Author: Amanda Wright

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The Top 5 Ways to FAIL at your Health in 2016

 
 
I know I know, we just hit November and we all want to savor and enjoy the Holidays!  I’m with you, I promise!
 
But let’s be really honest here, when the holidays hit, we likely WON’T be thinking too much about our health goals, aside from the obligatory, “Ok, I’ll eat just one more Christmas Cookie and then will be GOOD come New Years!”  #AmIRight?
 
So, I’m writing this to you NOW so that you might pause and take a minute to go ahead and reflect on your health goals for 2016 NOW.  And who knows, maybe getting your optimistic juices flowing NOW might actually incentivize you to start implementing these new health habits through the holidays!  {Look at you being early to the party New Years party! }
 
I just wanted to be sure that you knew that NEXT YEAR IS YOUR YEAR!  I see it already in you!  It’s going to be your year to shine bright and do all these great things that you had never dreamed of before.  Your health is going to improve, your energy skyrocket and your fire for life ignite!  Yes, ma’am!
 
So, as you are getting your juices flowing in your brain to plan for those specific goals that you know will take you there, as your advocate and chief BELIEVER of YOU, I want to make sure you DON’T make some really small-minded mistakes in planning (or lack of planning) for your health that would prevent you from this amazing success in health in 2016.
 
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So, let me tell you the TOP 5 WAYS TO FAIL AT YOUR HEALTH IN 2016 we can avoid any common traps.

 
1.  YOU WON’T SET ANY GOALS:
Well, while we are not guaranteed to achieve every single goal we have ever set out to achieve before, we ARE guaranteed to FAIL at achieving 100% of the goals that we don’t set.
 
You might convince yourself that you don’t need goals to see results in your health, but I disagree.   A recent study conducted at Dominican University surveyed students for 4 week goals and found that just writing down your goals increased your chance of completing the goal by 55% and telling a friend about it with some accountability increased your chances of success by 65%!
 
 
2.  YOU SIMPLY MAKE A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION:
So, how did it go last year for your resolution?  Did you make it past March?  Studies show that the average length of any New Years Resolution only lasts 5 weeks and 92% of people that make New Years Resolutions fail!
 
A Vision Board however is a tool you can use to literally visualize your success for the entire YEA, not to mention have a little creative fun. It’s a colorful example of dreaming big and setting your eyes on your dreams.  It propels you toward what you want in life, not just the habits you hope to get away from.
 
From personal experience, I can tell you that Vision Boards FAR outweigh the success of regular goals.
 
In 2013 I was single and renting an apartment in Denver, CO while working.    I had the audacity to put on my vision board the following visions:
—Become engaged.
—Start my own business.
—Own a home..
—Get in the best shape of my life
—Become more like my grandmother, Bobbie.
 
Within 9 months I had completed EVERY. SINGLE. DREAM. for that year.  It was truly a shock to me--a miracle!
 
Now, these might not be typical results.  In fact, every year since then has not even come close to these accomplishments.  But I believe in Miracles and I believe that God will help you achieve your wildest dreams just to grow your Faith and trust in Him!
 
 
3.  YOU ONLY FOCUS ON THINGS YOU’LL STOP DOING:
We all know those things that we eat or do physically that aren’t the BEST for us.  It is always so tempting to just make a bit check list of all the things we vow to stop doing or cut back on.  Well, it DOESN’T WORK.
 
Bad habits don’t just go away.  You have to REPLACE them with the good behavior you desire and the focus on the GOOD, not the bad.
 
Whatever we think about GROWS.  So if you focus on what you DO want and what you WILL eat/drink/do, then you propel yourself toward those habits and the success you desire.
 
However,  if you only focus on what you DON’T want to eat/drink/do or the fear you have around cutting back on those guilty pleasures, then you can count on those behaviors to still own you and make the white-knuckling experience of trying to give them up pretty miserable and likely unsuccessful.
 
You will have to force your thoughts toward what you DO want it life. Your life becomes transformed by your thoughts alone!  Reason enough to give it a shot.
 
 
4. YOU ONLY FOCUS ON YOUR DIET AND EXERCISE HABITS FOR YOUR HEALTH:
If you limit your health to ONLY focus on those things that are food and exercise related, you are literally missing half of the battle!  I get that this is what society will tell you you need to focus on for real change, but it’s simply not true.
 
To change ANYTHING about yourself you must seek health from the inside out.
 
The Four Areas of TRUE Health are:
BELIEVE
THINK
EAT
MOVE
 
Believe:  Believing is really more about KNOWING.  Not just knowing WHO you are, but knowing “WHO’S” you are.  Knowing God by receiving His love and  SURREND’hering your heart to Him is the path to your greatest life possible.
 
Once you KNOW God, you can BE who God created you to be.   This becomes the WHY for your Fit and Healthy Life.
 
 
Think: As you step into the promises of God, you will transform your life “by the renewing of your mind.”  You will learn to THINK new thoughts that are aligned with God and your Spirit within.  This is incredibly powerful and finally allows you to let go of the performance-based, possession-based or popularity-based version of worth  you’ve likely been living under.
 
By THINKING better, you will SEE your body and your health in new light and will seek greater understanding and wisdom for what God desires for your body.
 
 
Eat:  Now that you KNOW who you are and can SEE your health for its truth, you will have a greater understanding and desire to eat those foods that give you the most life.  You will let go of your addictions and idolatry of food and instead taste and see that the Lord is good.  Food will be enjoyed, but not worshipped. 
 
 
Move: As you are appropriately fueled by food, you will have the abundance of energy to move more and do more.  You will no longer settle for mediocre versions of your health, but seize the opportunity for abundant living.  Motivated to showcase to the world the light of life you feel from the inside out.
 
 
5.  You Try to Implement “EVERYTHING AT ONCE."
 
We humans love a polarized way of life. We think we have to be “All IN” or “All OUT.”  When it comes to "health" goals, we think we have to start with a blank slate and just build up ALL of the health goals we desire.
 
Trying to implement 10-12 new habits all at once is nearly impossible.  Even if you’re successful at a few, you wind up feeling defeated by those tough ones you couldn’t quite hack.  It makes you want to quit them all or settle for a mediocre version of success.
 
Your best bet is the put on the mindset of ENDURANCE, PATIENCE, and SELF CONTROL as you play the moderation card.  This means setting just 4 “BIG ROCK” goals at a time and stick to them for minimum 60-days for habit success before going for another one!  Think of just ONE thing you can do in each of the 4 categories that will have the biggest impact on your health.  
 
Then, after a year, you will have implemented 24 "BIG ROCK" changes and your life will be transformed!  This is the pace to go if you are racing to win!
 
 
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If these 5 tendencies resonate with you, and you’d like some more tools to help you create your HEALTHIEST YEAR YET, I would like to invite you to participate in a FREE 4-PART MASTER CLASS ON TRANSFORMher HEALTH 2016.  Click HERE to be put on the waitlist and the first to reserve your spot!
 
I’ll be covering all four topics of True Health {BELIEVE, THINK, EAT, MOVE} and teach on a specific and usable tool for each category.  All teachings will be covered in live webinars with a Q&A session to help you with any specific question you have regarding your health in 2016.
 
