gain faith, lose weight

 I’ve struggled with my weight for what seems like my whole life. I’ve also wanted to learn how to spiritually fast for the last 20 years. Many Lents have come and gone through the years. And, I can truly say that I’ve only experienced a few really profound Lents where I was able to successfully give up a certain food or drink and increase my faith at the same time.

My prayers were always filled with petitions of self-control around food and alcohol both inside and outside of Lent. I purchased several books on dieting and fasting and prayed hard for enlightenment. I did experience temporary success with several different programs, but eventually gained the weight back resulting in a closet full of clothes in every size from 6 to 16.

I would ask myself—if I’m so together, why can’t I fast? Why can’t I control the eating? I love Jesus more than food. I love my husband and family who I long to fast for. I even love my body and want to take great care of it. I really love my life, but I just couldn’t control my overeating.

And, what about those drinks on Friday and Saturday night? Or Tuesday? I love those drinks! And, I love to cook. And food is so important, isn’t it? Eating and drinking is what life is all about, right?

My daily thoughts were always about how to limit my eating and drinking so that I could lose weight and fast or limit food for spiritual reasons. Then I found the answers.

What happened?

I learned how to work on 3 things:  Motivation, Mind Management, and Methodology— all learned through a Catholic lens.

And the results?

• Lost 25 pounds so far this year and I am still going.
• Praying and fasting for all the people in my life daily.
• Stopped overeating and overdrinking.
• Healing physically, mentally, and spiritually.
• Growing in Virtue.
• Regaining a spiritual edge in my life that I’ve never had before.
• Becoming the person and Catholic that I’ve always wanted to be.
• Having a blast!

I feel as if my life is just starting as I approach my mid-fifties. I have prayed for and experienced breakthroughs happening in my life and the lives of others that I can only describe as miraculous.

In 2021, I experienced the best and most meaningful Lent that I’ve ever had—successfully giving up flour, sugar, and alcohol. I lost 10 pounds last Lent, went on to lose 15 more, and grew closer to Jesus and the Catholic Church than I have ever been before.

Easter Mass 2021 was the most emotional and significant Easter of my life.

Finally, I was able to enter into such a physical and spiritual hunger for the 40+ days before that I felt like I became grafted into the wounds of Jesus and was then resurrected with him on Easter morning.

I realized at that Mass sitting in the Church cry room with my family (the only space available that day) that I had been living my life in a tomb of sorts and I was finally arising out of the darkness and into the light.

I knew that day that this was just the beginning of my journey of fasting off food and feasting on the dreams that God is drawing upon my heart. Learning the 3 M’s has been a 2-year journey for me to get to this place of transformation.

And, I’m not done yet.

You can arise, too. When you allow yourself to get hungry for the Resurrection, life can no longer threaten you with death or fear. This is the space of gaining faith while losing the weight once and for all.