*JUST A WORD OF GENTLE CAUTION, THIS IS A PAGE FOR MY WEIGHT-LOSS. LOSING FAT AND GETTING STRONGER IS IMPORTANT IN MY REPENTANCE JOURNEY, CONCERNING THE SINS OF GLUTTONY AND HAVING A FOOD-IDOL I PRACTICED FOR MANY YEARS. MY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BY GOD'S GREAT GRACE BUT HIS FORGIVENESS DOESN'T MAGICALLY FIX THE DAMAGE MY SIN CAUSED TO MY BODY. I AM WORKING ON LOSING THE WEIGHT AND HONORING CHRIST WITH MY HEALTH. IF WEIGHT-LOSS IS A HARD SUBJECT FOR YOU TO READ ABOUT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, PLEASE BE WISE AND SKIP COMING TO THIS PAGE. I WANT US ALL TO BE WORKING TOWARDS HEALTH - MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY, ALL FOR GOD'S GLORY. WITH LOVE, JILLIAN.
5-2-23 I JOINED A GYM
I felt uncomfortable going in – I admit. It was my flesh throwing a “BUT YOU’RE INSECURE” tantrum. It could have stopped me from taking this big step but it didn’t. I truly thank the Lord for that and the encouragement of my husband.
It was the right choice. I can’t always go outside and walk/jog because of the weather but I can go to the gym. I am still really struggling (delayed obedience) with consistency. I need to make this a priority – as much as going to bed early and prioritizing rest has become to me. Pray for me if you’re reading this. Pray my flesh will resist the temptation to not stay consistent. I need the strength of the Lord – to grow in self-control.
4-21-23 HIKING WITH MY HONEY
Sisters, my husband and I spent a few days hiking in Tennessee and it was AMAZING. Did my body hurt? Yes. Was I out of breath at some point? YES! lol. But I did it! I accomplished something physical – it was fun, rewarding, and it was in the midst of God’s creation. I loved everything about it. Even the fear of poison ivy and random snakes. It felt exciting.
Jacob and I are transforming into couch potatoes into people who are getting OUT. I praise the Lord for this grace in us. He is maturing us in discipline and self-control, which is pouring into our physical health choices. HE IS SO GOOD.
4-1-2023 NO DIETS. JUST “NO.”
I’m being asked what “diet plan” I am doing. It’s called the “NO” diet. 😉 Not really but it’s important for me to share – I am not dieting. And I am also not trying to sound all superior in my knowledge and above medical research. I just know that the 20+ years I have yo-yo’d with dieting, IT NEVER WORKS.
I can’t keep doing what doesn’t work. And so, I am simply telling my flesh “NO.” No to sweets and snacks and junk foods. No. They’re not good for me. Does it mean that I will never have ice cream again? No. I want to have a treat in the future but right now, I just can’t. It would go AGAINST my weight loss and not help it.
I am trying to focus on high protein, mostly GREENS, more and more water, and yep – fruit! One reason I hate dieting is because so many diets say no to fruits. I just find that crazy. An apple may have sugar but it’s not the same kind of sugar as a Snickers Bar. Show me the person who is obese from eating apples.
- Jillian
3-23-23 THE SIN OF QUITTING
I’ve been wrestling with my weight for almost two decades. I started gaining weight in college, going from 150 to 200 lbs. After getting married and having children, my weight stayed in the 200’s (with exception of a season when I was bulimic and got to 184 lbs.) My highest weight has been in the 280s. In December of 2020 I was convicted that my obesity was due to the sin of using food as the role only God can fill and BE. I repented, publicly. And over the last 2 years have been fighting to lose the weight.
It’s SO hard. After repenting, I stopped having binge episodes. A binge episode would often look like me being up at 3am and ordering Taco Bell or McDonalds on DoorDash, sitting alone, and eating until I felt sick. I praise the Lord that this hasn’t happened again. It’s a victory – all praise to the Lord.
And now I am working on changing eating habits – what I’m eating, how much I am eating, WHEN I am eating. I am working on moving my body more – doing workouts to build strength that I’ve lost over years of being more of a couch potato.
So, why haven’t I had success in 2 years losing the weight? Well, sin. I quit. I’ll get on a plan and do well for days and days but then I quit. I give up. I go back to eating whatever I want during meals. I bake a lot and so I’d eat what I’d bake. I’m pretty sure ALL of my teeth are SWEET. 😉 I stop working out. It’s a horrible cycle of starting and quitting – starting and quitting. I hate my flesh. I hate that this is something I continually go back to – QUITTING – like a dog returns to its vomit, I go back to what is EASY, COMFORTABLE, AND FEELS GOOD.
Quitting is a sin in my life because it’s doing what I know I am NOT supposed to do.
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. – James 4:17
I spent 6-7 years dealing with sexual sin in my life. Repenting of all that led to turning away from it and never going back. I have been free from those sins for years now. (Of course all by God’s grace and work.) In respect to the seriousness of sexual immorality, it has been easier to abstain from that than to abstain from going back to unhealthy eating and laziness in not working out. Maybe because I HAVE to eat everyday and so it’s a daily battle? But it’s a battle of my flesh and I know what I need to do – I NEED to stop quitting once I have begun eating well and working out. If I eat a cookie or have something more on the junk food side, it doesn’t mean I’ve ruined it all and need to START OVER. I need to continue. I need to persevere. I need to KEEP GOING. And this is what I am currently doing – relying on Christ to help prune my flesh’s desires to give up and mature in the fruit of discipline and self-control.
After meeting with my new Dr. (My wonderful Christian Dr. retired and my new one is a Christian too, which I am thankful for but he has different thoughts on my weightloss) I am doing a low carb plan – he mentioned KETO but I am not willing to go back to a restrictive diet, they’ve never worked long term for me. I am also not okay with a diet that doesn’t allow you to have an apple. lol.
I am also fulfilling my dream of being a Runner. I have talked about this on and off for years. In 2012 I really started pursuing my running dream – though it was never really running but more jogging and speed walking. But again, I’d quit before I ever worked up an endurance or strength to be able to actually run. 
So, this is where I’m at. I am working on NOT QUITTING. I have over 100 lbs to lose to be at a healthy weight range for my height and body type. My husband is working on losing weight too. It’s definitely nice to be doing the journey together.
I want to keep a blog on this for a few reasons 1. Because I am asked about how I am doing a lot. This will help with those who are interested to keep them updated. 2. I am planning to succeed with my weight loss goals and I’d like to have a documentation of it. If this helps to encourage anyone else too then that’s wonderful – all glory to our Lord.
I’ll update every week – God willing. ❤ – Jillian
WITH LOVE JILLIAN 