What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself. -Abraham Maslow
In March 2006 Norman Langwell looked in the mirror and did not recognize the person in the reflection. At 379 pounds, Norman knew something had to change. He started changing his diet from high fat, high calorie meals to basic foods including vegetables, lean meats and fruits. He also began walking after work. After losing more than 80 pounds, Norman incorporated some light jogging to his walking. Once he began running outdoors, the weight fell off. After losing 178 pounds, Norman has run several 10K races and will be competing in the Texas Round-Up 10K race with thousands of other Texans.
"Anyone can do what I did," said Langwell. "There is no magic pill or perfect system. You just have to make up your mind that you are going to change your life and do it. This is my story and I hope it inspires others to get fit and live a long life."
From http://www.texasroundup.org/About_Us/Success_Stories.aspx
2008 Fit Texan: Norman Langwell
Currently in Texas alone there are over 10 million adults that are either overweight or obese costing Texas businesses over $10.5 billion annually in lost productivity and increased health care costs. If these trends continue we are in even deeper trouble. Imagine a 75 year old and a 15 year old waiting for the same medications to treat the same diseases in their doctor’s office. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the prevalence of overweight among children aged 6-11 in the United States more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 7% in 1980 to 18.8% in 2004. In a sampling of children ages 5-17 that are overweight, 60% of them already have one cardiovascular risk, which has typically been an adult onset disease. That children have adult onset diseases speaks volumes that we need to be aware of what children are putting in their bodies and make some changes.
It is clinically proven in study after study that children eat what is available. More specifically they eat more fruits and vegetables when they are available and offered, and they will predictably replace these healthier choices with chips and sweets when those are available as well. Children depend on us to teach them right way to live and the right foods to eat.
Children are a gift from God…a reward. Psalm 127:3
This success story from Texas Round-Up is the perfect example of a person taking charge of his life, taking that first step that evolved into healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle. He became aware of himself and decided to change. He did not use quick fixes. He made healthy choices each day. It is the choices we make that determines who we are. God gives us free will and the food industry reels us in. Soda companies hope to hook children at young ages so they become life-long buyers. Commercials and advertising target children to no avail to get them to beg nag and cry to get mom to buy these "foods" for them.
Christ lives in all of us. He lives in our hearts and the Holy Spirit speaks to us if we open our hearts and listen. We are to take care of our physical bodies to be productive in our work and use the gifts God gave us to our maximum ability with joyfulness. When we are healthy and fit we enjoy other things in life so much more, including our work. This is quality of life. If it is by the choices we make that we choose to nourish our body properly, then there is always room for improvement and better choices.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians6:19-20.
The same concept applies to adults as to children; if you replace one less healthy snack today with a healthier choice, an apple for example, then you are twice a healthy today as you were yesterday! Regardless of your nutrition beliefs there are probably a few things we can all agree on:
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice
Eating less sugar is a healthy choice
Eating less processed foods is a healthy choice
Look in your pantry and refrigerator and eliminate one unhealthy choice and make available more fruits and veggies to your family’s diet. That could be as easy as asking your child to "grab an apple for the road" when you are running out the door for a couple of hours. This will satisfy a hunger until you can make it home to a healthy dinner, and you are creating this new idea of what a snack is in your child’s mind...an apple, not a fast food stop or a processed package of snack crackers. Eggs and whole grain toast are a quick fix for dinner and cutting up some fresh veggies and fruit on the side takes about 2 minutes. This is healthy FAST food and an easy change. When you think about what you want and need to change long enough, you will finally do something about it; that is when change comes easy. Think about it, pray about it and change will come.
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32
