Intro Does the idea of having to drink 8 or more cups of water feel like a daily impossibility? You have good intentions, but when bedtime rolls around you are far short of the recommended number of H2O oz. This shouldn’t feel like a chore and it definitely should not feel so difficult. There are many things you can do to bring success into the hydration equation. *** Quiz Promotion*** www.loraarmendariz.com/quiz *** Personal At school the “passing period” which is the time between classes lasts four minutes. Which means I have that long to use the restroom from hour to hour. When I first started the school year I figured it wasn’t even worth it so I wouldn’t start hydrating until lunch or prep period was coming up. However, I realized that if I could squeeze in more H2O, I felt significantly better, had more energy, slept better, and struggled with less cravings. Funny how something so basic as water can have a huge effect on our lives. Concept According to the Mayo Clinic, water “Regulates body temperature
I’ll take a whole glass now, please, and thank you. But, how can we in our busy and chaotic lives remember to get all the water we need into our bodies? Spiritual Application Our bodies need water desperately, more than once a day, and we can not stockpile hydration sufficiently for our body’s need to do whatever we want without water. I love that God uses the illustration of water as our need for His presence in our lives and the incredible effect His word and His Spirit have on our health when we make Him part of our lives, the more often the better. One of my favorite verses that talks about this is in Isaiah 58:11, NIV, “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Practical Application I know that many of you are working hard to get a little healthier and perhaps shed some pounds. Prioritizing your water is key and I am so proud of you for working on this. In fact, it is our challenge right now in the membership, getting all our water daily for the month of March. When encouraging women to get in enough water, I love to walk them through a simple 3-step process:
Journal Prompt Here is a couple questions to help you get started: How do you feel when you drink enough water vs find yourself dehydrated? What are some tools you could use that would help you reach your hydration goals? Remember, the three steps: 1. Set a daily goal. 2. Set a rhythm. 3. Gamify your water drinking. Sign Off If you haven’t already, don’t forget to take the quiz so that you may get access to some great resources. You’ve got this, sweet sister. May our Heavenly Father fill you with life and truth and joy today. Until next week, I’ll see you then.
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#126, How Art Can Cut Down on Emotional Eating Intro The last time you felt stress drag your body to the fridge or pantry, how intense was the feeling? Was it a vague discomfort you had felt most the day that seemed to gradually increase? Was it a sudden onslaught of overwhelm? Maybe a combination of the two? That’s a terrible feeling and I don’t think the solution should be based on will-power not to emotionally eat. Instead, you need to release that feeling or else something is going to give. And you probably won’t like the results. ***2024 Like & Share Promotion*** *** Personal Every Saturday evening I take over either the coffee table or the kitchen table. I cover it with my sticker sets, boxes of washi tape, markers, pens, and my open planner/journal. It is probably one of the most therapeutic activities that I regularly do for myself. I spend about an hour selecting stickers, colors, and washi tape and put together a week in my bullet journal where I plan out each day, set goals for the week, and have welcoming journaling pages. I get to enjoy this little bit of art each day of the week with a theme of colors and images that make me feel relaxed and excited about by week. Now, I didn’t discover this bit of art all by myself, instead it developed over time. I used to try to draw doodles and use stencils. Then my sister mentioned that she uses stickers and my sweet friend Sharon introduced me to washi tape. I keep all my supplies in a bin and usually do set up my journal without TV. It feels so relaxing to think about my week ahead while designing something beautiful to look at all in the upcoming days. I even set aside an area to write my memory verse for the week. Concept Whenever we are wanting to emotionally eat, our brain is looking for pleasure and a way to ease the discomfort we feel from an intense or long-lasting emotion like stress. Food provides many sensory inputs that are pleasurable and can provide a distraction. Art does the same but with the added bonus of also giving us space to mentally process what we are thinking and feeling in a way that is relaxing and devoid of additional pressure. When I am creating my planner my eyes are full of color, my hands are busy, and the act of creating something helps me move through the thoughts and feelings I have about both my recent experiences and what I am anticipating happening in the near future. Other people that have an art or craft they do consistently remark that they feel the same way when they create or make something. Spiritual Application In Proverbs 31 I love it that the woman is noted to make things. I used to read that and think how amazing it was that she did that for others. But I want you to sit back and imagine her weaving, the feeling of the thread and fibers between her fingers, watching cloth take shape, fashioning the fabrics into purple robes. I bet that the activity was one she looked forward to and one of the reasons she was noted as a woman of quality was because she did things that felt good to her soul. That was life-giving. Practical Application I would love for you to have access to this life-giving practice. Getting started is simple. It takes three steps. First, explore. Look at different kinds of arts and crafts and try things out. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. In fact, taking a trip to the local dollar tree can get you set up with some basic, if lower quality materials, so that you can see if different arts or crafts jive with you. Some art activities I’ve seen others love are watercolors, cardmaking, sculpting, adult coloring books, and seasonal crafts. Second, set up easy access to the art or craft that you enjoy. I keep all my journaling supplies in a little bin. I can just grab it and go set up somewhere. When you find a craft you enjoy I want to encourage you to do the same. Often people don’t engage in activities they enjoy because it seems like too much work to get started. Having your materials organized will help you avoid that obstacles. Even better than a bin is setting up space in your house, if you have it, so that you can go to that space whenever you need to and get started. Lastly, pay attention to your before and after emotional intensity. Take a moment before you begin to note what level you are feeling emotional discomfort. Rate from 0 to 10 with 0 being emotionally neutral and 10 being completely overwhelmed or distraught. After you finish the activity, check in with yourself again to see if you need more time processing and to note the effect the art activity has on you. I want to give one note of caution, don’t do art activities that bring out perfectionistic tendencies. If you feel the need for your creations to be perfect, you might find that the activity doesn’t help you decompress and might leave you feeling more stressed or frustrated than before. Journal Prompt To get you started, take a moment to answer these quick questions: Did you enjoy any art or craft activities when you were a kid? Do you like being outside? Do you like doing things with others or alone? Has there been any art or craft activities that interest you? Sign Off I think that all of us have a creative side that we were meant to explore. It might be gardening or organizing or decorating or a thousand other possibilities. I’m so excited for you to embrace this part of the amazing person God made you to be and reap the health benefits you can feel all the way down to your soul. Goodbye for now. Talk to you next week. Intro As I coach women, it is so common for them to struggle on the weekends or late at night. And back in my own yo yo diet days, I remember being so frustrated with how I would epically blow it. But the solution is surprisingly so fun. ***2024 Membership Promotion*** www.loraarmendariz.com/weightloss *** Personal A few weeks ago, I was packing lunch for my husband and father-in-law who were building fence that day. I put apples, chips, water, and beef ‘n bean burritos together. There was extra burrito filling left over so I put together an additional burrito for Micaela who is obsessed with eating anything wrapped in a tortilla. But, when lunch rolled around she ended up eating something else so I ate that burrito and LOVED it. I realized that I hadn’t been eating burritos much the last couple years. I think it was because of the flour tortillas. So, next time I got groceries I added a couple packages of whole wheat tortillas to the cart. Since then I have been really enjoying my lunches at work, eating those beef ‘n bean burritos with some fresh veggies and an apple on the side. Concept I want you to think back to the worst diet you were ever on. What were you eating? How did you feel? When you got a “cheat” day did it feel like being let out of prison? Yeah, that's how pretty much all of us feel when our diets are full of food we don’t like and we long for what used to make our taste buds dance and didn’t leave us feeling like we still needed more food. Or, seemed to leave us starving after only a couple hours. There is a plethora of food available to us, if we are willing to honor our own taste and preferences, get to know our bodies, and be willing to invest a little time to have a plan. My burritos are a perfect example. Beans and lean beef are two things my body likes. I don’t add cheese but use whole wheat tortillas and make sure my mix has some spice. The burrito is a high energy food so I really don’t need much. However, to make sure I get that feeling of satiation from my meal, I bulk up the lunch with fresh veggies which I cut up once a week and put in little tupperwares for mine and Adela’s lunches. I also grab an apple for dessert. I don’t feel restricted at all with this meal. I feel like a queen eating it, not a lowly starving peasant. This is why so many diets leave us feeling unfulfilled. Often we feel like we have to eat certain foods or quantities instead of listening to our bodies and getting to know what we like. One thing that I teach the women I work with to do, is to make a list of “good, better, best” foods. These are things they enjoy and like to eat. It helps them make choices on how to pick food that they love that also makes their bodies feel good. In the membership you can access the video and worksheet for creating your Good, Better, Best list in Module 4. Spiritual Application Have you ever read the verses in the Bible where God gives us food? In Genesis 1:29 it reads: Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Then, in Genesis 9:23 God tells Noah, “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” Of course, we will have allergies and sensitivities to different foods according to our own physical individual makeup, but I challenge you to get some food, just the way God made it, and see what you think of the natural flavors and textures. He made wonderful, good things for us to eat. Take joy in that. Find what tickles those taste buds and make you feel fantastic. Practical Application I encourage you to take a moment to make a list. What do you like to eat that also makes you feel good? Be specific and honest. Don’t put a value meal from your favorite fast food restaurant that makes you feel sluggish and bloated. Do add things that you enjoy and don’t cause distress or inflammation, even if you’ve never seen