What to Do When You Want To Cheat Part III

What to Do When You Want To Cheat

Part III





Romans 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature

Shop Carefully

One thing to remember is this: if food gets near you, it will eventually get in you. So understand the battleground is not in the kitchen, but at the grocery store. To deal with cheating, you must begin the fight at the store. If you keep the unhealthy foods out of the grocery cart, they won't make it to the car or to the cupboard. It's hard to resist chips when the bag is in your pantry.

Better still, preparation for the battle should begin before you get to the store. Advanced decision making is critical in shopping, so make a list before you go and stick with it.

I'm sure you've heard this before. Whenever possible, eat before you go to the store. Never go to the store hungry. When you do, everything looks good. I know that eating before you grocery shop isn't always possible, so realize the food is going to look even more appealing if you are hungry..

You need to pray before you go. Pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit as you walk into the store. Many times as I'm walking through the doors, I'm praying, "Oh! God, fill me with your Spirit."

Buy the majority of your food items along the outside aisles of the store. This is where you find the living foods like fruits and vegetables, etc. What's known as dead foods or processed foods, such as chip and sugary snacks, are the foods found on the inside aisles. I will admit there have been occasions when I've placed dead food items in my cart in a moment of weakness, but sometimes I've caught myself, and turned around and put them back. That's obedience.

Read the food labels. You need to know what's in the food you're buying. Educate yourself about different types of fats and how to interpret the amount of salt and sugars contained in your purchases. Learn what the daily recommended intake is for these ingredients, then carefully choose foods that don't exceed the limit. Purchase healthy snacks like fruits and almonds to eat when you get hungry between meals.

Learn to shop for your health, not your happiness, by keeping unhealthy foods out of your grocery basket and out of your kitchen.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU WANT TO CHEAT PART II

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU WANT TO CHEAT

PART II



How many times since being involved with a weight loss program have you had a desire to cheat? Surely, it's only natural to want the things you are not supposed to have.



If you'll remember, the very first temptation dealt with food. Genesis 3:6 says, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Eve was tempted by the presence of the tree because she was instructed not to eat from it. Eve became a victim of the lies and deceptions, the promises of what would be gained by eating the fruit.



Isn't it the same with us today? Don't we fall for the same lies? The only difference is the method of delivery. The commercials and advertisements tell you how good you'll feel and how satisfying the foods are if you just buy and eat them. But have you noticed most of the foods advertised are the food that lack nutritional value. There is no mention of the negative consequences of eating these "dead" foods.



Most of us have bad food habits that have developed over years. We see it – it looks good, so we eat it and as a result, we suffer from the "battle of the bulge." This is one of the most challenging battles a lot of us will ever fight and it will be the fight for our lives.



If this battle is to be won, we must retrain our minds to develop new habits. Our bodies will be resistant to change and will fight to maintain its old ways. However the good news is our temptation to cheat will grow less over time as our bodies adapt to the new healthy habits.



1 Corinthians 10:13 says… No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

God promises you a way of escape for every temptation. But you have to want to escape and take the way out. You do have to pray and ask God for His way. And be willing to want it……

What To Do When You Want To Cheat

What To Do When You Want To Cheat

Part I



Over the last few years as I've embarked on this journey of weight loss, I have been tempted to cheat on my diet. I realize I'd only be cheating myself. If I compromise and give in to the desires of my flesh and eat the wrong foods, who would I really be hurting? As I pondered that question I began to think about my husband, my children and future grandchildren. I also had to consider the effect on the ministry I have in my church and my commitment to God. The steps I have taken to "get off" and "keep off" the excess weight would all be in vain.



We are creatures of habit and often fail because we revert back to our old ways. The question then became, "How can I stay on track?" Because it was hard to make changes early in my journey I allowed myself a cheat "meal"--not a cheat "day," and only once a week. This has saved me over and over again when I want to cheat, I can tell myself, Thursday night will be here soon, I can wait.



I still needed to know how to stay on track so as always, I sought God's wisdom for the answer. Impressed upon my heart were three things to do when I want to cheat. Today I will share the first step with you, which is prayer.



Pray consistently, In Luke 18:1 it says; Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Prayer is communication with God. Through the blood of Jesus we have direct access to God the Father at all times. A part of overcoming temptation is to seek God. This verse offers two choices: we can pray, or we can faint; we can be victorious, or we can fail. Pray about your eating and exercise habits that you will eat less and exercise more. Recognize you must change these habits and there is no magic pill or potion that will accomplish the task.



