Get Over Weight: 12 Steps to Finally Win the Weight Battle and Win at Life

By Laura Pickett

Finally, a book that provides a practical and spiritual guide on how to identify and overcome the challenges that cause weight gain. It's not always the 'food we eat' but 'what's eating us' that puts the weight on. Any weight loss plan can work if you can work it. By reading this book, you will discover keys to choosing the right plan and obtain insight into the barriers and hidden obstacles blocking your success. One major key is recognizing you are a three-part being (spirit, soul and body) and in order to win the weight loss battle you must address each part of you! If you have struggled with your weight and thought you could never be free, this is the book for you! God gave me 12 steps to turn my 12-year struggle into a 12-month victory. I'm confident that if you follow these steps, you will not only Win the Weight Battle, you will Win at Life! Now it's your time to GET OVER WEIGHT!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9780967929279

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

HOW I GOT HERE

May 15, 2017:

I am ten pounds short of my highest weight ever at 225 pounds. I struggle and fight daily to keep the scale at a level 215 pounds, but it tips the scale daily in the wrong direction. It was a battle to conquer daily. After eleven years of back and forth, I was excited about the progress I had made the year before, losing over twenty pounds in preparation for my 60th birthday since I’d made some progress. Five months later, I was faced with the loss of my closest life-long friend; my ninety-two-year-old, sweet, blessed, wonderful Mom. Needless to say, this affected my heart like nothing ever had before.

Then, approximately three months later, I lost my young, vibrant, twenty-two-year-old great-nephew. The year prior to that I lost my beautiful, young niece who was in her 40s. So, the weight of life weighed on me heavily. Around the same time, I had now been tasked with a new responsibility; caring for my special-needs sister who moved in with me when my mother was hospitalized. Only this was permanent, not to mention the normal, day-to-day obligations I already had. I was over-weight.

I never thought I would write a book of the twelve steps to get over weight and win the battle because I have been the one looking for the book containing the answers. For as long as I can remember, I tried controlling my weight. I would watch it closely, lose some, gain it back, lose more, and gain it back again. Then the process would simply repeat. You know I never thought about it, but I think somewhere in the back of my mind, I believed this was just the way things would be. I started accepting this as ‘my normal.’ I believed it was a way of life and I adapted to it.

I planned every year to go on a weight-loss plan. Back then, I called it a ‘diet.’ I accepted this struggle as my plight in life and trying to lose weight and deal with the challenges of my weight was just life. I had resolved that weight was my longtime companion and I had to deal with it. I assumed this was the life I was destined to live. Seems I have been on every diet that received reviews of success. I tried them, and with most of them I experienced some level of success. However, these successes were short-lived, only maintaining the weight loss for a few weeks or months and then … ‘Here we go again.’

I resolved to implement a weight-loss plan every year to be at my best. For years, I was able to diet and get the weight off. I would gain pounds and lose it again and this seemed to become the pattern. In 2005, things began to change with my body, in my life, and apparently with my ability to manage my weight. I struggled with losing the weight and then struggling to keep it off for as long as I possibly could.

As I looked for answers, I realized one thing had changed. My age. As we age, our metabolism slows, and this became a new challenge for me. However, one key thing stood out; I found myself in a battle unlike any other. Around the same time, I had knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

This greatly restricted my mobility. With the restrictions prescribed by my doctor, my activity level changed drastically. Additionally, my family dynamics changed, which impacted me greatly and created a new set of challenges. I get into the specifics of this change in a later chapter. As if things were not already stressful, which I’m sure contributed to my unhealthy eating practices, in 2007 I tore the meniscus in my right knee. This required a second surgery, more healing time, and again, limited mobility.

Now, the weight seemed to creep up on me daily. I began to feel hopeless because the weight-loss plans worked much slower than the weight gain. It was a challenge staying motivated enough to witness any long-term results. At this point, my unhealthy strategy was to work the plan, lose the weight, and return to my normal eating habits, but that strategy no longer worked for me. It was extremely frustrating and discouraging watching the scale continuously going up, which began to affect my confidence.

My weight gain operated like a hot air balloon that went higher and higher every day. I felt like a passenger in my own vehicle and someone else was behind the wheel, driving me to heights (or weights) where I had no desire to go. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t seem to get in the driver’s seat. I related this to the popular 70s song, "Up, Up, and Away. Only, it was not …my beautiful, my beautiful balloon," by any stretch of the imagination. I had lost control and no matter how many attempts I made; regaining that control was truly a challenge.