If you’d like to learn more about living that SURREND’hered life, you can sign up HERE and receive my FREE STRONG’her Starter Kit!  It’s all you need to start feeling high energy and STRONG’her today!
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Health Coaching Spiritual Health Uncategorized

“You’re not bad at it, you just haven’t learned it yet.”

What are the stories you have been telling yourself about your health and body these days?

Are you telling yourself you’re not capable of being in shape? Are you telling yourself you are never going to overcome your serious sweet tooth and overeating tendencies? Are you miserable while eating your healthy food selections and watching the “skinny” girls eat all they want and not gain any weight?

Our health can be one of the most stressful factors we deal with. Last week, I learned a valuable lesson in probably the only other category of our life that is equally as stressful, if not more-> MONEY. I learned some great insight into the “story we tell ourselves” that I think will help you re-write your story today too whether about health, money or whatever!

Here’s how it went down….

The other day, I was at my counselor’s office having our monthly chat. We see her mainly as a marriage counselor, but I go to her independently too. I have found that I really value having a professional to go to for the times where those really tough circumstances come up, as they inevitably do, and I don’t necessarily want to always air my dirty laundry on my mom, friends or husband. If you have never tried seeking a pro, it truly changed my life. She and I were discussing a heated discussion my husband and I had recently had regarding money. Money is just one of the toughest subjects to talk about, ever. No matter how much you may have or don’t have, money is stress-inducing. And as the Bible states, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Being new to the amount of financial responsibility my husband has, there is a significant learning curve I feel the weight of. I have come to realize that whenever he seems to be stressed about money, I internalize it (well, and make it about me, darn it.) I start to think about all the ways that I have not been stewarding and spending money very wisely, often spending out of haste and convenience and just plain old ignorance. Financial stress is something that many people deal with. But it is important to realize that there are ways to get this aspect in your life back on track. Whether someone has decided to start saving for a holiday, budget for retirement, or maybe just wants to learn how to manage their finances better, having a reason to take charge of this situation might make it easier for a lot of people to save money.

I will start to internalize it so much that I will start to regret the very things that have been intended gifts of love from my husband. “Oh, he’s stressed about money, I should never have had that destination wedding….” “Oh, he’s stressed about money, I should have just kept my old car….” “Oh, he’s stressed about money, why did I get so carried away at Whole Foods the other day?”

Let me be clear, these are all actually very valid introspections for me. You learn the best by making mistakes and realizing them from hindsight.

There are some ways I spend money that does not actually align with the kind of woman I want to be and am called to be. I will need to change what I DO in order to BE who God intended me to be. However, my mind takes this ideal and distorts it in a destructive way. This is something we all do. As I was explaining this particular conversation I had with my husband to my Dr., I told her this.

“You see, I am really bad with money….”

And she immediately corrected me. “You’re not bad with money! You just haven’t learned how to do this yet. You are still learning and you need to give yourself some space and grace to process this. It’s a change for you.” Wow, without even realizing it, I just exposed my SHAME. She was right! I had only just discovered that you could get a credit card for no credit history to help build your credit or take out small personal loans at the bank. After listening to her, I decided not to be so tough on myself. Bene Brown, renowned Author of Daring Greatly and many other best selling books, explains the difference between feeling guilty and feeling shame is in that word “AM.”

It’s the difference in saying, “I did something bad” and “I AM bad because I did x,y or z.”

Shame is really common but really destructive and tend to traps us subconsciously. I had taken something I’m inept and uncomfortable with and actually internalized it to mean that “I AM BAD.” My brain will convince me of a distortion of this truth by convincing me of a story that “I AM bad” and then I act from a place of that story instead of acting from a place of my Truth. This means, I act from a place of insecurity, instead of a place of patience and grace that is required for the learning process. I learned from Rick Warren, that the natural ramifications of my insecurity will manifest in 3 ways: I either get:

DEFENSIVE-I start to justify all the reasons why I am the way I am (i.e. bad with money) –DEMANDING– I start to demand that my husband help me with the expenses more. –DISTANT-I’ll avoid the subject and focus instead on something I do feel like I’m good at.

The problem with all three of those responses is that it doesn’t actually fix the subject at hand and it causes issues in our relationship. Inevitably, these insecurities and resulting issues are going to come up again until I fix the root issue and finally stick with LEARNING THE PROCESS better. I realized, I need to reframe my intention back toward LEARNING how to be wise with money and it will be an ongoing education. There’s plenty of educational resources online on how to manage your personal finances, such as MyInforms, so I wasn’t concerned about their being a lack of literature out there.

SO, let’s flip this back to health.

With those thoughts that you have, perhaps subconsciously, been convincing yourself is your “truth” (like, “I am bad at eating/exercise/sticking with a program”) is it possible that you too are just internalizing something you simply have not yet LEARNED yet?? You might be thinking, “Yeah, but Amanda, I’m not new to my body? I’ve had time to learn, and yet I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing? To that, I think it’s important to understand the complexity of our body. Because our body’s are always changing, we are constantly having to adapt to the ramifications of the changing hormones and metabolic factors (including stress!). So what might have worked for you 10 years ago won’t necessarily work for your body where it is now. Maybe in some ways, but not completely. You have to commit to the process of LEARNING how to take care of what your body is doing this year. In that same way that I had learned how to spend money as a single person just fine, but I still needed to learn how to spend money as a married woman with a whole lot more expenses, you too will always need to adapt to the changes your body may have faced in the last year. Sometimes you may be in desperate need of something but don’t have the funds necessary to attain it. In situations likes these, it may be wise to apply for credit; but before you do, get your free report here. And just like I was exposed the negative ramifications that came from internalizing my shame in the way I would become DEFENSIVE, DEMANDING or DISTANT, you too need to be aware of your own reactions to the story you have convinced yourself too. Realize that if you simply change your story from ” I am BAD at eating healthy or exercising” to “I am in the process of learning about my body this year” you will release yourself mentally from having to be an expert in it right now. Instead, allowing yourself some grace in the space of learning. This week, what are you going to seek and learn about what your body needs from you? What are some things you need to investigate and learn about?

  • Maybe you have been experiencing some digestive issues and you need to learn about what foods might be causing your issues.
  • Maybe you have been experiencing some joint and body aches and you need to learn some new ways of stretching and exercising to help alleviate the pain but keep you feeling strong.
  • Maybe you have a life change going on that is keeping you busy and you need to learn some new rituals to streamline your health so you can still maintain a healthy system required for the additional roles you are facing.
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Goal Development Health Coaching Uncategorized

The Quit Quitting Plan

"You can pray for anything, and if you believe you have received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24

So, we’ve all been there before.

You make changes to your exercise and nutrition routines.  Cut back on those extra desserts, fried foods and other things you love.  You feel great off the start, see some results right away and that motivates you to stay the course….for a time.  

But then, it comes.  Boredom.  Willpower drainage.  The awkward conversation with your husband/boss/sister/girlfriend/mom that emotionally triggers you to reach for that bag of Cheetos or old stale cookies in the back of your pantry.  

Ugh, you just want to quit.  What's the point in trying?  

