Made to Crave: Chapter 3/ Day 3 Devotional
Chapter 3
Getting A plan
How often do we long for something, but are simply not willing to put in the work, or effort required to attain it. For example, who would not want a beautiful lush flower garden? To have that it takes, time, effort, sacrifice, intentionality, sweat equity, determination, patience, and work. Notice how many people do not have a lush flower garden. You have to invest ALL of this before you ever see any fruit from your labor. I cannot wish blooms into place any more than I can wish fat away.
Poor food choices sabotage my body, mental energy, and even my spirit.
Poor food choices are like a drug; a good drug choice for the christian woman. After all, even churches do not think twice about readily offering up this drug.
If the healthy changes I make are temporary, so then shall be the results. It is not a diet change. It is a change in my way of life, my entire outlook.
Poor food choices will always be evident; if not in my waistline, then they will be seen in my energy level and over all health and fitness. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that my breathing disorder is affected greatly by my diet. How what I eat affects my breathing I do not understand. However, I have seen the correlation time and time again. My diet affects my Diabetes, which affects me. My diet affects my weight which has an impact on my arthritis, and levels of pain throughout the day. Diet truly is a foundational brick of a healthy lifestyle.
The diet plan I follow needs to be strict and restrictive for a few reasons. One, as I have mentioned before, I am an all or nothing kind of girl. I am a type A personality who likes to pretend that the gray areas of the world, do not exist. I also believe that anything worth doing is worth doing to the best of my ability. I sure did a good job on making the unhealthy choices for the past 20 years....I owe myself, 20 years of healthy choices. Also, I know in my heart that I need to break the addictive cycle my taste buds crave. My taste buds never did agree with the rest of my body. I want chocolate, and pastries, and pasta. They give me heartburn, nausea, headaches, poor breathing, and fat. Lastly, I need to keep my blood sugar in check, more so than others. I cannot continue to deny that I am diabetic for life...and that is a gift my poor eating habits bestowed upon me. I choose the disease when I chose my actions. Now, I must choose to handle it with accountability and honesty. My body knows what it needs. However, I have this wonderful tendency to fight against the things that I need the most.
This process is about embracing healthy choices, rather than denying myself. I need to look at it this way rather than seeing it as a punishment. I understand that I am denying myself ( and taking up my cross) but I can look at it in a more positive way. I need to understand that I owe this to myself and I deserve this.
Personal Reflections
1. What thoughts, ideas, or emotions do you associate with the word 'plan?
I am a type A personality through and through. I like to plan to make plans. I am a planner. I need to have a plan, in order to feel, as if everything is right in the world. I think it is my way of feeling like I have some control in a world that is constantly spinning and full of CHAOS. I feel very much overwhelmed and stressed when I do not have a plan for basically everything, and that plan must include contentions. So, the idea of an eating plan is wonderful. Prior to starting Dr. Phils 20/20 I had a plan, but it was not as detailed as the other plans I make in my life. My new plan has changed that.
2. Are there areas in your life where having a plan works well for you, makes you feel empowered, or restrictive? Do your feelings change when that plan is about food ( what you will and will not eat, etc.)? I answered the first question above. I do not think I have ever thought about this before, or realized it but ( prior to 20/20) yeah my thoughts and feelings changed a great deal. In fact, I resented the idea of being told ( even if it was me doing the telling) what to eat and when. Kind of like an addict who is told they can no longer smoke in restaurants or public parks. I am seeing more and more ways that poor eating habits are an addiction for me. I have known this for some time now, but never realized how much that addiction really did take over who I am....on so many levels.
3. What is your relationship between food and secrets? What secrets do you think your body reveals? I know beyond a doubt that my body betrays my secrets. I have just always believed that no one is looking or cares. However, in this moment it occurs to me that God is always watching. He cares. He wants what is best for his children and I am his child. The secrets: I have hidden in the bathroom to eat things that felt ashamed for eating. When I measure things that I can have ( yet in moderation) I never count the bites that I steal during preparation. I am willing to accept that the measuring cup or spoon is heaping ( as long as it is only a little). It is time to lay these secrets to rest and understand that I can have no secrets. Nothing is hidden from God.
