Lifelong Commitment to Health

 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

I’ve been going through a transformation in my life over the past year. I have begun a journey that has led to a lifelong commitment to health. I have resolved to become more aware of the type of nutrition I am giving my body, as well as Justin’s.

Ever since high school I have been very self-conscious of my weight. I gained quite a bit between the ages of 15 and 17, and began to hate how I looked. The January after I turned 17, I said no more and put myself on a strict low calorie diet, and started exercising daily.

I lost the weight and loved how I felt. And ever since then, I have exercised off and on, and have not allowed myself to gain much weight.

In December of 2012, Justin proposed to me. Knowing that I was going to be standing in front of A LOT of people in a few months for my wedding, made me very determined to be “slim and trim”.

While I did lose weight, and was quite pleased with how I looked on my wedding day, I look back now and realize I did not go about my weight loss the healthiest of ways. I exercised harder than ever before, and cut way back with meals, focusing on a very low calorie diet…

The first few months of marriage, I began to eat a little more. And unfortunately I cut back on exercise. With that decision, the scale started to creep up and I started feeling sluggish. So, I once again upped my exercise and cut back on calories, never once giving a thought to what my body truly needed.

When Justin and I were first engaged, I started charting my menstrual cycle. I have continued with that habit into our marriage. With that being said I knew very well how high and long my post ovulation basal body temp would be. In about our third month of marriage, that temperature stayed higher and longer than I had ever known it to. I began to suspect I was pregnant…

With that thought I knew that a healthy lifestyle was going to be critical in order for me to have the most natural pregnancy that I have always desired. I immediately began researching the best foods for pregnancy and decided to drastically change my diet. I wanted to provide my child with the best start to life as possible.

But within a few days, my temperature dropped, and I found out I was not pregnant.

More than likely, I will never know if I was pregnant until the day I reach heaven’s shores. But I do know one thing, I will NEVER be caught off guard again when it comes to taking care of my body, for my future children.

As I said at the start of this post, I have become so much more aware of what food I fuel mine and Justin’s bodies with. I now no longer see food as a “calorie” but as fuel for our days, and whether or not it will be helpful or harmful to our bodies.

I’ve switched to primarily organic fruits and veggies, as well as meat. I’ve done a ton of research into herbal remedies, and use them on a daily basis.

It’s not been the easiest thing in my life, beginning this journey of a lifelong commitment to health. But it has been a joy. Joyful and exciting, because it gives me a greater sense of awe and wonder at how the LORD has provided everything that we need to sustain our bodies in nature.

It’s also been exciting in the fact that no longer has exercise become a chore to lose weight, but a pleasant habit that makes me feel great! No, I don’t enjoy it every day, but I know that it is what is best not only for my body, but for the children I hope one day to bear.

I do realize that no matter what steps I may take to keep my body healthy, anything can happen when it comes to child bearing. I have just become more determined than ever to take care of this holy temple the LORD has blessed me with, and to do so for HIS honor and glory alone.

 

¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ²⁰ For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 

 

So what are your thoughts on health?

 

Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Angel

This post has been linked to The Modest Mom Blog's Modest Monday's