Remember, your flesh is weak, but God through prayer can help you to be strong. Matthew 26.41 tells us; Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. The battle is with the desire of the flesh to have its way, and to keep you in bondage to your desires to over indulge.



Pray for your wellness, not just your sickness. Be proactive and approach prayer from a positive stand point. Our prayer requests are often negative and sound more like an organ recital—Often we pray for our ailments or the ailments of others. We should also pray to make the proper choices to prevent the ailments. What about praying to have or remain in good health? Pray for the desire to drink more water, or to find an exercise you enjoy and will perform. Pray to "drive by" the fast food restaurants and not the "drive thru." Rely on God's promise to answer your prayers and pray consistently.

Part 2 tomorrow……

HOW TO EAT MORE HEALTHY

HOW TO EAT MORE HEALTHY


Cookies. Check. Potato Chips. Check. Pizza for dinner. Check. Cold pizza for breakfast. Check. Okay, so your diet isn't exactly the healthiest. But there are easy steps you can take to change that:

Change Your Foods Gradually - Don't expect to give up your Oreo binges overnight. Eating more healthily takes time, and you may run into bumps in the road. But once you start eating healthy foods regularly, you may find it harder to go back to your old ways.
Swap Out The Basics - Go for lower-fat milk instead of whole milk, Replace your white bread with whole grain. Try a baked potato instead of fries.
Eat More Salads - Salads are great, because you can really get creative and create a salad you like with many different ingredients. It's one food you can never get bored with. There are countless combinations in making a salad. You'll get bored quickly if all you have is lettuce, tomato and cucumber for a salad. Try different kinds of lettuces, add fruits, try a new raw vegetable. Just steer clear of fat- and calorie-laden dressings.
Cook More Often - Instead of grabbing for fast food or pre-packaged goods, make it a point to cook more often. You'll likely use healthier foods in cooking.
Drink More Water - Instead of sugary soft drinks or juices, drink more water. Add lemon for flavor.
Look To The Food Pyramid - Check the USDA's MyPyramid to find out what the best food choices are for you.
Throw In Fruits And Veggies Into Your Favorite Dish - You can easily add fruits or vegetables to your favorite dish to make a bit more healthy. Try fruit in your cereal or vegetables in your pasta.
Grab Fruit When You Have A Sweet Tooth - Instead of going for cakes or candy to fulfill your sweet tooth, grab fruit, which is just as satisfying. If you really need chocolate, why not drizzle a little chocolate syrup over a banana?
Be More Cognizant Of What's On A Menu - Instead of grabbing the first hamburger you see, really check out the menu. You may find that taking out the bun and adding cottage cheese or going for a Gardenburger are healthier options. Chose a broth based soup, and maybe just an appetizer.
Substitute Ingredients - Search the web for healthier ingredient substitutions. Did you know that applesauce or vanilla yogurt can replace oil or butter in many dessert recipes?

4 Questions to Ask Before You Try to Lose Weight *Again*

4 Questions to Ask Before You Try to Lose Weight *Again*





If you want to avoid the weight loss roller coaster-and the emotional turmoil that can accompany it, ask yourself the following four questions before you start moving forward with your weight loss resolutions.

1. Why are you in this same place again? In other words, what HASN'T worked in the past? Where have the plans fallen apart? Why did you lose your motivation? What part of past programs just wasn't possible for you to complete? Be as honest and as thorough about answering this question as possible. Note: this is NOT an opportunity to beat yourself up. If your first response is something like, "I was lazy and didn't have enough willpower," I'm not buying it. What would a plan need to have to keep you energized? What was it about the last approach that led you to run out of steam and stick-to-it-ness?


2. Do you have the time and energy for this project? Really. If adopting new healthy lifestyle habits is important to you, you're going to need to carve out some space to do this. Are you willing to say no to some things so that you can say yes to what you want? What will you need to let go of to stay on track?

3. When you stumble, what will help you get back on track? We all stumble and we all have bad days. You know yourself-what do you need to keep going when the going gets tough? Are you motivated by accountability, rewards, feedback, or something else? Do you need a partner, an emotional eating program, a coach? What benefits or features would help you really create the success you are after?

4. Do you need some new tools to craft the success that you crave? Are you trying to build a house with only a hammer? The best hammer in the world is pretty useless if what you really need is a screwdriver and a food plan doesn't address issues like emotional eating or boredom eating. What skills or habits or information would help you feel more confident and prepared to win at weight loss-once and for all?