4. How do you feel about researching and choosing a healthy eating plan, encouraged, discouraged, overwhelmed, etc.? I have spent many many many years working on that plan. I have tried everything, most things twice, or more. There were times that I felt excited and encouraged, and times where I was devastated and just felt overwhelmed and like it was all so futile. However, I honestly believe that 20/20 plan is the RIGHT plan for me.
5. What kind of words would you use to describe an eating plan that would be realistic to you long term? On a scale of 1-10 how hopeful are you that you can discover/ create a healthy eating plan that you can maintain and learn to love over time? Readily accessible foods, cost effective, easy and quick meals, portable meals, delicious, varied, no counting ( measuring is acceptable), and delicious. Although I know that we should eat for fuel, rather than pleasure, I NEED to not dislike my foods. I can deal with being neutral about them. I am a very picky eater ( Not that you can tell by looking at me), however my palette has been expanding over the years. On a scale of 1-10, I believe that I have found the right plan for me to be about an 8...I would say 10, but to be truthful, I just do not trust myself.
Devotional
The Right Questions
Acts 5: 29
We must obey God rather than other human beings. ( read human values: #s on a scale, or a tag)
Thought for the day: I must obey God rather than the scale ( or my cravings).
I need to learn to replace the delight of diminishing numbers on the scales with delight in my obedience to God ( and sanctifying his temple in me). Define my week by obedience, not by the numbers on the scale. This appeals to the deepest parts of who I am...that part of me that truly desires to have surrender within ( to God).
Ask myself: Did I overeat this week on any day?
Did I move more and exercise regularly?
Did I eat in secret or emotionally eat?
Do I feel that, at any time, I ran to food, instead of God?
Before I stepped on the scale, did I feel that I had a successful God- pleasing week?
Dear Lord,
I do not want to define myself by the numbers I see on a scale or any other human value system. I truly want to be obedient to You each and every day, including in my food choices. Please help me to follow hard after You.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
Getting A plan
How often do we long for something, but are simply not willing to put in the work, or effort required to attain it. For example, who would not want a beautiful lush flower garden? To have that it takes, time, effort, sacrifice, intentionality, sweat equity, determination, patience, and work. Notice how many people do not have a lush flower garden. You have to invest ALL of this before you ever see any fruit from your labor. I cannot wish blooms into place any more than I can wish fat away.
Poor food choices sabotage my body, mental energy, and even my spirit.
Poor food choices are like a drug; a good drug choice for the christian woman. After all, even churches do not think twice about readily offering up this drug.
If the healthy changes I make are temporary, so then shall be the results. It is not a diet change. It is a change in my way of life, my entire outlook.
Poor food choices will always be evident; if not in my waistline, then they will be seen in my energy level and over all health and fitness. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that my breathing disorder is affected greatly by my diet. How what I eat affects my breathing I do not understand. However, I have seen the correlation time and time again. My diet affects my Diabetes, which affects me. My diet affects my weight which has an impact on my arthritis, and levels of pain throughout the day. Diet truly is a foundational brick of a healthy lifestyle.
The diet plan I follow needs to be strict and restrictive for a few reasons. One, as I have mentioned before, I am an all or nothing kind of girl. I am a type A personality who likes to pretend that the gray areas of the world, do not exist. I also believe that anything worth doing is worth doing to the best of my ability. I sure did a good job on making the unhealthy choices for the past 20 years....I owe myself, 20 years of healthy choices. Also, I know in my heart that I need to break the addictive cycle my taste buds crave. My taste buds never did agree with the rest of my body. I want chocolate, and pastries, and pasta. They give me heartburn, nausea, headaches, poor breathing, and fat. Lastly, I need to keep my blood sugar in check, more so than others. I cannot continue to deny that I am diabetic for life...and that is a gift my poor eating habits bestowed upon me. I choose the disease when I chose my actions. Now, I must choose to handle it with accountability and honesty. My body knows what it needs. However, I have this wonderful tendency to fight against the things that I need the most.
