How I lost 70 lbs. and kept it off.

This post has been a loooong time coming. People have asked and asked and asked and the answer has always been the same.
The question - "How did you lose so much weight?"
The answer- "I changed my lifestyle."

That was 70 lbs ago.
But the interesting part is that I lost the 70lbs over 6 months ago. I've steadily remained at the same weight regardless of what I do now, or how badly I eat. I've gone back to a lot of old habits of my old lifestyle (thanks to some very rough months) and the healthy things I was doing well are ... well... not quite as prominent. Hmm, well I suppose they're still prominent or I would have gained back weight, but I've let a lot of old habits back in as well.

I'm still drinking water - I've just thrown in a few more sprites (a month - not day) than usual. And I got too cheap to buy vegetables and fruit. And I got too busy with work to want to cook so I ate out more often.

Yet, my 70lbs stayed off.
Why is that?

Because I'd hit a plateau. One of those beautiful places where it takes a lot of effort to break through to begin losing again. But also one of those places where your body just sits at regardless of most things you do (unless you really just go off the deep end with junk food and such).

And I realized that if I'm going to get any further with the weight loss, I'm going to have to press in more than I've ever done before. Because you see, though my weight hasn't changed - my body has. It doesn't feel as healthy as it did 6 months ago. My scale was very deceptive. Because suddenly my weight did not resemble my health. 6 months ago I felt physically stronger, leaner, more stamina, less tired, ready to jump and run and.. well, anything.

My weight didn't change, but I know I did. I'm not in the condition I was in 6 months ago.

And then I saw my spiritual self.

I've really grown spiritually in the last year and a half. But I also see areas of spiritual muscle that I have neglected, and so they have grown weak. I've neglected areas that hold me up, and help me grow stronger and healthier. I'm at a bit of a spiritual plateau. I've grown, I'm happy and thrilled with where I am in my walk with the Lord - but I know I could be stronger, healthier, more spiritually fit per se. I know there's depths and riches I've only begun to taste and understand.

But now, now that I've moved past the whole "baby" stage of my Christianity these little every once in awhile efforts to grow and change aren't going to cut it any more than having one good healthy meal is going to get me through my weight loss plateau.

I have to press. I have to push. I have to change my lifestyle once again. And from experience - both physically and spiritually - I know I need Gods help or it's not even possible.

I'm good. I'm happy. I'm healthy. Both physically and spiritually.
But I want to change my lifestyle again.
I want to hurt and struggle and fight until I break a boundary that I haven't gotten through yet.
And I mean that all in the best way.

I'm losing weight and gaining ground spiritually.
And only one of those was a new years resolution.