I was baffled and faced discouragement as the scale went up and up and up until I found myself fighting to maintain hope. Without realizing it, depression became a new challenge. Never in a million years did I ever think I would experience depression, let alone be diagnosed as depressed. I’ve always maintained an upbeat and positive attitude in my life. However, as I struggled with my weight, I still tried to keep that same positive outlook, disposition, and attitude for the most part. But I stopped wanting to go anywhere, do anything, or spend time with friends. I began losing interest in most things except family, ministry, and my love and commitment to God.

So, as my weight peaked the highest ever in my life at 225 pounds, I was embarrassed to be seen. However, because I am a public figure, a minister of the gospel, and a pastor’s wife, it was hard to hide. At times, there was nothing I could do but face the crowd. I pressured myself to get it together because I was an example to my girls, an example to our church family, and to the women I traveled the world ministering to. But I still struggled with this weight issue. I was in a fight for my life. Not to mention, I had a husband and I wanted him to still find me attractive, although he never, ever, complained. At the same time, I felt he must be concerned.

It seemed the enemy was winning. I had entered into a land of ‘out of control weight,’ a place I had never been before. A weight I had never seen before. Facing the greatest giant I had ever faced before. Yet, I was still not willing to give up. Adding to my concerns, I was now at an age where experts say a woman’s metabolism is at its lowest. Many people decide to accept things as they are, but that just was not me. I decided I would not allow myself to give up on my appearance at any age. I was certainly far from ready to retire, although I now understand how many close to my age, or any age, may feel like retiring from weight loss and just accept a metabolism that has also retired. But I was not that woman!

Yes, I had taken on the role of a ‘Mom’ to my special-needs sister, which is like taking care of a toddler regarding her needs and abilities. But I had the mindset that I will not give up. Despite it all, now I am twelve years in this struggle; fighting and praying and praying and believing, refusing to throw in the towel until I get my breakthrough. I just couldn’t see myself settling there, nor living in that place. I knew God could and I knew God would help me if I refused to give up. I would win this battle.

I had made a promise to never give up on myself and never stop striving to be the best I could possibly be. That included looking my best, but this weight was hindering this goal. In 2013, I managed to lose thirty-five pounds from my highest weight, and I was so excited. I took photos to use on my site, for the first time in ten years. I was excited about my progress but found myself challenged to maintain the weight loss. I don’t think I set a goal of where I wanted to end up. I just set a goal to lose some weight and once I did, I began to slacken the reigns. The scale started to go up again and eventually I reverted to my old eating habits, as the weight started to pile back on again. I ended up only able to keep off ten pounds of the weight I had lost. This felt even worse, making me feel that all of my efforts were in vain because I gained back twenty-five of the thirty-five pounds I had worked so hard to lose.

Now, I’m growing in years and growing in pounds. Not a good combination. But I was still determined to fight back and win this battle. After twelve years of battling, gaining and losing, losing and gaining, I am finally on track in the winner’s circle. I started writing this introduction at the anniversary of my one-year weight-loss-journey. I was able to celebrate my fifty-pound weight loss after one year. Yes! And since that time, I have lost an additional twenty pounds to reach my goal and looking forward to continuing to be the best possible version of me.

Let me share three things with you that were big for me:

1) I’ve never had this much weight to lose in my life.

2) I’ve never lost this much weight without taking a break from a plan.

3) I’ve never maintained a weight-loss program nor maintained weight loss for three years consistently.

Of course, I give God praise for the strength and mindset to do it and I want to say to you if I can do it, I know you can too. My goal and sole purpose for this book is to encourage you that no matter how far you feel you may be from reaching your goal, no matter how hopeless you may feel about that goal, and regardless of how long you’ve waited to reach your goal, I have no doubt God has sent this book to encourage you. I’m convinced as I sit here writing that my weight battle was not just about me, but it was about you, too.

It is about the many women, men, and children that face a similar battle and God wants you to know that He has heard your cry. He wants you to know that it’s not too late to still win and turn things around. The Bible says with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). I pray that as I share my journey with you and the answers I discovered along the way, that you will find your answers, your strength, your courage to fight back and finally Get Over Weight.

CHAPTER 1:

Weight! Are You Really Ready to Get Over It?

The Readiness Assessment

DESIRE: THE STARTING POINT

"Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."

