another journey and this time with the element of COMMITMENT AND SELF RESTRAINT-commitment to my weight loss goals and self-restraint from indulging in every food that catches my fancy. Joel Osteen in a sermon titled "SAY NO TO YOUR FEELINGS" made a cogent point that caught my attention. He said "you can’t follow your flesh and expect victory". Romans 8:8 "Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God".

The truth is you can’t live a victorious healthy spiritual and physical life if you don’t exercise SELF RESTRAINT and be committed to your goals. Jesus achieved his success because he was committed to the vision of reconciling man back to God if not he should have given up and made a dash for his dear life when the first flesh ripping lash landed on his back(I know I would have and would not even look back. Lol) but he was committed that's why he bore the shame and indignity of the cross for you and I. Exercising self-restraint by sticking to a healthy diet and giving up on junk food is really going to be PAINFUL but the end result is so gonna be worth it. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.2 Cor 4:17. So I'm setting aside scriptures to encourage myself on this new journey and enlisting the support of a dear friend (I need an accountable partner with the help of THE HOLY SPIRIT). If Jesus could suffer that brutal beating for the joy of a better glory that was set before him, then I can endure eating less junk and exercising more. Bring on the TREADMILL *SOB*SOB*SOB*....nobody said it’s not gonnna be painful *sob*

Take Charge, Don't glide.

"twenty more seconds to go", the man screamed at the top of his lungs while 8 or so ladies struggled on their bikes in a desperate effort to keep pace with the slave-driver-like trainer! phew!, i muttered under my breath as my ample rump slipped off the saddle. With sweat smattering my eyes, I pushed my very tired body to the end of the spin class. Talk about total body workout. It had been gruesome but I survived the 45 minutes spin class despite my body almost giving up on me and my brain taking a stroll mid session(has that never happened to you? My brain does that often when I find myself in an uncomfortable situation doesn't yours? You must be an alien then.serious!. Catching my breath and pretending not to be totally fagged out, I glanced at the other ladies shamelessly sprawled on the floor with no form of dignity whatsoever... lol. I couldnt help but burst out with laughter at the antics of a particular blonde who kept moaning out loud and swearing off chocolate for the rest of her life. yes, chocolate was her guilty pleasure but the consequence was diabeties, high blood pleasure and a nagging continous back pain. Most of us in the class did not join the gym to maintain a perfect size 8 or whatever size is being celebrated in fashion magazines but it stemed more out of a desperate need to save our lives. I'm not being dramatic here but only stating the obvious. heart disease, clogged arteries are just some of the consequencies of obesity. After my post on spirit controlled weight loss, I procastinated a bit until I saw a recent picture of myself on facebook. truth be said i wasn't shocked rather very disappointed at how I looked! how did I allow myself to glide into self destruction because that is what obesity is-A DOWNWARD SPIRAL INTO EARLY DEATH!. A spoonfull of pudding here, extra portion of eba there and late night eating not to forget my inability to say NO to food. the initial gratification is good but the end result is what I'm desperate to shed. Gal 5:16 "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves". The flesh desires gratification despite the ensuing consequence(s)ie the eyes see it, the mind conceives it, the body desires etc. but the end thereof is death(obesity, high blood pressure, diabeties). Most obese people are emotive and cumpulsive eaters. when the balance of their enviroment is disrupted, they seek solace in food but Psalm 29:11 states that "God gives His people peace". It takes the holy spirit to live healthy lives and cultivate a healthy lifestyles. My body is the temple of the holy spirit and therefore deserves respect. It is so easy to make excuses for our weaknesses and inadequacies but the undeniable truth as found in proverbs 24:33-34 says"a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man". Poverty of the flesh in terms of sickness and disease, for some untimely death if not controlled on time. The choice is yours and mine to make! I know the journey ahead is ardous and requires commitment and discipline but I'm determined to take charge of my life and not glide myself to an early grave by satistying the desires of my flesh and that includes pre-marital sex.

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Spirit controlled weight loss

I first met her in church in 2008. I remembered telling her she had the finest complexion that I’d ever seen on any woman. Her skin was simply glowing. And when she smiled? Awwwwww....breath-taking! Onyi was simply wonderful but was FAT! 23 years old with two lovely kids and wears a UK size 24 dress. "Na wah" i said to myself. Onyi did not walk. She waddled! She had to practically drag her feet to carry the rest of her body. Mind you, her weight did not detract from her lovely personality. She was simply divine. Fast forward 4 years later. I had not seen my chubby friend in ages though we stayed in touch via occasional phone calls. Imagine my surprise when this strange lady touched my elbow and smile at me. "Who be this wey dey find my trouble? biko I no fit for question and answer" I mumbled under my breath. With that false smile, you know the type you save for awkward moments, I smiled back. "Mummy Josh" the strange lady called. I did a double take, squinted at the strange lady and screamed, ONYIIIII! The slim, elegant lady smiling at me was my once upon a time fat friend. "What happened to you? You look divine," I said. "I took the bull by the horn and lost the weight" she laughingly answered. "I was tired and ashamed of how I looked and decided to do something about it" she continued. Those final words got to me! She became "tired of how she looked and decided to do something about it". She did not procrastinate with her decision but surged ahead to achieve her aim. The result was the healthy, happy and beautiful lady standing before me. Meeting Onyi after these years gave me the much desired push I needed. I've been struggling with my weight for the past 6 years and it has seemed nigh impossible. I have this love-hate relationship with food. When I’m hungry I eat! When I’m sad I eat!. So it’s been an emotional and physical rollercoaster. The journey to wellness is not a day journey and it took my friend 3 years to get to her present weight goal. I'm sure she crossed some hurdles that at that point seemed insurmountable, but she survived. Onyi had a structure that was fuelled by PURPOSE, DISCIPLINE, PRAYER, FAITH, SELF- CONTROL AND A STRONG SUPPORT NETWORK WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. She had a vision of whom and what she wanted and the picture stuck in her head. She pursued this vision with single mindedness. A biblical weight loss program? Oh yes! Mk 11: 24 "Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them". My friend realised that her desired weight loss and healthy lifestyle is the "whatever you desire" that the bible refers to in the book of Mark. Whenever she fell off the wagon, she never condemned herself but held on to scriptures; Proverbs 24:16 "though a righteous man falls down seven times he rises again". When she over-ate she relied on the Holy Spirit for strength and self-control. WOW!!! Talk about motivation! People, my eyes were opened like never before. God is interested in ME...the TOTAL WOMAN...not just some selected areas of my life. God is concerned about ALL OF YOU AND ME. It’s high time we started truly LIVING THE WORD not merely quoting scriptures or toting the bible like it was a fashion accessory! No journey in life is meant to be walked or experienced alone and what better companion than the HOLY SPIRIT. This truth that I have received and seen with my eyes has indeed set me free. Are you on a weight loss journey like me, stressed out and frustrated? Stop relying on your strength....it’s not sufficient and was never meant to be. Let’s trust the one who created for "He is able to bear and bear till old age He will.