I’m a teacher and that means I interact with human beings for a living, and not just casually either. I’m building relationships and caring deeply about their futures and success. I’m also a mom and wife and find that so much my own well-being is wrapped around how my family is doing. I’m a friend, a daughter, a sister, and an aunt. I’m a neighbor, church member, and coworker. I bet you could list quite a lot of your own titles as well. The reason I want you to think about this is because each one of those relationships creates an opportunity for additional stress in your life. And this is normal. You are HUMAN. Therefore, with the holidays and the heightened opportunities for interacting with others while you and they might be experiencing some additional stress, I want to offer you some thoughts that might keep you from adding additional stress to your own life. #1: You are not responsible for other people’s reactions or feelings This might sound harsh but it is 100% truth. You are responsible for your own actions and feelings. At the end of the day, you can have effects on others but they still get to choose. For example: Let’s say that all I wanted to do Sunday evening was change into my pajamas, get under my most cozy throw-blanket, and read my favorite book. Then, my favorite friends in the world decide to stop by, knowing we would be home. Let’s say that I also had a splitting headache and hadn’t got any sleep the night before. At this point so many choices can be made. I could invite them in and decide to enjoy the time with them, use words and actions to let them know they are welcomed and loved. Or when they show up, I could be rude and cranky and let them know that they have made things worse by showing up uninvited and unexpected. I get to choose how to react. But, they also get to choose how to react. In every moment of our lives, God gives us agency over our actions and our words. For years I carried so much worry and guilt because I was constantly attributing other people's actions and words to my own choices, even when they weren’t connected at all. I have to tell you, as a wife, mom, and teacher I have so much more peace when I give people the best of me and then allow them to be and act however they choose. #2: Stop being a victim. Awful terrible things happen to everyone. We for sure need healing for those things and God is the most incredible and loving provider of that healing. But, often we refuse to find that healing or allow it to cure us, because we are stuck in the role of a victim. I see this often when people get especially stressed: You might decide you really need a drink because so-and-so said those terrible things to you. Or, there is no way you can enjoy that party because your spouse was being rude. When we live in the victim role we let go of all our power we could have over a situation and instead wallow in what others have said or done. I’ve never seen women be successful in their desire to become healthy or establish life-giving practices when they are living in that victimized state. Psychologists assert time and again that we are at our best when we take responsibility and agency over our present and move forward instead of focusing on the the poor choices of others. You’ll feel this in your prayer life, too. There is a world of difference between crying out to God to fix your child so they will stop being so rude to you and asking God to fill you with His love and healing touch so that you can be the mom who is full of truth and patience. #3: You are always the one choosing. Unless someone is physically forcing you to eat something then you are the one choosing to eat that. Just a few moments ago I opened up the jar of peanut butter and downed three scoops. I didn’t have to. Yes, I was hungry and my options aren’t plentiful for soft palatable foods having come back from the dentist with a sore mouth and trying to avoid dairy. But, I wasn’t forced to eat that. In fact, there is something incredibly freeing about saying out loud, “I choose to eat 3 scoops of peanut butter to appease my hunger.” If you’re not owning the choice you might feel either victimized by lack of options or ashamed by supposed lack of self-control. I tell you what, weighing the choices and taking ownership of your decisions is incredibly empowering. Then you won’t be playing the blame game on yourself or anyone else. This practice will help you reduce stress, anxiety, and anger in many situations involving your actions and words, sweet sister. As we enter into this season of joy and celebration of our Lord, I pray that you find peace in your relationships. I know that having strife among our friends and family is one of the most difficult things to bear no matter what time of the year, but I especially know that it can be heartbreaking during the holidays. I hope these three truths, though they might be difficult to swallow at times, fill you with strength. Blessing to you, my dear. We’ll talk next week. Good bye for now!