Remember-you are the expert on you.

Don't let your wisdom go to waste.

Use what you know to craft a plan that won't disappoint or leave you tied

up in knots trying to be someone you aren't.

That's how to create a pathway towards peace with food and

weight that stays "lost."

Restore

1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace…will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

God wants to completely restore you. He wants to make you strong, firm and steadfast—He wants to make you better than before!

Sometimes, when you are in the midst of difficulty, you can't quite see the restoration God has prepared. You can't quite see how He can turn it around for your good. But that's when you have to take a step of faith and trust that He is the God of restoration, and He is working behind the scenes on your behalf!

If we stay firm in His word, He will do as He promises.

For I do What I do!

Getting off the Emotional Eating Roller Coaster for Good

I think you would agree that emotional eating is one roller coaster ride in life none of us truly enjoy. The thrills are short-lived, quickly followed by disappointment, and seeing how we have a hard time getting off, it's a rather nauseating ride. Despite what we may think about our relationship with food, many of us boarded this ride a long time ago and have yet to completely exit the platform. When you really think about it, statistics convey this quite clearly. Consider this; an estimated 65% of US adults are currently either overweight or obese. However, the knowledge base about weight management continues to expand.

So what is precluding our successful passage from knowledge to behavior? There are many theories, including the roles our genetics and environment play, but I strongly believe it's the combination of our unhealthy emotions and sabotaging thoughts that can be most destructive. Under-eating or over-eating have long been recognized as coping mechanisms for alleviating and dealing with stress and emotions. In fact, most nutrition professionals believe 75% of overeating is secondary to emotions. So it begs the question, "Why do we as Americans not spend more time investigating our relationship with food, and solutions for bringing it into better balance?"


I pray that the validated solutions below speak encouragement into your day and hope to overcome this boulder of a barrier keeping you from reaching your goals.

Retraining Your Brain

Cognitive restructuring is defined as "the process of learning to refute cognitive distortions, or fundamental faulty thinking with the goal of replacing one's irrational, counter-factual beliefs with more accurate and beneficial ones." To assist us in this process, reading response cards that state rational, factual, and beneficial thoughts whenever we feel tempted to step foot on the ride, even just for one go 'round. Here are some examples of cue cards you could make and use at home:

On your fridge: "It's not in here."
By your alarm clock: "You'll thank yourself later for getting up and exercising."
On your dashboard: "Keep driving – the drive-through isn't worth it."
Anywhere: "You can eat whatever you want or be thin, but you can't have it both ways."

These statements immediately bring reality to your mind and serve as a rudder for guiding your thought processes along a more constructive course.


Remembering What It Is You Really Want

Another exercise you can do is create an "advantages list" – a list of all the reasons it is advantageous for you to lose weight and get fit. Read aloud your advantages multiple times a day to combat the subtle but ever-present temptation to fall off course. The theory is that when we remind ourselves of what we truly want, we are motivated to stay on track. Some examples of advantages can be:

1. Peace within my body
2. I can play longer with my kids
3. I can model healthy self-esteem to my daughter
4. Spiritual maturity
5. Self-respect
6. So I can enjoy clothes shopping
7. To finally move on with my life



I strongly urge you to make a list of your own. Laminate it. Carry it with you. Make multiple copies and put them where you'll read them. Let your advantages list keep you in constant remembrance of why you are losing weight what your goals are, and why they are important to you.

Keeping Yourself in Check

I've said it before, but I'll say it again – keeping a food record is one of the best favors you can do for yourself. They are a very strong predictor of weight loss – stronger than your baseline body mass index, age, or exercise! Even if you don't fill it out perfectly, studies continue to show that they make a big difference. When you are honest with yourself and monitor your progress, you do a lot of good for your thinking and your perceptions.

Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

Our life is often all about self and doing what self wants to do. If your stomach is in control of your eating and your life, you are engaging in a form of idolatry. Those of us who would never consider bowing down to a statue to worship, bow down to our appetite and make it a god. The first thing we have to do to lose weight is to stop letting our stomachs be our god. We have to stop being an idolater. We need to admit that we have made our stomachs our god and then deny ourselves.

Sometimes dedicating ourselves to God is as simple as just saying it. "God, I give myself to You. I give my body to You for your purposes. I can't do this on my own. I need the help of the Holy Spirit to remind me of my calling, to encourage me when I think I can't go on and when I think things will never change." After you pray this prayer, God will help you. He will empower you. He can change you from the inside out. He can renew your mind. The change He can bring is not magic, but it is miraculous.


