Have you ever joined the gym? Have you ever tried to follow a certain diet? Like you, my answer is a resounding yes many times over! The media is constantly reminding us that we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic and that the solution is to basically lose weight. For those like myself who fit into the 'big' category, the most obvious way to go about shedding those excess kilograms is to join a gym and follow a diet formula like the Atkins diet or weight watchers etc. The media constantly presents us with success stories of people who are transforming their lives by following a certain diet or going to a certain gym.
Of course there are some home truths that the health industry does not present. The first is that it is very easy for people to lose weight. The second is that over 90% of people rapidly put the weight back on. The third and most under reported fact is that fluctuating weight puts enormous stress on the human body and is one of the most effective methods of reducing one's life span, right up there with obesity in fact! Several weeks ago, there was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about the results of a long term study on that very rare group of people who successfully lost and then kept off their weight permanently. The researchers made a surprising discovery in their observation of those who had 'succeeded in maintaining their weight loss.The researchers found that only 14% of those who had succeeded had followed a diet / exercise program or method such as Atkins, weight watchers etc etc. On the other hand 86% joined no gym or followed no weight loss program. The key to permanent weight loss was not the right plan, or knowledge of nutrition and exercise, but being self motivated. Self motivation overcame all obstacles and ignorance. Self motivation often came from an event that shook the person out of the status quo they were living in and motivated them forward.
Like the health business, we Christians are obsessed with finding successful program's and systems to see more people come to be followers of Jesus Christ read the rest of the article here
http://everyhomeachurch.blog.co.uk/2005/09/28/weight_loss_is_like_salvation~205047
