This post could make you shed some weight; which is probably a good thing.
I could have titled my previous post ‘The Spirituality of Dieting’. But I still think it’s ok under its current title: My Diet, My Health, and My Bliss. In any case, I encourage you to refer to it to gain the context for today’s post.
The first time I touched down on US soil, one of my hosts exclaimed, “You are so skinny! You need some meat on you.” I wasn’t surprised at all — I prided myself on the very fact of my being underweight. Then one day, just a few years later, looking at myself in the mirror I noticed that I appeared stuffed and bloated. My stomach was pushing out uncomfortably against the buttons of my shirt. My cheeks and neck appeared swollen. I felt both heavy and clumsy. And when I stood atop the scale, I realized I had joined the celebrated company of the overweight.
At that time I didn’t think it was anything to worry about. I was an avid faster. Just one long fast, I thought, and I would shed all the weight. Alas, a 40-day fast plus a 100-day fast later, I found out to my chagrin that my net weight actually rose by an even wider margin! Then, it began a steady climb.
I was alarmed. Not as much by the weight, as by the fact that my magic wand — prolonged fasts — no longer kept me in shape; but also as I realized how difficult it had become to shed those kilograms.
Yes, for certain income brackets and lifestyles, it’s really hard to lose weight after you pass a certain age; very very hard.
Fortunately, I did it. Yay!
The Greatest Health Guru on earth today
And I did it by following a simple counsel from the Holy Spirit: I believe He is the greatest Teacher on earth today, and is given freely to all that ask through faith in the name of Jesus Christ.
“But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
~ John 14:26
Here’s the full gist.
In order to shed those undesirable fats around my hips and other parts of my body, I began to try out the usual quick fixes peddled by unscrupulous opportunists and quacks. Magic herbs to shed belly fat in three days; sure formula to drop the weight while you sleep; crash-program lose-it-fast exercises; plus, of course, the usual fasts — I tried them all, to no avail.
However, not being a person to quit so easily, I continued my efforts; motivated more by the challenge, than the mere goal of losing weight.
Then, one morning, the Holy Spirit whispered the simple secret into my thoughts:
Discipline; sheer discipline.
“There is no substitute for discipline,” He told me.
“Otherwise,” He continued, “you’ll end up another victim of the quacks and diet-fitness industry profiteers.”
“The way to life,” He reminded me, “is small and narrow; pretty tough, and only for the disciplined.”
“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
~ Matthew 7:14
That did it.
Less than a month later, I had gone back under my ideal weight, and recovered my flat stomach; so much so that now, those close to me complain that I look pretty much emaciated.
Back to skinny old me, I would say.
I did three things:
#1. I embraced a strictly plant — and eventually raw plant — diet; no kidding, no wimping and messing around. I set my face like a flint, grit my teeth and told my tongue a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.
#2. I began a strict 40 minutes early morning walk each day.
#3. I stubbornly persisted in 1 and 2.
I didn’t spend a dime on any magic food package, or fitness formula. I just used the old rugged and tested way: sheer discipline.
Are you really serious about losing those extra and unnecessary pounds? Then, you must admit the obvious:
- After a certain age, it gets harder and tougher than ever and,
- there are no quick fixes.
Afterwards, you could just try forgetting all those for-the-lazy-gimmicks, get a hold of your tastes, and get up from your couch! I think you too can do it.
Here’s more inspiration for you; though not necessarily a recommendation.
Good luck.