Want to get rid of body fat?

There are people who get frustrated because they cannot seem to get rid of fat even with strict diet and regular exercise. Obesity becomes a problem especially when serious medical conditions manifest. Being overweight, particularly among women, brings a high risk for having diabetes, hypertension, and menstrual problems. Obesity can also affect women’s fertility.


But what really keeps people fat?

Lifestyle is the No. 1 culprit. According to a survey conducted for Reader’s Digest magazine, “82 % of the Filipinos admitted that they don’t have the willpower to resist good food, and only 38 % have ever tried to lose weight.”

There could also be genetic factors to consider since overweight parents will most likely have obese offsprings. When one parent is obese, a child has a 40 % risk of being obese. If two parents are obese, the risk increases to 80 %.

Still, there are metabolic diseases like hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus which cause people’s metabolism to slow down. Other factors have to do with medications, sleep patterns, environment, fasting, semi-fasting and under-nutrition.

So how can we address unwanted excess weight? The answer lies behind the reasons why or how we acquired it. There are cases when it is just recommended to see a doctor. To be safe, it is best to have one’s body mass index (BMI) measured. BMI is “a tool that physicians use in evaluating a person's health status by measuring the amount of body fat based on one’s height and weight (http://pcos.about.com)”.

Planting seeds of discipline, like the following examples, can be another effective solution to obesity:

1. Eat breakfast
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Cut out sugar, especially the processed kind.
4. Eat raw vegetables.
5. Tummy curfew (Take control over late-night snacks.)
6. Get sufficient exercise.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Significantly, Galatians 6 speaks of sowing to the Spirit. “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature, will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Therefore, LASTING lifestyle change comes from developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and NOT the perfect diet, nor exercise regime.

To know more about planting seeds of discipline, learn the Basic Steps to Godly Fitness, or click here to find out about PraiseMoves classes in your area.