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#112, Two Things that Will Help You at the Thanksgiving Day Table (Or Any Food-Centered Gathering)11/21/2023 If you have made it this far in the game and still feel like you are staying committed to your holiday weight loss or maintenance goals or simply honoring your body with those good choices, then you will still want to listen to this episode. Also, if you feel yourself on nutritional rocky ground these days then really pay attention to what we talk about today. In this episode I am going to break down two things you can do that will help you make wise choices at the Thanksgiving Day Table without leaving you feeling like you're in diet prison. This isn’t just an important concept for Thanksgiving, either, there are many food-centered gatherings from birthday parties to get-togethers with friends that will find you leaning toward choices that neither serve your body nor your plans. I love big dinners, especially when I get to cook them. I don’t so much love the dishes, but I love putting in all the work, seeing it come together, and then enjoying that dinner with family. My younger brother likes to jokingly warn people to stay out of the kitchen because he says, “We’re just getting in the way of her choreography.” And, to be honest, that is how it feels. As a farm and ranch wife, there are plenty of opportunities for cooking large meals for many people. So, this is a situation I find myself in often and I really like it. That being said, it is so easy to go overboard when there is so much good food and the activity feels special or important in some way. And, some dinners, like Thanksgiving, really do come around only once a year. How do we combat this, staying in the driver’s seat while simultaneously enjoying the experience? There are two means I use regularly in this situation to make good choices and feel at peace. The first is a tool and the second is a thought. 1.The Hunger Scale 2. A truth The first thing I use is the hunger scale. I like to make sure I’m really hungry before I sit down at the Thanksgiving Day table. This requires me to not be nibbling and snacking on everything as I cook. Next, when I sit down to eat I make sure that I drink 8 oz of water before I come to the table and have at least 8 oz of water in front of me. Next, I eat and savor my food. When I reach the point that I could still go for a brisk walk after the meal but couldn’t go on a jog then I have reached my sweet spot on the hunger scale. At that point I’m done. I don’t finish what is on my plate, get desert, or go back for seconds. And, I don’t eat again until I’m hungry. This is important too because many food-centered gatherings, just like Thanksgiving, go on for hours and you can eat pre-dinner, dinner, and after-dinner delights for a very long time. Now, let's talk about the thought. It is truly important that you have truthful and powerful things to say to yourself whenever your brain offers dessert, wants to go back for seconds, or desires to start grazing on the appetizers. Now, not any thought will work. You have to think like you were talking to a toddler or teenager. This thought has to be honest, kind, and firm. For example, if my brain wanted to go munch on the chips and dips I could say. “I’m fine. That would just make me feel bloated later since I ate enough food already. I could always make that for myself tomorrow.” Do you notice how all those thoughts are true, bring hope into the conversation, are firm? Let me tell you that this combination in your thought is powerful and will help you take steps that you can be proud of later. So, there you have it, when you sit down in front of the Thanksgiving table. I pray that you are able to use these two tools with success. Remember as you enjoy your food-centered gathering, use the hunger scale and take command of the thoughts in your brain with truth, peace, and firmness. Well, I am off. I’ll be back next week with another great episode all about staying healthy in the holidays. Until then, all my love. Talk to you next week! I have been there, too. Lunch comes around and I stare at the wonderfully packed over-night oats I brought to work. I distinct voice in my head says: “I don’t want to.” and I’m overwhelmed with longing for a candy bar or something loaded with salt and grease that would make my heart happy (just not very healthy). I tend to panic, needing my brain to be on board with my choices or else French fries and chocolate bars will soon be shoved in my mouth. So what do you do when you just don’t want to? I’ve got some great ideas for you. This is going to be a fun one. Micaela’s favorite word is still, “No.” and it is interesting because she uses that word to give her space. She literally says no because she needs time to think, a lot longer time than most people. But “no” doesn’t always mean, “I won’t” it means “I won’t right this second.” I’ve noticed we often give in or feel discouraged when we realize we don’t want to be healthy or follow through with our healthy choices. We might then believe that we don’t have enough will-power or that we aren’t motivated enough. This is far from the truth. We actually instead are probably struggling with some emotional or physical needs and we actually just need a moment to process what those are. Micaela’s tendency to say no is a powerful tool. It doesn’t just give her space, it also helps all her caregivers from school to home, become more aware of what she might be feeling. Today I want to encourage you to do the same thing for your own moments of “Don’t want to” so you can take even better care of yourself and find even more determination and commitment to your health goals. This is expert-level weight loss advice. So, let's dive in!
