Let's talk about diets. It is amazing what you can find when you google the word "diet". I mean a person could literally spend days looking at all the options. Here are a few of my select favorites: The Lemonade Diet, Morning Banana Diet, The Big Breakfast Diet, or the Cabbage Soup Diet. I have never tried any of these and maybe some of you have and one has really worked for you. If so great - I figure you can never really get enough lemonade or bananas for that matter. And I am always hip to a big breakfast if it is closer to lunch time as long as it is not cabbage soup!
What we know is that food can be a control issue in our lives and it can be one of those things that we idolize. So I would generally caution all of us to be careful to not get caught in a web of this diet over that. I believe that all food is good and all food in excess is bad.
I like the philosophy of eating when I am hungry and stopping when I am full. Some of us might struggle with what full feels like. so lets unpack that just a bit. Full should not be painful. Girls, if we have to unbutton our jeans after eating or quick go put on some sweats or stretchy pants we have overindulged. It is time to learn to understand our body's signals. When we are hungry our stomachs will grumble and there will be some discomfort. As you eat the stomach receives the food to breakdown into useful parts which goes into the blood stream and the not useful parts it expels as waste. So when you are eating take notice of when you begin to feel full. Full should not be painful or even uncomfortable. You should have a satisfied or comfortably full feeling. Here are some tricks I have found work for me:
1. Take small bites and chew slowly. It is easy when taking bigger bits to swallow larges chunks of food.
2. Slow down and don't rush through your meal - it is easy to do so especially when you are hungry or distracted by something or someone.
3. Eat more veggies and fruits and get rid of the junk that will cause temptation.
4. Don't worry about cleaning your plate. If you begin to feel full then stop eating and let things settle. If you are comfortably full then leave the rest.
5. I am not a huge calorie counter but on the other hand it is good to know about how many calories you are consuming. Calorie is a measurement of energy. If you are taking in more calories than your body needs then the rest is stored as fat. So, if you are working out 1/2 hour every day I would suggest that you eat between 1,200 to 1,800 calories a day. Again you can get as specific and careful about this as you would like. It is kind of fun to keep track. It may even be an eye opener. Just for kicks keep track for a day and see how much you are eating. You can find the calorie information the packaging of food.
6. Higher carb items will turn to sugar in your blood stream so keep that in mind. I try to limit the amount of carbs I take in in a day.
7. Drink water - it is good for you and it doesn't have any calories! So enjoy. Those high sugar drinks will cause your blood sugar to spike and fall quickly which keeps you on a roller coaster that is not good for you.
8. Remember everything in moderation. I don't like to cut anything completely out of my diet. I love food but keep it down to a dull roar as my mother would say.
Our goal in this study is to learn and begin to trust that God loves us just the way we are. Can we choose to make wiser choices when it comes to our bodies? Absolutely. But lets make those choices using the wisdom that He gives us. So pick a diet but ask yourself if it is something that you can maintain for a lifetime. If it's not then you might want to rethink it. Pray and ask for wisdom in making diet and exercise choices.
Homework
Read James 1:5-7
We may have read this before in our study but I believe it is worth revisiting.
Work at committing these verses to memory this week.
Read these verses aloud
Do you believe that God will give you wisdom if you ask?
Has there been a time when you have asked for wisdom and He has answered? What was that situation, write it down.
Have there been times that you have felt like the person being blown and tossed by the wind? What was that like?
Continue to work at your new 1/2 hour of daily exercise. Call a friend and invite them to exercise with you. Enjoy it and be thankful for the body with which God has blessed you!
I am continuing to pray for you dear sisters. Keep the faith and also keep up the good work. May God give you strength and wisdom for this day.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Evaluate (day 15)
Wow ladies - can you believe we are headed into our third week? I pray that the study has been a blessing to you and that you have learned something about our God and about yourself. I am continuing to pray for you as you do this journey.
I have not to this point talked much about particular diet options or specific exercise recommendations. As I have moved through these forty days it has become very clear to me that it is so necessary for us to get a handle on our obstacles before we can challenge our minds and bodies to the discipline of diet and exercise. Time to get your journal out. Below is an opportunity to take stock of where you have come from and where you are going. Here are the major issues that we have dealt with so far:
1. Idols - How have you made food or other things an idol in your life?
2. Preparation for entering the desert - When we face hardships often times that means that we deny ourselves or something is denied us. How has this program forced you to enter the desert and what challenges have you overcome because of it?
3. Control - Control is an illusion that can become very destructive in our lives. In what areas have you had to give up control in your life? Have you been able to turn these areas over to God? How has it changed you?
4. Self-Judgment - We spend a great deal of time judging ourselves or being affected by others' judgment of us perceived or real. How has your perspective about yourself and your body changed in the last two weeks. On what areas of self-judgment do you still need to work? If you have been judged by others have you taken steps towards forgiveness of that person(s)?
5. Thought Life - In the scriptures we are taught that we need to take control of our thought life and bring our thoughts into obedience. What have you done to bring your thoughts into obedience to Christ and where do you see you still need to improve?
6. Temptation - The area of food is a high temptation area for most if not all of us. It is a powerful tool of the enemy. As you have done this study and performed the challenges how is temptation in your life? Have you been able to answer in a positive way and put the enemy in his place as Jesus did? What specific areas of temptation have you experienced victory? What areas have you failed? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the strength to have victory and also for wisdom and strength to continue to do battle with the enemy in these areas.
