Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. Romans 8:5-8 The Message.
Wins for Today
I cleaned out my pantry. Long. Time. Coming. I can make better choices when I know what I have. It is amazing how a clean pantry makes me feel.
Nutritional Nugget
A single cup of ice cream has more fat than a hamburger and more cholesterol than 10 glazed donuts. How about fruit for dessert instead? This would increase fiber, not to mention vitamins, which is also a plus for the cholesterol-lowering diet. My favorite fruity dish is fruit salad. I like it best made a day ahead so the flavors meld. No matter what fruit I throw in, I also add pineapple. For some reason I like how the enzymes for that blend the flavors together. I have also mixed the fruit sald with a little bit of yogurt. It is really tasty.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Day 33 Food For Thought: "Gettin' Kind of Heavy."
Today a thorn in my flesh I have forgiven multiple times decided to stick me again. I have forgiven all the past things she has done to try to make my life miserable, but I have apparently not forgiven the future things. I let her rent space in my mind for about an hour and half. Then I began to take notice of myself. I could literally feel the heaviness that settled on my head and shoulders.
What does this have to do with weight loss journey? LOTS! I now know that my physical weight is only a reflection of weight I choose to carry on the inside. I have really been casting off the heavy in my soul since I started this particular journey, so I definitely noticed when I picked it back up. Also, her actions are nothing but a distraction for me on my journeys ...weight loss, peace, life, everything. Being offended at her is NOT worth the weight. But she deserves it! ...Really? Does she? Then I do. Forgiven. Weightless.
Win for Today.
I actually drove somewhere to go walking. I took my three little boys at dusk. Um yes, I bit off more than I could chew, but it was well digested. I pushed the three of them in a stroller for two miles on uncharted, but paved, territory. We watched the sun go down. We met lots of new best friends and caught their twilight barks. The best part was listening the chatter of three little boys at their bed time. It was definitely some quality time I am looking forward to getting more of soon. They were so calm when we got home. I know they liked it too.
Nutritional Nugget
Omega-3 fatty acids are a heart-healthy fat. It is recommended to get at least two servings of fish per week. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the fat that keep fish warm in cold water. Therefore, the best source of omega-3 foods will come from cold water fish. Here is a list of the best sources:
Mackerel
Lake trout
Herring
Sardines
Albacore tuna
Salmon
Halibut
There are also supplements that one can take, but as usual the closer the way God made it, the better. Ground flaxseed and canola oil are also sources.
What does this have to do with weight loss journey? LOTS! I now know that my physical weight is only a reflection of weight I choose to carry on the inside. I have really been casting off the heavy in my soul since I started this particular journey, so I definitely noticed when I picked it back up. Also, her actions are nothing but a distraction for me on my journeys ...weight loss, peace, life, everything. Being offended at her is NOT worth the weight. But she deserves it! ...Really? Does she? Then I do. Forgiven. Weightless.
Win for Today.
I actually drove somewhere to go walking. I took my three little boys at dusk. Um yes, I bit off more than I could chew, but it was well digested. I pushed the three of them in a stroller for two miles on uncharted, but paved, territory. We watched the sun go down. We met lots of new best friends and caught their twilight barks. The best part was listening the chatter of three little boys at their bed time. It was definitely some quality time I am looking forward to getting more of soon. They were so calm when we got home. I know they liked it too.
Nutritional Nugget
Omega-3 fatty acids are a heart-healthy fat. It is recommended to get at least two servings of fish per week. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the fat that keep fish warm in cold water. Therefore, the best source of omega-3 foods will come from cold water fish. Here is a list of the best sources:
Mackerel
Lake trout
Herring
Sardines
Albacore tuna
Salmon
Halibut
There are also supplements that one can take, but as usual the closer the way God made it, the better. Ground flaxseed and canola oil are also sources.
Day 32 Food For Thought: "Good Toast." --Nacho
Nacho to the Nun: “I was wondering if you would join me in my quarters this night for some toast.”
I think of that quote from “Nacho Libre,” one of my most quoted movies (second only to “Groundhog Day,”) as I ponder on this thought for today....
“Our Father in heaven.....give us this day our daily bread...”
Is that really talking about food? Or is that referring to the Bread of Life? Multiple times in the scriptures Jesus is referred to as nourishment for us. “Eat my flesh. Drink my blood.” etc.
Today and tomorrows, when I start to eat, taste, or lick anything, I will ask myself...which “bread” am I really hungry for? And does whatever I am about to eat bring me life?
“Those eggs were a lie, Stephen. A lie! They give me no eagle powers. They give me no nutrients!” --Nacho
I choose to dine WITH the Bread of Life for today and all tomorrows.
Wins for Today:
My win for today is that I cannot think of anywhere I got off course. I normally struggle with staying focused on the wins. My tendency is to focus on the failures. ---things I THINK are failures.
Nutritional Nugget
Fast food is not friendly for cholesterol. A single patty cheeseburger might have around 85 grams of cholesterol not to mention the saturated or trans fats. When considering 200mg is the guideline for those dealing with cholesterol, that does not sound like a dandy choice. Add milk shake and some super sized fries and the fat content gets even scarier. Most fast food places have healthier menu options, but you could get a plain burger and a side salad or a fruit cup instead of fries to help limit the lipids going down. Most restaurant nutritional information is available. Here is a link I like:
http://www.foodfacts.info/
I think of that quote from “Nacho Libre,” one of my most quoted movies (second only to “Groundhog Day,”) as I ponder on this thought for today....
“Our Father in heaven.....give us this day our daily bread...”
Is that really talking about food? Or is that referring to the Bread of Life? Multiple times in the scriptures Jesus is referred to as nourishment for us. “Eat my flesh. Drink my blood.” etc.
Today and tomorrows, when I start to eat, taste, or lick anything, I will ask myself...which “bread” am I really hungry for? And does whatever I am about to eat bring me life?
“Those eggs were a lie, Stephen. A lie! They give me no eagle powers. They give me no nutrients!” --Nacho
I choose to dine WITH the Bread of Life for today and all tomorrows.
Wins for Today:
My win for today is that I cannot think of anywhere I got off course. I normally struggle with staying focused on the wins. My tendency is to focus on the failures. ---things I THINK are failures.
Nutritional Nugget
Fast food is not friendly for cholesterol. A single patty cheeseburger might have around 85 grams of cholesterol not to mention the saturated or trans fats. When considering 200mg is the guideline for those dealing with cholesterol, that does not sound like a dandy choice. Add milk shake and some super sized fries and the fat content gets even scarier. Most fast food places have healthier menu options, but you could get a plain burger and a side salad or a fruit cup instead of fries to help limit the lipids going down. Most restaurant nutritional information is available. Here is a link I like:
http://www.foodfacts.info/
Day 31 Food For Thought: A Royally Frosted Blunder
I realized some pretty important lessons today, and as I sat down to type more came out of me than I realized. My eating choices were superb all day long, but as I drove home late from the store, I ate some donuts I bought. (Insert Debbie Downer sound here.) I drove the rest of the way really beating myself up about it. After a long while, it dawned on me that I sabotaged myself. I still apparently have issues in my heart that is making me mess up when I have made progress. I didn't mess up too badly especially when considering how well I had done that day.
There are some things I must rewrite in my heart. We always come back to where our heart is. Kind of like a fishing bobber. (Is that how you spell “bobber?”) No matter how deep the bobber goes under water, its nature is to come back to the surface. No matter how well I do, my heart will bring me to where I have conditioned it to live.
Another thing I realized is that I made the blunder my focus. I really believe I messed up when in reality if I truly believe I am free, it would be impossible for me to fail. That is really something I will have to meditate on for a while. I will go where my focus is. Have you ever tried walking in a straight line or drive in a straight line and your attention gets focused on something slightly to the left? Where do we end up when that happens? Of course to the left. I must realize the truth about this situation and that is the truth of my higher reality. Focusing on my blunder will only lead to more blunders. Stay the course.
Until I realized my mistake was not as big as I was making it, I was really feeling bad about myself. I fell into the mental trap of condemnation and self accusation. I wriggled free but only after realizing that the right-minded moments are growing bigger and the bondage-thinking is less and less these days. That is a big win.
Wins for Today
I got a glimpse of some dust bunnies in the hidden places of my heart, and now I know areas to call in the maid. My right-minded moments are present for longer amounts of time. I fell, but I got up, and I'll get back up tomorrows.
Nutritional Nugget
The American Heart Association recommends a maximum daily cholesterol intake of 300 mg per day. If you already have high cholesterol, you need to stay below 200 mg. One egg yolk contains 213 mg of cholesterol. There are products such as egg beaters that are egg whites. Try changing your cooking method to scramble egg whites only or maybe with only one yolk. Remember to avoid trans fats and limit saturated fats to less than 10 grams. Be sure to read the food labels and always note the serving size under “Nutrition Facts.”
There are some things I must rewrite in my heart. We always come back to where our heart is. Kind of like a fishing bobber. (Is that how you spell “bobber?”) No matter how deep the bobber goes under water, its nature is to come back to the surface. No matter how well I do, my heart will bring me to where I have conditioned it to live.
Another thing I realized is that I made the blunder my focus. I really believe I messed up when in reality if I truly believe I am free, it would be impossible for me to fail. That is really something I will have to meditate on for a while. I will go where my focus is. Have you ever tried walking in a straight line or drive in a straight line and your attention gets focused on something slightly to the left? Where do we end up when that happens? Of course to the left. I must realize the truth about this situation and that is the truth of my higher reality. Focusing on my blunder will only lead to more blunders. Stay the course.
Until I realized my mistake was not as big as I was making it, I was really feeling bad about myself. I fell into the mental trap of condemnation and self accusation. I wriggled free but only after realizing that the right-minded moments are growing bigger and the bondage-thinking is less and less these days. That is a big win.
Wins for Today
I got a glimpse of some dust bunnies in the hidden places of my heart, and now I know areas to call in the maid. My right-minded moments are present for longer amounts of time. I fell, but I got up, and I'll get back up tomorrows.
Nutritional Nugget
The American Heart Association recommends a maximum daily cholesterol intake of 300 mg per day. If you already have high cholesterol, you need to stay below 200 mg. One egg yolk contains 213 mg of cholesterol. There are products such as egg beaters that are egg whites. Try changing your cooking method to scramble egg whites only or maybe with only one yolk. Remember to avoid trans fats and limit saturated fats to less than 10 grams. Be sure to read the food labels and always note the serving size under “Nutrition Facts.”
Day 30 Food For Thought: Punished By Food
After chatting with several of my readers, experiencing some things with some recent patients, and hearing about some reality folk on the tube, I have a major food issue on my heart today. I do not consider this a personal struggle necessarily, but I deal with it regularly with other people. A reader recently told me how she enjoyed this blog and how it is helping her realize that she does not need to punish herself with food. MAJOR WIN!
We can use food as a punishment in two basic ways. We can binge until we are miserable, or we can deprive ourself of this basic need. I have binged before, eating things I did not want, but making myself eat anyway. I did not like that at all. I already did not want it, but then the guilt feeling that followed reaffirmed all the negative feelings I was already having about myself. These times have rarely happened, but I felt what it feels like to be a bit out of control in this area. I guess it was a moment of addiction. I have actually met people who have had gastric bypass surgery who weigh more after the surgery. Um...if you know anything about that surgery, you know it would take some skill to conquer that. Part of the stomach is removed and reattached further down the intestinal tract so that it bypasses a major part of the area where digestion and absorption occurs. One would have to eat constantly and would most definitely have some major malabsorption issues like diarrhea. I cannot imagine their discomfort. Why do people do this to their bodies? I am sure there are lots of issues that might cause this. This seems to be like a food hoarder as I have posted before.
I have also met dear friends who have deprived themselves of food and struggle with anorexia. I never understood this until I met a friend who had overcome this. She is still a little underweight and often spoke of her “chubby” sister. I met her sister who is perfect in every way physically. It is puzzling to me that my friend's perspective of her sister was “chubby” when she was right at her ideal body weight. I had many questions for her and she was glad to help me understand. She was a straight A student, an athlete, a musician. Everything she did is excellent. She said she never felt good enough. She would strive for perfection and was never satisfied with herself. She said it was addicting to lose weight because she felt like that was something she could control. At her worst point, she weighed 50 pounds in a 5 foot 4 inches body. She admits still having physical symptoms related to anorexia even though she has been healthy for over a decade. She said that there was not a day that goes by that she doesn't think of her struggle. How sad that she is still in bondage to it even though she is healthy now.
