Faith. Weights. Protein Shakes.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 

Hebrews 12:11 NIV 

Discipline: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior; training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character 

I have struggled with food for a long time. It's been used as a crutch, to make me feel better. There's also always an excuse to have more food (or to have unhealthy food)... it's someone's birthday, there's a party, I have my period, I've had a bad day, I'm going out to dinner with friends... etc. I have always searched for and positively found a reason to not eat healthy, and to binge eat whatever I was indulging in. 

The reason I say "searched for" and "positively found" is because I was on a search, and I would find any reason to justify whatever it was I was eating. I would tell myself I don't have time to cook, or (this is the best one).. "I DESERVE" this piece of pizza and cake. I would tell myself I deserve things because I am a hard worker and I had a rough week. I would then proceed to binge eat my food, in front of the tv and wake up and cry the next morning as I had looked at myself in the mirror. This was a daily routine. 

Deserve: to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital 

Why is food put on a pedestal? Why is food used as a treat? When I was thinking about food this way, and giving myself what I "deserve", I was actually making myself more unhappy. I had mixed emotions about food. I thought it was a reward, but I also thought it was the enemy.  It was a reward at night and it was an enemy when I woke up. In reality though, I was my own enemy and I let the enemy in my head about this. 

I have a strong spiritual life. This was the only thing I was weak in. My wife asked me why do I pray about everything besides this? The one thing I struggled with. I had no good reason not to. So, I began praying for strength and to view food differently. I remembered one of my old pastors asking us once, "is what you want now, what you want most?", and that question I applied to every single meal I ate. God gave me strength and clarity to realize that food is not a reward, it's what we need to survive. God gave me strength and clarity to have a new perspective on what it is I want most in life and how to get it. What I want now (chicken wings and brownies and beer) is not what I want most (to be happy and strong and honoring my body and my Father). 

God gave us ONE body to live our ONE life. We owe it to Him, to keep it fit and healthy and well. If you are living to please God, then this process will be much easier for you. I know that I want to do everything I can do to please Christ, after all He has done for me. This perspective has made things a lot easier for me. God put me in the right place at the right time to meet the right people. He allowed me to meet the owner of a gym and get involved at that gym. God gave me the strength to make life changing decisions and transformations. God gave me self-control, self-discipline and understanding in my life. I deserve to be happy with myself. I feel so much strength, knowing how disciplined I am. I see such a difference physically and mentally after exercising so much discipline... and that is much more rewarding than any piece of cake. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

Proverbs 3 NIV 

(Trust the Lord completely, and don't depend on your own knowledge. With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go he right way.)