Get Back On Track
You know by experience that there is a point in your "diet"
that the energy wains, the motivation lags...you just run out of the ability to keep it up and you have a bad day ...or days... Actually its just true of any attempt to do what you are supposed to. We fail. It is life.
The gospel says that failure is a part of this journey. Christ came and did not fail because we did. And do. This forgiveness and love gives us the ability to persevere on our journey of living for Jesus, not for ourselves. It gives us the freedom and joy to obey.
His holy spirit also HELPS us. He is in us with His life, power and attributes!
If you slip read yourself a truth card:
__________________________________________________________________________________
If I've eaten something I shouldn't, I haven't blown it. I can start following my plan
again right this minute. (Don't try to make up for the eating just continue your plan as long as you are hungry enough to eat what you planned) Remember the goal is not perfection..the goal is living for Jesus and this is part of living for Jesus. You are doing it!!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
ITS A FIGHT
This struggle with eating is the same as every other struggle in life. I don't want to feel discomfort (the discomfort that everyday LIFE brings) and instead of going to the Lord of the universe I go to anything else to make me feel better. I want to feel better more than I want to worship my God.
At the core its the same issue as my everyday wanting to do my own thing. That's why keeping in view my PURPOSE in life is so refreshing. I DON'T WANT to live for myself but for Him who died and rose on my behalf. On this death diet I am reminding myself I 'm not living for myself.
But I really fight doing that! Lord, change me.
At the core its the same issue as my everyday wanting to do my own thing. That's why keeping in view my PURPOSE in life is so refreshing. I DON'T WANT to live for myself but for Him who died and rose on my behalf. On this death diet I am reminding myself I 'm not living for myself.
But I really fight doing that! Lord, change me.
Friday, May 22, 2009
NO FEAR
Hunger won't KILL me. This is perhaps the biggest thing I am learning from the Beck diet solution. I think one reason I am not successful at staying at a healthy weight is that I fear hunger and I am mastered by cravings. The past few days I have noticed my thinking when I start to get hungry. It may be about 4 pm and I start to get hungry. I begin to think about what I can eat. I am even tempted to just eat my evening meal already! My husband does not get home until 7 pm. How am I supposed to wait 3 hours?! And I fear that if I do wait then I will not be able to eat just a little food, I will go crazy and overeat. I fear being out of control. This is when the desire begins to turn into a craving and my physiology even gets into it. My mouth waters! I feel a strong urge to eat! In the past I thought it had some power and validity but now I think "Maybe it doesn't?"
Is God's grace big and strong enough to carry me through those 3 hours? Is it big and strong enough to even keep me controlled while I eat? Yes. And I am proving it little by little by withstanding hunger and not dying and not going crazy and overeating. My hunger and cravings are NOT bigger and stronger than me! They do not HAVE to be obeyed. Once I say NO CHOICE even those physiological symptoms GO AWAY. I mean they will come back but a person CAN go without food for a long time. And thats ok.
Is God's grace big and strong enough to carry me through those 3 hours? Is it big and strong enough to even keep me controlled while I eat? Yes. And I am proving it little by little by withstanding hunger and not dying and not going crazy and overeating. My hunger and cravings are NOT bigger and stronger than me! They do not HAVE to be obeyed. Once I say NO CHOICE even those physiological symptoms GO AWAY. I mean they will come back but a person CAN go without food for a long time. And thats ok.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
DAY 19
Create an It's Not Okay Response Card similar to the one below and read it daily, perhaps whenever you read your Truth cards. Pull it out whenever you are in danger of of not following your plan.
___________________________________
Its Not Okay
It's not okay to eat unplanned food of any kind.
I'm just trying to fool myself. Every single time I eat something I'm not supposed
to, I strengthen my giving in muscle and weaken my resistance muscle. I might feel
good for the few seconds I'm eating, but I'll feel bad afterwards. If I want to lose
excess weight and keep it off, I absolutely must stop fooling myself.
___________________________________
Its Not Okay
It's not okay to eat unplanned food of any kind.
I'm just trying to fool myself. Every single time I eat something I'm not supposed
to, I strengthen my giving in muscle and weaken my resistance muscle. I might feel
good for the few seconds I'm eating, but I'll feel bad afterwards. If I want to lose
excess weight and keep it off, I absolutely must stop fooling myself.
DAY 18
Change your definition of full.
If you can't easily take a brisk walk after a meal, it means you have eaten too much
and you might have an unrealistic definition of fullness.
People with weight problems tend to have a hard time stopping eating when just satisfied for a number of reasons. One reason is that you have gotten used to eating to overfull not just satisfied. Another is that you might just want to prolong the eating experience. Or you might be concerned that you will get hungry soon.
Today you will practice telling yourself that you can stop when satisfied. Eating just to have the food in your mouth for longer is just not acceptable. You no longer need to eat because you fear hunger. Hunger is ok and it won't hurt you.
Slow down and notice when you are satisfied.
If you can't easily take a brisk walk after a meal, it means you have eaten too much
and you might have an unrealistic definition of fullness.
People with weight problems tend to have a hard time stopping eating when just satisfied for a number of reasons. One reason is that you have gotten used to eating to overfull not just satisfied. Another is that you might just want to prolong the eating experience. Or you might be concerned that you will get hungry soon.
Today you will practice telling yourself that you can stop when satisfied. Eating just to have the food in your mouth for longer is just not acceptable. You no longer need to eat because you fear hunger. Hunger is ok and it won't hurt you.
Slow down and notice when you are satisfied.
The All-Sufficient God: Joy in the Journey
By affliction, the Lord teaches His people to sit loose from this world, and to be prepared for eternity. By affliction, God shows His people the vanity, vexation,emptiness, weakness, and nothingness of all created things; and the choiceness,preciousness and sweetness of communion with Himself.
- Thomas Brooks
Monday, May 18, 2009
DAY 17
Today, you'll practice not overeating. You will purposely serve yourself too much food at a meal today. Also put something on your plate that you are not supposed to eat. Before beginning to eat push the extra portions to the side. Practice your thinking as you eat, "It is great that I'm not eating this, it would go to waste in my body because I do not need this food."and "Just because I am craving it does not mean I have to eat it."
Sunday, May 17, 2009
DAY 16
Prevent Unplanned Eating
Your written food plan prevents a lot of indecision and struggles with temptation because once the decision of what you will eat is made a lot of the battle is won.
But there will still be those battles when you are put in a tempting situation like being offered a brownie at a reception or being tempted to have one more glass of wine with dinner.
The solution is straightforward: Tell yourself that you don't have a choice. You made a plan, and you'll follow that plan--no ifs ands or buts.
Firmly saying "NO CHOICE" decreases both the struggle and the discomfort.
Make a truth card that says NO CHOICE and read it twice a day.
You should be making truth cards for the other tasks that counter any thoughts you may have arguing with doing the tasks. For example: a card that tells you why you need to write down your plan even though it feels legalistic. you might write:
"Even though this seems weird and legalistic, I believe this is what God has given me to do at this time, as a means to put my trust in Him."
Read your cards daily.
Your written food plan prevents a lot of indecision and struggles with temptation because once the decision of what you will eat is made a lot of the battle is won.
But there will still be those battles when you are put in a tempting situation like being offered a brownie at a reception or being tempted to have one more glass of wine with dinner.
The solution is straightforward: Tell yourself that you don't have a choice. You made a plan, and you'll follow that plan--no ifs ands or buts.
Firmly saying "NO CHOICE" decreases both the struggle and the discomfort.
Make a truth card that says NO CHOICE and read it twice a day.
You should be making truth cards for the other tasks that counter any thoughts you may have arguing with doing the tasks. For example: a card that tells you why you need to write down your plan even though it feels legalistic. you might write:
"Even though this seems weird and legalistic, I believe this is what God has given me to do at this time, as a means to put my trust in Him."
Read your cards daily.
Goal?
Me: "Darn, I'm not down in the 2's yet!"
Coach Tyler: "Why do you care? That's not your reason for doing this."
Me: "But I wanna post on my blog that I have lost 5 lbs!"
Coach Tyler: "Why? The weight loss is not the point."
Perhaps the most important aspect of the W-D diet for me is that the goal really is not weight loss.
The goal is to trust God and eat in a way that says "God is suffucient!"
Every time I weigh I remind myself that the weight does not matter. My heart attitude is changing and that's meeting the goal.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Goal!!!
Have you met your first goal? If so let me know by commenting below! I have lost 5 pounds! What is your reward going to be? I have a hard time with rewards because I'm so lazy. Going ANYWHERE is just not a reward! Buying something is not a reward. I thought of the perfect reward: a decent glass of wine. By decent, I mean a bottle that costs more than my usual 4.98 I have a nice bottle (20 bucks) and I am going to have a glass tonight since I met my first goal.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
DAY 15
Monitor your Eating
After eating make note in your notebook whether you ate what you had planned to eat. If you eat something more..note that.
