Grove

Weight Loss Inspiration from Razorback Britt

I am so excited to share a (hopefully) new series with y'all centering around weight loss inspiration. I have contacted a few people who have inspired me in their weight loss journeys to share their stories with you. I'm coming with the first post today from my friend Brittney who blogs over at Razorback Britt. So sit down, grab a cup of coffee (or if you're me a protein shake) and I hope you're as inspired and encouraged by Brittney's story as I was. She said the exact things that I needed to hear this morning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Choosing Joy readers!  I’m Brittney from Razorback Britt. I’m so glad Jenna is letting me share my story with you today.  Jenna’s been rocking the weight loss efforts lately, so I wanted to share another side of weight loss with you – the mental and spiritual side.
Sure, you’ve got to eat right, exercise, and treat your body well…but for me, that wasn’t enough.
Let me back track to the summer of 2010. I could go on for hours about my journey (it’s complicated) but here are the bullet points:
  • Was 210+ pounds, prediabetic, unhealthy in the Summer of 2010
  • Told to lose 20 pounds ASAP to decrease risk of diabetes
  • Signed up for a weight loss center.  Lost weight quickly (40 pounds in about 6 months), but not really in a healthy, sustainable way. Weighed all-time adult low of 160.
  • Left the center (tired of paying to be told what to eat), tried losing on my own.  Gained 20 of the 40 pounds I lost.
  • Really bucked down and lost the 20 pounds.  Was doing 2 workouts a day (early morning bootcamp, running, teaching Zumba), counting calories and was miserable. Back down to 160.
  • Life happened.  It got stressful and I chose to let workouts and healthy eating take a back burner in order to deal with life and not lose my mind.
  • Gained back about 30 pounds.  
  • I’m happier now than I was at 160.
(My journey in pictures.  These are all from 2010-now.  Different weights, different efforts. Top left corner is before at 210 in 2010.  Bottom right is now at 190.  All those others are every weight in between.)

Let me repeat that last line: I’m happier now than I was at 160.
Wait. What?
You’re not supposed to be happy when you’ve put weight back on.  You’re supposed to be frustrated, heartbroken, and ready to make a change.  Well, I’m still working on my journey (and working toward change) but I’m NO WHERE near frustrated, heartbroken and hating myself.
Here’s why:
I finally dealt with the heart of the matter.
I had to be honest with myself.  I knew what to eat.  I knew what workouts to do.  I knew I needed to find a sustainable balance (no more crazy weight-loss lifestyle that I couldn’t keep up with long term). So why was I yo-yoing so badly?  
I didn’t have peace.  I didn’t have peace with food, with myself, with my body.  
I started there.  I went looking for peace.  I love this verse in Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  I knew my life was meant for more than this obsession with food and the scale.  I wanted that peace and joy.
I started changing my inner monologue about myself.  I broke up with the scale for a while.  I started reading some resources about spiritual peace (I highly recommend Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst).  I stopped striving for a particular number (sure, I have one in mind that would be GREAT….but I’m not entirely focused on it).  I stopped freaking out when I didn’t fit into the skinny jeans.  I started searching for peace.
Sometimes peace means having freaking birthday cake because it’s my best friend’s birthday, instead of DREADING the party, saying no to cake, and binging later…then that’s the choice I need to make.
Sometimes peace means making a good choice because I know I’ll feel better later. Sometimes peace means getting up early to workout because I know I feel better mentally when I’m active.  Sometimes peace is stepping on the scale and realizing I’m SO MUCH MORE than that number.  That scale can’t measure the relationships I have, the joy I feel, the adventures  I go on….it’s just a measure of gravity on my body’s mass.  
Peace is realizing I’m made for more than a constant struggle with food, my body, and my weight.  Would I love to weigh less?  Absolutely.  Would I love to buy a size 8 dress?  Yup.  But am I willing to kill myself and ruin my life to do it?  Nope. I know lots of people can make things happen and make sacrifices, but I have to remember that every person’s journey and limits are different.  I have to live in my situation. Lysa TurKeurst says when you want someone’s blessings, you have to take their struggles as well.
I would love to have arms like Michelle Obama…but can you imagine the stress her shoulders feel each day?  I would love to have Carrie Underwood’s legs, but I’d rather go on a date with my husband to our favorite Mexican restaurant than spend hours squatting in the gym.  I wish I had a flat tummy like Rihanna, but some days I need to sleep in and not work out. It’s ok.  I’m at peace.
I’m trying to honor God with my body, get healthier, but now I’m not OBSESSED with it.  That obsession was getting in the way for me.  It was my EVERYTHING.  And you know what?  That’s not peace for me. So every choice I make, I try to think “Will this bring peace?”  and go from there.
I hope you find peace in your part of this journey- whatever it looks like for you.  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks so much to Brittney! If you loved hearing her story today you would also love her blog! She lives out in the country with her "cowboy" and cute pup and is a zumba instructor. She and I are kindred spirits with our love for musical theater and I feel like I can live vicariously through her as she journeys all over the U.S. to see shows!!! 

If you have a weight loss story you want to share please contact me at jmkbuett (@) gmail! I'd love to feature you.

Happy Tuesday friends, we are heading to the pool! 

Xoxo,
Jenna

Comments

  1. Wow. Love this. Thanks so much for sharing girl. That really is inspirational.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loving the weight loss inspiration - I need it for my post baby weight. Just wondering where you got piyo? I've
    Been looking for it since you mentioned and can't find it anywhere?!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Brie! I can get you a link to order it! Email me please! jennabuettemeyer @ gmail :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. THIS IS AWESOME!! If Christ is our first and only identity, only then can we find health, wealth, happiness, purpose, etc. (wealth being more than just money. I mean any needed resource)
    I have struggled with the body image/fitness obsession thing as well and come to realize, like this wise woman, there must be balance and correct alignment of priorities. And the cool thing is that when we let go of the CONTROL AND FEAR...9 times out of 10 God honors our word and helps us reach a fitness goal that we had laid down previously at His feet. SUCH A GOOD GUEST POST!! Proud of this girl!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love Carrie Underwood's legs, too, but c'mon. She's vegan and I ain't giving up cheese for nothing!
    Great post, and something I wish was talked about more often. It took me far too long to get off the shame cycle.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts