I-Gene

I have to admit I've had some fearful thoughts about food freedom. "What if I can't keep this up? What if this doesn't work AGAIN. I'm tired of failing." oooo yucky. Those are logical thoughts? Logically dangerous! That kind of thinking means I'm making it about me. If I could do it, I would have done it already. Duh! That I-gene is a sneaky one! (I named her.) Today was a good day because food was the last thing on my mind (PRAISE JESUS HALLELUJAH!) But the trick came when I realized that. Instead of the usual condemnation/need-self-improvement trap I fall into, Igene sneaked stealthily in on me with some self-praise. "Look how great "I" am doing." I bought into it! BOO! At supper time I did overeat a bit. As a dietitian, I would have to say that calorie-wise it still wasn't too bad when looking at it from a weekly perspective. But eating is not the real issue here, although Igene likes for me to think it is. The harm was that I ate supper thinking about her----the old me---the nature that has been discarded----the old girl I created---my imaginary self. I identified with THAT mess for a meal! I knew the real me was full and satisfied. I didn't want any more and kept eating anyway. I ate because "I" stepped up to the plate. I slipped up when I started getting a little big-headed about my performance. That's not freedom. Freedom is freedom myself (imaginary self.) I was thinking I was doing so great, then I blew it (on a heart level.) No matter if it she is behaving GOOD or if she is BAD, I identified with HER instead of resting as my true reality self. After I identified with her (based on MY good behavior), she became hungry and I fed her well. After I completed an action based on that belief (overeating,) the affirming thoughts quickly turned into accusation. "Look what you did! You blew it again. And you thought you were doing so great. How dare you think so highly of yourself." Now I have to change my mind from feeling bad that I fell for it. Great! Another thing to get right-minded about. (Again about me...can you hear it?) I catch myself thinking, and then get my thinking straight. If it is not me doing it, then how can I fail? I remind myself who I really am, and that I do not want to feed who I am not. If you want to know the truth about it, it is impossible for me to fail because Jesus did not fail. Not because I'm as good as he is, but because it actually IS him. We traded, remember? When I forget that, I end up eating 1/2 a piece of garlic bread too much. Even if I-gene distracts me and I stumble into a pit, I'll get back up. Who I am is so hidden in the ONE who CAN and DID do it, that I can't tell the difference. That's the real me.---It's WE. It's HE in ME! I'm hungrier for freedom than the spectacular spaghetti Wayne made for supper.

FLOG
1 string cheese.
1 sissy coffee.
1 mini powdered donut.
1/2 sweet tea + 1/2 unsweet tea.
Water water water.
3/4 cup chicken and dumplings.
1/2 cup peas and carrots.
1" x 1" cornbread. (That's pretty much two bites.)
1/4 cup diabetic pudding dessert that was really yummy.
6 corn nuggets.
1 big o' yummy salad with feta cheese and peppercorn ranch.
1 1/2 pieces of garlic bread.
1 cup spaghetti and meat sauce.
Lots of water.

Nutrition Nugget
Why reinvent the wheel? Sticking with The American Dietetic Association simple tips on their website in honor of Nutrition Month coming up in March.

Make at least half your grains whole.

* Choose brown rice, barley and oats and other whole grains for your sides and ingredients.
* Switch to 100-percent whole-grain breads, cereals and crackers.
* Check the ingredients list on food packages to find foods that are made with whole grains.