I’m usually pretty mild-mannered, but I’m feeling a bit of a rant coming on as I write this post. I get this way when I feel people being taken advantage of.
Every morning I see these two men at the gym. One is maybe in his 50s—seemingly a super-confident former athlete with visible signs of muscles on his arms but his protruding stomach is a telltale sign that he is no longer as active as he used to be. The other is in his mid-60s—moves very slowly and slightly hunched over, portly man who walks with a limp.
I’ve become intrigued by how these two unlikely friends workout together. Since we workout in close proximity most mornings, I’ve learned quite a bit about these two guys. As it turns out the younger man is a self-proclaimed ‘trainer’ who is teaching what he’s learned to the other man. Each morning, I see the older man performing very questionable exercises such as super-heavy bench presses and rows given to him by his ‘trainer’ that in my opinion can do more harm than good. Ugh!!!!
There’s nothing worse than an over-confident, self-proclaimed anything. Why? Because of their misguided, unwavering belief that if it worked for them, it will work for everyone. But this simply is not true and you only have to look at the thousands of weight loss books on the shelf to tell you that there is no one-size-fits-all blueprint to get healthy or lose weight.
God has designed us uniquely. We are all one-of-a-kind. We all have different body types, different metabolisms, different past experiences, different proportions of fast/slow twitch fibers, different hormone levels, and different needs for food to name just a few variables which impact our results.
Some people need to workout a couple of times per day, while others only need about 20 minutes per day to get similar results. Some do better with moderate carbohydrates, while others seem to gain weight by simply looking at a piece of bread.
So what’s the takeaway from my little rant?
1. No two bodies are alike, therefore, no two programs should be alike.
2. What works for one person may not work for you. If you see a ‘guru’ promoting how they lost 100 pounds, be sure they’re not going to give you a cookie cutter program. Understand what your body needs to be healthy and go in with your eyes wide open knowing that you will have to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in your decision to choose the right program for you.
3. Are you always looking for the perfect program? Be mindful of programs that give you a blanket diet or exercise program to do. Yeah, it might be easy to follow, but how do you know if it’s right for your body’s needs. See your doctor, naturopath, or nutritionist and learn what your body needs and then proceed accordingly.
4. Beware of the self-proclaimed gurus. Are they trained in health? Body mechanics? Nutrition? Psychology? Ensure their training aligns with your needs and make sure that they have success with a variety of different body types, otherwise, find someone who can cater to your specific needs.
5. As a Christian woman, choose a program that will address body, soul, and spirit. You’ve probably tried a number of other programs that did not include your faith and you probably felt like something was missing, right? If God is the center of your life then shouldn’t that be reflected in everything you do, including your health program?
My sister, there is no perfect program but with prayer and doing your homework, you can find the program that's perfect for you. Click To TweetP.S. if you are tired of circling the same mountain over and over and want a Christ-centered approach to lasting weight loss without feeling guilty, deprived, or overwhelmed, be sure to sign up for our video course program right away at cathymorenzie.com
Amen Cathy. I’m doing WLGW. I’m loving how this journey is bringing me closer to God. I love how it has helped me change my previous “ I want an easy quick fix “ ways. This program is changing me from the inside out.
Thank you Cathy for all your hard work and for being obedient to God and letting Him work through you.
I appreciate WLGW because they don’t tell you a certain diet to follow. I use Fitness Pal and it has worked very well for me. This is the first program that has successfully worked for me long term and it is because it deals with body, emotions and spiritual. For the first time I realize this is the key that I have been missing in my weight loss journey. Thank you so much, that even though my journey may not look like yours, its okay, because it is my journey!
I really feel annoyed by the programs that proclaim “no need to diet or exercise – lose 14 pounds in 10 days!”. Such scammers. I’m so grateful that WLGW has taught me to consider not only caring for my body well, but my mind and my soul as well. And I’ve found that what works best for me is a balance between low carbs in my diet, and exercise. And I’m still learning to move my body more and enjoy it! Thank you, Cathy!
This is one of the reasons I trained to be a personal trainer. A guy at the gym told me to put my leg in one position when I used a particular machine and I didn’t understand why. In the end my gut instinct was right…he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Great advice, Cathy!
I had done Weight Watchers for probably 35 years off and on and never got to goal. I didn’t do the ‘mind’ stuff just the eating…until I got too stressed or had to EAT! Then gained it back over and over. I found WLGW and feel it is the right program to me. Now, I have the mind and spirit part to do…but that is what makes the difference. And I don’t feel like I need to do it perfectly. I’m in the Breakthrough Live part right now. I know I’ll still struggle, but even with the fear of failure,… Read more »
YES YES and YES! This is so true! Every person is different as has to adapt what their body needs! As far as eating, I personally have cut out bread/carbs and I intermittent fast usually 6 days out of the week and that is what I felt God telling ME to do, but not everybody! Thank you Cathy for a reminder that God has created us all with different needs!