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Weight Loss with the Bible - Stage 1 ~ The first 2 weeks

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The beginning of a Bible Study to accompany the Spark People Diet

It's almost fall. How's the Summer weight loss plan coming? I know it's tough, but hopefully, you haven't given up on yourself. You see, it's not really about looking good when you're swimming, this Bible study, and the weight loss program that inspired, it is about becoming the best, healthiest, most self confident "you" you can be. If you happen to get into a smaller size while you're doing it, then that's the bonus prize.

I'm really glad you've stopped by today. I'm hoping you're here because you want to start a new healthier lifestyle, not just a way to drop a few pounds for your Summer swim suit. And I'm praying that what you find below will motivate you and help you grow in your endeavor to become the best "you" you can be!

I lost 30 pounds between August 2007 and August 2008. Better yet, I've kept it off! My goal is to lose another 20 pounds before it's all said and done, but after carrying around that extra weight for 26 years, I'm excited to finally be in a size 6! Plus, I'm healthier than I have been in a long time. (A lot of people think "Size 6 and she wants to lose another 20 pounds! Is she crazy?" Confession time - I'm really short! I need to be at 120ish - so that's where I'm aiming!)

What drove me to this? Well, I've tried countless weightloss programs in the past, but none have worked. In May 2007 at the age of 44, I had a TIA - for those who aren't in the medical field that means I had a mild stroke. No one knows why, but it made me decide to finally take this "getting healthy" thing more seriously.

Thanks to my sister, I found this FREE online site called SparkPeople. Their tips, advice, articles and encouragement is what helped me finally lose the weight. It also inspired me to create a Bible Study based on their program. Here's where you'll find that study.

Below you'll find links to my SparkPeople story as well as other chapters of this study. If you'd like to give me credit for referring you to SparkPeople, my username is rlmodranski - Plus, look for me on the SparkPages! I'd love to be your encourager there!

I hope this study and my story helps you find freedom in eating as well as health in your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you use the study, don't forget to leave me a rating or a comment to help others find it too. Thanks for stopping by!!!

Photos courtesy of MorgueFile.com

Stage 1 Introduction

This is where it all begins

type=textI'm really excited you've decided to enter this endeavor. Not just to lose weight, but to change your lifestyle so you can live the most abundant life possible.

I'm not a weight loss expert or a nutritionist, but believe it or not, I've studied the stuff for a long time because I've had a lot of problems with food addiction. Over the last 10 years or so I've made small lifestyle changes that have gradually brought me where I am now. What you are about to read is my first attempt to combine the strategy and information found on SparkPeople with scripture and Bible Study.

I love the points on SparkPeople. For some strange reason, they motivate me to DO something toward my healthy lifestyle. So, you'll find points that you can earn every day. I encourage you to meet with others who are striving toward a healthy lifestyle and go on this journey together. When you meet each week, if you report your points to each other, you'll actually be telling one another whether or not you did something to contribute to your new healthy lifestyle.

You're going to start with Stage 1. SparkPeople calls it "Fast Break." This stage will give you 2 weeks to make small, slow changes in your life. Each week you'll have an article or two to read, scripture to study and small goals to reach each day just to get you started. In week 3, we'll move on to Stage 2. This stage is called "6 Healthy Diet Habits." I'll get you more information on that stage when we get there.

Click here to read what SparkPeople has to say about Stage 1: Fast Break and sign up . I encourage you to use the tools at SparkPeople to help with your goals, but you certainly don't have to.

The most important thing you can do in the next couple of weeks is set a few small goals for yourself and do your best to meet them. To get the full benefit, I hope that in addition to those three goals you'll make a commitment to be an active part of a small group make a commitment to be there every time they meet, share your thoughts at every meeting and encourage every other group member to share their thoughts.

So, are you ready? Are you prepared to change your life forever? Are you primed to commit to become the best YOU you can be for Christ?

Here we go!

Join SparkPeople for FREE!

Yes! A totally free site designed to help you get healthy!
CLICK HERE
to sign up today!

Stage 1: Fast Break Week 1

How's your self esteem?

type=textStage One Week One: How's Your Self Esteem? Bible Study

Self Esteem is one of those topics the world talks about all the time, but what does God think about my self-esteem? We hear so much about Christians being humble and meek that often we think self-esteem is a "worldly" value, but this week let's look at what the Bible says:

1. As you read each of these verses, take them personally. Each one was written just for you!

Genesis 1:27 ~ What does it mean for you personally that you are created in the image of God?

Psalm 139: 13-14 ~ What are your thoughts when you consider that God knit you together from scratch, and He made you wonderful.

Jeremiah 31:3 ~ Remember this verse was written for you. God knew that you'd be reading it today and wanted you to realize how much he loves you!

2. After reading just these three verses, how do you think God wants you to look at yourself?

3. How often do you eat or eat things you know aren't really good for you because you don't feel good about yourself? How might your eating trends gradually change if you used these verses to remind yourself of how special and important you are to God?

4. How do you think it makes God feel when we second guess our self-worth?

5. If you question your self worth, what things can you do this week to begin to realize how important you are in God's eyes?

Recommended SparkPeople Reading for this week:
Improve Your Self Esteem with Journaling
Why Do We Beat Ourselves Up?

