The Priority Shift

By Cami Checketts –

As we begin a new year, I always get excited to write a list of goals and envision how I’m going to improve myself and my family’s life throughout the year. But life changed at the Checketts’ home in 2010. I used to feel I was efficient and organized. I used to have a monthly goals and daily to-do lists and if I didn’t work towards each goal every day I would get frustrated with myself.

My fourth baby has recently changed all of that. My number one goal is to hold, love, and savor each moment with this chubby baby. If I don’t make it to the gym, turn on my computer, or fold the laundry, I don’t allow myself to obsess over my lack of ambition.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t have goals or write up a list of New Year’s Resolutions because those are extremely important and motivating things. We should always be trying to improve ourselves and the world around us. But sometimes we can go too far, get so wrapped up in the to-do list and forget about what’s most important. Maybe in our goal-setting this New Year we should make sure that some of those goals are focused on improving our spirituality and making it possible for us to slow down and focus more on family and those who matter most.

This is especially true if you and your family are overloaded with activities, going through a hard time at work or school or have health or family issues. Slowing down and focusing on the essentials will make it possible to accomplish the important things—things like scripture study, prayer, family meals, family activities and serving others.

I pray each of you will have a wonderful New Year and be able to accomplish the goals you’re setting for yourself while still focusing on what matters most.

Cami Checketts is a wife, mother of four boys, exercise scientist, and author. www.camichecketts.com  – http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com.

The 12 Steps–Miraculous Baby Steps To A New Life!

By Julie Morris –

There is nothing I wanted more than to lose weight. I had tried as long as I could remember to lose my extra pounds, but it felt like the harder I tried, the worse my eating became. I was completely powerless over it and I knew it would take a miracle for me to lose my weight and keep it off permanently. I had little hope of ever experiencing this. That is, until I was introduced to the 12 Steps.

For some reason, the first night I heard them almost 30 years ago I knew they were the answer! I knew that they would break down the surrender process for me so that I could quit playing tug-of-war with God over food. What I didn’t know was that they would become the structure I needed to help me surrender more and more of myself to Him every day, not just my food.

The 12 Steps have helped millions of people
The 12 Steps have helped millions of people all over the world for over 75 years. The steps I use are very similar to AA’s, but rather than referring to “God as we understand him,” our steps refer to Him by name–“God through Jesus Christ.”

Let’s take a peek at the short form of the first three steps:

Step 1 I can’t! (I give up the idea that I can lose weight on diets and willpower.)

Step 2 God can! (I know that God can help me to do the impossible and I will look to Him for help.)

Step 3 I’ll let Him! (I will cooperate with Him one day at a time.)

The Bible tells us many things that we can do to cooperate with God in the recovery process. Hebrews 12:13 explains this: “Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” I realized that I was lame (I literally couldn’t walk away from the dessert table!) and I needed to make level paths for my feet if I wanted to be healed.

The most obvious things we can do to make level paths for our feet are being honest about our weaknesses, praying for help, reading the Bible and reaching out to other Christians for accountability and encouragement.

Working the steps is a life-long process

We don’t quickly work through the steps and then just quit. The 12 Steps provide a life-long process so that, one day at a time, we are able to take baby steps toward becoming the person we want to be.

Here are the most important 12 Step principles. Consider each and put a check next to the ones that you need to start working on:

¨  Recognize when you’ve made a mistake, confess it and learn from it.

¨  Draw close to God and rely on Him to give you the desire and ability to do His will.

¨  Don’t waste your days blaming others and denying your part in problems. Clean up your side of the street. Quit trying to change other people.

¨  Practice doing things God’s way one day at a time. Recognize that your circumstances provide opportunities to help you learn and make progress toward becoming the best you can be.

¨  Share what you’re learning with others with similar problems. When you do, your mistakes won’t be wasted. When you help another person to do better, you will help yourself.

If you’re stuck in a bad habit or addiction, why don’t you consider going to a 12 Step meeting? It might just change your life like it has mine!

Julie Morris is the founder of Guided By Him, a 12-Step Christian weight-loss program you can do by yourself or in a group (www.guidedbyhim.com). Author of 12 books and inspiring motivational speaker, she is offering a “mini-retreat” January 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL for those who want to lose weight. Email her for questions about the program or registration for the “retreat.” Julie@guidedbyhim.com.

Lose Weight by Getting to the Emotional Roots of Your Overeating

By Julie Morris, RN –

The last day of the year. Can you believe it? Last year at this time, many of you made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. Did you make any progress or did you lose a few unwanted pounds, only to gain them back later? Don’t be discouraged. Help is on the way!

As you resolve to lose weight in 2011, determine to get to the emotional roots of your overeating so that this year you can lose weight and keep it off!

Let’s look at each of these “Pound-Producers” and see how we can replace them with “Thinning Thoughts.”

1. Resentments are fattening. You thought it was the french fries and cookies that put on your extra pounds. The culprits were more likely the hurts and irritations you stuffed down. If you head toward the refrigerator every time you’re angry, you know I’m right. Resentments make us fat. We eat to soothe our pain. Whether from an inconsiderate mate or an overbearing boss, grudges cause bulges!

So what can we do about it? Don’t stuff your anger; get rid of it with the Anger Buster. Spend a few minutes journaling through the list below. After you’re finished, burn what you’ve written and praise God that your anger is going up in the smoke. Then, each time you get angry, write and burn another Anger Buster.

Anger Buster

• Write about why you’re angry. Get all your feelings on paper where you can deal with them. Let the hurts flow without worrying about how it sounds.
• Write a brief prayer that God will help you to see your part in the problem and give you willingness to forgive the other person.
• Now write about the circumstances from the other person’s perspective. Write how you contribute to the problem and ways you do things that are similar to the ones you’re criticizing in the other person.
• Write a prayer that God will bless the other person (list specific ways) and show you how to have a better relationship.
• List things you can do to improve your part in the relationship.