#AmIRight? 

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If I’m being honest...

I have QUIT every single diet I have ever been on.  

 As a bonafide emotional eater, I couldn’t hang with any “program” I tried to willpower my way through because my emotions ruled my life and my eating behavior.  

  • If I was happy, I would eat. 
  • If I was sad, I would eat. 
  • If I was stressed, I would eat. 
  • If I was bored, I would eat. 
  • When I felt defeated and wanted to quit…..you guessed it, I. Would. EAT!  

  This overwhelming emotional state of living was not working well for my health aspirations.  While I usually tried to compensate for my eating by just exercising more and more (and more), during certain seasons of my life where I was too busy to find time for the gym, my weight crept up easily.

 At one point,  in the course of just 6 months, I went from a healthy 160ish lbs (standing at 5’10”) to 180 lbs.  I was miserable and ashamed but felt stuck.  

I had been actively *dieting* right up to this point.  But the overwhelm from the stress I was feeling, well, you get the picture.  I felt too overwhelmed and just quit trying.  

 But luckily, things can change...

Today, I am happy to say that I NEVER quit anymore. 

It’s not because I don’t have emotional eating tendencies, I still do from time-to-time, although I have a better handle on those too, but because I have built my LIFESTYLE approach to my health and am no longer *ON A DIET* which would necessitate having to *QUIT* my health plan. 

I have experienced a freedom that can only come from doing the inside work on my Spiritual life and my relationship with God.  This has allowed me to find these KEY True Health Habits  that guide me to a healthy living for my BODY, MIND and SOUL.  I no longer rely on my emotions to guide my actions, including any tendency to quit, and I am so happy to share with you my...

 

TOP 5 HABITS TO STAY THE COURSE WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING!

1. RITUALIZE YOUR HABITS:  

A habit by itself gets boring really fast.  But when you take the time to ritualize your habit, meaning, you think about now just WHAT you are going to do but HOW you are going to do it in a way that you can enjoy, you keep things enjoyable.  

This means anything from wearing your favorite outfit to the gym, rocking out to a specific playlist on the treadmill, buying a special mug and blanket for you to sit with some hot tea at night instead of that glass of wine. 

Any way that you can add some special and personal enjoyment into otherwise monotonous habits will serve you in helping you feel more *REWARDED* in the process of your health.

 

2. VISUALIZE YOUR SUCCESS:  

Study after study shows that visualizing yourself succeeding in an action is  JUST as powerful as physically practicing the action.  Check out some studies here.  

And, as I always reiterate at A.Wright Fit, from a high level Spiritual standpoint,  it is important to KNOW that God has designed you for something specific and special in this world—a Greater Purpose for your life that only YOU can do, no one else.  Your health is a significant factor in helping you achieve all that you can out of life.  You are to live and THRIVE by God’s work in you and through you.

If you take the time close your eyes and visualize yourself as this future self, your Greater Purpose self,  and focus on her and what success looks like on her, you will train your brain to propel you toward becoming her.  

This is why my motto is STRONG’her, WISE’her, SURREND’her because we must all keep visualizing our own her that God will help us to become.

 

3. JOT DOWN YOUR LESSONS:  

Throughout any process and journey in our life, we are learning so many lessons, and unfortunately the HARD way.  What seems to happen more often than not, we have to learn things the “hard way” about 30-50 times in order for us to finally *GET IT.*  

But it doesn’t HAVE to be this way.  By starting a lesson journal you are saving yourself quite a bit of time.  By writing down your lessons you are committing them to memory in a better way. If you then read and re-read that journal from time to time, you are further conditioning yourself to remember what you are learning and to keep applying it.

Studies show that it takes 21-days for the neurons in our brain to actually create a MEMORY and a full 63-days to form a HABIT.  

Starting a Lesson Journal is a clear way to help keep this process going!  Plus, the satisfaction from real life lessons is incomparable in hindsight.  To look back on all that you learned helps you endure through painful experiences in the future too!

 

4.  SHARE YOUR JOURNEY WITH YOUR *PEOPLE*:  

You are designed for community and so every opportunity given by God also is an opportunity to connect and share with others.   Knowing you have friends or family in the background that are backing you gives you more incentive to stay the course.  

Choose wisely those people you can share your journey with.  Find those people that will be your true Accountability Partners in life, meaning that they account for your abilities and not just your disabilities. You don’t need people that point out your mistakes or guilt you into better behavior.  You need people that can see you the way God sees you and you should do the same for them!  Believe that they will become the person that God will’s them to be too!

 

5. ACT AS THOUGH YOU’VE ALREADY WON: 

This is everything!  God has designed you for Greatness and to WIN in life, and, now have taken the time to even visualize yourself as her, you have nothing else to worry about in this health quest.

 
It’s already been DONE for you.  There is no waiting necessary, really.  
 
"You can pray for anything, and if you believe you have received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24
"You can pray for anything, and if you believe you have received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24

Because while you think you are after the specific MEASURED success (which is not a bad thing to have a measurable goal in mind, they do work), you are really after a FEELING, which you actually have ability to choose NOW.  You are her NOW.

In Faith, know that if God has put it on your heart to want to achieve a level of health you do not embody yet, He has also paved the way for you to actually DO IT.  You have all you need because you have God within you.  Focus on Him within and act accordingly. 

Categories
Goal Development Health Coaching Uncategorized

What a Difference A Year Makes

33 Birthday Lessons

32

It's been an incredible year!   I have taken over 47 flights.  I have traveled to 9 countries and over 15 cities, domestically.  I became wife.  I became a *bonus*mom (of a toddler!).   We moved to a new city and learned the art of making new friends.  I started a new kind of company and stepped into a calling.  I spoke openly about my Faith and became a writer.  I overcame some significant strongholds and for the first time felt the presence of God, tangibly.   I also was privileged to coach over 23 women personally, which means I fostered 23 intimate relationships with women in over 11 different cities nation-wide.  Every single day, I focused myself on how I could grow and teach others the ways of living STRONG'her and WISE'her by SURREND'hering more and more to God. 

All of this was done in the 32nd year of my life.

I of course don't say this to boast or even martyr myself in the least bit.  It was just a big year!  While it was incredibly busy and frankly a whirlwind of a life change, I have come away with possibly the greatest year EVER! Through the willingness to embrace all this change has come an abundance of lessons and the cultivation of characteristics and virtues that I didn't even realize were possible.   I screwed up a lot.  I had panic attacks and full on melt downs on the regular.   But, I leaned in and withstood the storms and experience sheer joy time and time again.  I learned to #FailForward, #FailFast, #FailFaithfully. I heard of this great idea of keeping a journal of all of the lessons you learn in life (as you inevitably screw up) so you actually remember what you learn and don't have to relearn it the hard way again.  While I didn't start this particular lesson journal in October of last year, but I did acquire quite a few lessons nevertheless!    

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So, for my birthday today and the welcoming of my 33rd year of life, I would like to offer you 33 lessons I learned last year through all my mayhem.