7. Obedience - Go back over the lessons of days 10 - 14. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself as it relates to food and obedience
1. Did I eat today because I was upset?
2. Did I eat today when I was lonely?
3. Did I eat today when I was angry?
4. Did I eat today when I was bored?
5. Did I use food in any way to fill a void created by something in my life?
6. Did I overindulge with food today?
There are of course many ways that we can use food in a way that is unhealthy and perhaps you can come up with some ways that you use food. If so write them down - being aware of where we use food in an unhealthy way will help you in the future to not fall into the same traps over and over.
8. Fast - How are you doing on your fast? I must admit that the Pepsi thing has been much easier than the t.v. for me. I still find myself twiddling my thumbs itching to watch Castle or some other show. But it has been good for me! What about you? How is it going? Write in your journal how you feel about fasting and how it has changed your routines. Add any other thoughts about it in your journal.
Challenge
I want to encourage you my dear sisters - keep up the good work - I know this can be challenging but it will all be worth it! This week we are going to work our bodies harder. It is time to up the amount of time we are working out. I have personally found that changing up the kind of work-outs I do will bring greater results than doing the same thing everyday. For example a weeks worth of workouts might look something like this:
Monday - Cardio
Tuesday - Abs and Weight Lifting
Wednesday - Yoga or Dance
Thursday - Cardio
Friday - Walking/Running (walking and/or hopping through deep snow is a great workout)
Saturday - Cross Country Skiing or Weights again and abs
Sunday - Stretch or Rest
Do you have Netflix - there are lots and lots of workout videos in their instant play. Beg borrow or steal - well maybe not seal - work-out videos from friends or neighbors. Also the library may be a source for you.
I own the complete P90X extreme home fitness DVD set. Really great but hard. They kick my butt literally! 1/2 hour every day girls! You can do this - it is going to take some work but it is worth it. I would highly recommend getting rid of or hiding your scales. Don't worry about that right now just get busy and remember it is always advised to have your Doctor's approval.
*If 1/2 hour is too much then back down to 20 minutes but try to work through it. Your body will protest and so will your mind. You can do it! On the other side of this you will feel better and you will be healthier.
Blessings, Vicki
I have not to this point talked much about particular diet options or specific exercise recommendations. As I have moved through these forty days it has become very clear to me that it is so necessary for us to get a handle on our obstacles before we can challenge our minds and bodies to the discipline of diet and exercise. Time to get your journal out. Below is an opportunity to take stock of where you have come from and where you are going. Here are the major issues that we have dealt with so far:
1. Idols - How have you made food or other things an idol in your life?
2. Preparation for entering the desert - When we face hardships often times that means that we deny ourselves or something is denied us. How has this program forced you to enter the desert and what challenges have you overcome because of it?
3. Control - Control is an illusion that can become very destructive in our lives. In what areas have you had to give up control in your life? Have you been able to turn these areas over to God? How has it changed you?
4. Self-Judgment - We spend a great deal of time judging ourselves or being affected by others' judgment of us perceived or real. How has your perspective about yourself and your body changed in the last two weeks. On what areas of self-judgment do you still need to work? If you have been judged by others have you taken steps towards forgiveness of that person(s)?
5. Thought Life - In the scriptures we are taught that we need to take control of our thought life and bring our thoughts into obedience. What have you done to bring your thoughts into obedience to Christ and where do you see you still need to improve?
6. Temptation - The area of food is a high temptation area for most if not all of us. It is a powerful tool of the enemy. As you have done this study and performed the challenges how is temptation in your life? Have you been able to answer in a positive way and put the enemy in his place as Jesus did? What specific areas of temptation have you experienced victory? What areas have you failed? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the strength to have victory and also for wisdom and strength to continue to do battle with the enemy in these areas.
7. Obedience - Go back over the lessons of days 10 - 14. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself as it relates to food and obedience
1. Did I eat today because I was upset?
2. Did I eat today when I was lonely?
3. Did I eat today when I was angry?
4. Did I eat today when I was bored?
5. Did I use food in any way to fill a void created by something in my life?
6. Did I overindulge with food today?
There are of course many ways that we can use food in a way that is unhealthy and perhaps you can come up with some ways that you use food. If so write them down - being aware of where we use food in an unhealthy way will help you in the future to not fall into the same traps over and over.
8. Fast - How are you doing on your fast? I must admit that the Pepsi thing has been much easier than the t.v. for me. I still find myself twiddling my thumbs itching to watch Castle or some other show. But it has been good for me! What about you? How is it going? Write in your journal how you feel about fasting and how it has changed your routines. Add any other thoughts about it in your journal.
Challenge
I want to encourage you my dear sisters - keep up the good work - I know this can be challenging but it will all be worth it! This week we are going to work our bodies harder. It is time to up the amount of time we are working out. I have personally found that changing up the kind of work-outs I do will bring greater results than doing the same thing everyday. For example a weeks worth of workouts might look something like this:
Monday - Cardio
Tuesday - Abs and Weight Lifting
Wednesday - Yoga or Dance
Thursday - Cardio
Friday - Walking/Running (walking and/or hopping through deep snow is a great workout)
Saturday - Cross Country Skiing or Weights again and abs
Sunday - Stretch or Rest
Do you have Netflix - there are lots and lots of workout videos in their instant play. Beg borrow or steal - well maybe not seal - work-out videos from friends or neighbors. Also the library may be a source for you.
I own the complete P90X extreme home fitness DVD set. Really great but hard. They kick my butt literally! 1/2 hour every day girls! You can do this - it is going to take some work but it is worth it. I would highly recommend getting rid of or hiding your scales. Don't worry about that right now just get busy and remember it is always advised to have your Doctor's approval.
*If 1/2 hour is too much then back down to 20 minutes but try to work through it. Your body will protest and so will your mind. You can do it! On the other side of this you will feel better and you will be healthier.
Blessings, Vicki
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