them listed on the Mediterranean diet. A lot of diets don’t include meat, but I’ve found my body likes several servings a week so I honor that. This will boost your fight to lose weight and have better health, because you can eat your meals without feeling disappointed or like you need a snack because you little to no enjoyment out of your food. Being able to step away from a meal without feeling like you need to keep grazing is a huge win. Journal Prompt Now, as you make this list, I also want you to ponder these questions: How do you want to treat yourself? How do you want to feel when you eat? What importance does food play in how you are able to handle the stress and pressures of your life? Sign Off You are amazing. You are worthy of nourishment and joy. God has given you good things because He loves you. He cares about the health of your body and the joy of your heart. Have an amazing week, sweet sister! I’ll talk to you next week. Intro Do you ever feel like there are a million things you are supposed to remember every day in order to live that healthier lifestyle you envision? I hear you. In every aspect of our life, we grow in health when we cultivate positive habits. Lucky for us there are some simple ways to set ourselves up for success without feeling overwhelmed. And, one of those ways is with a daily routine. ***2024 Routine Builder Promotion*** Routines are the foundation for a healthy life. If you are a busy woman wearing a lot of hats, a proactive routine will save you time, energy, and brainpower. You don’t have to figure this out all on your own. I’ve got you covered. The routine toolkit I developed has a step-by-step guide, templates and examples. It’s free and you can download it today at loraarmendariz.com/freeresources *** Personal I am so excited to share with you all, my listeners, that I have finally went over a month without missing a single day of resetting. Resetting is what I call taking some time to decompress in the late afternoon when I’m at my lowest point mentally, emotionally, and physically and want a break. However, it didn’t happen magically. Instead, I created a routine that has really supported me in regularly getting this done along with other habits that benefit me and my family. In fact, I have my healthy habits broken down into three basic routines. Today I’m going to share this with you as an example while I teach you the basics on how to develop routines that help you hit your health goals. Concept Routines are essentially a series of habits that you do at roughly the same time each day. In fact, it is like a domino effect. One habit triggers the next habit which triggers the next habit and so on. This is a powerful tool because you only have to get the first habit going in order to remember to do several habits in the series. The truth is, we have a lot of things we come up against in our day to day life. Unexpected emergencies, physical exhaustions, distractions…and then we wonder why we can’t seem to follow through with our commitment to change our ways. Routines help take some of our human weaknesses out of the equation so that we don’t have to have to solely rely on memory, will-power, and motivation to help us make daily healthy choices. Spiritual Application Routines are not something that have been left unutilized until modern times. In fact, routines are very natural for us to have. I bet you have routines right now, series of actions you take at a particular time of day such as putting on your make up, prepping your coffee pot, or driving to work. In Proverbs 31:10-31, the woman of good character is mentioned to have several things she does regularly. In other words, she most likely had a routine that kept her productive and strong physically, mentally, and emotionally even as she served her family. Practical Application I essentially have three daily routines that help me accomplish my health habits. First, in my morning routine I wake up, get a cup of coffee, then exercise followed by getting dressed, doing my Bible Study, working on my memory verse, praying, making my daily meal plan, and planning out my top-3 tasks for the day. All that takes me an hour and a half. I have to wake up earlier to get it all done but that is a good solution for me since I am a morning person. My second routine is in the late afternoon or early evening. I read with Micaela then journal, rest, and practice my Spanish. My last routine of the day involves checking my meal plan, logging my food, doing my planner close-out, and tracking my habits. Journal Prompt Let me walk you through a simple process to get you started. First, list all the healthy habits you would like to implement. Note how long each of those habits take. Next, list 2 or 3 times of day that you could have a routine. Add habits in those slots in a way that makes sense. Make sure you calculate how long the routine will take. Lastly, try it out. At first you’ll most likely need to read the routine each time, like following directions. After a while it just becomes routine. And When you have a lot of changes to make, it is a smart tool to use. Sign Off If this is something you would like to try out, don’t forget to head to my website at loraarmendariz.com/freeresources and sign up for the free routines toolkit. All my love to you, sweet sister. I’ll talk to you next week. Intro Have you ever gone out on a Friday night and ended up eating and drinking way beyond what you would have liked? Then, you just feel frustrated and broken and defeated. You wonder if you’ll ever be able to handle a night out without behaving like a maniac around the food and beverages. Well, sweet sister, this is definitely an overdue conversation. Let's have it today. ***2024 Quiz Promotion*** www.loraarmendariz.com/quiz *** Personal Did you know that lent is just around the corner? Every year I like to do some soul-searching to see how I could concentrate on my growth in Christ and have some special time with Him. If you’ve been following my podcasts here lately you’ll know that I’ve been noticing my lack of rest and truly desiring to trust God better so that I can relax instead of chronically over-working because it is currently still a trigger for cravings and over-desire around food. Does that sound familiar to you? In fact, if I were to go out on a Friday evening I would feel like I was finally out of my overworking prison and I could definitely find it hard not to over-do the experience. No one should feel this way. And, because I hear many ladies I coach complaining of this same problem, I wanted to touch on it today with you. Concept Over-eating can come from many different needs but I’m going to break it down into two simple areas. 