Be sure to give yourself credit and be thankful for following your plan!
If you eat something you shouldn't do not think to yourself "What an idiot! I'm never gonna do this right!" Instead say"It isn't a big deal...I can get right back at it ..and it was a good job that I wrote it down!"
To Do
Write up your food plan (takes about 3 minutes!)
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
After eating make note in your notebook whether you ate what you had planned to eat. If you eat something more..note that.
Be sure to give yourself credit and be thankful for following your plan!
If you eat something you shouldn't do not think to yourself "What an idiot! I'm never gonna do this right!" Instead say"It isn't a big deal...I can get right back at it ..and it was a good job that I wrote it down!"
To Do
Write up your food plan (takes about 3 minutes!)
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
I be up in the gym just workin' on my fitness
Oxygen magazine was one of my false motivators. I began to get scarily into "clean eating" and began loving the idea of being one of those people who work out twice a day. It felt good to be master of my body, to create something good and to be in control. ( Like God is supposed to be.) It worked for a while but in the long run a false idol will destroy you!It keeps demanding more time and attention until you don't even have room for God.
Weird things you begin to think when you serve the false god fitness:
1) I am clean if I eat clean, I will pack all my food in lovely safe plastic containers.
2) I am more worthy if I have just worked out.
3) Breast implants may be worth the money and the surgery.
4) I must be hairless, tan and have fake fingernails to be perfect.
5) Aging is not an option..it is shameful.6) Tombstone: she achieved defined abdominals.
MOTIVE
James 4
Submit Yourselves to God
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?a]">[a] 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."b]">[b]
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
The 2nd word Paul Tripp gives to describe living in a Christ-centered way is motive. Changing my motive for dieting has made a huge difference! I am living more with a fear of the lord. "Fear of the Lord means that I carry around with me such a deep awareness, awe, and reverence for the power, holiness, wisdom, and grace of God that I would not think of doing anything other than living for his glory. Fearing the Lord means that this worshipful awe is the single motivator of everything I think, desire, say and do."
When I dieted for a number on the scale or for a look I was after it was so frantic and hopeless and inconsistent. Remembering God's glory daily feels smooth, consistent and infinitely hope-filled. I know I am empoered to eat for His glory by his strength. No doubt.
I also know that if gain weight it is not the end of the world. I am in Christ. He is in me. He will keep me where He wants me.
Monday, May 11, 2009
DAY 14
We are ready to start the actual diet if you haven't already!
It is a Monday and I know how necessary it is to start on a Monday and
not on a Tuesday for heaven's sake.
The task to begin today is writing down what you are going to eat.
Ideally you would do this the night before.
This is a crucial step! It is not a popular one but studies show that people who record what they eat daily keep the weight off more successfully than those who don't.
As you go through your day follow your eating plan and record if you eat anything other than the
planned food. You will do this for as long as it takes to lose the weight. You can try occasionally
without writing down your menu and if you find you are overeating then you can go back to this helpful habit.
It is a Monday and I know how necessary it is to start on a Monday and
not on a Tuesday for heaven's sake.
The task to begin today is writing down what you are going to eat.
Ideally you would do this the night before.
This is a crucial step! It is not a popular one but studies show that people who record what they eat daily keep the weight off more successfully than those who don't.
As you go through your day follow your eating plan and record if you eat anything other than the
planned food. You will do this for as long as it takes to lose the weight. You can try occasionally
without writing down your menu and if you find you are overeating then you can go back to this helpful habit.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
DAY 13
Today we practice defeating a craving. When you want to eat but eating is not in the plan at this time (or the food you want is not what you planned on) you can resist eating! It will not kill you! There are a number of tools we will use for this. Today I'll go over mindset techniques and I plan to revisit the last 3 tasks in the near future because I did not give them the time they deserve! Every time you have a craving do the following 1) Label it-Tell yourself--This feeling is just a craving...it is uncomfortable and intense but, (like hunger) its not an emergency. 2)Stand firm-Tell yourself you are not going to eat the food you are craving. When you wait out a craving you strengthen your "resistance muscle" and weaken your "giving in muscle"... 3) Don't give yourself a choice-once that decision is made it is easier. Tell your self..NO CHOICE. 4) Imagine the aftermath of giving in.5) Remind yourself of why you want to learn to withstand cravings. Read your truth cards.
Friday, May 8, 2009
DAY 12
Today you practice tolerating hunger. Many overeaters fear hunger, like I do! This exercise will show you there is absolutely nothing wrong with being hungry and even slipping a meal. ( I have actually fasted for 14 days drinking only juice for half of the time and water for half.)
Yeah, crazy woman...and you are listening to me. No, seriously I really benefited in many ways on that fast and spent the time praying for a few urgent issues. So I know I won't die if I skip a meal and neither will you. (If you have a medical condition like diabetes of course, do not do this days task.)
I also know I have the tools now to not go crazy and overeat if I get too hungry. One day this week or another convenient time skip lunch or at least go 5 or 6 hours between meals. Again, observe how you feel each hour and write it down. Be sure and practice eating slowly and mindfully at your next meal.
To Do
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
observe your hunger for a day going 6 hours without food
Yeah, crazy woman...and you are listening to me. No, seriously I really benefited in many ways on that fast and spent the time praying for a few urgent issues. So I know I won't die if I skip a meal and neither will you. (If you have a medical condition like diabetes of course, do not do this days task.)
I also know I have the tools now to not go crazy and overeat if I get too hungry. One day this week or another convenient time skip lunch or at least go 5 or 6 hours between meals. Again, observe how you feel each hour and write it down. Be sure and practice eating slowly and mindfully at your next meal.
To Do
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
observe your hunger for a day going 6 hours without food
Update
Someone asked me today in our moms' bible study (when i let someone else get a word in edgewise),
if I am enjoying this journey of the Welcome-to-your-Death Diet. This person does not ask questions frivolously so I thought about the answer today. I do like this experiment so far for the following reasons:
I focus on my true purpose for eating the way I am eating many times a day, therefore I focus on my true purpose in life as many times a day. (Living for the glory of God)
I enjoy the change I see in my attitude toward eating. I am eating for nourishment with pleasure not for emotional reasons.
I have lost 4 lbs.
I have not had as much time as I'd like to read The Quest for More by Paul Tripp or to blog about the things I'm learning there as it takes time to explain the tasks for the day. But it has been good to write those synopses as it reminds me what I need to do daily. (I have been busy moving and also have a final in one week in my Theology and Secular Psychology class.) I hope to spend more time on the Quest for More when things settle down.
if I am enjoying this journey of the Welcome-to-your-Death Diet. This person does not ask questions frivolously so I thought about the answer today. I do like this experiment so far for the following reasons:
I focus on my true purpose for eating the way I am eating many times a day, therefore I focus on my true purpose in life as many times a day. (Living for the glory of God)
I enjoy the change I see in my attitude toward eating. I am eating for nourishment with pleasure not for emotional reasons.
I have lost 4 lbs.
I have not had as much time as I'd like to read The Quest for More by Paul Tripp or to blog about the things I'm learning there as it takes time to explain the tasks for the day. But it has been good to write those synopses as it reminds me what I need to do daily. (I have been busy moving and also have a final in one week in my Theology and Secular Psychology class.) I hope to spend more time on the Quest for More when things settle down.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
DAY 11
Today we will learn about our hunger. Thin eaters eat in response to hunger. Not me.
Food is an emotional crutch so hunger tends to be irrelevant. Time to start focusing on this because I want to learn to eat for nourishment of the body God gave me and not as a means of stuffing, avoiding or handling bad situations or feelings.
We will talk later about how to, then, handle these feelings. For now it will be so helpful to just study how hungry you get during the day and how you feel about it.
As you go through your day today (or tomorrow if that's more convenient) you will keep record of when you eat and on the hour how hungry you feel. Also if you have an urge to eat write it down and notice what the urge feels like. True hunger is in your stomach and feels hollow or growly. False hunger or head hunger is in your head, in your throat, and in your mouth.
If it is not time to eat something by your diets rules you can tell yourself "NO CHOICE".
"I will not give in to this temptation." When you make this decision most times the craving will subside. Even if you are truly hungry you can wait for awhile to eat and the hunger will ebb. God made us this way since we can't always eat when our body begins to urge us.
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
observe your hunger for a day
Food is an emotional crutch so hunger tends to be irrelevant. Time to start focusing on this because I want to learn to eat for nourishment of the body God gave me and not as a means of stuffing, avoiding or handling bad situations or feelings.
We will talk later about how to, then, handle these feelings. For now it will be so helpful to just study how hungry you get during the day and how you feel about it.