33 Birthday Lessons

  1. There are over 7,000 promises that God gives us in the Bible.  When you find one that resonates with your current need, circle it and pray on that every day.    "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:11-13

  2. Sometimes you just have to shut up and pray.

  3. There is a huge difference between a promise and a VOW. 

  4. It's ok to say "no" to something "good" so you can say "yes" to something "great."

  5. When you say you're sorry, you can't add a "but" to the end of it, otherwise it doesn't count.

  6. Talking openly about your Faith is extremely hard and even more humbling when you realize how small your Faith really is.

  7. Nagging people to change never actually works.  They might appease you for a second just to get you to pipe down, but it doesn't work in the long run.

  8. Setting boundaries in how you let others treat you is a way of showing them love.  You are offering them a chance to see the Truth of who you are so speak with gentleness and stand firm in your truth.

  9. The opposite of love isn't hate, the opposite of love is fear.  When you worry, you cannot love.  When you are loving, you cannot worry.   "Perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:8).

  10. Asking someone "Why?" is not nearly as inviting as asking someone to "Tell me more about that?"  You get much less of a defensive response.

  11. Sometimes you think you are allergic to foods when really you are allergic to STRESS.

  12. You can get so much more done when you make a list of the top priorities of your day and just do those things.  

  13. There is a perfect  rhythm of working HARD for 90-mins and then taking a short break to do something Physical or Spiritual.  This rhythm makes you far more balanced and efficient, helping you get so much more done WELL.

  14. You can be content in all circumstances by seeing with grateful eyes.

  15. You must not neglect your gift.  You must grow it, cultivate it and give it away.

  16. So what, you're weird.  Radically accept that.   "Those the mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."-Dr. Seuss

  17. There is true bliss that comes from giving into your "Happy Weight."

  18. "Live not by works, but by Faith."  Busyness does not get you any points with God.

  19. You can actually rewire your brain by visualizing your "future self" and SURREND'hering to her as you make decisions.

  20. God's capacity to give far exceeds our capacity to receive.

  21. There is a distinct difference between "No" and "Not Yet" with God.  Patience is everything.

  22. Comparison is the thief of joy.  We should join in the praise when we see God's blessings on others lives.

  23. Take your environment seriously and it will radically shift your life.  From the people you put yourself around, to the things you watch and read, and the spaces you design for your own work and creativity.

  24. God designed us for Prosperity.  Not understanding the proper value of your TIME will consistently hinder that.

  25. To change any bad habit, including the habit of fear, you must always REPLACE the habit and focus your intention on what you DO want to become.   I suggest love.

  26. Neuroscience now proves a MEMORY is formed after 21-days of intentional thought and dwelling.  A HABIT is formed after 3 cycles of that for a total of 63 DAYS.  For. one. habit.  Focus only on the 'Big Rocks' that matter and will have a bigger impact on your life. 

  27. Those whom are hardest to love are always those that need the most love.  Their insecurity makes them difficult, demanding and distant.   Your love and respect can cure them of all that. 

  28. You learn your true identity and Greater Purpose from others, not by yourself.  God designed us for community. 

  29. "Joy doesn't come from what you have, joy comes from what you know can't be taken from you."  Rick Warren

  30. Your soul is where your body meets your power source. 

  31. It's just like God to take our sinful, selfish acts and decide to bless us anyway.  "God works for the Good of those who love Him." (Romans 8:38)

  32. "Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy and creativity." -Brene Brown

  33. You are so very WORTHY of it all.  Spiritual magic happens when we seek to see ourselves and others the way God see us.  Our worth to Him is endless.

Categories
Spiritual Health

HEADCASE: The Difference Between My “Spirit Talking” and My “Head Talking”

HEAD CASE

I am a HEAD CASE.

“You’re in your head a lot.”  This is what my friend Erin tells me all the time.  She quickly follows it up with, “Don’t get me wrong.  It takes one to know one!”

It’s true, I can get trapped in my “own head” a lot.  I love that I am able to critically think and analyze something until I fully comprehend what I should do or how I can teach it.   However, when it comes to “self-talk” and even my relationships with others, it can be my greatest downfall.

If I stay too long in my head, it prevents me from acting and doing the things I know God wants me to do. It delays me and distracts me from my Greater Purpose pathway and the peace that He can give me when I dwell with Him in the Spirit.

When it comes to our health, our MINDS make all the difference.  Our thoughts cannot be trusted to tell us the truth, but our Spirit can.  Our Spirit is our inner “knowing,” or divine intuition that leads us in the direction we should go, even when it doesn’t logically make sense.

When we are in tune with our Spirit, we can learn to trust it as our guide.

Paul encourages us in Ephesians 6:18 to, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers.”

The problem is, how can we tell, then, when we are in Our Spirit versus when we are in Our Head?  How can you understand your own intuition versus your regular thought life?

I don’t think I recognized my own Spiritual voice in my head until I was being tempted beyond my normal “head case” ways.

*******

I remember, I was angry with my husband for something.  I honestly  have no idea what it was for on this occasion, because,  let’s face it, husbands can do this to us ALL THE TIME, or at least mine does!

But my anger was manifesting itself in the worst ways— ways that I think we can all relate to.

I was playing the “worst case scenario”  in my head.   I was worrying and over-analyzing and OBSESSIVELY role playing what I was going to say to him when I saw him.  I overwhelmingly felt like I was the victim of some great marriage tragedy, which, since I CAN’T remember for the life of me what the issue was today, tells us all that this was NOT indeed the case.  Ha!

Nevertheless, I was miserable, unable to do any work and crying, A LOT (this is how I release a lot of emotion, unfortunately).

A deep part of me somehow knew I was overreacting in some way.  It naturally turned into my need to PRAY to God and frantically ask for help. (Sign #1)

All of a sudden, when I stopped “talking to myself” in my head and starting “talking to God” I would physically feel the angst in my chest lift and I would be able to relax, even if for just a moment. (Sign #2)

It was not easy, my prayers would last about 30 seconds at the most.  I could not concentrate on God very long before my mind would take over again and start spiraling.

But, again and again, I felt this tug to  turn back to God in prayer, and each time,  would relax a bit more. (Sign #3)

It was a tough day, and I was exhausted by the constant back and forth and inner turmoil, but in the end, I felt resilient.

More SURREND’hered.

******

As I reflect on this experience now,  I know that I won that battle against the temptation taking place in my head.  That’s right, when we feel the anxiety, worry, victim mentalities, that is the tell-tale sign that we are under an attack.

However, when I sought God and found my Spiritual self again,  I was then able to gather my thoughts and have a rational conversation with my husband to get to a resolution.  We were able to talk without it escalating and making it far worse, which, had I gone with my original conversation in my head, would have done just that.

What I learned was….

I would liken our “SPIRIT SELF” versus our “WORLDLY SELF”  as the inner *KNOWING* that is tugging at our heart and gut and biding us to share our burden.

The voice that I take on when I speak to God sounds different than when I talk to myself…and yet, it’s still me talking.

 As an aside, there was a time where I tried to sound really eloquent and “spiritual” in my prayers….now I just talk how I would talk to any of my closest friends and family members.  I remain authentic to my personality and communication because, well, God knows me anyway.  I can’t fake it with God and it makes my prayer life much easier.