Download Worksheets to go along with this study - here: This is the link

That picture at the top . . . are you wondering who that adorable little girl is? That's my granddaughter . . . bigger than that now, but that's still one of my favorite pictures. Photo by Monica Lynne Photography



Excercises to help get you fit

I know - I hate to excercise too!

But my daughter loves to! So, once or twice a week I do a turbo workout with her. It's not really that hard. She's taken me from Cardio Party to Turbo Kick to Turbo Fire and an occasional HIIT (High Intesity Interval Training). Come on, you can do it, too!
Turbo Kick® Workout Preview
by PowderBluePB11 | video info

25 ratings | 60,839 views
automatically generated by YouTube

Stage 1: Fast Break Week 2

Have You Been Made New?

type=textStage 1 Week 2: Have you been made new?

Hopefully this past week you've begun (if you haven't done it earlier in your Christian journey) to realize that you were hand crafted by God as a precious jewel, a valuable treasure. I pray if you remember one verse from last week, you'll remember that in Jeremiah God said He "loves you with an everlasting love. You are irreplaceable as far as your creator is concerned.

Our problem is that as somewhere in our life we've learned some habits that aren't healthy. We've kind of messed up what God created perfect. The good news is that Jesus came to make us just like new again. Stop and think about it. If you bought a fine watch and after many years it started gaining time, would you take it to any old jewelry repairman if the person who handcrafted it was available to make the adjustments. And especially if his services were free!

Let's take this week to look at having the Craftsman of our Lives helping us make the adjustments we need to live a full and abundant life in Him.

1. Read Ephesians 4:17-24 - We're going to look at this scripture from the angle of healthy living, so let's reword the first three verses to relate more closely to a healthy/unhealthy lifestyle (without compromising the Word of God)

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the ______________ do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all ____________, they have given themselves over to ____________ so as to indulge in every kind of _________, with a continual ________ for more.

2. Make of list of futile "dieter" thinking? Which ones are you willing to give up?

3. In verse 23 Paul says to be make new in the attitude of your minds. What kind of attitude toward dieting and weight loss do you need to change so you are living to be healthy instead of being concentrating on losing weight?

4. How can a new attitude help you put on a "new self"?

5. Of all the changes you've talked about this meeting what one thing can you adapt to your new healthy lifestyle?

This week's recommended reading:
Stop Dieting and Start Living
Smart Substitutes Calorie Chart

The worksheets and leader's guide is here: This is the link

Stage 2

The Second Phase of the Spark Study

Because this was getting a bit long, I created another space for Stage 2. Stop by and bookmark it so you'll find it easily next time. You'll find link there to other steps in Stage 2.
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How's you're Spark Diet Going?

Tell us how you're doing.

We all need encouragement from time to time and a place to vent. Here's your chance. Tell us what's going great or what's happening to keep the weight from coming off.

submit
  • Reply
    top_10 Feb 13, 2012 @ 9:16 am | delete
    cool lens!
  • Reply
    leahjsongs Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:59 am | delete
    I'm at the "I Hate Exercise" phase :) But increasing my daily water intake and cutting portion sizes makes me feel like I'm not totally done achieving my goals.
  • Reply
    rlmodranski Feb 10, 2012 @ 2:21 pm | delete
    And you probably aren't done achieving them! We need to exercise. I don't do much, but I do more than I did before. I encourage you everyday to do more than you did before! Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park at the back end of the parking lot. If you have stairs walk up and down them twice everytime you need to go upstairs. Do what you can. Find something you like to do. Don't beat yourself up for what you don't do, just do a little more! And never forget . . . Jesus Christ loves you and being healthier is a great way to honor him for the gift of Life He has given you!
  • Reply
    success4ever Nov 21, 2011 @ 12:31 pm | delete
    Religious scriptures contain so much hidden solutions for which only few know the value. Great !
  • Reply
    checkyourvibe Oct 1, 2011 @ 6:25 am | delete
    Thank you! Wonderful information-
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A Couple of Books that Helped Me in Years Past

These books are out of print, but are still available at Amazon. Some may be used. I gained a lot of education from both of them. They gave me a good dietary foundation before I found SparkPeople.
I highly recommend both
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My Story

How Spark People Helped Me

Here's the lowdown on what I learned from SparkPeople and where I am now in my lifestyle change.
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Would you pay for a Print or Downloadable Version?

I get a good many hits on the lenses for these studies and am contemplating taking my original master and preparing it for an e-book or print version. Help me out by voting in this poll. It would be a 20 week study with leader Guides about 100-150 pages. You'd also need only one book for your group. I plan to allow you to reproduce the lesson pages for your group.

Let me know what you'd pay and whether you'd prefer download or print.

Thanks for stopping by

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The Fine Print

updated 08/02/2011

This Bible Study hasn't been endorsed by SparkPeople and is in no way related to SparkPeople or any of SparkPeople's affiliate websites. To read about SparkPeople's terms of service, please refer to SparkPeople's Website for all the details.

Thanks so much to Morgue File for the photos used in this Bible Study series.



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Lynne was last here on February 5, 2012

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rlmodranski

Lynne Modranski is not a diet guru! But she lost 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year. Plus she knows the importance of getting in shape p... more »

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