Micaela and her caregivers are always using her, “NO!” to go through the exact same process. 1. We ask her to notice how she is feeling emotionally and physically. 2. We ask her and ourselves what she might be needing or missing. 3. We address the true problem. 4. We set good expectations for follow through for Micaela and everyone involved. So, as you stay committed to your health choices, even through this Holiday season, remember to address that thought of “I don’t want to” by #1: Noticing the thought, #2 asking what is going on, #3: finding healthy solutions, and #4 making a plan for next time. I don’t know about you, but I am really enjoying this time of year. I love the events and the activity. I have my fall break coming up just next week where my husband, girls, and family will spend really amazing time together. I pray that you have a blessed week. Good bye for now! The holidays aren’t just loaded with activities and social gatherings that come with all our favorite foods, we are also usually given food items as gifts. In fact, I remember growing up here in rural New Mexico, we had tons of neighbors and friends giving us food. We received anything from tamales to wrapped sweet breads to tins of chocolates. There were definitely items that we looked forward to each year and there was no way I was going to turn down that experience. I still look forward to those gifts. I love enjoying them, giving honest compliments, and giving my own offerings of sweet treats. The question becomes, how do we accept food gifts, enjoy them, and still stay healthy throughout the holidays. I’ve got some great hacks for you today. This year I want to give out gift bags of sugar-cinnamon pecans. Last year Adela and I spent hours baking and creating cookies, and it was way more stressful than I cared for it to be. So, this year I planned an item that could be made ahead and stored then brought out and packaged when it came time to give things away. Sorry, this is a total spoiler alert for my coworkers and family, but it is important to me that I’m honest with you about how I felt about gifts of food. I don’t think they are necessary or the only thing to give during the holidays. I truly enjoy over the candles and soaps and mugs we receive during this time of the year as well. However, it is such an integrated part of our culture that we really can’t get away from it. This week’s podcast centers on what to do if you are given food items AND you want to enjoy them. This is totally optional. Not everything you are offered needs to be ate or drank. But we can all probably name that treat that we anticipate each year or the special person we won’t say “no” to. So, with that in mind, here are some tips to help you stay in control and stay healthy as you enjoy the season:
It was so fun having this chat with you. Once again I want to encourage you by reminding you that God made food to be enjoyable, as a blessing to our lives and I pray that you find that balance as you both enjoy those gifts during the holiday season and continue to honor God with making healthy choices for your body. All my love to you! I’ll talk with you next week. Yes, we’re a couple months or so from the time when new-year’s resolutions are going to be posted all over the internet, but as we enter into the holidays, this is the perfect time to set some goals for how we would like to handle the next couple months of celebrating. So, with this in mind, I’m going to talk to you today about how specific goals are powerful and how you can create them. In case you had any question about my humanity, I am excited to reassure you that my world is less than perfect. Between the responsibilities of the home and farm and the busy life of school as a teacher I find the holidays are a perfect opportunity for me to go back to the old habit of stress eating. To top it off, the holidays are heavily laden with opportunities to eat in ways that really don’t serve my brain or body at all. Once upon a time, I would begin this time of year with a vague concept of not gaining any weight. I would just “be good” this year and January 1st would find my waist the same circumference that it was on October 31st. No biggie. After all, I’m a grown up and I can handle the holidays. You can guess that I started the new year with extra pounds and regret each and every year. Learning how to care for myself in better and different ways made it to where a few years ago I finally made it through the holidays with no damage control needed once they were over. But, I can’t lean on old success to get me through that situation again. Every year is different. Our daughters are at different developmental stages and my work at school is different too. Plus, the needs of the home and farm are constantly in flux. I have found it extremely helpful to set specific goals this time of the year and I’m going to walk you through this process.
