How to Like Your Body While Still Loving the Lord

I was 16 years old and had just started my fitness journey.

My workouts mostly consisted of running or watching pilates videos in my living room.

The second my workout was done, I would run to the bathroom to step on the scale or check my abs in the mirror for instant development.

I’m such a millennial, I know ….

And, as you an imagine, I cursed the bathroom scale and mirror for not giving me what I was looking for: results

But at a deeper level, why did I want results so badly?

Why were these panic attacks always worse after watching a movie or going to the mall?

I craved results because I believed that with these changes I would be noticed, people would say things and I would get attention and acceptance. I would look like everyone else …

Do you find yourself in that boat?

Do you struggle to find joy when you see your body in the mirror?

I know I did ..

Until …

I started seeing my body as a gift and God’s home by:

1. Removing images that were giving me unrealistic expectations about my body

   Did you know that we are exposed to an average of 5,000 advertisements in a day? All telling us how our lives should and could be better. Stop following social media accounts that cause you to compare your body to others. For me, this meant almost completely disconnecting from the bodybuilding world. What does it look like for you?

2. Memorizing verses that remind me what my purpose here on earth truly is

   Nothing can make you feel more full then knowing you are completely known and loved by God. Of this I am sure. However, in the pursuit of health, our true purpose on this life: to love God and others can take a backseat. Find scripture that points you back to your purpose and identity in Christ.

3. Turning my mirror into an opportunity to worship God for creating me perfectly by writing verses on it in dry-erase marker.

   Now when I see myself in the mirror I own my scars as a part of the story God is working in me and see my body as God’s home. I know that no amount of exercise or nutritional hacks can ever replace the confidence that Christ has given me as His child.

Here are some of my favorite verses that have helped me:

• Psalm 139: 14

• Ephesians 2:10

• 1 Thessalonians 1:14

• Ephesians 2:10

This change won’t happen overnight, but taking the next step closer to befriending your God-given body is worth it.

All the love,

Coach Laura