These are extreme cases, but I think each of us who struggle with weight can identify with root issues that might lead to these disorders. Perfectionism? Control issues? Self-worth issues? Lack? Guilt? Condemnation? Lord Jesus help us to know we already are and to see that the issues we struggle with only as bad dreams.
Wins for Today
Today was by baby's 2nd birthday. I was more than a little emotional. Wayne sent me to have a massage. It is amazing how right-minded one can become once relaxed. Win.
Nutritional Nugget
I got this from
http://cholesterol.about.com/od/exercise/Exercise_and_Cholesterol.htm
I concur with these guidelines and think it is great advice with practical principles.
"Moderate exercise (about 30 minutes five times a week) not only reduces LDL cholesterol, it also can raise HDL cholesterol, too. You don’t have to be a triathelete or have a gym membership to get exercise -- there are many studies that suggest even brisk walking will help to lower your cholesterol levels. However, the more intense aerobic exercises, such as jogging, will raise your HDL levels the best. Current research has shown that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise can raise HDL levels by 3 to 6 mg/dL. These results are evident after 24 hours, and can persist up to fifteen days after exercising. If you don’t have the time to commit to a 30-minute workout, don’t sweat it. Some studies have shown that individuals who have divided this time into 15-minute intervals, as opposed to exercising 30 minutes straight, receive the same healthy benefits of exercise."
We can use food as a punishment in two basic ways. We can binge until we are miserable, or we can deprive ourself of this basic need. I have binged before, eating things I did not want, but making myself eat anyway. I did not like that at all. I already did not want it, but then the guilt feeling that followed reaffirmed all the negative feelings I was already having about myself. These times have rarely happened, but I felt what it feels like to be a bit out of control in this area. I guess it was a moment of addiction. I have actually met people who have had gastric bypass surgery who weigh more after the surgery. Um...if you know anything about that surgery, you know it would take some skill to conquer that. Part of the stomach is removed and reattached further down the intestinal tract so that it bypasses a major part of the area where digestion and absorption occurs. One would have to eat constantly and would most definitely have some major malabsorption issues like diarrhea. I cannot imagine their discomfort. Why do people do this to their bodies? I am sure there are lots of issues that might cause this. This seems to be like a food hoarder as I have posted before.
I have also met dear friends who have deprived themselves of food and struggle with anorexia. I never understood this until I met a friend who had overcome this. She is still a little underweight and often spoke of her “chubby” sister. I met her sister who is perfect in every way physically. It is puzzling to me that my friend's perspective of her sister was “chubby” when she was right at her ideal body weight. I had many questions for her and she was glad to help me understand. She was a straight A student, an athlete, a musician. Everything she did is excellent. She said she never felt good enough. She would strive for perfection and was never satisfied with herself. She said it was addicting to lose weight because she felt like that was something she could control. At her worst point, she weighed 50 pounds in a 5 foot 4 inches body. She admits still having physical symptoms related to anorexia even though she has been healthy for over a decade. She said that there was not a day that goes by that she doesn't think of her struggle. How sad that she is still in bondage to it even though she is healthy now.
These are extreme cases, but I think each of us who struggle with weight can identify with root issues that might lead to these disorders. Perfectionism? Control issues? Self-worth issues? Lack? Guilt? Condemnation? Lord Jesus help us to know we already are and to see that the issues we struggle with only as bad dreams.
Wins for Today
Today was by baby's 2nd birthday. I was more than a little emotional. Wayne sent me to have a massage. It is amazing how right-minded one can become once relaxed. Win.
Nutritional Nugget
I got this from
http://cholesterol.about.com/od/exercise/Exercise_and_Cholesterol.htm
I concur with these guidelines and think it is great advice with practical principles.