—Napoleon Hill

I’ve got good news for you. I believe you are reading these words about weight loss because you desire to lose weight. And that desire is proof that you have the ability present to get it done. I hope you really heard that because it means that everything you need to succeed will be provided. Desire represents the power to do a thing.

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." When I would read that verse, I received that God would give me the desires that were in my heart. I do believe that He will do that. But, when He revealed to me that He was also saying that the desires of my heart were given to me by Him, it was a game-changer. Of course, I am speaking of godly desires because those are the only desires that will come from God. However, if you will receive this revelation, I believe it will release in you a confidence that causes you to become unstoppable.

One thing I’ve learned about God is He finishes a thing and then He allows us to start them. God knows the end from the beginning. So, when He speaks a thing, when He gives us an idea, when He puts a desire in our hearts, it is already done. Therefore, when He gives us a desire, which simply means to want, He is tapping on the door of our hearts to get us to receive what He has already prepared for us. He tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that He has prepared and keeps ready for us things we’ve not seen, have not heard about and things that have not entered into our hearts. In Hebrews 11:1 it states that faith is the substance of those things we hope for and faith is the evidence that those things exist although we cannot see them. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:13: "For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." (AMP) So I want you to settle into this truth: The way has already been made for you to lose the weight you desire. The way has already been made for you to finally put an end to the weight battle. He will not just give you the desires of your heart; the desires of your heart have already been given. You just have to start on the path that is set before you and know that what you desire is already done.

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential … these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. —Confucius

ARE YOU ON A WEIGHT LIST?

Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land. —Joseph B. Wirthlin

Are you the person who plans to get that cute dress, wear those jeans that once fit, set the wedding date, start the family, start a new career or just live life when you finally get the weight off? Well, if that’s you, I can relate because I have been that person for many years. I remember summer after summer, vacation after vacation going on a crash diet just to look good in that swimsuit or just get into a swimsuit.

Oftentimes I would go to the beach with a wrap around my waist. And year-after-year I would say, Wait until next year, I’m going to get this weight off. Sound familiar? I actually have clothes in my closet with tags on them because I bought them intending to finally get the weight off. I know how frustrating it is to always wait on something you desire because your weight is not where you want it. As a result, you wait for the right time or the right circumstance to finally get this handled, once and for all.

Well, if these things register with you, you’re on what I call ‘the weight list.’ But don’t be alarmed because you have found the right book. I don’t believe in coincidence; I believe in destiny. I’m convinced that God had this book written with you in mind. I’m here to announce that the weight is over. That was the original title I felt the Lord had given me for this book, and when I realized someone else had used the title, I had to wait for God to give me another one. However, I discovered that as I continued to work, research, and pray – with the extra time God afforded me, I discovered vital keys to breakthrough to help you finally get over weight!

I feel most people who read this book have experienced a wait list of their own. No one wants to be on the wait list. I’m sure we’d admit that we prefer the ‘have it now’ result. We are a microwave generation: Heat Quick, Instant Grits (Cook Quick); Drive-thru (Get it Quick); Online Accounts (Pay Quick); PayPal (Collect Quick); Online Banking (Transfer Quick); Online Dating (Meet Quick) and on and on. Yes, we want it now. And that includes getting the Weight Off Quick.

We don’t want to wait to lose weight, we want to lose it now. If we can get ten pounds off in ten days, we’ll take it. If we can get ten pounds off in one day, we’ll take it. Most of us will take almost anything that will keep us from waiting and get us where we want to go quickly. I get it. I’ve spent many years of my life with Fad Diets that promised miracles and left me miserable. Sometimes it came close to what was promised but what it did not explain was that I would end up back at the same place and almost always worse off than I was before I began. It was a false sense of accomplishment because it wasn’t something I could maintain nor should be maintained. In other words, we can’t live off of bananas and milk forever; can’t eat cabbage soup for the rest of our lives. We can’t live on protein alone nor can we live balanced having someone else cook all our meals and bring them packaged to our door. We have to learn to live in this world with all of its choices and make the right choices for our bodies and our health. We must be confident that we have the strength and can find the strength to do it every day.

So, if you recognize that you have been waiting, I want you to get ready to remove your name from the Weight-Loss Waiting List forever. It’s time to remove losing weight from the Things to Do List. Yes, that’s right; I believe you can live free from the constant concern and struggle of trying to get the weight off every summer, every birthday, every Christmas, every new year. I believe you can live free from the struggle. Now, this won’t happen overnight because there is an element of waiting that’s a part of the process. Remember, we didn’t put it on overnight and we can’t take it off overnight. However, I do know without a doubt that if you commit to taking the steps necessary to get the weight off it will absolutely happen for you. If you take the time, in time you’ll take off the weight.