1. Using food or beverages to provide something you are needing emotionally or 2. Not making a plan for the evening and then making choices out of hunger and cravings. First, let's talk about the emotional component of this. You have to figure out what you feel like food is providing for you that you are missing in your life. Are you snacking on chocolate while you do housework because you are just trying to keep going when you really need to sit down? Do you pour yourself a glass of wine or two at night because you just want to take the edge off the stress instead of talking to a friend or doing some journaling? Maybe you are so angry and frustrated at the people who are supposed to have your back and you feel like you deserve something, anything, that would just make you feel a little better? All this is normal. However, eating and drinking for emotional reasons is not actually solving the problem. It’s like going to a medical clinic and asking to be seen by the lady with a phony medical license instead of the professional with a medical degree and years of experience. Why would we choose the faulty help? Sometimes when we overeat on a night out or weekend off it is because we are not taking care of emotional, mental, or physical needs that have nothing to do with food. The second issue is much more simple and very common. Often we simply don’t have a plan. We simply figure that we’ll go out and we’ll be “good”. However, we just leave it up to fate. As if we can look at the menu, have no desire for anything off our eating protocol, and magically choose the food items and quantities that serve our bodies. Or, we have the vague idea that we might “splurge” a little, but we haven’t settled on what that is going to look like. In fact, if you like to eat a certain dish, it might be very beneficial to decide ahead of time that you WILL have that and enjoy it. That way you don’t go into that all or nothing attitude feeling like you’ve messed up. Spiritual Application The other day I was reading a very familiar set of verses in Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit. It is in Galatians 5:22-23. In the New Living Testament the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. I’ve always loved this reading, but I’ve also seen it in the lens of how I treat others. The other day I felt God nudge me that so much of what I struggle with stems from not treating myself with the fruits of the Spirit. So, are you doing the same? Are you loving yourself? Taking joy in life? Cultivating peaceful thoughts? Having patience with yourself when you are human? Do you treat yourself with kindness? Are you faithful in your promises to yourself? Do you practice self-control toward what your body needs? Practical Application The difference between making proactive eating and drinking choices and being reactive and doing whatever seems or feels good at the time comes from two things: Taking genuine care of your physical and emotional needs and making a plan for what food or beverages you will consume at any given time. This is simple on paper, but like any good skill, the more you practice the better you will get at it. Journal Prompt Today I challenge you to sit down and answer three important questions: When/where do you tend to struggle with overeating or overdrinking the most? What could you do to take care of your emotional or physical needs so that you don’t turn to unhealthy quantities of food/drink to bring you comfort? What is a plan you could make ahead of time to support your health goals and still enjoy your time? Sign Off Just in case no one has told you today, I want you to know that you are spectacular. Don’t be hard on yourself as you learn. We don’t become good at any skill overnight. It takes practice. All my love to you! I’ll talk to you next week! Intro Have you ever received an invitation in the mail or looked at your calendar and realized that you only have a couple weeks (or less) to physically prepare for a special event? Maybe it is an anniversary party, or a school event, an office party, a birthday party, or a wedding. You want to look and feel as good as you possibly can, but of course you’re not going to be at your goal weight by then. So what do you do? ***Like & Share Promotion*** Every woman should have access to life-giving encouragement and health tips that keep her close to her Savior. I love spending time with you every week, giving you insights that are going to help you reach your life goals and bring you close to the blessing God has planned for you. Please, take the time to rate, review, and share this podcast so that together we can help others invite God back into their weight loss journey. *** Personal I’ve already started to get the “save the dates” in the mail. That, on top of the fact that February is the month my husband and I celebrate our anniversary. We like planning something special to enjoy some time with each other. I remember that my strategy for events like this used to be terrible. In fact, it closely related what a character from the comedy TV show “Scrubs” used to do. Ellie was the cute, sweet blond that chose to not eat at all for like 48 hours when the group decided to spontaneously join some coworkers in celebrating the nuptials in an exotic locale. In fact, she fasted so much and so hard that the first