Have you hit a plateau? Were you losing lots of weight and inches in the beginning, but now the scale is unmovable, and the measuring tape is stuck on the same number every time you take your measurements? Are you getting frustrated by the lack of progress you are making in regard to your eating disorder? Do you feel like giving up? You are not alone. Regardless of your eating dysfunction, such as being overweight or eating disorders, everyone must deal with a period of little to no progress along their health and fitness journey. Since plateaus happen to everyone at some point, you should not take it as a sign of failure. On the contrary, plateaus are actually indirect messages to you which occur for two (2) reasons. You are either on a physical plateau or a spiritual plateau.
1) Physical Plateaus
In regard to physical plateaus, your body is sending a message to you. People tend to get stuck in their comfort zones because we do not really like change. It is true in health and fitness and every other area of life. For instance, you finally find an exercise routine you do not mind doing, and you refuse to alter it. You jog, go to aerobics, or weight train daily, but your body stops responding after a while because it is telling you that it is time to dig deeper. It is letting you know that you are ready to lower the grams of fat or carbohydrates you have allotted yourself, it is time to increase your treadmill pace to 3.5 because you have been at 3.0 for too long, or you need to add weight training to your regimen.
Similarly, it can also be an indication that you are slacking. Be honest with yourself. Are you really adhering to your health and fitness plan, or are you taking shortcuts which result in more calories and less exercise? Are you taking every weekend off because you think you earned a break? Have you slowly reintroduced foods and beverages that you had abstained from? Did you decrease the number of days you work out? Although these may seem like small things, they make a big difference in regard to your health and fitness outcomes.
2) Spiritual Plateaus
Conversely, spiritual plateaus occur because God is sending you a message! When you eat for His glory, it is all about Him not you. If the weight loss stops even though you are obeying Him and digging deeper and does not get you off the plateau, then it is time to inquire of the Lord. We tend to have spiritual as well as physical comfort zones, but God rewards obedience by entrusting you with more spiritual responsibility. For example, I was on a plateau for one (1) whole year after losing 99 pounds. God got my attention and told me to start writing a book about what He taught me in regard to losing weight. When I obeyed, the weight fell off effortlessly again. The same thing happened when He told me to start teaching the EAW Health and Fitness classes.
If your answer to His spiritual call to elevation is yes, then He will allow you to attain more of the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life through Him! If it is not, you will remain stagnant at best or get frustrated and revert to your old eating and drinking habits at worst. The question is, are you satisfied with possessing part of the land, or are you willing to compromise and struggle with the enemies inhabiting the land for the rest of your days the same way the Israelites are to this very day? God leaves the choice to you.
However, He makes it clear that He seeks mature Christian soldiers who are ready and willing to do battle in order to destroy all of the evil inhabitants of the land and possess the Lord’s gift of the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life. There are more than enough immature, cowardly babes in Christ. As you continue to prove to be “faithful over a few things” by obeying His commands to eat and drink for His glory, He will “put you in charge of many things” (Matthew 25:21), and empower you to conquer the weight loss and eating disorder giants trying to block your path to abundant, healthy living for life.
If you are ready to finally get off your plateau, obey the voice of the Lord and purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips. Tune in to our syndicated radio show on the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends. Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!