2. Pouting puts pounds on. Many of you are facing challenging circumstances and are overeating to help you cope. In 1 Peter 5:7 God tells you to cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. So cast your cares on the Lord, not the refrigerator! Don’t continue to say, “Why me?” Instead ask God, “What would you have me learn?” Then give thanks because He loves you and will help you.

3. Worrying widens hips. I discovered the antidote to anxiety many years ago when the doctor found a suspicious mass on my mammogram. The night before my appointment with a surgeon, I was such nervous wreck that I couldn’t sleep. I turned on the TV and a choir happened to be singing a soft melody… “We exalt thee. We exalt thee. We exalt thee, O Lord.” Over and over they sang those words. My mind joined in their singing and soon my panic subsided. A blanket of peace covered me and I fell asleep. Several times during that night I woke up gripped by fear, but each time as I focused on those words of praise, peace flooded my mind. The next day, I was relieved to hear that I didn’t have cancer, but I never forgot the valuable lesson I learned that night: It is impossible to worry and worship at the same time. Praise erases panic.

I pray that after reading my words you will get to the emotional roots of your eating so you can lose your weight for good in 2011.

Julie Morris—founder of the Guided By Him Christian weight-loss program (www.guidedbyhim.com), author of 12 books and inspiring motivational speaker—is offering a “mini-retreat” January 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL for those who want to lose weight. Email her for questions or registration Julie@guidedbyhim.com.

Enjoy the Season

By Cami Checketts –

Tis the season to enjoy time with loved ones, reflect on the marvelous gift of our Savior’s birth, reach out a helping hand to those in need, and cuddle in front of the tree with hot cocoa and cookies. Christmas is a wonderful time of year filled with joyful moments, but often I find myself overindulging on treats and being lazy; and instead of feeling gleeful, I feel sick.

A few tips to keep us all happy and energized throughout the season:
1. Only eat something if it is truly a Christmas treat. Just because they make Oreos with red and green filling does not mean they’re an exclusive Christmas treat, but Aunt Abbie’s peppermint dessert? That’s worth savoring.
2. Turn on Christmas music and dance. My boys think Mom spinning to the Nutcracker is hilarious.
3. Go ice-skating, sledding, snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing. Try out a new sport. The variety is great for improving physical fitness and the challenge is wonderful for your mind.
4. Go for a walk outside. When the temperature is below 50 you burn more calories. It’s worth it to freeze the tip of your nose but if it’s so cold your eyelashes crystallize you’d better take it to the treadmill!
5. Bake your favorite treats, have a sample, then take them to all the neighbors. The visits will be more fun than the baked goods.
6. Enjoy your family and forget about everything else. Play with your kids. Read Christmas stories and thrive on their childlike joy. Snuggle up with your sweetheart and burn some calories kissing in front of the tree.
7. Focus on the Savior and following his example of love and service, the real reason we celebrate this blessed holiday, and the joy will continue throughout the new year.

Merry Christmas!

Cami Checketts is a wife, mother of four boys, author, and exercise scientist. Her latest novel, The Sister Pact, is in stores now. www.camichecketts.com

The Reason Many People Fail to Reach their Goals

By Don Otis –

I have this running joke with some of the men I see at the gym. It is easy to spot those who are faithful with their fitness routines. I typically ask, “Hey, Michael, didn’t I just see you here yesterday?” The point, of course, is that getting in shape or staying in shape is a process that requires consistency. It is part of a daily routine.

We have seasons of life when we can’t get to a gym or stay consistent with our workout activities. It may be an illness, family crisis or change of job. While I believe we can usually find time to walk, run or climb a stairwell, sometimes we have to go easy on ourselves and focus on other life issues. But this should be rare. Consistency is something we have talked about before but as we approach the cooler months of the year (when many of us gain weight), it is definitely worth a reminder.

The biggest impediment to not reaching your goals is lack of consistency. If you were taking a class, would you regularly take days off or ignore your homework assignments? Success at anything is a combination of effort, time and right action. Have you ever wondered why people with addictions relapse? Whether it is weight loss, substance abuse or exercise, the challenge comes back to choices you make daily.

God has gifted you with the unique ability to choose. It is with this power that you make healthy choices or unhealthy ones. No one can do it for you. Your mate can’t do it, your parents can’t make you, and even God isn’t going to stop you from eating that next big bite of chocolate cake or ignoring your trip to the health club. So use this power to make right choices to improve your health. Your body, as well as your spirit and your mind, are made to honor God. The best way to honor God with your body is by caring for it.

According to recent estimates, 30 percent of the American population does not engage in any kind of leisure time activities. Meanwhile, only 25 percent of us are involved in recommended levels of physical activity. The drop-out rate for beginners is more than 50 percent. How can you avoid failure? For me, and millions who are successful, one of the prime ingredients is to do it regularly. If you have goals that are measureable and reasonable, you will be more inclined not to give up. An important aspect to your goal-setting is to keep your goals reasonable. I start with small, achievable goals with clients and then revise these as they successfully meet them.

There is nothing wrong with having big goals but it is easy to become discouraged if you are not meeting these. For example, when I speak with a client who wants to lose weight, I ask them how long it took to become overweight. In most instances, it has been a process that has taken years. As typical westerners, we want instant results and these rarely occur. A patient, plodding approach with goals and regular benchmarks almost always works with those who are motivated.

How do you stay consistent? Send me a note and let me know.

Don S. Otis is the president of Veritas Communications and the author of Keeping Fit after Forty. He is a Certified Personal Trainer, runner, climber and mountain biker – www.veritasincorporated.com

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