This year, I decided to try along what is known as the FLEXITARIAN DIET. Like the name suggests, it is a flexible vegetarian diet. I cannot say I was deeply convicted about it but I must say, I was excited to try out a new challenge.
I am ALWAYS here for challenges!!!
Conviction: A strong/firmly held belief or opinion
Vegetarian diet: A diet free of meat, seafood, and poultry. It is a diet plan made up of foods that come mostly from plants.
Flexitarian diet: This is a style of eating that encourages mostly plant-based foods while allowing meat and other animal products in moderation
So since the FD is a rather flexible one, I decided on a few set times I would have animal protein (chicken, fish, ponmo), and dairy too.
As we got into February, I decided I wanted to actually cut off meat and dairy. I talked about it in this blog post here and so far, I have been true to it. In fact, my husband thought it was time-based and so on Friday brought home fish for me, but I couldn’t eat it.
However, as it my regular practice, I was on a personal retreat over the weekend and I brought up my diet before the Lord.
I wanted to KNOW whether He wanted me to go on a diet that excludes animal protein forever. I was asking because even though I can muster up enough self-discipline to go without a while, if Jesus wasn’t in it AND my convictions were not deeper than ‘I just want to see how this feels’, then I would flop sooner than later.
And interestingly, in that hotel room, the Lord preached to me a WHOLE NEW MESSAGE on convictions. Before He even spoke, I found myself on Google getting knowledge on why people choose to go vegan or vegetarian and really, the downsides of eating meat. I also wanted to learn more about plant-based dairy (like coconut milk, almond milk and co) as opposed to animal based dairy (cow’s milk) which I was in the process of eliminating.
Right there, between Google and YouTube, God said to me
Eziaha, there are TWO things that drive convictions deeeeeeeeeep
1. Knowledge
2. Prayers (or any spiritual activity He legislates for me)
And then, when conviction is deep enough, compliance rates to ANYTHING is higher.
Boooooooooooooooooooooyah!!!
That was my entire life, as I was living it, preached back to me by God and He was like, now go and hand #JesusGirls this message.
Help them build deeper convictions on any diet or fitness routine they decide on by constantly providing the knowledge they need, and then praying for (especially my squaddies) and encouraging them to always involve me too on their fitness journey.
Hmmmmmmmm.
It is like my head has BLOWN since He told me that.
I cannot even say YET that I am deeply convicted about my no-meat diet, because while I am in prayers, I am not yet done getting as much knowledge I need to get that would help my conviction, BUT I am on track to.
Dear #JesusGirl, can I encourage you to drive your convictions deeper through PRAYERS and KNOWLEDGE before embarking, or while in the process of going on any weight loss diet, fitness routine, or healthy lifestyle plan?
Don’t just copy Eziaha – and I see that a lot – or any fitness coach you find on Instagram. Do it because you have come to the point where indeed, you are ALL IN with firmly held beliefs and opinions
And the first place to start is with prayers really.
I see a LOT of people STRUGGLE like crazy on their fitfam journey because they THINK it is just a matter of starving, cutting out dinner, registering in a gym, or signing up for a fancy fitness program that promises all things fit and fab, bright and beautiful.
Honey, no man makes it in the life by sheer muscle ooo
Without God, YOU CAN DO NOTHING, including lose weight or stay on a diet, let’s not even get it twisted.
John 15 v 5b: …That is because you can do nothing without me
Even more than you, God is interested IN YOUR FITNESS journey. As a tripartite being, He NEEDS you WHOLE in spirit, soul, and body AND wants to HELP you achieve wholeness.
When you try to use human effort, He stands by and watches you try and fail and fail.
But you are wise, mama. You will INVOLVE Him right from the beginning.
You will pray for strength, wisdom and grace for the journey.
Then you will go for knowledge.
You will sign up with a Coach that knows what she is doing and can furnish you with the requisite knowledge for the journey. Above all, you will be your own coach.
You will google, ask the right questions, subscribe to the right email newsletters like ours, and generally be involved in your own journey
Many of us make the mistake of thinking that because we PAID a Coach, the weight is as good as gone. No mami, the real work starts AFTER you sign up for the program.
.
But the beautiful thing is that God is with you THROUGH the process if you will let Him.
So dear #JesusGirl, the question is, WILL YOU? Or will you keep struggling on your own?
Babes, cheers to deep convictions, and then compliance that brings you steady closer to your goals
CoachE’