thing she did after landing and changing into a swimsuit was demand that someone take a picture so that she could start eating and drinking. So funny. And, also, something I would have to admit to doing as well when I felt like I wasn’t physically fit enough to be presentable at a special event. Concept Does that situation sound familiar to you? Well, let me say, that I don’t think I ever enjoyed an event when I was starving and more about eating something and how I looked, than enjoying the activity and company I was with. Plus, studies show that if you lose weight quickly your body is more ready to put on weight and the proportion of fat to muscle is significantly higher than for those gaining weight after a slow weight loss program. So, instead of trying to lose as much weight as possible, I would like to suggest working on inflammation and energy levels instead. Most people gain significant amount of weight as their body retains water in the reaction process to food that their body doesn’t agree with in high amounts. For me personally, and for many of the women I work with, these foods are processed sugars and white flour, alcohol, and dairy products. In fact, when I take a break from these food items, especially if I have have been consuming them with regularity, I will lose 3-8 pounds of inflammation weight, my face will clear up, and my energy levels will rise. Other ways I reduce inflammation and cultivate energy is by stretching, moving, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. Spiritual Application I love Psalm 107, it is full of testimony of how God lovingly saves us from ourselves. We often do things in a stubborn decision to have life our own way and on our own terms. I’ve always found that this attitude gets me into trouble, without fail. And, I can say, that hurting our bodies out of vanity doesn’t sound like anything our loving Heavenly Father would endorse. Take a moment, and read through this beautiful psalm when you get a chance. But one verse that especially strikes me is the 9th in which the Psalmist writes, “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” God wants to see His children nourished. Can we trust Him? Practical Application & Journal Prompt I know it is hard not to try to reach your goal weight in two weeks. But, I want to challenge you to concentrate on doing what you can to heighten your health before you enjoy special time with friends and family. I suggest you take a moment and make a plan for the remaining days until your special even, answering the following questions:
Sign Off I am so proud of you for trusting God and doing loving, life-giving things for your body, not being harsh or punitive as you move toward better health. Remember to take a moment and share this episode. I’m guessing you have a friend or loved one who is also looking at a special event in their near future and would like to look and feel their best. You can do this, sweet sister! All my love to you! Talk to you next week. Intro Isn’t it easier, sometimes, just to forget what you’ve been doing when it comes to your diet and habits and instead just say that “Starting Monday” we’re going to magically be amazingly healthy? How is that working out for you? When we do that we end up side-lining our efforts quickly. Instead, let’s get real with ourselves and figure out what is going on. ***Promotion*** Membership *** Personal It was so hard to keep a food log, at first. It felt like some sort of deep dark shame, as if I was revealing to the world what I was shoveling into my mouth. But, that is ridiculous, because I was literally the only soul looking at my food log. Now, starting a food log is the first thing I encourage women to do besides drinking water, getting quality sleep, and weighing themselves daily. And, just like me, they have a very difficult time getting started. There is a lot of push back such as not having the time or not being able to remember. But, when I dig deep and ask questions I find that they really don’t want to do is have a record of making choices they wished they hadn’t. I get it. That was me. However, I have to say, that when I wrote it down it only took a couple weeks to see that I was very wrong about what needed to change. It turned out that my meals were pretty healthy and my portion sizes were fine. What really undermined my health was this late afternoon habit of stress eating junk. Then, sometimes, I continued the practice after dinner. After looking at my honest food log, I realized that targeting those two times of the day would be the biggest game changer. If I could figure out how to handle stress during the late afternoon and evening without turning to food, then weight loss would be easier and permanent. Concept In John 8:32 Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” A food log is supposed to set you free. It will set you free from the lies you hear in your head telling you that you’re lazy, should be ashamed, and can never reach your goal. Instead it takes what is happening in your diet and brings it into the light where you can face it and do something about it. I believed all the lies: That I was unhealthy, had no will power, and that my diet choices were a train wreck. It was so nice to realize that on the whole, I ate very healthy meals with great portions. There was simply a habit of self-soothing with unhelpful snacks that was keeping me back from my goals. It also meant that the real problem couldn’t be solved by just changing my diet. Spiritual Application When you keep a food log, you can also start asking for specific healing. We can approach Jesus, the Healer, and instead of simply asking to “get better” we can ask for strength at 4:30 when the kids get home from school or for direction and peace when you have a disagreement with a close friend, identifying the real problem, bringing it into the light, Practical Application Keeping a food journal is incredibly easy. You don’t need any fancy tools and in fact, the simpler the better. Using a