"Moderate exercise (about 30 minutes five times a week) not only reduces LDL cholesterol, it also can raise HDL cholesterol, too. You don’t have to be a triathelete or have a gym membership to get exercise -- there are many studies that suggest even brisk walking will help to lower your cholesterol levels. However, the more intense aerobic exercises, such as jogging, will raise your HDL levels the best. Current research has shown that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise can raise HDL levels by 3 to 6 mg/dL. These results are evident after 24 hours, and can persist up to fifteen days after exercising. If you don’t have the time to commit to a 30-minute workout, don’t sweat it. Some studies have shown that individuals who have divided this time into 15-minute intervals, as opposed to exercising 30 minutes straight, receive the same healthy benefits of exercise."
Day 29 Food For Thought: No More Games
I have been playing peek-a-boo with deprivation. I am happy to recognize this. I know I am more right-minded, but every now and then I feel a tug of war with my flesh. When I lower myself to join in the game, my will wins at least round one. But then my flesh starts pouting. My flesh begins to manipulate me by telling me I am deprived. When I buy into that feeling of deprivation, I lose. I give in to that feeling. I feed myself with food when I really should be taking care of the deprivation issue on a mental level. I am making a decision to recognize when deprivation pokes its ugly head into mine. I am making a decision not to play. I will not take a bite of the temptation that I lack. I will stay focused on my journey. Deprivation is a rabbit trail in the opposite direction. I will ask myself, “My do I feel deprived?” Maybe I will answer that I think I lack when truth says I have been given all things. Maybe I will answer that I am afraid of the unknown. I can deal with it without playing peek-a-boo deprivation. Deprivation is a distraction. I will continue to look ahead. Just keep walking, walking, walking.
Wins for Today
Planned for a big, healthy supper with friends. I worked today and ate enough to keep up my energy without overeating causing me to feel sluggish.
Nutritional Nugget
Increasing fiber intake decreases cholesterol levels. Fiber is found in plant food groups which are fruit, vegetables, and grains. It is not as difficult as you think to increase fiber, but it can take a few trips to the grocery store before you fully figure it out. Be sure to read labels, and add some fresh fruits and more vegetables to your daily menu. If you have kids who do not like vegetables, I highly recommend the “Deceptively Delicious” cookbook concept. Hide veggies in their food.
Increasing Fiber at Breakfast:
Even things as easy as adding a can of pumpkin to a cake mix (yellow or chocolate) will increase fiber and nutrition and is a tasty muffin for breakfast.
Add all kinds of pureed goodness to pancakes. My favorite is mashed sweet potatoes, but beets are extra great. If I don't have fresh beets to puree, I puree one can for about every 2-3 cups of flour used in the pancake recipe. Also add some ricotta cheese for extra protein. Throw in some ground flax seed as the Spirit leads. I usually make the beet pancakes bite size. Sprinkle on some powdered sugar instead of syrup. Even the pickiest kids will eat up beet pancakes, and they are cool because they are pink.
There are some good cereals out there that are more natural and have a decent amount of fiber. I actually really love the FiberOne cereals that are out now. I have also made some Kashi treats before as opposed to rice crispy treats, but made the same way. Kashi Treats are good because you can make them up ahead and grab them and go out the door if you don't have time to sit down. They are yummy too.
Wins for Today
Planned for a big, healthy supper with friends. I worked today and ate enough to keep up my energy without overeating causing me to feel sluggish.
Nutritional Nugget
Increasing fiber intake decreases cholesterol levels. Fiber is found in plant food groups which are fruit, vegetables, and grains. It is not as difficult as you think to increase fiber, but it can take a few trips to the grocery store before you fully figure it out. Be sure to read labels, and add some fresh fruits and more vegetables to your daily menu. If you have kids who do not like vegetables, I highly recommend the “Deceptively Delicious” cookbook concept. Hide veggies in their food.
Increasing Fiber at Breakfast:
Even things as easy as adding a can of pumpkin to a cake mix (yellow or chocolate) will increase fiber and nutrition and is a tasty muffin for breakfast.
Add all kinds of pureed goodness to pancakes. My favorite is mashed sweet potatoes, but beets are extra great. If I don't have fresh beets to puree, I puree one can for about every 2-3 cups of flour used in the pancake recipe. Also add some ricotta cheese for extra protein. Throw in some ground flax seed as the Spirit leads. I usually make the beet pancakes bite size. Sprinkle on some powdered sugar instead of syrup. Even the pickiest kids will eat up beet pancakes, and they are cool because they are pink.
