I am fat. You look fat. I hate being fat. Fat. Fat. Fat. I been called fat. I felt like a real loser. Especially as a child or a young adult when I was extremely obese. I mean obese. I am sure at one time I weigh well over 300 lbs. Who wants to be called fat! Like….um….no one.
I was having a conversation with my friend who is from China and I was joking with her talking about our weight and she said to me, “you are fat.!” I said “I’m not fat. I am pretty much the average American women. I am not fat.” She was only kidding of course (in the Chinese culture they do not mince words. They say what they think which in America is not always polite or politically correct). She also went on to say that in their culture they do not have any other words to use if a person is overweight. I said well what about chubby? She said, no just FAT! Everyone who is not the norm is called “FAT!”
I was watching a story on the Today Show who reported that though we have been told the average size for the American woman is 14. Based on a recent study by the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education it actually is a size 16. Right now, I am a 14 or 16 in clothing size depending on the retailer. Like I said, my Chinese friend, I’m not fat I am the average American woman!
So, let’s ask Siri. I said, "what is the meaning of the word, fat". His respond was, (Siri is a man on my phone who resides in London, England and I am sure is from the West side) “a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal or human bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.” Okay, so we all have fat. We need fat. Fat is not a bad word until you start defining it as adjectives or verbs. It’s kind of nasty then.
Fat (adjective), “of a person or animal having a large amount of excess flesh, example: “the driver was a fat, wheezing man.” Synonyms: plump, stout, overweight, large, chubby, flabby, potbellied, meaty (my fave) or heavyset. “
There are more. We have so many other ways to describe this human condition. We are obsessed in America with weight either losing it or gaining it (anorexia is a huge problem too).
We have to stop the madness because as believers for us it is all about identity in Christ. What does Jesus think of me. Does God want us to be healthy? Absolutely! But I could not find any scriptures in my translation using the word “fat” that referred to a person in the New Testament. In the Old Testament it is used tons and they are burning a lot of it. When I searched in the New Testament though I could not find the word “fat”, but it brought up scriptures that referenced the Father. So, my point is, it’s not so much about our size but our identity in Christ. Our self-image should be defined by the Father. If you focus on defining yourself based on what the Father says about you, you will be a healthy size. I truly believe that. It does not mean you will be size 4. You may be a size 16 but let God define what is healthy for you and NOT the world.
In most cases, it is never really about the weight or food it is about something else you do not want to deal with and let the Father heal. Believe me I am right there with you. This has been a life long journey for me and will continue until Jesus comes and I will then be fine as wine.
For me it started when I was a child. Very young. I was molested as a child by a neighbor and then several other times later in my childhood. I know I used food to medicate and protect myself. There was a lot of shame that I carried because of that. Feeling it was my fault. What an awful, vile person I must be to let that happen. When I got older I knew that was wrong. And do you know what the bait was that was used and promised if I capitulated? It was food. It was not about sex for me. I had no idea what they were doing but I knew it was wrong because they tell you not to tell. It was only when I knew Jesus that he removed the shame I felt about what was hidden in darkness for so long and allowed me to talk about it with such freedom. I learned it was not my fault. I was a little girl. Those men were the perpetrators. They did evil. Not me. If you can identify with what I am revealing right now, and it is speaking to your heart, I pray the Lord will heal your soul and bring freedom to your spirit. If you need counseling, get it. But I implore you to find someone who knows Jesus and uses prayer in their practice. Holy Spirit is the best counselor. No shame in my game anymore. Jesus wants to set you free.
As I get older, I am really thinking about my health and a long life. Do you know what will keep you healthy? It not just about food. It’s about how we walk out our faith.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. “Proverbs 3: 5-8
Fear God. Living righteously. Obeying God. The way we live our lives and interact with our God leads to divine health. If you do not lean on your own understanding and acknowledge Him in your life. Let Him lead you to divine health. He will tell you what is the right food plan for your life. He will tell you what to eat and not eat. He really will if you ask him.
I was watching a story on the Today Show who reported that though we have been told the average size for the American woman is 14. Based on a recent study by the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education it actually is a size 16. Right now, I am a 14 or 16 in clothing size depending on the retailer. Like I said, my Chinese friend, I’m not fat I am the average American woman!
So, let’s ask Siri. I said, "what is the meaning of the word, fat". His respond was, (Siri is a man on my phone who resides in London, England and I am sure is from the West side) “a natural oily or greasy substance occurring in animal or human bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs.” Okay, so we all have fat. We need fat. Fat is not a bad word until you start defining it as adjectives or verbs. It’s kind of nasty then.
Fat (adjective), “of a person or animal having a large amount of excess flesh, example: “the driver was a fat, wheezing man.” Synonyms: plump, stout, overweight, large, chubby, flabby, potbellied, meaty (my fave) or heavyset. “
There are more. We have so many other ways to describe this human condition. We are obsessed in America with weight either losing it or gaining it (anorexia is a huge problem too).
We have to stop the madness because as believers for us it is all about identity in Christ. What does Jesus think of me. Does God want us to be healthy? Absolutely! But I could not find any scriptures in my translation using the word “fat” that referred to a person in the New Testament. In the Old Testament it is used tons and they are burning a lot of it. When I searched in the New Testament though I could not find the word “fat”, but it brought up scriptures that referenced the Father. So, my point is, it’s not so much about our size but our identity in Christ. Our self-image should be defined by the Father. If you focus on defining yourself based on what the Father says about you, you will be a healthy size. I truly believe that. It does not mean you will be size 4. You may be a size 16 but let God define what is healthy for you and NOT the world.