I am determined to stay healthy physically, emotionally, and mentally over the holidays so this is what that looks like for me:
As I worked that out with you I got excited. It doesn’t seem hard and it feels so good to have a plan. For years I would just try really hard and fail because I never went through this process. Also, this plan gives my brain a task and something to look for. Instead of making my brain think we need to be fearful of all the spontaneous eating and food gifts, I can instead approach it with confidence. Our brains love doing what it believes is important so telling my brain that meal planning, drinking water, eating vegetables and taking time to refresh is what is important will help my brain look for opportunities to follow through. And, if you are one of my members, I am posting a PDF of this process for you as part of our monthly challenge. Remember, the membership is only $5 per month and comes with the entire 12-month course as well as access to an online community and the monthly challenge with resources. Stay tuned to this podcast, I am really going to be concentrating on giving you support, encouragement, and tips over this Holiday Season. Our next episode is all about my favorite hacks for accepting food gifts and enjoying them without paying the price on my waistline. I love you, sweet sister! Talk to you next week. For just a couple dollars and a few minutes you can harness some serious health and habit changing power, without even breaking a sweat. Interested. I hope so. Today I’m going to break down why journaling is truly an impressive health and habit change tool, how it works, and what you can do to get started without feeling like you’re back in your high school English class. I’m passionate about this one because I’ve seen it work both for myself and so many women I’ve coached. I was such a nerdy little girl and still am a pretty nerdy woman. I don’t mind because as I learned the skills of being a life coach, I've come to appreciate some of the things that I already do that serve me so well, and the first on the list is journaling. Did any of you keep a journal as a young girl? I have one that started when I was 8 years old. I remember how good it felt, even then, to write down the secret thoughts in my mind and feelings from my heart. Once on paper I would then read it all again as if viewing a different world, my own world taken out of an angsty soul and onto a piece of paper where it felt less overwhelming. Journaling can take places of deep pain from the shadows and into the light where you are capable of doing things about it. Journaling can clear up confusion, helping you piece reality back from the pieces of shattered heart. And, journaling is accessible, available with the need of only a cheap notebook and writing utensil, or the notes program in your phone. However, even with all that lovingly said, I know many of my sweet sisters are far from convinced. You don’t want to look at your words on screen or paper and see another side of your imperfect person out in the open. However, I’m going to walk you through three key reasons that journaling is one of your most powerful assets then walk you through some tips to get started journaling in an easy way. Writing brings things out in the open. When things are hidden they are often not brought into healing light. Let me give you an example of this. I am really good at harboring resentment. Things will build up in me until I don’t want to talk to anyone, I’m in a terrible mood, I feel unappreciated, and I’m completely unsatisfied with life. But, if asked, I really would have no idea why. When I pour it out on paper, suddenly I feel like less of a monster and more of a flawed human who needs a nap and hasn’t had a break in a few days. Just writing it down helps the weight lift from my heart and it is so much easier to invite God into my world because I’m no longer hiding from or shoving away my pain. Writing uses the higher brain. I’ve discussed this often but let me recap the higher and lower brain. God beautifully designed your mind, but of course the Devil knows how to take advantage of our humanity, too. So, your higher brain is less emotional and way more logical. It can make great decisions and sift through information to serve you best. But, the lower brain is loud, emotional, and often takes over whenever it senses discomfort in any way. I truly think God designed us this way to keep us safe and keep us balanced. But, when the lower brain is running the show, it is hard to make great choices. When we write things down, our thoughts and circumstances become more black & white and less full of emotional baggage. We can sort things out then and begin to see how our thoughts and feelings can be acknowledged, healed, and changed. Without this process of writing things down, though, our lower brain continues to run the show because we can’t separate fact from emotional thoughts and reactions. This especially helps when we are trying to make changes but feel like we keep sabotaging ourselves. Afterall, when we realize that we don’t need to go to the candy bin out of anger and frustration because those feelings are being fed by a lie, then we can turn away from food for comfort and seek out the real healing for our pain instead. Writing helps create habits and adopt life-giving thoughts. After you’ve done the work of sorting through the hurting thoughts and limiting beliefs you have in your head, it is the perfect time to write down life-giving truths about who you are and about your life. Writing them down is very different from just thinking about them. It is a declaration and it takes it out of your head and out where you can see it and believe it. I can’t count the number of times I’ve sorted out all the hurt and realized most, if not all of it, was twisted truths or downright lies. Then, when I challenge those thoughts and beliefs I find peace with single phrases or sentences such as “I’m never alone.” “You’re doing good.” “God is within me.” So, now that you have a better idea of how journaling can help, let's talk about two tips to get started.