Plus, when I speak to God versus when I speak to myself,  I will say things like, “God, I’m really angry right now and feel frustrated by x, y, z (and usually l, m, n, o, p!)….”  but then I start saying things in my prayers like, “BUT, I know that you will handle all of this.  BUT, I know that you want me to be (faithful, loving, kind, gentle etc etc). ” (Sign #4)

Those sentences, where I start to say, “I KNOW” is not my head talking to me.  My head is being attacked.  That is my divine intuition, my “inner knowing,” speaking through me that is the Holy Spirit guiding me back to the *me* that He created me to be—> the Spiritual Self.

 

The answer….

So, how do you find your “Spiritual Self Talk” and distinguish her from your “Worldly Self Talk?”

PRAYER.

How you truly start to recognize your “INTUITION” versus your “HEAD” is characterized by what happens as you PRAY versus what happens as your THINK.

The more you start to pay attention to what is going on in that PRAYER SPACE, the more you will be able to embody that space throughout the day.  Prayer doesn’t always have to be a secluded, quiet event.  It can be a inner dialogue just as your regular thoughts are.

That is how you can indeed, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion” as Paul so rightly recommends.  Those days where I can walk and talk with God all day long are my greatest days ever.

 

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Spiritual Health Uncategorized

Embrace the Space: Why the G.A.P Method Works!

GAP

I have characterized the majority of my life as feeling like a solid B+ student wishing she were an A.  Across the board, I have felt this lacking and longing that I could be just a little better than I was.  In my looks, my body,  my intellect, my athletic capability, even my Faith! 

There always feels like there is this space between where I am and where I want to be.  Do you know the feeling? 

I feel this space also in my relationships!  You can feel the tension and the gap between where I am coming from and where, say, my husband is coming from on any conversation or subject. 

These gaps in our life can leave us feeling completely inadequate and lacking in various ways.  Like the dangling carrot on a stick in front of our nose,  we will never quite get there.  For some, it may make them want to just give up and quit!  For others, it will become a perpetual obsessive cycle to become “enough.” 

But, what I have come to learn, that these gaps in our life are the greatest gifts we can ever receive and a brilliant design by God. 

So, not only am I going to explain why you should say a prayer of thanks for your gaps in your life today, but I will give you a great tool to remind you of their magnitude to store in your heart for your next moment of inadequacy!

When we study God’s word and reflect on His nature and character sewn throughout, we can see what an act of love our own insufficiency can be.  Because, without our own GAPS in life, we would not have enough room and space for God.

God designed us to need Him and wholly depend on Him for our entire life.  Without these great spaces in our lives, we would not have that longing for Him.  Nor would we have the chance for Him to bless us in such astonishing and over-the-top ways.

He blesses us in spite of us.  Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23 NIV “for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” 

So whether you are the Pope or Mother Theresa, you too fall short of the Glory of God. 

If life were a literal race and we were all running from coast to coast, there will be some that will be better than others, sure.  But in the end, no man is able to run non-stop all the way to the finish line.  We ALL will fall short.   

There is a GAP between where we are in our sin and where God is in His Holy throne.  We cannot get there while on this Earth. 

The Good News….

BUT,  BUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT, God is Good, ALL THE TIME and He takes these blessed GAPS in our life and transforms them into exactly what we need!  How?  By bridging the G.A.P and filling that space.

You can use this acronym to remind you of exactly what your GAPs in your life really represent!

G:  Grace

The space between REAL you and PERFECT you will be filled with God’s Grace.  It is with Grace that God sent His son Jesus down to live and die as a sacrifice for our sins we are committing now. 

This Grace is what fills up this universe sized space between our sinful nature and God’s nature. 

When we feel insufficient, we are reminded by God that, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

He takes our insufficiency and transforms it with His Grace.  We are sufficient and purposeful because we fall short.

The best part is, that God’s grace is FREE.  You cannot earn it or buy it!  All you have to do is believe to receive. 

So if you have not yet received God in your heart and are ready to unload this burden of trying to be perfect all on your own, it is time that you give your heart a break and choose to believe in Christ today.  Your Faith does not have to be perfect to trust and believe, it just has to be from the heart.

You can do it right now and say in your heart,  “God, I choose to believe that you love me and sent your son to die for me.  I ask for your presence and guidance in my life, to be my Lord and save me.  Amen.”

God will take care of growing your Faith and all of the questions that you have.  You don’t have to prove Him to yourself, He will handle it.  Just believe and you will receive.

A:  Abundance

 The second reminder is that when we feel like we are lacking in qualities, outcomes, characteristics, and even Faith, God is our ABUNDANCE. 

One of the greatest gifts you can have is to think with an abundance mindset.  To know that no matter what, there is always more where that came from. 

If someone stole your great invention, there will be an even greater invention down the line. 

If you didn’t get the great job promotion that you worked so hard for, there will be an even better opportunity coming shortly. 

All of dreams that seem impossible with your current circumstances, are POSSIBLE with God. “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Having that GAP in between the reality and your expectation, leaves room for the Great HOPE for tomorrow that only God can provide.  God gives us Hope with His Abundant nature.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,”  (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

P:  Power

These very spaces of inadequacy and gaps in our alignment become the areas where we gain our greatest courage, strength and POWER. 

Going back to the verse in Romans, not only do we see that God’s grace is our sufficiency, but is also our POWER because God’s Power becomes our Power.

“My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

When we are weak, He is STRONG. 

When we feel afraid, He is our COURAGE.

When we want to act out in anger, He is our LOVE.

All of these attributes become our very power within us to withstand every circumstance and failure in life. 

Whatever we are lacking, God exceeds and it is in HIS Might that we are so capable. 

The next time you feel the weight of the space between you and your goals, expectations, and progress, remember your GAP is your Guide.  

It is easy to keep putting more pressure on yourself to try harder or to give up rather than give IN to the God that created you, but I assure you, seeing these spaces as the Grace, Abundance and Power that you need to excel will quickly show you how incredibly rewarding our Faith can be!

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Food & Nutrition Health Coaching Uncategorized

FAT LOSS DIARIES: These 5 Factors Can Mess With Our Metabolism the Most

Fat Loss Diaries

As I mentioned the other day, my road to the the ultimate LEAN life lead to a majorly disrupted Metabolism! I’m currently 2.5 years “post bikini-show” and I am still trying to help get my metabolism recovered! A lot of women struggle with their metabolism, especially as they get older so I know I’m not the only one with this issue. Some women struggle with metabolism so much that fat loss can seem almost impossible. Many prefer to take a surgical route in their weight loss journey, including things like liposuction offered by people like Dr. Paul Fortes. However, there are other ways to lose weight. There are lots of factors that affect our metabolism and weight gain so it’s usually very dependant on the individual. For example, my friend has to get Indolemax from Amazon to help control her weight because her estrogen levels aren’t correct. This also helps with her menopause so it helps her in two different ways! The importance of our metabolism is because we want to be able to EAT NORMAL amounts of food and stay pretty lean!

Our METABOLISM MATTERS big-time if we are trying to live a balanced life. We need to take care of our bodies and take things slow, showcasing the necessary patience and endurance to do this the (w)right way. (Click here for my favorite scriptures to help you with ENDURANCE!)