calorie counting app or macro nutrient tracking software might distract and add extra worry or shame. I have found that when starting out, the best thing to use is a simple notepad or a notes app on your phone. Then, you write down what you ate and when you ate it. After a couple weeks, you can review the information and notice any trends. Journal Prompt After keeping a journal for a couple weeks, where do you notice yourself over-eating or eating when you are not hungry? What kinds of food do you see you eating too much of or too often. What do these situations and foods tell you about habits you have in place? What would you like to change? Sign Off Courage, my sweet sister. You can learn so much from where you have been and where you are now. In the weight loss membership, this is the monthly challenge we are doing together. It is a basic but priceless tactic. Hope it helps. Love you! Talk to you next week. Intro Do you ever feel like the devil literally throws something in front of you and challenges you to eat it? I mean, it isn’t going to kill you. You deserve it. You’ve had a hard day. And, it isn’t a sin to have that brownie, eat that massive bowl of chicken alfredo, or dive into the doughnuts. Well, my love, let me congratulate you on being human and assure you that the temptations won’t stop coming, but you can get exceptionally good at taking steps that move you away from what you know doesn’t serve your body or your goals. ***42DFC Promotion*** Breaking unhealthy habits can take a lot of work. I know. Back in 2020 I had to do something about my addiction to simple carbs. It took six weeks to clear my brain and body of cravings. Because of the experience, I created the 42-Day Fallout Challenge. For 42 days you’ll get a daily email and podcast episode to encourage your epic break from whatever habit doesn’t serve you anymore. It’s entirely free and I know it will bless your journey. Go to loraarmendariz.com/freeresources to sign up. *** Personal So, this week might be a little harder than normal for our family. I teach and my daughters attend school in a district that only goes for four days a week. I know, it is fabulous. Of course, the school days are pretty long, but the three-day weekend is incredible. However, this week I have professional development on Friday, so, horrors of horrors, I only have a two-day weekend which means Saturday must be full of a lot of work to make sure I get everything done in time so that there can be some rest on Sunday. Of course, this is what the rest of the working world pretty much does, but for me it is just the thing that would push me over the edge making some less-than-healthy foods way more appealing than normal. Thankfully, this isn’t my first ball game and I have a plan. Concept There are going to be times that you are especially susceptible to temptation more than others. It is just life. And, it is definitely something that the devil will enjoy taking advantage of. I actually believe two things are at play whenever we experience intense cravings for something we know doesn’t help us. First, our brain is looking for a way to comfort us and ease any pain or discomfort physically or emotionally. So many habits develop from us using things in this way and when they are something unhealthy, then we’ll find that these habits feel fully entrenched and even necessary to make it through the day. The second thing at play here is truly the Devil, taking advantage of our exhaustion, discomfort, and pain, to offer us things that might later make us feel shame, discouragement, or corrode our health. I have found that I can’t just expect myself to magically make the right choice, instead I need to have healthy solutions to shove in the Devil face as I also take steps to handle exhaustion, discomfort, and pain in ways that bring me life and restore me. Spiritual Application Most Christian women have heard about Jesus being tempted in the desert. For forty days He went into the wilderness and did not eat. The devil then tempts Jesus, simply saying that if really was the Son of God then he could turn the stones into bread, which was something Jesus could definitely do. He could cure, bring to life, cast out demons, and turn water into wine. But, in Matthew 4:4, NIV, Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” I’ve never been forty-days-hungry. In fact, I have to laugh when I think about my 4pm hunger at school. It is probably because that is the end of my work day and also because it is a few hours after my lunch break, but it is often a point in the day that I feel like I’m going to die from starvation and I am most likely to eat whatever has been lovingly placed in the teacher’s workroom. When I do that, I compromise on my goals and give in to actions that aren’t loving toward my body. Practical Application Want to know what helps me? Having a plan. You have to know what you can do for yourself in place of unhealthy food. I am not sure what that might be for you, but I am going to share with you what works for me. For actual physical hunger I have healthy oatmeal packets I can place in a cup and add water. At home I make fresh fruits and vegetables or steamed vegetables, which is always an acceptable solution. Also, I keep a large jug of water around in case physical hunger is more about dehydration than the need for fuel. For emotional hunger, a 15 minute nap, listening to music with my eyes closed or while dancing, journaling, art, or reading the next section in my Bible reading are successful go-to’s. I would encourage you to think up a few options for emotional hunger and physical hunger that you experience at home and outside your home. Bread alone is not the solution. The moment the piece is swallowed you will need the next one and the next bite to keep all the discomfort at bay. Journal Prompt Here is your challenge for the week. During a quiet moment, I want you to take out your device or some writing materials and list 5 things you could do for physical hunger at home and outside