DO-IT-YOURSELF WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Health and Wellness Journal of an Uninsured WWAHHMpreneur
There were numerous little things that added up to finally start yielding results, not only for me to lose weight, but for me to have sound health and wellness from the inside to the outside. I still have a very long way to go, but at least I have finally gotten started, more than two years after having my third child by c-section.
The main thing that I have done is to expand my reading. I agree with the wise person that said what you are reading today will determine the course of your life for the next 5 years.
Readings that have most influenced my internal and external health (spiritual, emotional, and physical) have included the holy scriptures, organizational books, and weight loss books. Also, as a part of my career and business development, I have also read textbooks and research journals on biochemistry, nutrition, physiology, pathology, public health, and business.
I know that the average person is not going to read all of that. However, I made a decision to stop being average, which is a common mantra of my Pastor. Average is what kept me in this rut for this long. I understand the wisdom of the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while still expecting a different result each time. From that definition, I would say that when I was living an average life, I was definitely operating in insanity.
As I said before, I have not arrived and have a long, long way to go in my journey to be healthier. However, at least I know for sure that I am making forward progress and no longer sliding backwards into the abyss – of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, self-hatred, “soul fatness” and physical fatness. That abyss was a dark and scary place that I am planning to never, ever revisit. By planning, I mean actively charting my own course and continuing to grow and learn and move forward so that the “tide of average” doesn’t drag me back into it again.
One of the great things I get from my reading is to see the bigger picture for my own health and wellness. And, in order to keep my sanity, I have learned to then break it down into more manageable, smaller, vital (or currently relevant) parts. I have a keen understanding that every area, aspect, and role of my life affects one another, even if one seems completely disassociated from another. Some call this the “circle” or “cycle” of life, but I like to call it the web of life because everything is connected both on a continuum and out of sync with that continuum, as well.
The following list is just a journal of where I have begun in this lifelong journey:
*work on myself from the inside out by continuing to develop my own spiritual walk with the Lord through prayer and bible study; deal with my emotional issues that are tied into my food issues; make a decision to walk in the fruit of the spirit, especially patience and self-control, which tend to be weaker areas for me, and let the Holy Spirit be my strength when I am weak
*work on my environment; make sure we don’t have a lot of junk in the house because I know I’ll eat it, especially when I am here alone with the kids; also work to maintain a peaceful home – in the midst of three young children, learning to be their peace leader and teaching them how to be peacemakers
*work on my relationship with my husband; make sure that I am communicating, sharing and confronting in love and not holding things in because they’ll eventually come out in a less healthy way (over-eating); make sure that I am being the best wife that he needs – loving, respectful, supportive, and available when he needs me; and even more importantly, being happy/content in my own skin and no less confident than when he first fell in love with me – not allowing my health challenges to turn me into someone that he did not marry
*recognize my own health status details: in my situation, I had 3 c-sections (in 2002, 2003, and 2006); in my zeal for having babies with the love of my life, I lacked understanding about what happens to the body when you have one c-section, let alone 3 in 4 years; though I love my children and have no regrets, if I had it to do over, I would have taken extra-special care of my health and nutritional status before and after each pregnancy
*recognize my own and my family’s health history; understand how this history affected me previously, how it is affecting me now, and how it will affect me in the future based on my current choices; watching my older family members’ health challenges is called a “wake up call” and a “reality check”
*I have spent numerous hours developing an understanding of how the human body works and of how nutrients and environmental influences (i.e. toxins) can all impact my own feminine body; this information has been vital in helping me to do a better job shopping for groceries and preparing meals; it has also been vital in helping me to do a better job shopping for supplements and being confident that I am not just wasting money on ineffective junk that sounds good and/or looks good
*I have sought the input of trusted, licensed health practitioners and have incorporated their input about my health into my own overall plan.
