“What is it you want to change? Your hair, your face, your body? Why? For God is in love with all those things and he might weep when they are gone.”
-St. Catherine of Sienna
Hello, hey, hi!
Guess what!?
God loves you so dang much! He loves your face, your body, your hair, all of you.
But he also knows you can do better. He desires the best for you physically, mentally, and spiritually. He knows that you are the happiest, and can serve His kingdom the best when you are on top of these areas in your life. Today I want to emphasize the physical part.
I know this is a hard topic. There is a lot of guilt and shame surrounding our eating habits and bodies. It’s hard not to get caught up in the numbers on the scale, how far our stomachs stretch, and so much more. If this is something you struggle with, bring those thoughts to prayer as you work through the following reflection.
While reflecting, try to do it with the mindset of how I can become better, not how I can lose weight. How can I grow in self-discipline rather than how can I make up for that donut I just ate? How can I become stronger, rather than how can I get skinny?
Lastly, excuses get you nowhere. So just tell yourself now, before you even look at the first question, that you refuse to take no for an answer. That hard things are where we grow the most. That you were created for greatness, and that if you give your all, you will see results. Remember, as Christians, excellence is expected of us.
I highly recommend doing this with a friend or significant other. It’s a great conversation starter to go deeper and helps with accountability too.
So without further ado, 9 questions to reflect on when it comes to your physical health.
1) Do I feel healthy?
Usually, you have a good sense of how you are doing physically, and where your problem areas are without thinking too deeply. They stay within your peripherals, like the pile of laundry that’s been on your floor for weeks now. We don’t acknowledge them, or make excuses because we don’t want to let go of our bad habits. Unfortunately, it’s much easier to clean up your room than it is to clean up your health. NOT TO DISCOURAGE YOU THOUGH!!! YOU GOT THIS!😉
Do I see myself as a healthy person? What gods do I worship when it comes to my physical health? (Sweets, late-night snacks, alcohol, being skinny) Do I believe that I can achieve my goals? Is my physical health a priority?
2) How many times do I work out each week?
I know everyone is already running around like chickens without heads before scheduling time for a workout, but HEAR ME OUT! Our physical health impacts EVERY other aspect of our lives. I don’t think 3 half-hour workouts a week should break the time bank, sooo… I’m just saying give it a try. This consistency will build discipline and help you achieve your physical goals. Maybe it’s as simple as doing a set of push-ups each day or a quick mile jog every morning.
Pick something that works with your schedule and works with your goals. I know my days can be kinda chaotic and the first chance I get to workout is sometimes at 9pm. BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME SO I GET IT IN (well…most of the time anyway hehe.)
Do you have set times each week to work out? Have you tried stacking? (Putting your workout before or after something you already are in the habit of doing) Do I waste time on other things then say I don’t have time? (Social media, wandering aimlessly, etc…)
3) How do I motivate myself to be healthy
Motivation is key. There are both external and internal motivators. For example, external motivators could be an accountability partner, achieving particular goals, or having a yummy snack afterwards. Internal motivators would be how you feel, and enjoyment of the process. My motivation is a desire to be strong and to reach my goals. On the other hand, one of my friends has a few frozen Oreos every night when she gets back from the gym as a reward.
Why do I desire to be healthy? Does my reasoning come from respecting God’s temple or vanity? Who can keep me accountable? What are my go-to excuses? What keeps me motivated?
4) What Do I Define As Success For Myself Physically?
I’m not saying you need to go out and make a vision board, but I do think you need to know what you want. Other wise how the heck are you going to get there? For me right now that looks like having good endurance, so I set a goal of running six miles. Another goal for me would be push-ups because until recently I could do maybe three on a good day. So I defined success as 20 consecutive push-ups, which means each day I need to get on my knees and work towards that. WRITE THEM DOWN! I know you’re not going to, and then you won’t end up reaching them. SO WITH ALL MY LOVE, WRITE THEM DOWN💕.
What physical goal has been on your mind, but seems out of reach? (Trust me, it’s probably possible) Who do you admire for their physical capabilities? What does their daily routine look like? Where can I write down these goals so I can see them every day?
5) How Much Sugar and Fried Foods Do I Consume?
Not to be a kill joy, but… I promise your life is better without excessive amounts of sugar and fried food. You will feel better both physically, mentally and perform better. Not to mention, think of your poor bank account as you hit up Chick-fil-A for another chocolate milkshake. Above all, being able to restrain yourself and tell yourself no to something you are craving is a great life skill that transfers into the spiritual life.
How often do I eat out? What role do fruits and veggies play in my life? Do I eat worse or better around certain friends? How can I set myself up for success around my eating? Am I capable of saying no to food?
6) What Is My Relationship With Food?
Food can easily become an idol for us. It can take the shape of eating super clean, dieting, Nutella, a particular weight, or look. Whatever our idols may be, it’s an important thing to bring them to God. Our golden calves often come from a need for control or not feeling like enough. Or perhaps we aren’t prioritizing feeding our bodies the right nutrients as we become too busy to eat. This is not what God desires for us.
Do I intentionally eat too little? Do I fast all day but then binge at night? Do I turn to food when I’m tired or upset for comfort? Does my fasting make me a worse person to be around? When I’m in a rush do I forget to make sure I have the nutrients I need?
7) Do I Sleep Well At Night?
No screens before bed… be disciplined and get to bed at a good time… have a nightly routine… yadah yadah… you’ve heard it all before. How many of us practice any of this though? Pick one of these things to improve. For me, I want to read ten minutes before bed. That would be the dream for a peaceful night.
What is my nightly routine? How can I improve it to be more peaceful? Do I pray before I fall asleep? Do I doom scroll? What usually causes a fall off of my nightly routine?
8) Do I Dress Well?
Hate to break it to you, but this is important. We honor God and others with how we present ourselves. It goes two ways. One, let’s not be slobs. I get sweatpants and hoodies are comfortable, but is that really our best self? God created us as the crown of creation so let’s take on that role. There is a careful balance between dressing well and vanity, so make sure your intentions are to glorify God. Two, modesty. This is hard as every God-loving woman has a different standard of what is considered modest. I’ve found the closer I grow towards God, the more modest I desire to be. Coincidence? I think not? Ask God to show you what he desires for His beloved daughter, and He will slowly reveal what modestly looks like to you.
Do I take the time to present myself well? Do I overthink what I am wearing? Is my wardrobe choices focused on how much attention will I receive or does this piece of clothing bring me joy?
9) Am I Being Pure With My Body?
Our flesh is naturally disposed to desire pleasure, so purity in mind and soul can be very difficult. St. Paul talks about how
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15.
I think this is one of the most relatable passages when it comes to purity and the guilt and shame that often accompanies us in these struggles. Please do understand that you are not alone in this. I know many women who love God beautifully, who want nothing more than to serve Him, yet struggle with porn, masturbation, and sex outside of marriage. These are real and hard struggles, so do not discredit yourself as a Christian for your failings. There is hope, through Christ and there is freedom, through Christ.
Have you sought help (Magdala Ministries is a good resource), do you have a close friend who can be an accountability partner? Do you have hope and are pursuing freedom or have you given up? Do you go to confession after you fall?
Our bodies are holy temples of God. They deserve to be treated well and kept healthy. So take this reflection seriously pick two areas of your life that you particularly struggle with, then write down some goals.
Lets do this and do this well!
Praying for you always,
Xoxo
Rory
What are your thoughts?