First, let me preface this next specific topic about your Metabolism by saying there is SO MUCH MORE to learn that I simply cannot fit into one blog. In fact, I wrote an entire MODULE PROGRAM in my Health Coaching programs that goes over all the important factors you need to know about your Metabolism (Module #2: WISE’her Metabolism).

To check out more information on my HEALTH COACHING programs, click HERE.

Nevertheless, in my QUEST TO FIX MY DAMAGED METABOLISM, I have learned the 5 BIGGEST VILLAINS TO SUSTAINABLE FAT LOSS EFFORTS.

Prepare to hate this list with me! But….knowledge is power and power provides excellence!

  1. ALCOHOL: Ok, this one can hurt most of our feelings. You might have read my journey to cut back on this in my WINE-NOT series a few months ago. But there is nothing more relaxing, in my opinion, then a nice glass of wine after a long day. Most of us do consider alcohol our ultimate stress reliever and while that part *does* have some benefits for your Metabolism (by reducing your cortisol levels for a short period of time) it is FAR counteracted by the negative affects alcohol has on metabolic processes.
    Alcohol by itself is an high calories (at 7 calories per gram), empty-calories, no-nutrient entity that is a sugar, but a sugar that is especially reactive in our bodies. So much so that our bodies STOP PROCESSING all other metabolic processes (like other food or even our fat metabolism) in order to process the alcohol and get it OUT of the body by detoxing it through our liver and kidneys.
    So, drinking just 2 alcoholic beverages will slow down your metabolism by 80% (!!) for the following 4-hours. That’s why you tend to gain a lot of fat when you drink too much—hello beer belly!

Recommendation: Overall, if you want to lose fat, you are more than likely going to severely cut back on all alcohol. It was recommended to me to limit it to just 2-3 glasses PER MONTH.

2. CAFFEINE: So, this one is not ALL bad news. But the deal with caffeine is that the chemical causes a huge rush of the “Fight or Flight” hormones to cascade into high gear for up to 14-hours! That is, Cortisol, Adrenalin and NorAdrenalin. These hormones by themselves ultimately SLOW DOWN your Fat Loss because these stress hormones go into “Sugar Burning” mode instead of “Fat Burning” mode. (Jade Teta, Metabolic Effect)
SO, if you OVER CONSUME caffeine, you might be sending your body into “Fight or Flight” mode quite unnecessarily, all day long! UNLESS of course, you consume caffeine and then actually go and USE YOUR BODY, for something like, WORKING OUT! Stress hormones in the presence of Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone (those hormones that are produced when you weight train) actually HELP in Fat Loss. So it does have a nice condition.

Recommendation: Overall, cut back on caffeine unless it’s just before your workout. Green Tea is a much more metabolically stimulating drink of choice!

Your Daily Dose of Caffeine should be 2.5mg/Kg of your Body Weight.
For women of child bearing age, it is recommended to limit yourself to about 300mg/day.

Here’s a little research I did to put this in perspective for you:

Screenshot 2015-09-25 08.28.42

3. SLEEP: We have all heard this one a hundred times, but sleep is SO VERY VITAL for so many things, including your Fat Loss efforts. One interesting thing however is that you have to be careful not to get TOO LITTLE sleep (anything less than 7 hours) or TOO MUCH sleep (over 10 hours) both have adverse metabolic affects on your hormones.

Also, ever wonder why those all-nighters made you so hungry? Studies have shown that getting too little of sleep affects your HUNGER Hormones by increasing your hunger-producing hormones (ghrelin) and decreasing your satiety producing hormones (leptin).

The benefits of sleep is not only in our energy production for the next day, but during our sleep we also experience our HIGHEST Growth Hormone levels and Testosterone (mainly for men) that significantly boost the FAT BURNING machinery in our systems.

Recommendation: Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. To help yourself fall asleep and stay asleep, avoid caffeine in the afternoon and avoid your TVs and devices 1 hour before bed time (the blue light in them activate our “awake” responses in our Circadian Rhythm clocks). Try to go to bed and wake-up at the same time every day, as this has been shown to help you get in the proper Circadian Rhythm cycle flow.

4. REFINED SUGAR: Refined Sugar, or any sugar that causes a huge Glycemic surge, is an Fat Loss nemesis. The more the food spikes our blood sugar, the more it will send in a rush of insulin, and essentially slow fat-loss. Then, as your blood sugar gets too low (which inevitably happens after the bad rush of Glucagon to break down the insulin), this triggers a the HUNGER hormones (ghrelin) to come in full force again! This is why, when you eat refined sugary foods, you are not full for very long. It is burned quickly and makes you hungry sooner, all while NOT Fat Burning.

Recommendation: Eat foods lower in Fructose and low on the Glycemic Index charts, meaning, more complex and fiber rich starchy carbs. A great resource for low-glycemic foods is HERE. I copied a graphic from Low GI Health website too that I found really helpful.

Low GI Health

5. FOOD INTOLERANCES: This one was a surprise to me, but I learned very quickly after my bikini competition that I became very food sensitive and intolerant! I began experiencing very painful digestion issues that caused me so much issues that it’s taken over 2 years to truly figure out all of the “issues” I have (which are far and above just digestive issues by the way!).

But the reason why food intolerances can affect your fat loss efforts in a variety of ways. If our gut lining in unable to break down certain foods or the gut lining ins compromised in some way (leaky gut syndrome, for example) then it will limit the ABSORPTION of the vital vitamins and minerals (which is done predominantly in the intestines). Our vitamins and minerals are HUGE factors in making Fat Loss happen because they are the agents that “turn on” all of the “machinery” needed for Fat burning.

Not only that, but our guts also are huge factors in our stress responses (I carry my stress in my gut which has a huge factor on my digestion too!) and even our cognitive thinking!

RECOMMENDATION: At some point in your life, I recommend doing an Elimination Diet. I prescribe a specific one in my Health Coaching program (Module #3- Nutrient Based Eating) but there are many others. Whole 30, the Daniel Plan, Metabolic Effect, and Precision Nutrition all have varying programs. My friend Lisa Suazo, owner of also hosts a “CLEAN CLUB” that goes through this elimination process too she learned about from the book by Dr.Alejandro Junger, CLEAN.

Overall, these 5 factors can have SIGNIFICANT delays and negative delays on your Metabolism and Fat Loss efforts if not carefully considered.

With ALL things for your body, start with just ONE AREA and determine some new, healthy habits to focus on for a few weeks consistently. Then, as you get those down, add on another habit or two. Soon enough, you’ll be stocked full of all kinds of new habits that will start to really add up to some SUSTAINABLE, HIGH METABOLIC Fat Loss success!

As always, feel free to comment below or email me at amanda@amandawrightfit.com with any questions!

Categories
Food & Nutrition Uncategorized

FAT LOSS DIARIES: 3 Tips to Prevent Fat Loss From Biting You In the Booty

Fat Loss Diaries

To say that my history with Fat Loss has been emotionally “shaky” is a gross understatement. I’ve been frustrated more times than I can count by the slowness, stubbornness, and mental strain that I have placed on my ability (or inability, rather) to lose fat when I tried to the hardest. Have you ever felt that way?! Sometimes I just research the liposuction cost and consider having all the access weight sucked out of me. It’s something I’ve really considered because losing weight can be a very stressful and frustrating process, especially when doing it with just exercise and diet regulations.