of the home. Then I want you to write 5 things you could do for emotional hunger at home and outside of the home. Sign Off You’re doing great things, sweet sister. All my love to you! See you next week Intro Do you just want to transform your world NOW? Uh, yeah, me, too. If there was a button we could push that made us smarter, kinder, more successful, and more financially sound we would be on that thing in a heartbeat. But, things don’t work that way because we have too much to lose if we miss out on the experience of working for it. Today we’ll be talking about how to stay in your fight for change for the long haul and why that is important. ***Quiz Promotion*** Does weight loss overwhelm you? Do you feel stuck not knowing what to do or try next? I've coached a lot of women, helping them take big steps toward permanent weight loss. But, the process is different for each incredible lady. To get some personalized suggestions I’ve designed a free quiz to get you started, go to loraarmendariz.com/quiz. *** Personal So, as I’ve mentioned, I really want to figure out how to consistently relax and enjoy time with others. Ugh. It sounds bizarre that this is my goal, but I’ve noticed that every time I am tempted to overeat or drink, it is usually because I’m overwhelmed, exhausted, and just need a break. However, I can’t just seem to magically jump from over-achieving time-nazi to relaxed chill wife, mother, and daughter of the Most High God. This is going to take some time. Like, DNA-changing-work. REALLY. But, as we talked about in the last episode, it is important that I take it day by day, recommitting to faith that God loves me and will guide me into healing. Concept Permanent change is hard. It takes a lot of work. Worst of all, it requires us to wait. When I lost my weight back in 2020, nothing really changed on the scale for the first couple weeks. I was making small changes, working on my thoughts and emotions more than the food. I knew it was what needed to happen since I was such an emotional eater, but it was hard not to give up the process and simply turn to the tried-and-true ultra restrictive diets. I knew I could lose weight FAST if I white-knuckled my way through another difficult hunger-filled couple of months. But, the weight would nearly jump right back on me the moment I pulled the constraints off my eating. For permanent weight loss we have to get really good at something that most of us detest: waiting. I know that sounds awful but if you could wait patiently while you put in the work, then you would find you could simply do the work without the dramatic breakdown of fear and frustration when the slower and permanent weight loss takes more time. Habit change is life-changing but it doesn’t happen overnight. Spiritual Application A few years ago I listened to an amazing sermon where the preacher, Levi Lusko, talked about small changes being incredibly powerful. He mentioned many worldly and Biblical examples of the concept but the one that struck me the most was from the Old Testament. As the Isrealites moved in to claim the promise land God said this in Exodus 23:30, “Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” He went on to explain that the Isrealites were not strong enough to keep possession of the land if He gave it to them all at once. They needed to increase in number and slowly establish themselves. Sweet sister, if you lost your weight all at once or simply woke up one day as healthy as a high school track star, would you know how to keep what you were given? Probably. We have to establish those habits, those routines that will allow us to maintain possession of the blessing of health. Practical Application Okay, I’m going to give you a little assignment today. I want you to think of the healthier version of yourself you would love to become, and I want you to list the habits she has. Include habits that affect physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational health. Now, this is the hard part, I want you to start on one or two of those habits now--not 25 habits. Two habits are doable. Two habits can be successful. Two habits a month would give you 24 established healthy habits by the end of the year. Think about it. If each habit helped you eat 50-100 less calories a day because you were taking care of yourself in a better way, then by the end of the year you could be eating over a thousand calories less than you do right now. AND, you would be eating less with the feeling of peace and well-being, not fear and restriction. You could keep it up indefinitely because those habits could just become who you are and what you do. Journal Prompt So, get out a journal, a spiral notebook, the notes app on your phone and answer these three questions: What is the healthy woman you would like to become like? What habits does she have established? What are one or two habits you could work to put into place this month? Sign Off I hope the New Year is packed full of life and blessings for you, sweet sister. Don’t forget to take that quiz. Your results will include a series of emails to keep you encouraged and a list of episodes that specifically address some topics that are bound to be especially helpful for you. All my love to you! I’ll talk to you next week! Intro I’ve helped women who come to me so defeated. Turning to my coaching and my program feels like a last ditch effort and their belief that it is possible is slim. I understand. They tried so many things, so many ways, for so many years. But, if you were walking down the street a couple thousand years ago, would you have touched Jesus’ cloak and believed you could be healed? Or, maybe you don’t think any healing is necessary and you place the blame on the lack of self control and a weak will. My sister, healing IS possible and believing is jet fuel for the most epic change you might ever experience in your physical and spiritual life. ***2024 Membership*** I love my weight loss program. We aren’t just throwing out fabulous tips and ideas