Weekly Weight Loss Devotional: Breathe • Simple Nourished Living

Losing weight is a body, mind and spirit proposition. Eating right and moving more are important which is why you will find tons of easy, healthy recipes and weight loss tips.

Photo Credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The mind and spirit are integral too, which is why I collect and share motivational quotes. Words have power. A steady supply of inspiring words are also essential to my success.

I love devotionals. I've been reading them daily for years. I've decided to begin sharing a weekly devotional specific to weight loss. I've found it helpful to read and re-read it every day of the week, until I have it committed to memory. The positive words soak into every part of my being refreshing me and giving me strength.

Don't Miss This: Take a Short Breather - Dr. Weill's 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise You Can Do in Seconds

This week's devotional is all about the power of slowing down and taking the time to breathe deeply. As a long time practicer of yoga, I've come to know the healing power contained within our breath.

And while I'm pretty good about managing my breath when I'm on my yoga mat, I can still struggle in times of stress, which is why I'm enjoying this week's devotional so much.

Breathing and relaxing the body gives us a way to tune in and notice more deeply what’s going on, connecting on a deeper level body, mind and soul.

My Weekly Weight Loss Devotional: Breathe

"My deep, steady breathing focuses me on the peace of God within, and I am calm."

Something as simple as basic breathing is an action plan that takes me from feeling stressed to being calm. And when I am calm, I make wise decisions.

If I should experience symptoms of anxiety--accelerated heart rate, shortness of breath, uneasiness—I take a moment to settle into a chair, close my eyes, and take a slow, deep breath that fills my lungs to capacity.

Then I begin to slowly exhale. As the air gently leaves my body, tension fades with it, and I relax. Continuing my deep-breathing exercise, I encourage my heart rate to return to normal.

My breathing focuses my thoughts on the peace of God within me, and I remain in that peaceful realm for several minutes.

Thoughts of stress are gone and peaceful thoughts thrive. My exercise in breathing has heightened my awareness of divine life within me.

The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." ~ Exodus 33:14

Source: Daily Word for Weight Loss (affiliate link)

Photo Credit: doTERRA

How to Enhance Deep Breathing Exercise with Essential Oils?

I like to enhance this breathing exercise with the addition of essential oils. One of the most well-researched benefits of essential oils is their ability to influence our moods and emotions.

I apply a drop or two of one of my favorite essential oils to my hands, rub them together, bring my hands up to cup my nose with each inhale.

Some of my favorite essential oil and essential oil blends to use for this are (depending on whether I need to be energized, uplifted, grounded, or relaxed:

Adaptiv Calming Blend (affiliate link)
Breathe Blend (affiliate link)
Balance Grounding Blend (affiliate link)
Peppermint Essential Oil (affiliate link)
Wild Orange (affiliate link) Essential Oil

More Quotes about Breathing

"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"Breathing is the greatest pleasure in life." ~ Giovanni Papini

"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure." ~ Oprah Winfrey

"Conscious breathing heightens awareness and deepens relaxation." ~ Dan Brule

"Deep breathing brings deep thinking and shallow breathing brings shallow thinking." ~ Elsie Lincoln Benedict

"When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world." ~ BKS Iyengar

"Breathing affects your respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, muscular, and psychic systems, and also has a general effect on your sleep, memory, ability to concentrate, and your energy levels." ~ Donna Farhi

"Spiritual Breathing teaches us that we are all connected in love." – Dan Brule

"Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours." ~Swedish Proverb

Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

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This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!