The problem is that Fat Loss is NOT the same thing as “weight loss” and even so, for both categories, the old adage that you simply lose weight or fat by the mathematical sequence of “Calories In < Calories Out" is flat out WRONG.

The achieve a change in our physique through muscle growth and/or fat loss, we have to focus on our METABOLISM.

Our metabolism is COMPLEX to say the least! Yes, the Big Man upstairs has done Himself some kind of wonder in creating this amazing system that is responsible for both the break-down (called CATABOLISM) of our food into calories (that are used for energy in the body) as well as the build-up (called ANABOLISM) of all cells, such as muscle cells. It is a TRUE WONDER!

Even with my degree in Biochemistry and Biology, I did not understand the wonder of our body’s biochemical pathways and metabolic processes until I really devoted myself to studying it….and of course, experimenting with it (read: FAILING A LOT).

Yes, I have achieved the FULL SPECTRUM of what a high speed and perfectly ineffecient Metabolism does (our metabolism actually needs to be inefficient to promote fat burn and keep our system “moving” and higher speeds) as well as what a low speed and completely manipulated metabolism does.

Ironically, the time that I was at my LEANEST weight, when I trained for a a Bikini Competition, I was suffering from the WORST METABOLIC OPERATION that by Body had ever seen! So we cannot always associate a “smaller body frame” with a HIGH Metabolism! The opposite could be true!

Because I had WILL POWERED my way to see significant fat loss (losing over 10% in just 5 months) by EATING FAR TOO FEW CALORIES (especially carbohydrates that are out #1 quick energy source) and doing FAR TOO MUCH EXERCISE I stunted my metabolism to incredibly slow and yes, even damaged, levels.

Metabolic Effect calls this the EMEL method (Exercise More, Eat Less) which is a highway to metabolic damage and gaining ALL the weight back. Which is exactly what I did!

Metabolic Effect
from metaboliceffect.com

My metabolic damage was made worse yet by the fact that I promptly proceeded to GAIN BACK almost ALL of the body fat I lost (gained back about 7%), which took my metabolic damage to a whole. notha.’ level!

Yes, studies show that is is WORSE for your body to lose weight and gain it all back than it is to never lose it at all. Yes, that’s right.

Why? Because when we lose and gain, lose and gain (a la’ Yo-Yo dieting) your metabolism is slowed down. You simply won’t be as fuel (in)efficient anymore and your body won’t burn as many calories as you used to.

In fact, if you take two identical twins that are the same height and the same weight but ONE of the women had gained weight last year and had to ‘diet down’ to lose the weight again, HER METABOLISM will be slower than the other sister’s. Any time we gain and lose weight, we slow down our system. Frustrating RIGHT?! (By the way this is one of those questions on my list to ask God in Heaven, “What’s up with THAT?!”)

This is what I call, “Biting you in the Booty!” It’s both figurative reference and for me, quite literal because let’s just say, my BIG BOOTY has come right back to where it started from, and appears to be here to stay (to my husband’s delight, of course ;-)).

So, needless to say, now that I am 2.5 years POST-SHOW, I have learned a TON about metabolism in an effort to keep my body revved up and roaring as much as possible! This has helped me a TON understand MY BODY more of course, but it really helps me be a better Health Coach!

It’s a hard discussion to have with clients, because I know so many of us women want to see “results right away” but the truth is, you CAN’T speed up the process of Fat Loss to the point of it causing detriment to your Metabolism. You need to WORK WITH YOUR METABOLISM, not against it.

This means TAKING THE TIME to test your body and seeing what works. It is a PROCESS and if you’re doing it right, it’s a slow process! It’s hard, but if you consider the alternative, you would much rather have SUSTAINABLE FAT LOSS over quickly lost but quickly gained back fat loss? Yeah, me too.

My Top 3 Tips In Your Road to Fat Loss!

  1. Try the TOGGLE programs that Metabolic Effect Prescribes for a roaring metabolism– either Eat Less and Exercise Less OR Eat More and Exercise More. Toggle back and forth between the two phases depending on your scheduling and life!
  2. My 10% Method! Choose the “Minimum Effective Dose Method:” The goal is the eat as much as you possibly can while still seeing Fat Loss! You never want to take drastic cuts to your diet or make drastic leaps with your exercise. Just kick things up or down a notch, by about 10% of so. This is just enough to see if you see any results! When you cut too much, you probably can’t maintain that too well.
  3. Don’t STRESS! Adding more stress to yourself to do everything “perfectly” just increases the stress hormones which ultimately WORKS AGAINST you in Fat Loss. So take this Fat Loss effort slow and just keep SURREND’hering your will to God’s will. Your God power will get you through these challenges far greater than your will power! Have Faith and Endure!

Hey, are you signed up for the Finding A. Wright Fit Newsletter? Join now and get a FREE Checklist of my Top 7 Rituals to Add to Your Health Today! In addition, you’ll get all of my insider goods, specialty posts on all things Body, Mind and Soul, exclusive offers AND the first dibs and discounts on all of my programs! Don’t hesitate and sign up HERE!

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Spiritual Health

10 Scriptures to Help You Endure Your Race in Health

 

IMPATIENCE

The name of the game in most of our desired BODY health transformations is found in FAT LOSS.  As you have encountered already throughout the information included this program, the process of Fat Loss is SLOW.  In fact, there is a quote I’ve used several times to reiterate the “slower is better” mentality required for sustainable fat loss–

“What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long, won’t come easy.” –TWEET THAT!

What Lasts Long

In other words, it’s easy to go on a crash diet and muster up every last inch of your limited willpower to restrain yourself enough to see some FAST results, but inevitably those fast results won’t last long.   That’s we have a yo-yo diet epidemic in our country and why the damaged metabolisms from such actions are triggering the overall trend in being overweight and obese. 

Obviously, since we are talking about a True Health transformation, the name of the game for finding “A Wright fit” for yourself is to take the slower, smarter, God powered route to True Health and fat loss. 

If that’s the case, we are inevitably going to need a LOT of one major character value—-PATIENCE. 

Patience does not come easy for us humans in the fallen world we live.  But patience, forbearance, endurance and perseverance are ALL character qualities that can be instilled in us through the Holy Spirit and a change in mindset. 

While we saw several examples of the severely delayed consequences that came from impatient whining and grumbling of God’s chosen people in the Bible (see Exodus 16 for the raining QUAIL miracle)  God also showed us the sheer resiliency and endurance of His most beloved followers.

Abraham, Moses, Noah, Job, Joseph, Peter, Paul and the King of endurance out of love, Jesus Himself.

We see that God tests all of His chosen and loved ones so that He may reveal their true heart and expose all sin that needs correction (with the exception of Jesus, of course)  in order to establish true character and Faith.  It all serves His purpose.

Don’t think that your HEALTH goals are not a part of your test in endurance!  Every single part of your life is a test in your ability to improve your Faith and endure gladly for God’s great glory.

