One of the instructions you received from us with your TRIP is that you NEVER DRINK YOUR CALORIES. Consuming calories through beverages is one of the leading reasons most people pack on the pounds and struggle with losing them no matter how they are eating. Regular sodas, fruit juices and alcohol can quickly add hundreds of calories each day to your body.

Genesis 1:1 gives the account of water being created with the creation of the earth. We read that even before God spoke light into existence that the Holy Spirit was hovering over the face of the waters. So water existed even before light.

Water is evidence of God's power, love and care. God uses water in the process of creating and sustaining life. He has more life living in His waters than that lives outside them. He fills our bodies with water to transport needed resources, to wash away toxins and to lubricate our joints for movement.

The first several days of your TRIP we have focused on calories. How much to eat on a daily basis to maintain your health and lose weight. Today, we will give you some reasons why drinking more water may help you to lose weight:

When was the last time you felt overwhelmed and wondered "how will I ever survive this"? Hope you noticed that I asked "when" and not "if you have". We all have been in very difficult moments in our lives. You may be experiencing one right now.

Studies show that people who eat more salt tend to weigh more. Eating a lot of salt can cause your body to retain more water. But the BIGGER reason is found in the types of foods that have higher levels of sodium i.e. fast food, fried foods, chips, snacks and bread. All these tend to have higher calories and also trigger that sweet tooth to balance out the taste.

When I was a teenager on a hot day in East Texas, I understood that I personally had made decisions that were sinful and that I needed a Savior. This was not a sudden revelation. In fact, it had been months of stewing on this thought and resisting the next step of faith in Jesus.

Before Day 1 of your TRIP, we gave you a link to access a Calories to Lose Weight Calculator. From this, you are able to determine your personal calories needed for your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), calories to maintain your current weight and calories to lose weight. The BMR is the number of calories you need each day to maintain your continual body functions while resting and the digestive system is inactive. For most people 70% of your calories goes towards keeping your body functioning without exercise or digestion.

As we are getting started on this TRIP, we all need to realize that we are not in this alone. Please know that as you go through this time that you have all that you need already provided to you. You will not be lacking in what is needed to make it to your destination. God has already given all. Let's take some time now to learn more about Him and Who He is and how He is here for you now.

Calories are the units measured for energy that is supplied to our bodies when we consume food and drink. Calories are used throughout the day to supply your body the energy needed to maintain it. The number of calories a person needs each day varies by the persons physical components like gender, age, height and current weight. It also varies with the activities that we do throughout the day and night.

For anything to exist, it must be created. To have a creation, it must have a Creator. God created everything by Him, through Him and for Him. God even created time! He was before there was a was! God created everything that is from the microscopic to vastness of the universe and everything that is in it. God has created both the physical and spiritual worlds and all of their inhabitants. He created all of this with just His Words. His power and design are unmatched.

God has created your body with so many complex systems that help to sustain your physical health. One of these amazing and beneficial parts are your fat cells! Your fat cells were created to store excess energy that comes from ingested calories that are not needed to maintain your body at the time they are consumed. God gave us the ability to store this energy to be used as we needed it. That's GREAT!

Congratulations on choosing to CHANGE! You have chosen to lose weight and to live a healthy life going forward!

I want you to know that with this choice things will be different. You will start to make decisions on your food, activities and possibly your relationships than you have done so before. Your choices and behavior will be different. Just know that it’s okay to be different - for the better.