WHAT ARE YOU WEIGHTING FOR?

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." —Barack Obama

When you think of a waitlist, they all signify that you just have to wait to see what will happen. There are no guarantees. However, when you think of the ‘weight list,’ you don’t have to just sit and wait to see what will happen; you have the ability to make things happen. There are steps you can actively take that are sure to remove you from the ‘weight list’ for good. The word wait means: To remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happen; (of things) to be available or in readiness: to remain neglected for a time: to postpone or delay something; to look forward to eagerly.

There are a few keywords that describe our state when waiting to lose weight: Inactive; neglected; postpone; delay; remain. Often, when we’re waiting to lose weight, we are generally inactive concerning a weight-loss plan or eating plan or exercise plan. We’re doing what I have done for years: Postponing the weight-loss program until Monday. Then when Monday comes, we decide the next Monday, which may become the next month or next quarter or next summer or next year. Yes, we’ll take any ‘next’ we can find: next birthday, next Valentine’s Day, next Christmas, next Thanksgiving, or next New Year or any other next rather than now. It’s called procrastination which is an enemy and a thief to success in your weight-loss journey or any other endeavor in life.

Procrastination is putting off till tomorrow what should have been done yesterday. It’s always thinking that a later time will be a better time. But I have found in my weight-loss journey and in life, tomorrow will be no easier than today. Whatever I can do tomorrow most likely I can do today. Jesus says in Matthew 6:34, So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings. (Good News Translation, GNT) Here’s what I hear the Lord saying: When I lighten the load today by putting it off for tomorrow, the load I threw over will simply meet me tomorrow in overload (LJP).

So, let’s get moving with the weight, so we don’t add more pounds to compound the challenge. There’s nothing to wait for. This is the day that the Lord has made; this is your day to make things happen. So, come on and change your position and make your move.

BEING ON A WEIGHT LIST

There I was, stuck in an airport in Houston, Texas waiting to get a flight to Louisiana. The untimely takeoff of my flight from the Atlanta airport has now caused me to be added to a waiting list to go to Louisiana. This was not a pleasure trip, but one where I was scheduled to speak at a conference at a specific time that same evening. After waiting for another flight and finally getting on, I was delayed again due to weather conditions in Houston that caused more delays yet again.

Praying and believing, we finally took off and landed in Louisiana with only minutes to spare to get to my speaking engagement. But what happens? After finally landing, the plane is grounded on the runway because there’s nowhere to park. Imagine the frustration I felt after a whole day of delays. Waiting and waiting, and then waiting some more, ultimately missing this great opportunity of honor. Although I was able to speak the following day, I still missed speaking the first night because of three delays. That’s what the weight list is like; encountering delay after delay, waiting again and again to finally get where you want to go on your weight-loss journey.

When you heard the topic, the weight list, you probably heard the waitlist. The word wait is often confused with the other ‘weight’ because they sound the same. So, for the sake of this chapter, we will focus on both because the majority of people wanting or needing to lose weight probably spend more time ‘waiting to lose weight’ than it takes to lose the weight. This was true for me. I battled with my weight for twelve years before finally losing 50 pounds in 12 months. Year after year, I waited to start or waited to start again to see the pounds come off but either way, I spent twelve years waiting to reach a goal that only took twelve months. Oftentimes, we want the weight off, but we dread the long journey to get there. Yes, we hate to wait. So, when it comes to the weight-loss journey we postpone the whole trip. Which once again, lands us on the Weight List.

So, I ask you: What is causing your delay? Why haven’t you taken off or reached your destination? The answer may be found in a familiar waitlist. In doing research for this book I discovered there are over twenty or more different types of waitlists that one can end up on. They range from a restaurant waiting list to a kidney transplant waiting list. Of course, there’s a vast difference in the urgency and importance of these lists. I don’t know if your weight challenge affects your health or you just need to get over weight, but either way, discovering why you’re on the list and how to get off it is important.

To further understand the weight list and why you may be on it, I will use a familiar waitlist as my example. A waitlist that I’m sure many people, if not most, have experienced, including myself, is the flight waitlist. The flight reservation and tickets waitlist are also referred to sometimes as a standby list. The point is, you are there, packed and ready