Welcome to 10 Days to an Encouraging Work-Out Playlist: Day 6
This year, I thought about making my New Year’s Resolution to get back to my wedding-weight. Two and 1/2 years ago, I slid into a white dress at 139 lbs. and I looked hot in my bikini for our honeymoon. Needless to say, things have changed.
For you college ladies, you may have been warned about the “freshmen 15″…. for you working women its the “cubical cinquenta” (50)…. for us newly weds, its the “newly-wed weight-woes.” Body change comes in all shapes and sizes after the honeymoon. We cook hearty meals for our husbands, bake cakes to celebrate each month-iversary, and make elaborate cookies he takes to work, making us the MVW: “most valuable wife” for the office. We cleverly think the exciting cardio in the bedroom will offset our heavy eating. Alas, the 1 year anniversary rolled around, and I was shopping for a swim-suit with coverage-frills instead of sexy-thrills. Maybe your first year of marriage didn’t look like this, lucky you. I know there are plenty of us who struggle with the “newly-wed weight-woes”, (some of you may also be mourning the post-pregnancy-pouch).
So I came up with the clever “Fit my Bikini in 2013-y! Mentally chanting it at the gym kept me motivated. Writing it on my goals list made me feel like a champ. After 1 week, it became an addiction.
Not good.
The Bible calls addiction Idolatry: valuing or pursuing something or someone more than God. When my silly little fitness goal became all I read about, wrote about, and pinned about on pinterest, I knew my heart was in the wrong place.
Jesus did not die on the cross so my New Year’s Resolution could be to have a hot-body. 1 John 5:20-21 says
“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”
My greatest pursuit should be to know Him! Thankfully, a song on my work-out playlist reminds me of this:
Core of My Addiction by Fireflight
Chorus:
You’re the core of my addiction
I want to live, want to lose myself in You
You’re the heart of my obsession
I want to live, but I would die for You
I’m addicted
It reminds me to be obsessed with Jesus; to find my addictive “fix” in His Word, not a lower number on the scale. He is my addiction, so I must transfer my loyalty, my thoughts, my devotion away from a physical goal or desire and back to desiring Him.
I still want to fit into my bikini* by our anniversary in 2013, but I am pursuing God first! Having a fit body flows out of a desire to worship and honor God in my habits and health. The goal is not to look hot, but to glorify God. In the end, a good wife is not necessarily a woman with a hot-bod, but a woman in love with a great God.
How do you curb your addiction to fitness or being skinny? Help this poor idol-driven girl out and comment below. Scroll down for more songs that help keep my focus on God at the gym.
Catch up on 10 Days to an Encouraging Work-Out Playlist:
Day 1: Undignified by Warr Acres
Day 2: Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
Day 3: Lay Me Down featuring Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin
Day 4: No Chains on Me by Chris Tomlin
Day 6: Core of my Addiction
… Day 11: Your Choice! I’ll be featuring the songs YOU appreciate most in your work out. Don’t miss out, tell me your most motivating tune in a comment below!
* I believe that modesty is the best policy in public places, but scantily-clad for your husband-lad is fantastic within the privacy of marriage. The truth is, though, I need to wear a bikini (or a sports bra) underneath my swimsuit or tankini just to keep the “girls” from running off into the deep end without life jackets. I must confess I am always looking for a cute bikini and sometimes wish I could fit into those tiny ones at Target. Want more modesty and practical dressing tips? Click here.
My advice is that it takes time! Lots and lots of time! Being consistent in your workouts and in your food choices. And as I’m learning we are very vulnerable to weight gain through emotional eating, boredom eating, social eating, etc. Try to make health more of a priority than how you look. The looks will follow! But if you are shining from the inside out because of the God in you, you will still look like a sexy babe (especially to your hubby). Call me if you want any tips as you know I’ve also been going through this health journey this past year. It is many steps forward only to take many steps back again. Be patient with yourself and don’t give up! Love ya sis <3
Becky, I love your blog! It’s super encouraging and fresh! Thank you for writing it and sharing all this with us.