Hey, before we part ways today, I want to encourage you not to feel like you need to get started and do this every day from the get go. Just set out at first to build those journaling muscles. You could start by just doing a weekly written response to this podcast, answering the questions I ask, or making connections to your history or current reality that it reminds you of. Set a timer for just a few minutes so your brain doesn’t freak out thinking you’re about to sit down and try to hash out an entire term paper. Journaling is a gift and I know it will lend itself so much to your journey for change. I love you so very much. Have a great day and I’ll talk to you next week. The other day I almost gave up on a lesson. I was guiding my English students through a lesson on grammar and mechanics and things just weren’t going as I’d planned. I knew I’d messed up and the possibility of a perfectly executed lesson was no longer possible. I paused, and all I wanted to do was tell the students to open up their Chrome Books and work quietly on their research projects. Perfectionism was killing me. My old tendency to give up once I knew it had no possibility of it being a perfect experience, filled my being. But, surprisingly, I heard the Holy Spirit gently remind me of my humanity. So I swallowed, let my student know that I hadn’t done things well for them but that we were going to try a different direction. We kept going on the lesson and finally things began to click for the kids. By the time the bell rang we were all relieved and I was happy I hadn’t given up, even if the whole thing had taken twice as long as I’de planned. Perfectionism will get you to quit on yourself quicker than almost any other habit I’ve encountered both personally and while coaching women on weight loss and habit change. Today, I'd like to walk you through this and what you can do about it. Perfectionism is so normal and I have to call out the Devil on this one, because he loves to lie to us that we do and should have the capability of doing something perfectly. But we don’t. Perfectionism is a tendency to want things around us to be perfect like a perfectly organized pantry or a perfectly clean living room. Perfectionism is a tendency to want our bodies to be perfect--slim, trim, capable of running a marathon, and devoid of scar or mole. Perfectionism is a belief that we must be perfect, demonstrating the fruit of the spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control--with no flaw in our words or actions. Dear sister, there is a thin line between high standards and impossible expectations because we are not, nor will we be, perfect on this side of Heaven. And, as soon as you hear me say that or you say it to yourself, the perfectionist inside you will throw a mini-tantrum, announcing that if perfection is not impossible then what's the point in trying? See how toxic that is? See how defeating that is? That is not the space we were meant to live in. It leaves no room for love, grace, compassion, and celebration. Perfectionism will slow you down far more than it will motivate you. Here are some tips for knocking yourself out of perfectionism and into powerful motivating growth:
Okay, sweet sister, let me walk you through those tips again. 1. Rely on God more than yourself 2. Seek support from others 3. Celebrate every little thing. The journey to leave perfectionism behind will not be finished in a day, but as you learn to do this in your health journey, I pray you start to leave perfectionism behind in other areas of your life as well, inviting love, grace, and joy into those spaces. All my love to you. I’ll talk to you next week. Good bye for now. I have so been looking forward to having this conversation with you. Right now, in our monthly challenge within Weight Loss from the Soul, we are taking a break from our trigger foods in order to regain some perspective on how those foods affect our brains and bodies. The next step though can be even harder, especially for my sweet sisters who have been putting themselves in ultra restrictive diet prisons for several years or decades: how to plan and enjoy treats. Today’s topic is so important. I don’t know about you, but the holidays are filled with a lot of my favorite food. Stuffing, pecan pie, iced Christmas cookies, and Halloween candy. I am going to teach you all about the power of permission when it comes to handling foods or beverages that traditionally might have thrown you over the edge. Do you remember that verse in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 where Paul says, “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial”? I have always found this statement to be a balm for my soul, reminding me that I am fully loved and saved even if I am far from perfect. I used to have so much shame around my eating habits and that shame never helped me get thinner or helped me find healing around that addiction. So, today, I am going to walk you through how giving yourself permission to enjoy treats can lend itself to healing in this area of your life. First of all, let's talk about what our brains think whenever we are typically on some sort of restrictive diet. Our brain decides that certain food items, beverages, or categories are evil and shameful and must be avoided at all cost in order to be successful. Then we decide to have a “cheat