In most cases, it is never really about the weight or food it is about something else you do not want to deal with and let the Father heal. Believe me I am right there with you. This has been a life long journey for me and will continue until Jesus comes and I will then be fine as wine.
For me it started when I was a child. Very young. I was molested as a child by a neighbor and then several other times later in my childhood. I know I used food to medicate and protect myself. There was a lot of shame that I carried because of that. Feeling it was my fault. What an awful, vile person I must be to let that happen. When I got older I knew that was wrong. And do you know what the bait was that was used and promised if I capitulated? It was food. It was not about sex for me. I had no idea what they were doing but I knew it was wrong because they tell you not to tell. It was only when I knew Jesus that he removed the shame I felt about what was hidden in darkness for so long and allowed me to talk about it with such freedom. I learned it was not my fault. I was a little girl. Those men were the perpetrators. They did evil. Not me. If you can identify with what I am revealing right now, and it is speaking to your heart, I pray the Lord will heal your soul and bring freedom to your spirit. If you need counseling, get it. But I implore you to find someone who knows Jesus and uses prayer in their practice. Holy Spirit is the best counselor. No shame in my game anymore. Jesus wants to set you free.
As I get older, I am really thinking about my health and a long life. Do you know what will keep you healthy? It not just about food. It’s about how we walk out our faith.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. “Proverbs 3: 5-8
Fear God. Living righteously. Obeying God. The way we live our lives and interact with our God leads to divine health. If you do not lean on your own understanding and acknowledge Him in your life. Let Him lead you to divine health. He will tell you what is the right food plan for your life. He will tell you what to eat and not eat. He really will if you ask him.
It says in Psalm 37- “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Helping you daily is His delight. If you struggle with food, He will help you. He will direct you to the right food plan and exercise for your life. It is not one size fits all. Quit chasing every diet craze out there and find a lifestyle of eating and exercise that works for you. As your seasons in life change. Your plan will change too. What worked in one season of life may not work in the next.
“You say, I am allowed to do anything-but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT
In the Passion bible it reads:
It’s true that our freedom allows us to do anything, but that doesn’t mean that everything we do is good for us. I’m free to do as I choose, but I choose to never be enslaved to anything.”
I love this scripture and have applied it when making decisions in my life. There are right ways of living that God spells out very clearly in the scripture, but others are choices we make. What I like to call the gray verses the black and white.
God gives us choices. God gives us freedom but chose wisely because you will live with the consequences of those choices. God is not some task master that is going to Lord over you but rather he will be the Lord of your life when you yield your will to His. That applies not just to food but everything in life.
Some practical lessons I have learned on my weight journey I would like to share hoping this might be helpful to you.
- I believe the that spiritual is connected to the physical. Being physically unhealthy will have an effect on your spiritual life. It really has to do with overindulgence and yes, gluttony. Those are lust of our flesh and there are many scriptures in the bible that refer to that. Part of the fruit of the spirit is self-control which we need to apply to all areas of our life.
- Care about your appearance. Sometimes when we do not feel good about our weight we tend to let everything go. We stop caring about how we look. If you understand that you are valued by God, no matter what your weight you should care about how you look. Look the best you can at your present weight and wear appropriate clothes for your size. Think about who you are representing to the world.
- Ask Holy Spirit. There is an ample supply of grace for your weight journey. Check in periodically with Holy Spirit and ask Him to give you counsel on what is the best for you.
- Read scriptures about our identity in Christ. Who God says you are.
- Do not weigh yourself. I am adamant about not becoming a slave to a number. You can measure your progress in different ways. To some women they replace one addiction for another. Addiction to the scale. Their moods become dependent on how many pounds they lost that day or week. It’s a trap for many. The only person you are competing with, is yourself. Do not be a slave to the latest fad diets or trends. Stick with what works for your body. Look to the long term. This is a marathon and not a sprint.
- Drink lots of water. Water. Water.
- No soda, diet or otherwise. Diet soda is worse than the ones sweetened with sugar. They are both bad for you though. Studies have shown that diet sodas actually make you gain weight.
- Buy clothes that fit as you downsize. Don’t wear the same baggy clothes you wore twenty pounds ago. You may say it’s too expensive. Well shop clearance, thrift stores, and just buy basic pieces not an entire wardrobe.
- Just a bite. Learn to take just a bite of something that you crave. Usually that will curve your appetite. Sometimes I just want a taste and I am satisfied. If you can’t practice that much self-control, then do not do this.
- Keep moving. When I asked older people what advice they would give for a long life, many respond with “keep moving.” Be active both mentally and physically.
- Go on a negativity fast. No negative self-talk. As a matter of fact, no negative talk at all for the next 30 days.
Those are just a few suggestions I wanted to share. I have more but then this blog would then become a book. Listen, I am right there with you. I am not talking as one who has conquered all. I am living this now and day to day. The struggle is real but worth doing.
In conclusion, let’s not let the world define who we get to be. What we should look like and how we should live. I will never look like a Kardashian nor do I want to. You are the role model in your sphere of influence. This is a lifelong commitment to maintain good health. LOVE YOURSELF NOW! I continue to speak as one who has not yet attained but I am pressing on to my goal. You can do it! Let’s do this together!
Keep Flourishing!!
Barbara
