You're Not Alone in Making the Change

Dear Body Buds,

I am in a somber mood as I sit at my computer on this overcast Sunday afternoon here in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the worship services I attended today as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I had a growing impression that I needed to write this blog post.

As I coach many people through the process of taking control of their lives, the occasion arises that we discuss spiritual matters in our weekly call. Some of these conversations are the most empowering, enlightening, and motivating calls I have ever had and I always end the call feeling more hopeful and happy...

Today, I would like to share with you, my Body Buddies, just how strongly I feel we are not alone in seeking to make changes that will help us heal our bodies and create a healthier appearance.

In doing so, please understand my goal here is not to push my beliefs on you, but to perhaps offer some new perspectives and patterns of thought that may be helpful for you in your personal battle (I prefer the word journey) with your body.

Deep breath. . . Hoping this rolls off my fingertips as easily as it does off my tongue . . . :)

Before each of us was born, we were spirits. We did not yet have a body, but our Father in Heaven did. We wanted to be like Him and He wanted to help us experience the joy and completeness He experiences. His son, Jesus Christ, presented a plan, to which each of us accepted! We wanted a body! We were thrilled! We were told that our life experience would NOT be easy, but that we would learn and grow in ways we never could without a body.

It is through receiving this mortal body of flesh and blood that we CAN experience the difficulties, temptations and challenges, for mastering this "vehicle" of our life.

This vehicle is not ours, it is a borrowed vehicle. The good news is we don't need to "give it back Our Savior, Jesus Christ, made the ultimate sacrifice. Through His Atoning sacrifice, we will each be renewed, or resurrected, as a perfect being--void of injury, illness, disease, or pain. I am grateful to my Savior for such this great gift.

My nieces--Nikki and Kate-- and I at the Christus statue.

Visitor's Center--The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saint

Salt Lake City, Utah

In the meantime, we are housed in this mortal body. We are here, experiencing all that mortal beings experience, running to and fro, getting an education, raising families, going to work, celebrating weddings, attending funerals, running in races, learning to play instruments and on and on. Golly whiz, the options of what we can do with this body while we are in this mortal state are amazing! It's incredible to watch as people decide what to do with their bodies and how they find joy and happiness in their hobbies and their lives...

However, as I look at the grand view (which I realize is still very limited, but I have been blessed to work with solo many people in such a short time), I see that all of us cute little spirit kids in mortal bodies just "running' round" have swung in to very polar opposite directions:

But with the potential joy and happiness, comes opportunities to make choices that take us in polar opposite directions. We’re all acquainted with those who are indifferent in caring for their bodies. We see those who are obsessed and hyper-focused on their bodies, sometimes for the wrong reasons.

1. We are indifferent and put care for our bodies on the back burner, or

2. We are obsessed and hyper-focused on our bodies.

Realizing that you, my Body Bud, might fall somewhere in between the two (yahoo! that's our goal!), please remember I'm throwing a general assessment from my vantage point out there.

My goal with creating Body Buddies is to help as many as I can to see that there is a beautiful grey area, a bridge of reality that spans between the two categories I described above. To true seekers of application of reality in a holistic, doable, realistic, maintainable way, the Power Foods Lifestyle has been a beacon of light and hope. This makes my heart sing because if you have been a member of the Body Buddies family for awhile, you know my story—and you know that I originally created the PFL for me—to heal my mind from a disordered eating past, and keep me on the road to managing my body without being obsessed.

The PFL now has helped over 1,000 people change their bodies, behavior, and relationships with food in a way that has opened my mind to seeing just how much work there is to do. And I’m up for the challenge. I truly believe I was allowed the opportunity to struggle for so long so that I WOULD find answers, and be motivated to help more people. It brings me joy every day to continue down this path, seeking to do and be my best in the hopes that just one more person will dare to say, “I can”, and will begin changing their life.

So when that happens . . . when a person gets to that point where they say, “I can and I will,” is that the end of it? Is that the point where we fast forward 3, 6, maybe even 12 months later and BOOM, see their Before and After photo posted, applaud them for their journey, and move on? Or is there more—MUCH more—to the story that goes untold?

I’d like to tell the story that doesn’t get told—the story behind my own transformation and the transformations in many others’ lives as well.

Making change in our life is TOUGH. We are creatures of habit. We naturally shy away from resistance and pain in any way, shape, or form. This resistance prevents us from making change in our lives, and experiencing the joy that can come from PROGRESS.

We may find ourselves trapped in cycles of addiction. For many food has become that addiction. Whether it is for psychological, emotional, or physiological reasons, food has become the enemy. We then loathe it. We curse it. On the other hand, we even worship it.

What I have found in watching dear friends go through the pains of substance addiction recovery, is that the power of our Heavenly Father, along with His son, Jesus Christ, can be the most powerful tool in facilitating change in our lives.

They are an important part of the process of getting us to a state of happiness in our lives. They want us to succeed and to overcome our set-backs. They are cheering us on!

And they will be the most incredible help and accountability coaches when we allow them to be. How do we do this? I suggest the following steps and seek to follow them as well:

Seek to set weekly goals. I encourage each of my clients and all of the Body Buddies family to set ONE specific goal for nutrition, ONE for fitness, and ONE for mental discipline. These should be so simple and straightforward that you can focus and have no confusion as to what needs to be done.

Each morning, pray for God’s help to not only remember your goals that day, but to have the strength to accomplish them, even when it’s hard.

As the day goes by and those challenges do come, you will find strength as you remember that you asked for God’s help in giving you the strength. You will find power and help from above as you continue to offer prayers seeking His help to COMPLETE your goals for that day.,

At the end of the day before going to bed, pray to God, giving Him an overview of how you did. Where were you strong? Where could you have done better? What do you need help with and resolve to do better tomorrow?

This process, when completed every day, can help give you the power that you may be lacking.

I promise you, Body Buds, I’ve seen this work in my own life, as well as the lives of many others. You will feel His help and His love when you seek for it. He will not push it upon you. He is standing on the other side of the door, just waiting for you to knock.

We are not alone in this mortal, earthly state. There is a purpose. Our bodies play a great role in that purpose. Our loving Heavenly Father and His Son want to see us succeed, care for our bodies, and do our best to live a life full of progress. That’s all this is about. Progress—not perfection. Baby steps. These are the reasons why I use these saying so much, Body Buds. I believe in YOU. I believe in each of our purposes. I believe we each can be stronger and better than we were yesterday.

Love your bud,

Kristy Jo

#bodyimage #emotions #powerfoodslifestyle #spirituality