and practical tools for weight loss, we’re inviting God into the process and truly asking for Him to fuel this change so that we will shine with health and faith. This membership, for the entire year of 2024, is only $5 dollars a month billed monthly so that if it doesn’t work for you, you aren’t stuck with something you can’t use. When you enroll you get full access to the 12-week course, a private group, and monthly challenges to keep you learning and losing weight throughout the year. To sign up go to www.loraarmendariz.com/weightloss *** Personal I think I spent the first week of my Christmas break sleeping. No kidding. I kept opening my laptop to work on my Teaching license dossier or my coaching work and simply falling asleep. I would really like to say that my life has been more balanced than that, but it hasn’t. I’ve been exhausted, overworked, and living with so much stress and pressure that I could even tell the difference any more. It has felt so good to rest that I know I should probably make some changes in the upcoming semester and make sure that I figure out how to more consistently work down-time into my life. Sounds like a challenge totally worth the work. Concept Happy New Year, sweet sister. I bet you have hopes and goals and dreams for yourself as well. I hope you do!!! The Holy Spirit inside of us is always encouraging our growth forward in God, and if you are listening to this podcast, I bet your health is something you would like to see some improvement in. Maybe you would like to lose weight, find some consistency in your habits, or simply find balance again. So, this is where I want to cut to the chase and ask you…do you believe healing and growth and change can happen for you? Or does this feel like your endless attempt to improve or try to turn things around and the possibility of yet another failure feels inevitable? When someone does not believe something is possible it taints everything that they do, think, and feel and before you know it, it all turns out just the way you thought it would. So, sweet sister, as you dive into your goals and fight for your dreams, let's invest some time into this critical aspect of success. Spiritual Application When Jesus was here on Earth in a human body, He did many miracles and healings. I love reading these stories. They are so precious. I can empathize with having years with a loved one in pain and illness. I empathize with the deep desire to be free from addiction and bad habits that plague my life. I hurt with the ones who are struggling with sin and need to be guided forward. As Jesus healed and cured and guided He often asked the people one of these questions: What did they want healing for and did they believe? So, be specific, what do YOU want healing from? Do you believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will guide you, provide for you, and heal you in this health journey? In Mark 10: 46-52, a blind man calls out to Jesus who surely knew what the man needed but Jesus still asked him what he desired. Jesus is calling out to you and asking you, what do you want? I am still wanting peace from a deep fear that I might not be wise with my time or get all the right things done. I feel deep guilt when I stop or rest, but I know that this isn’t from God. I know this isn’t from God because the result is me being cranky, tired, and even less productive with little ability to focus and concentrate. However, I’ve been like this as long as I have been an adult--a high achiever with lots of drive. I don’t know how to heal. But, I do know that I am calling out to Jesus and asking Him to fill me with guidance and peace and faith as I begin to build the habit of rest. Practical Application Okay, my dear, the practical application of learning to believe is interesting. I’ve heard all the things where you post positive statements around the house and listen to recordings of yourself affirming your hopes and dreams, but, while this can totally be helpful, let me offer a tacit that is even more accessible. It is a strategy developed by Katrina Ubell, M.D. and described in her book, “How to Lose Weight for the Last Time”. She says that those ideal beliefs can be hard to adopt all at once on a scale that truly feels real for our heart and mind. So, instead you break it down and begin with a smaller, more simple belief. For example, I want to believe that I can become an easy-going wife and mom who knows how to relax, enjoy my family, and take time to rest with peace and ease. But, I have too many doubts. I hear a voice telling me that I’m too busy or that if I live that way then I will be a failure. I have to start with a smaller belief such as, God will care for me when I honor my body and get a good night of sleep whenever He provides the opportunity. The next step up would be believing that 24 hours of no chores or work is a beautiful Sabbath practice that God created for me and I can do that with peace and faith. Maybe today you don’t completely believe that you can get down to goal weight or become a consistently active person with healthy habits, but can you take a first step in your belief? Can you believe that today you can eat that healthy breakfast you planned or drink all your water? Journal Prompt When you get a moment today I want you to answer some questions either in a journal or while talking with a mature friend. What do you need healed? OR How do you need to grow forward? What is the thought you need to believe? If that thought doesn’t feel true yet, what would be a thought you could start with? Sign Off It has been a treat talking with you today, sweet sister. Happy New Year! I’ll talk to you next week! |
by Lora ArmendarizYou Can Do It!Do you want to fall out of love with a destructive habit? The first 42 episodes of this podcast are a resource for anyone who wants encouragement and information as they take a six week break from a habit in order to fall out of love with it. Archives
March 2024
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