A couple of weeks ago, I ran into my friend while at my gym at about 4:30AM. Although I hadn’t seen Jim in nearly 10 years, I was able to recognize him – even though we’d both changed significantly since we last saw each other. He and his wife had lived next to us for several years when Carolyn and I were living in our first house. Jim and his family have a special place in my heart because his family bought the house that I grew up in after my Dad’s death. Jim raised his family in the kitchen, bedrooms, dining room and family rooms where I lived until the day I got married 25 years ago.
One of the many things that I find to be amazing about humans is our ability to recognize another person whom we haven’t seen in decades. Although our physical bodies age, our faces somehow retain their uniqueness for a lifetime. How can God create 6.7 billion people unique faces?
When I mentioned my surprise at seeing Jim at the gym so early in the morning, he quickly told me that he had taken off 1/3 of his body weight in the last year after having been diagnosed with diabetes. The man in front of me who now weighed 164 pounds was now about 240 pounds less than a year earlier.
What prompted my friend to decide to expose the six pack abs that he was born with now that he was about 50 years old? Fear of death and love of life. His doctor’s medical diagnosis about his physical future health scared him into shedding the layers of fat that he’d added on to his body during years of managing restaurants and raising his family. He began the transformation of his body with a single thought.
Why do most of us re-act rather than pro-act?
Why don’t we embrace the good rather than running from what’s bad?
Our souls need a place to live. Taking care of our physical bodies provides a comfortable home for our souls while on earth.
As a person who was very fat as a child and who carried more fat than he should have for most of his life, I understand how easy it is to hide our naturally lean bodies with pounds of fat by consuming excess calories on a daily basis.
While in my hotel room on Monday last this week, I turned the television caught the end of The Biggest Loser. I am not a regular watcher of the show, but I had seen a couple of episodes earlier this season. When looking at the four finalists I was astonished at the transformation that had taken place since the last time I watched. Again, I could still recognize their unique faces even thought their bodies were beyond recognition and their faces were significantly leaner.
One of the women had dropped 69 pounds and one of the men was down over 150 pounds. I weighed-in at the gym yesterday at 147 pounds and considered the fact that this man had been living his life with the burden of carrying around the equivalent of a man my size. How could anyone do that? Amazing!
We can get used to almost anything in life. Let’s start getting used to ideal health.
In this week’s episode, the contestants had to run a marathon – 26.2 miles – in order to continue on the show. When the program started, each person was so unhealthy that they were barely able to finish 1 mile. I was amazed as I watched these 4 formerly obese people complete a task that I’ve never attempted myself. Their determination to cross that finish line kept them going mile after mile when their bodies felt pain severe enough to give-up after completing the first 10 miles.
Humans are goal focused. When it’s our goal, we never argue. We tend to fight when other people try to push their goals and objectives upon us. In what aspect of your life can you see a better, happier or healthier version of yourself?
Like my friend Jim, each of The Biggest Loser contestants was the by-product of living a lifestyle that included way-too-much eating and little or no exercise. One unhealthy meal at a time they proceeded to add layer upon layer which hid the healthy body that was there the entire time waiting to be exposed. The body’s natural state is lean and healthy.
How did the contestants begin the transformation from obesity to becoming one of the final four on the show with enough stamina and determination to complete a marathon? They gave birth to a single positive thought. They developed a new belief about themselves that took the place of the former belief that had caused them to almost physically kill themselves.
Thought is a creative process. New thoughts create new beliefs which bring about new results. We create our own self-image one thought at a time. Each time that you develop a new positive belief about yourself, it’s taking the place of an older, limiting belief.
Like each of us has a set of six-pack abs whether we can see them or not, each of us also has a spiritual light (soul) burning inside of us that is also waiting to be exposed to the world. Sometimes, the light of our souls has been dimmed with layers of ignorance and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, hatred and fear in much the same way as fat covers our lean bodies.
The soul’s natural state is loving and joyful. Like many of us are ignorant (lacking in wisdom) about how to create and maintain healthy bodies, many of us are ignorant in how to create and maintain our happy souls. The light is lit. It’s just waiting for you to add the fuel.
The secret to a healthy body is to consume the correct amount of food and to exercise on a regular basis. The secret to a healthy soul that is shining bright is to invite the spirit of God to live inside you and to let God’s words of love and encouragement coexist in your mind.
The Biggest (Body) Losers invited the personal trainers into their lives to teach them the new ways of eating and exercising so that they could reveal their healthy bodies.
The Biggest Spiritual Losers invite The Spiritual Trainer to move-in with them for the rest of their lives. The Spiritual Trainer moves in with you and commits to keeping you company and fueling the fire that is burning inside you each and every day.
The Biggest (Body) Losers give up unhealthy eating habits and take-on the wisdom of bodily health experts.
The Biggest Spiritual Losers give up their egos to allow the joy of God’s words and spirit to replace the destructive thoughts and emotions that were dimming their light.
When we lower our caloric intake, we eliminate excess fat and expose a healthy body.
When we lower our ego enough to allow God to coexist within each of our thoughts and actions, we expose a bright shining spirit.
Healthy bodies are developed and nurtured through knowledge about proper eating habits and regular exercise.
Healthy souls are developed and nurtured through knowledge of God’s word (reading of scripture, prayer and meditation) and by inviting God’s spirit to move-in with you.
A healthy body, mind and soul is within your reach. Every living organism requires nourishment. Open yourself to an awareness of the possibilities for you to nourish yourself mentally, spiritually and physically on a daily basis to restore your entire being to its natural state of health and serenity.
