It's GO time

Here it is. Day one.

I am done with the sugary-filled late night snacking. I am writing off, for good (this time), the 'seconds' trip to the stove after dinner round one. I am forever changing my ways as an apathetic couch potato by replacing them with goals and aspirations of health and endurance.

I am officially entering the world of dieting.

My brilliant strategy in the past has been to simply not eat as much. I suppose years and years of training my stomach to rely on mass quantities of glutinous proportions on a daily basis has brought this concept to a screeching halt.

The last time I attempted to lose weight I reduced my daily caloric intake by significant proportions. Why? Simply because I had an appointment and physical screening seven days from submitting my application for a life insurance policy and I knew the forty(+) extra pounds I was carrying would put me in a higher rate class.

Result: I did ok on the exam, my weight was higher than expected, and I never completed the application process.
Failure. (p.s. I know that scale weighed at least four pounds higher than ours.)

The time before that I entered a one month weight loss competition at work for a chance to win a gift certificate from a national sporting goods retailer. My strategy: fast for five days.

When I say I fasted I don't mean I fasted from chicken nuggets and Ben & Jerry's for an entire day, or every Friday as if it were Lenten. I mean hardcore fasting. Water only for five days. No coffee even...this was serious.

Result...I dropped almost thirty pounds and won the competition. I felt great and moved back to the next section of clothes in my closet - my 20's rack. I won the gift certificate. I couldn't wait to buy that exercise bench and bring it home, either. You know what? I have since gained the thirty pounds back and have tried to sell that bench in at least two garage sales. I guess the strategy was more of a band-aid. What happens to band-aids? They wear down and fall off and you have to get another one.

Looking back I can say, "That was for a competition...I wouldn't do that normally." Why not? It worked. I won. I achieved my goal which was to lost weight. And, best of all, it was an immediate result.

• Isn't that how we view life today?
• Don't we want things now?
• Don't we want our way, right away?

Of course we do...we're Americans! We are raised to want and conditioned to expect. Not to mention those of us who are Christians and expect to see miracles, signs, and wonders as soon as we say "Amen" and hang up with God.

While I can't say that this time I'm going to go all hardcore Wheat Belly, or Atkins, or Sugar Busters, or South Beach, or Body for Life, or....on this attempt, I can say that I am more motivated than ever before to make a commitment to a new life.

Sure, I'll probably try to start with an intense crash course and shock my body; there's nothing really wrong with that. Look at the Biggest Loser contestants. Some are entering the competition consuming 8,000-10,000 calories PER DAY. Cutting that down to about 2,000-3,000 is a real shock to their system. But in the end, those who succeed are working their health daily, not allowing their health to work them. They are controlling their food, not the other way around.

From a Christian perspective we can do the same thing. We can devote ourselves to prayer, reading the Word, even physical and spiritual fasting as we see fit. In the end, however, if we are not committed to living each day for the Lord, then we are committed to living each day for something else.

• The commitment is pledged: stay the course for one week.
• The plan is in place: after one week, evaluate, adjust, and plan the next week.
• The steps are set: week-by-week I take a new step.

Simple enough. It's GO time!