meal” or “cheat day” or we simply take a bite of that off-limits item and suddenly we’re face-first in a hundred things we feel we shouldn’t be eating or drinking. Why? Well, we’ve already messed up, soiled the clean eating of the day. We might as well eat and drink it all because we can’t take it back and tomorrow we’ll be “good”. Sound familiar? Yes, sweet sister. I know. That was me, too. Honestly, learning how to give myself permission to enjoy treats helped me break free from the pattern of binging and restricting. Eating is pleasurable and I still look forward to danishes and a cafe mocha from Starbucks. I want to encourage you to start planning enjoyable eating experiences. And, if that sounds scary, let me walk you through how to do it right so you don’t fall off that make-believe wagon. I call this the 5-P process. It is very simple. And, if you are part of my membership, there is a page on this month’s PDF that walks you through this.. 1. Plan Choose the meal/situation and a food that you will enjoy. Avoid thoughts like “cheat meal” or “Cheat day”. You are not doing anything wrong. Also, don’t think of it as a “day-off.” This is a planned food item or meal. Not a day to go crazy. 2. Portion Decide what the number or quantity will be for that food or drink and say out loud, “Okay, I am going to have ----- and enjoy it.” For example, yesterday I said, “Today I’m having three peanut butter cookies with a cup of coffee after school.” 3. Plate It is important that you plate it at this point. If your treat is a beverage, pour it into a special glass or tell yourself it will only be this bottle, can, or cup. This will help you stick to your portion size and remind your brain that the experience is sanctioned and should be enjoyed. I put those 3 cookies on a plate and took it to the table away from the container of cookies. 4. Peace Eat or drink in peace. Turn off the TV. Put your phone on silent. Try to have as little distractions as possible. 5. Pleasure Slow down. Take small bites or sips. Savor the flavors and textures. Describe it in your brain. Often our need for more and more is driven by our lack of attention to the experience. It really is that simple: Plan, portion, plate, peace, and pleasure. If you do this you will find so much more enjoyment in the experience and little to no thoughts of shame or fear. Those two things combined can give you the strength and power to stop yourself from falling into a binge or going off the deep end for a day or more. I really struggle with perfectionism and I know that is the same for a lot of you. And, sometimes, I just have to look myself square in the face and say, “Don’t be a jerk, plan a treat.” I have to say that because it has been so deeply ingrained in us that certain ways of eating are bad. Planning enjoyable eating experiences will help you begin to heal. And, if you are worried about that food or beverage sabotaging your weight loss I want to offer a couple thoughts:
Remember, if you are interested in signing up for the membership, enrollment is open and you can join in on our October challenge. It’s only $5 per month. Just go to loraarmendariz.com/weightloss Talk to you next week. Good bye for now. We live in a culture famous for its canceling, quitting, and retreating tendencies. Then we wonder why we can’t get the hard things done. Hey, Sweet Sister, this journey you are on for habit and health changes is worth the fight and the commitment. Today I’m going to walk you through the steps you can take so that you don’t quit on yourself. Commitment is not a magical condition that only comes when you hit your sweet spot and everything goes right or is right for you. That is completely off-base for what commitment really is. Oxford dictionary defines commitment as: the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. Dedication is a decision. Dedication takes preparation. Dedication requires us to move beyond comfort and convenience. For those reasons, many of us find that we are not committed whenever things get hard. Instead, we casually put our dreams down. A few weeks ago, my husband and I made a contract with our eldest daughter, Adela. She loves every animal on the planet and we’ve lost count of the different species she has asked to have as a pet in the house or another critter on the farm. Honestly, we usually turn her down. However, she is getting more crafty, presenting reasons and creating plans behind her requests. So, when presented with her most recent desire for a goldfish that doesn’t live in a stock tank, we decided to see what she had in her commitment bank. We asked her to first tell us why she wanted a goldfish and then do some research about their needs and what equipment would be required. She did both eagerly. However, we still weren’t convinced. We needed to know she was committed to the animal. So, we made a contract where she could earn her fish and the equipment by doing extra chores. She is three weeks in and still hasn’t changed her mind. So far, she remains dedicated to her choice. Now, we aren’t 11 years old and our dreams to make permanent changes to our health and habits isn’t going to take just a few weeks. We need to have the dedication and commitment to keep going as long as it takes to reach those goals. Thankfully, this is something you don’t have to wait for, you can create it.