If we are not to be conformed to this world, we have to recognize the world's view of food and eating. Eating what ever you wish seems to be considered an entitlement for the majority of the American population. You work hard and when you come home you should be able to eat whatever you wish. You've earned it, right?


In the United States, a large percentage of people are unhealthy because they are overweight. But no wonder. Just go to a grocery store and see how much of the food there didn't exist in its present form 20 or even 10 years ago. There are salty chips in every conceivable shape and flavor and dozens of flavors of dips to accompany them. There are 31 (and many more) flavors of ice cream. There are sugared cereals by the trainload. There are sweetened soft drinks stacked to the ceiling. There are prime cuts of red meat laden with high-cholesterol fat.


When you look at it that way, it's not a grocery store where you're shopping it's a death trap--unless you learn to shop in a healthy way by shopping on the outside aisles of the store. That's where the living food is like fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. Food on the inside aisles may have been there for months. There is a positive side to grocery shopping. Once upon a time, people could only eat what was in season. Now we can get fresh fruits and vegetables all year long. We have pasteurized and fortified milk and dairy products. We can buy fresh fish and chicken all year round. We are a blessed people when it comes to grocery shopping.



If we are going to dedicate our bodies to God, we are going to have to listen to the Holy Spirit's prompting every time we approach food and that includes when we're shopping. We cannot say, "It's my body, I can do what I want with it." If you have dedicated your body to God, then it is no longer yours. So, no, you can't do what you want with it. Decide who or what are you willing listen to, your stomach or the Holy Spirit?


Philippians 3:19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things

Take a break!

Take a Break
No, not a break from your diet, a break from eating. It's important to have parts of the day when you immerse yourself in non-eating activities. The hormones that work to break down fat and glycogen (stored in sugar) need you to let them alone to do their job. That means not eating for an hour or two. Plus, the break might just give you time to finish that dusty novel on your bookshelf.

Have a Love Affair with Exercise
Exercise is an essential element to getting and staying healthy. It revs up your metabolism, making your body a fat-burning machine. This allows you to eat more on your diet and still have even better results than dieting alone.

Find Support
When it comes to dieting, strength is all about numbers. If your friends are using the same diet plan as you, they can make a great support system. More often that not, though, support systems should be formal arrangements to guarantee that everyone in the group has the same diet mentality. Plenty of websites offer great networks, too. Or you can set up regular visits with your physician or dietician.

Treat Yourself
Once a day, you can eat just to eat. What food lover doesn't love that? Just make sure that your daily snack fits these four characteristics:

1. Is tasty enough to look forward to daily

2. Is low in saturated fats, has zero Trans fats, and is not overwhelmingly sweet (too much sweetness can stimulate your appetite rather than filling you up)

3. Contains less than 150 calories per serving

4. Is satisfying and doesn't make you crave more

Follow a Plate Pattern
One quarter of your plate should be lean meat products like poultry, fish, eggs, or low-fat dairy. The rest should be plant foods. Make sure that the fruits and veggies you include are diverse and are different colors (each color signals a different nutrient), guaranteeing you are about to chow down on a balanced meal.

Recognize Workplace Sabotage
Your workplace can actually encourage overeating. Vending machines, snack rooms, and cakes to celebrate the boss' birthday can all contribute to temptation to overeat. If these pressures are sabotaging your diet, you may have to get political. Tell your supervisor about your difficulties and advocate for what you want to change.

Prep for a Food Assault
This can happen any time, any place. And they sound something like, "Come on! It's just one piece. It won't hurt you!" We all know it's never just one piece. But just as you can count on certain lines to come out of your friends' mouths, so can you prepare standard lines for defense.

One idea? Say something like "It's important to my health that I stick to my diet plan." Letting your friends know your decision is about health will shut them right up, Berkeley says. They want you to be healthy, after all.

Proverbs 1:33
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.


Jesus faced many terrible experiences in His lifetime. The Bible tells of many incidents where crowds of people sought to kill our Lord. Whenever the pressures got too great, Jesus withdrew and spent time in prayer. That is an important lesson for us to learn. There will be times when the pressures build up while we try to lose weight. When the pressures get too much for us to handle, we should turn to the Lord in prayer. He will comfort us, strengthen us, and give us the courage we need to face every new day.
Today's thought: Jesus will take my mind off my diet!