This process is about embracing healthy choices, rather than denying myself. I need to look at it this way rather than seeing it as a punishment. I understand that I am denying myself ( and taking up my cross) but I can look at it in a more positive way. I need to understand that I owe this to myself and I deserve this.
Personal Reflections
1. What thoughts, ideas, or emotions do you associate with the word 'plan?
I am a type A personality through and through. I like to plan to make plans. I am a planner. I need to have a plan, in order to feel, as if everything is right in the world. I think it is my way of feeling like I have some control in a world that is constantly spinning and full of CHAOS. I feel very much overwhelmed and stressed when I do not have a plan for basically everything, and that plan must include contentions. So, the idea of an eating plan is wonderful. Prior to starting Dr. Phils 20/20 I had a plan, but it was not as detailed as the other plans I make in my life. My new plan has changed that.
2. Are there areas in your life where having a plan works well for you, makes you feel empowered, or restrictive? Do your feelings change when that plan is about food ( what you will and will not eat, etc.)? I answered the first question above. I do not think I have ever thought about this before, or realized it but ( prior to 20/20) yeah my thoughts and feelings changed a great deal. In fact, I resented the idea of being told ( even if it was me doing the telling) what to eat and when. Kind of like an addict who is told they can no longer smoke in restaurants or public parks. I am seeing more and more ways that poor eating habits are an addiction for me. I have known this for some time now, but never realized how much that addiction really did take over who I am....on so many levels.
3. What is your relationship between food and secrets? What secrets do you think your body reveals? I know beyond a doubt that my body betrays my secrets. I have just always believed that no one is looking or cares. However, in this moment it occurs to me that God is always watching. He cares. He wants what is best for his children and I am his child. The secrets: I have hidden in the bathroom to eat things that felt ashamed for eating. When I measure things that I can have ( yet in moderation) I never count the bites that I steal during preparation. I am willing to accept that the measuring cup or spoon is heaping ( as long as it is only a little). It is time to lay these secrets to rest and understand that I can have no secrets. Nothing is hidden from God.
4. How do you feel about researching and choosing a healthy eating plan, encouraged, discouraged, overwhelmed, etc.? I have spent many many many years working on that plan. I have tried everything, most things twice, or more. There were times that I felt excited and encouraged, and times where I was devastated and just felt overwhelmed and like it was all so futile. However, I honestly believe that 20/20 plan is the RIGHT plan for me.
5. What kind of words would you use to describe an eating plan that would be realistic to you long term? On a scale of 1-10 how hopeful are you that you can discover/ create a healthy eating plan that you can maintain and learn to love over time? Readily accessible foods, cost effective, easy and quick meals, portable meals, delicious, varied, no counting ( measuring is acceptable), and delicious. Although I know that we should eat for fuel, rather than pleasure, I NEED to not dislike my foods. I can deal with being neutral about them. I am a very picky eater ( Not that you can tell by looking at me), however my palette has been expanding over the years. On a scale of 1-10, I believe that I have found the right plan for me to be about an 8...I would say 10, but to be truthful, I just do not trust myself.
Devotional
The Right Questions
Acts 5: 29
We must obey God rather than other human beings. ( read human values: #s on a scale, or a tag)
Thought for the day: I must obey God rather than the scale ( or my cravings).
I need to learn to replace the delight of diminishing numbers on the scales with delight in my obedience to God ( and sanctifying his temple in me). Define my week by obedience, not by the numbers on the scale. This appeals to the deepest parts of who I am...that part of me that truly desires to have surrender within ( to God).
Ask myself: Did I overeat this week on any day?
Did I move more and exercise regularly?
Did I eat in secret or emotionally eat?
Do I feel that, at any time, I ran to food, instead of God?
Before I stepped on the scale, did I feel that I had a successful God- pleasing week?
Dear Lord,
I do not want to define myself by the numbers I see on a scale or any other human value system. I truly want to be obedient to You each and every day, including in my food choices. Please help me to follow hard after You.
In Jesus name,
Amen.