As you go through your day today (or tomorrow if that's more convenient) you will keep record of when you eat and on the hour how hungry you feel. Also if you have an urge to eat write it down and notice what the urge feels like. True hunger is in your stomach and feels hollow or growly. False hunger or head hunger is in your head, in your throat, and in your mouth.
If it is not time to eat something by your diets rules you can tell yourself "NO CHOICE".
"I will not give in to this temptation." When you make this decision most times the craving will subside. Even if you are truly hungry you can wait for awhile to eat and the hunger will ebb. God made us this way since we can't always eat when our body begins to urge us.
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
observe your hunger for a day
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
DAY 10
How are you doing so far? Take a minute to glance over the steps and honestly evaluate if you are being serious about the tasks. It may seem silly to be strict about each one like being grateful for the good things you are doing several times a day. It may be silly to others but not to you because you have a purpose in each of them and your purpose is to glorify God in your body.
Today you will set a goal. A good long term goal is to be within the guidelines set for us in the good ol' charts. But the goal we will set today will be a short term goal. Five pounds is a doable goal that can be acheived in a short enough time to keep you from getting discouraged. When you meet that goal you will celebrate. Decide now how you will celebrate. Get yourself a little gift, take a day off or go out to dinner.
to-do
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
set goal to lose 5 lbs
Today you will set a goal. A good long term goal is to be within the guidelines set for us in the good ol' charts. But the goal we will set today will be a short term goal. Five pounds is a doable goal that can be acheived in a short enough time to keep you from getting discouraged. When you meet that goal you will celebrate. Decide now how you will celebrate. Get yourself a little gift, take a day off or go out to dinner.
to-do
read your truth cards at least twice
read other truth cards as needed
eat slowly, seated
express gratefulness when you engage in helpful eating behaviors
exercise
set goal to lose 5 lbs
Monday, May 4, 2009
What A Waste!
Wasting time?Are you focusing too much on an END PRODUCT or goal today?
Are you discouraged by your messy house, you just didn't get enough done today?
Did you "waste" money in the stock market or on a bad choice of purchase and its haunting you?
Did the scale discourage you today?
If so you are not living in the right ECONOMY!
In God's economy the process is what counts. He wants you to NEED Him, He wants you to DEPEND on Him, He wants you to TURN to Him and LOVE Him. That is all he wants. It doesn't really matter how much is getting done or if life is efficient or really the end product as long as He is glorified in the process. His strength is made perfect (and He is glorified) in your weakness.
Mary WASTED costly perfume on Jesus. Sometime Jesus allows things to be wasted, like money time, effort, but in the process His goals of LOVE and GLORY get accomplished.
If you are trusting Him this minute nothing else matters...He causes it all to work together for your good and His glory. So rest in Him.
DAY 9
Research supports that in order for you to have long term success in keeping your weight down you must include regular exercise. Its a fact. Not only does it help with your weight but exercise will benefit your body as an instrument for God in so many ways.
It is the vehicle you use to serve Him so if you are living for the purpose of His glory, taking care of your body is going to be part of that. Exercise includes cardio and weight training. Cardio improves heart and lung function for longer life and the ability to walk round more easily and weight training or resistance training strengthens bones, speed up metabolism (so you can eat more) and enables you to move and work more tirelessly.
I have written down the benefits of exercise to read and remind myself.
1 I can work more efficiently so I can get more done (serve family) without tiring
2 I can visit family or friends and take out of town guests around without tiring..more able to minister to them.
3 Live longer and more robustly so I can love God and love people.
So make a plan to exercise at least 3 times a week.
Make truth card for exercise or for anything you are struggling with.
Read over truth cards for the last 8 days tasks.
It is the vehicle you use to serve Him so if you are living for the purpose of His glory, taking care of your body is going to be part of that. Exercise includes cardio and weight training. Cardio improves heart and lung function for longer life and the ability to walk round more easily and weight training or resistance training strengthens bones, speed up metabolism (so you can eat more) and enables you to move and work more tirelessly.
I have written down the benefits of exercise to read and remind myself.
1 I can work more efficiently so I can get more done (serve family) without tiring
2 I can visit family or friends and take out of town guests around without tiring..more able to minister to them.
3 Live longer and more robustly so I can love God and love people.
So make a plan to exercise at least 3 times a week.
Make truth card for exercise or for anything you are struggling with.
Read over truth cards for the last 8 days tasks.
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