Prayer: Lord, will you remind me that perfection is never the goal but a heart toward you and your ways? Help me to feel secure, knowing that getting healthy is a matter of making progress, one ehalthy choice at a time. I trust that your strength will give me confident hope, patience in hard times, and the faithfulness to keep praying.
When your progress wavers, pay attention. What causes setbacks with your food and fitness? Is it when you get too busy? Is it when you don;t get enough sleep? Notice patterns, cycles, and reacxtions - not to make yourself guilty, but so you have valable information from which to make healthier decisions in the future.
We all make mistakes. When we track our victories as well as setbacks, we see that God's grace is sufficient, and his love is bigger than any of our weaknesses. If you have a bad day, don't be upset; instead view it as a great opportunity to use new insight for tomorrow.
One of the best ways to make steady progress is to track your eating and exercise.. To help make to consistent daily, weekly, and monthlu progress, monitoring or tracking your effort is important. In fact, in multiple studies, individuals who monitored their exercise habits significantly improved their behavior and liklihood of accomplishing their goals.
When it comes to food,a choice as simple as smart snacking cqn show you how daily progress builds momentum and leads to long term success. Smart snacking means choosing something with protein and avoiding sugar. Here are some great grab-and-go ideas:
* Stock your frig with some healthy dips (hummus, guacomole), low-sugar fruits, greek yogurt and hard boiled eggs.
* Carry a small cooler and ice packs in your car for items that need to stay cold.
* Toss together a bean salad with olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, and spices such as cumin, onion, or shallot.
* Stock mini packets of nut butters
* Stock healthy jerky (salmon, turkey, grass-fed beef, bison, roganic, without added nitrates or MSG.)
* Make organic air-popped corn
* Drink plenty of water. Sometimes you are thirsty rather than hungry.
As you focus on progress, not perfection, you will be equipped to run the race God haw set before you. Trust God, and trust the friends who are with you on this journey. Be brave enough to be authentic - to reveal your issues and graciously accept the weaknesses of others. Foster a community where every friend is not afraid to ask for help - starting with yourself.
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