*Recognize the impact of my status as an uninsured WWAHHMpreneur; although I would love for someone else to create a plan for me, I have chosen to create my own plan so that I can save money and time; also, I know my own health, habits, history, and environment better than anyone else and feel that I am the only one who can make a comprehensive effective plan for my own health and wellness
*As I stated previously, saving time is also a very important aspect of life for this WWAHHMpreneur (Woman Wife And Homemaking Homeschooling Mother and Entrepreneur); So, I have spent a large amount of my “free” time reading books and articles on organization and time management tips; One of my favorite books is “The 15 Minute Organizer”, by Barnes, because she connects the importance of organization to just about everything in life; she confirmed what I already knew in my heart, that a sloppy life internally leads to a sloppy life externally; one very foundational truth that I learned as a new Christian years ago, is the importance of having daily devotional time with Bible Study and prayer, but as a very busy mommy, I had let that slip because I was too disorganized to be able to figure out how to fit it in; Barnes’ tip that totally helped me to get back on track was to create a special basket or box just to hold your devotional materials for quick and easy access in a highly visible location
*One of the “last frontiers” in my health improvement plan, is to develop a more active daily lifestyle; my goal is NOT to spend loads of time and money on fitness memberships, but simply to increase the amount of daily activity as part of my overall daily life; due to some problems with swelling and female problems, this process was one of the hardest for me, so I had to get help with those first; so now, as I continue to lose weight and improve my health, I am able to be more and more active because I am not in pain as much; the main change is to walk more as a part of my daily routine (i.e., walking to my daughter’s school bus stop instead of driving, going to get the mail and newspaper and remote myself instead of sending the kids, etc.); I have also started doing more gardening and plan to increase my amount of time in the garden also as part of our homeschool lessons for the children
*In regard to my children, I want them to have a healthier childhood than I did. I was a fat child for most of my childhood and don’t want that for them. All of the children were fat babies, which is normal for breastfed children, but now the older children are slender and very healthy. I have been successful in teaching them how to eat healthily, though I haven’t been quite as consistent in my own example, and neither has my husband; despite our mistakes, we still strive to teach them both by word and example; I am positive that because of my children, I have been even more driven to be a whole, healthy person, and that is truly a beautiful thing; Another good thing is that I have taken the time remember the good things from my childhood and to learn from my parents’ and grandparents’ mistakes in how they raised me.
*And finally, and most importantly, I have begun to purposely re-shape my social network, both in real life, as well as online; I heard Yolanda Adams say something that I can relate to (she has received a lot of negative feedback about this): she stated that she wants to be around people who celebrate her and do not just tolerate her; that sounds like wisdom, and not arrogance to me, especially because my therapist also helped me to realize the same thing; I have finally learned something about people who were constantly criticizing me, my choices, and my loved ones because of their own personal opinion and point of view; they do not really like me for who I am, but were holding on to a relationship with me because they were getting something they thought they wanted or needed from me; so, instead of letting me go and moving on, they tried to force me to change so they could tolerate me and still have access to whatever it is that they wanted from me; so, I had to make that choice to move on, instead of constantly being offended; It was very difficult to take that initial painful step to cut off unhealthy relationships, but afterwards, I began to see some great results, such as a better and more open relationship with my husband, and a less tainted and biased view of life in general because I no longer had all that old negativity from negative people in my ear.
Some readers may wonder what is the relationship of all these different topics to losing weight and being healthier. Well, as mentioned earlier, everything in life is connected and any negative aspects in one area are going to hinder progress in other areas. As we learn and mature in life and in love, burdens and weights drop loose from our ankles and distractions fall away from us. Then we are able to move forward with more ease and increased focus on our goals and future rewards.
I pray that all of my readers are able to gain insight into their own lives and develop their own customized wellness plan that will be effective for their own health and well-being, not just for weight loss, but for total life prosperity.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and
[that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.”
– 3 John 1:2 (Amplified Bible)
©2008 DMARIJOHN
DMARIJOHN is a writer, consultant, and WWAHHMpreneur offering information, resources, and services that can help enhance the overall well-being of individuals, professionals, and businesses. Her website is http://www.AndLifeMoreAbundantly.com.
Disclaimer: This written material is shared as information only and is not intended as professional advice. Please seek professional advice from a licensed health practitioner before starting any program for physical or mental health.
Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
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