So, as I hope you are on the “slow route” to Fat Loss as you *should* be, here are some of my favorite passages and scriptures on Endurance, Patience and Perseverance so you can renew your resiliency and hope in the Lord greater yet.

10 Scriptures to Help You Build Your Endurance Today:

  1. On endurance Producing Character:  “We also boast in our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope.” (Romans 5: 3-4 GNB) (Tweet that!)
  2. On renewing strength: “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and now grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT) (Tweet that!)
    58819C69-802F-451E-961A-34016DD0A2C8
  3. On Paul’s Endurance: “But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach and how I live and what my purpose in life is.  You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.  You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured.  You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra–but the Lord rescued me from all of it.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  4. On learning patience from God’s word: “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” (Romans 15:4 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  5. On why God tests us:  “do not listen to them.  The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:3 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  6. On eagerly awaiting with hope: “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” (Romans 8:25 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  7. On running with endurance the race of Faith: “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our Faith.” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a) (Tweet that!)
    Therefore let us strip off every weight that slows us down
  8. On God’s blessing for persevering: “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:11 NIV)
  9. On Waiting Patiently for God’s Promises: “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” (Hebrews 6:13-15)
  10. On enduring to the end: Jesus said, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 NLT) (Tweet that!)

 BE BLESSED!  Endure gladly today!

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Uncategorized

{Part 2} 5 Ways to NOT Be a Christian A-Hole

The other day, I wrote about my epiphany  of one of the  greatest fears that a Christian person might have when talking about their Faith is the feared STIGMA that all Christians are self-righteous, hypocritical A-HOLES.  I believe this fear actually holds so many of us back from speaking our truth and actually impacting people’s lives.  (read here)

The fear of the stigma becomes a deterrent for standing up and speaking our truth!  It prevents many people from sharing openly or from doing something like I’ve done— combining their business  and their Faith. 

Because the truth is just because I run a Faith-Based Company does not mean I’m over here counting your sins and judging you.  No, it DOES NOT in fact mean that I’m a Christian A-Hole.  So I think it’s time we stand up and say it and prove it with our actions. 

This past weekend I was at a Fitness conference among 80+ other women, and I was able to successfully hurdle this fear of the stigma that others were going to “not like me” or “shy away from me” because of my beliefs.  Well, that didn’t happen! 

While I didn’t intentionally set out to do these things, I can reflect now on the 5 things I did that helped me to avoid this misconception and have a really great time bonding with fellow Faith-based people and non-Faith-based people alike. 

I encourage you, if you are Faith-based to apply whatever fits well with you in your life without the fear of ruffling feathers.  If you are not Faith-based, or have had reservations about your belief because of a past experience with an overly-religious people, I hope this will give you  some hope that there is a way for your to establish a relationship with God and not fear what your lifestyle will be like!

5 Ways to NOT Be a Christian A-Hole:

1. Stand-Up and Say Your Truth With Confidence:

People know when you’re faking it.  They know when you’re nervous from second guessing yourself.  So, the key to being able to do this is to hold your conviction of what you truly believe.  Faith is not easy, but you don’t have to have it “perfect” to be able to talk freely about your experience and even admit that you have questions or doubts but still have Faith.  Your only task is to stand in your truth!  People resonate with those that hold conviction.  That speaks far louder than any choice of words!

2.  People Don’t Remember What You Say, But Do Remember How You Make Them Feel: 

Growing up, I do remember a lot of experiences where I felt uncomfortable about religious people.  I remember those people that tried to guilt me for my sin and it did push me away.  But, luckily, there were just as many people that showed me love and compassion through interest and genuine care in my life.  Today, I remember 0% of what words people ever spoke to me, but I will remember always how they made me feel.  I am still drawn to seek these people and be around them because of how I feel when I’m with them.    

Hold this truth close to your heart too.  Let go of the need to say “just the right thing” to people you want to reach and instead just focus on doing the things that make other people feel good to be around you.   Being present in the moment allows you to take this opportunity and represent God best.

3. People Respond to Passion and Kindness:

I spoke with almost all 80 of the women in the room and did not ask a single one of them about their Faith.  You might find that odd, but what I did I think inspired far greater.  I spoke about my Faith with such passion and kindness that it gave opportunity for whomever I was speaking with to open up if they chose to.  Many of the women did and we had a great conversation. 

When I speak about A. Wright Fit, I realize my passion just lights up.  It is not about the business that excites me, it is what God has done through my life and the very miracle that I am where I am today.  Speaking of that personal pride and joy from God resonates FAR greater than having a “philosophical” discussion of what it means to be Faith-based or not Faith-based. 

I could see in the women’s eyes that they would light up as my energy poured out of me.  So no matter what their current relationship with God was, I transmitted mine without having to use words.  I hope they saw such a passionate relationship with God within me that they might desire one for themselves!  I can only show this, not explain it.

4. Use Far More “I’s” and “We’s” than “You’s”:

Ok, this might be Sales 101, but I think for many believers this might be a necessary refresher!  If you want to get someone to do something, buy something, or BELIEVE something, you don’t go about doing it by TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO and all the reasons why.  Why?  Because our innate human response when someone tells us what to do is to act like we did as a child—- get defensive and do the opposite!    

It’s true for every single relationship out there!   I genuinely believe that most Christians that are trying to share their Faith have no intention of coming across as self-righteous A holes!  Of course not!  They are trying to do what Jesus calls us to do.    But it’s just a matter of delivery that throws off the intention.

So, in my writing and in my speaking, I have learned that the best way to speak about beliefs is to speak from personal experience.  Many more “I feel…” or “I have…” or “We can…” and a lot less “You should’s…” 

Even a seemingly innocent question of “Why?” can invoke a natural defensive response.  Think about yourself and how you respond when someone asks you “Why?” about your beliefs or actions.  You naturally get a little defensive, don’t you? A far better question is, “Tell me more about that?”    

Keeping things trigger-free of defensive emotions is the best way to have a loving conversation.

5. In the End It’s Up to God Anyway, So Have Faith:

Trust me, I am not taking this as a cop out by any means.  God calls ALL who have a relationship with Him to create more disciples among us (Matthew 28:16-20). But we must always remember that it is ultimately GOD and that person that has the control in this. 

We are just responsible for our part, not their part.  God has to take care of that from the inside. 

Jesus tells us this point blank. “You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.  And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of Him in my name.” (John 15:16 GNB)

I think this is one of the most profound mental shifts I have made in my Faith.  I have to establish a deep enough belief and FAITH in God that allows me to trust that ALL I have to do is  MY BEST and the rest is up to God and the other person. To be obedient to MY responsibility here on earth with thanksgiving and the honor of being chosen and capable.    

Nothing can be forced from the outside.  Everything comes from within.  Their personal experiences build up until staying the same is far more painful than changing their beliefs.  That is what it was for me and that is what it is for everyone!

These are just my takes on what I am doing that I think is working.  I am not perfect at it and do know that I need to grow in courage and Faith more and more.  But I was proud of the progress I made in overcoming a lot of fears this last weekend!  I hope this encourages you in your Faith this week too! 

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