Adela is still working hard with her extra chores, doing her best to earn her fish tank. I watch her and realize that it is more than just hard work, it is a choice. A choice to do something hard instead of something easy. She could give up and do less work, having more time for Legos and running around in the pastures with her lambs, but she chooses to strive toward her goal. I’m proud of her. Sweetheart, one last thing about commitment: are you honoring your hard work? Are you recognizing the great choices YOU are making, too? Are you proud of your progress and proud of all the little things you do to get yourself there? Commitment is a lot about relationships. Adela’s commitment is also related to the trust she has with her parents, knowing we will honor her work. What about you? What kind of relationship do you have with your soul? Do you never stop to recognize what you have done? Do you always simply push forward to the next thing, the next goal? Build that loving and honoring relationship with yourself and you’ll also find that commitment comes easier. Well, sweet sister, I hope you are loving this fall weather and remember that if you want some extra support and community in the holiday season around your health and habit choices, you can now join my membership and get full access to the 12-week course for just $5. I’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, all my love, and goodbye for now. Whenever we are in a quest to become healthier and make lasting changes, it can feel like we are fighting against weak and flawed flesh. But how can we expect to win when we are divided against yourself? In today’s podcast I want you to harness some powerful gratitude and pride in the body God gave you in order to highly motivate your habit change and health choices. *** Membership*** I believe everyone deserves to be healthy and should have access to the solutions I teach in my course, weight loss from the soul.. So, instead of only going through the course with women a couple times of year, women can now subscribe for $5 a month and have:
If you're interested, head over to loraarmendariz.com/weightloss and sign up today. ************************* For way too long, I looked at the woman in the mirror as if I were critiquing an English paper. The margins were all wrong, flesh hanging just a little over my waistline. There were countless errors such as cellulite around my thighs and stretch marks from pregnancies. My face was too full and my goodness, I definitely don’t have cute and defined ankles to go with my thick legs. I could go on, but you get the idea. However, unlike a stack of essays, there was no whipping out a red pen to mark things up so that it could all get edited proficiently in a matter of minutes. And yet, I liked to think that if I worked hard enough I could whip things into shape in no time at all. And, that is how I saw my body. A flawed object that I was responsible for perfecting. So so sad. And in no way did that ever make me feel confident or proficient. Instead I felt even more ashamed of binge eating and my imperfect body. Somehow, at some point, our culture fed us the idea that we were in charge of exactly how our body looked and anything short of magazine perfection meant we weren’t cutting it, we weren’t trying hard enough. Everything we do out of that attitude and space becomes almost punishing. Trying to force our bodies into a mold. And we often do things that are really hard and feel so terrible that we give up or go back to our old ways. When you are wanting to lose weight for the last time, your perspective and attitude toward your body is worth spending a little time thinking about, because when you value and respect your body, you will find extra love, extra motivation, and extra perseverance to do what brings you closer to a healthy life. There are three steps to this process. This is definitely a podcast where you’ll want to sit down somewhere and grab a pen and paper.
Wanting to honor and care for our body will have you making the best choices naturally. You might turn down that extra serving of desert because you want to be kind to yourself. That is actually the same choice you might make while trying to restrict out of frustration or shame. However, those choices fueled by love are so much easier to carry out and keep on making. Know that I love you and I am praying for your journey. I am praying that you begin to love the masterpiece God made in you. Talk to you next week. Good bye for now. |
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
April 2024
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