There are some good cereals out there that are more natural and have a decent amount of fiber. I actually really love the FiberOne cereals that are out now. I have also made some Kashi treats before as opposed to rice crispy treats, but made the same way. Kashi Treats are good because you can make them up ahead and grab them and go out the door if you don't have time to sit down. They are yummy too.
Day 28 Food For Thought: Anything "'er"
I once saw a promo on daytime television for a talk show. “...And find out how she lost weight by reading a book.” I don't normally fall for advertising antics. We don't even have television any more but when I heard that, I was intrigued. Can it be that simple? I tuned in. The whole show was about lessons that different people learned from whatever book. I planned my whole day around what ended up being a thirty second interview with a girl who had finally lost the weight she always wanted. She said that she was active and fit, but had always struggled with the five or ten pounds over her ideal body weight and just couldn't lose it. Then she read one line in the book that made sort of a reference to trying to improve oneself. I cannot recall the word for word dialog, but the girl made a statement I have never forgotten. She said, “...anything 'er.”
I think I know what she is talking about. Here is my pitiful attempt at an explanation of this challenging concept. First a little back ground. I read a little bit about perfectionism once and that is something I struggle with. I know that sounds funny especially if you know me. Trust me, I still struggle with it on the inside, but I used to be a whole lot worse. Apparently perfectionism is an issue for first born children according to Kevin Leman and his “Birth Order Book.” Anyway, after going to Father about this, I heard him say one day, “If you think you have to be perfect, then you don't know you are already.” I believe this is what that girl on the talk show was talking about. It is something that I've been walking out ever since. It is time now to apply it to my weight loss journey like she did.
I am going to try to be as brief as I can on a New Testament foundational concept that most of us hardly ever capture in a life time. Don't get me wrong, I know no one is perfect. I used to think that perfection is a direction and something I am always to strive for but can never achieve. Now I see that anything I think I can become on my own is an impossible illusion. My perfection can only come from a gift that Jesus bought for me and is nothing I can achieve on my own. For me to deny my perfection in Him is to deny the very gift of salvation. If I think I can DO anything to become better, then I see that I “Am Not” when he already made me as, “I Am.” Just as I Am. That phrase needs to take on a whole different meaning in me. When I used to sing that phrase, I would concentrate on the filthiness of my person who needed a savior. Now I am changing my mind to see “Just as I Am” meaning Just as He is so am I. This is dealing with the very basic thesis of His whole kingdom and why we are in this mess in the first place. Adam and Eve forgot that they were made in the image of the Great I Am. They believed they lacked and DID something to try to become bett“ER.” That is when they began to see and create destruction.
Although there a lots of reason why I am fat, I know one underlying major issue is that I see lack in myself. I am so much more right-minded than I used to be, but I still struggle with thinking, “I am not enough.” I try to fill some sort of void in my mind with food and habitually overeat. What I have focused on has become my reality. This creates a negative cycle. The more weight I have gained, the more I feel “not enough” creating a deeper sense of lack. I have a mentality that, “I will be BETTER IF I lose weight.” Bett“ER.”
The very fact I think I can improve means that I recognize imperfections and areas where I lack. This is actually difficult, because obviously I need to work on some things. But it is focusing on this lack mentality that keeps me in bondage. I am only free if I know it.
I know this a deep issue with me because I compare myself with others. I tend to see others as being “better” than me if they are, for example, a healthy weight. I often have thoughts of how proud I will be of myself when I lose weight. My self worth cannot come from anything physical. That is shallow and unstable. I think it is like having confidence in a lie.
What I will keep reminding myself the truth he has shown me. I am enough just like I am. Weight loss will not make me better or more of anything. I cannot achieve anything, but as a gift I have already been given everything. I already am. I am excited to lose weight, but I will refuse to think that my weight makes me less. Casting off the “anything 'er” mentality will effortlessly take me to my destination.
Wins for Today
We were eating lunch with Nana today, so I planned appropriately. I was actually hungry most of the day even though I knew I had eaten enough food. I laid down with Ben for twenty minutes of his nap. I decided to get energy from rest instead of food I knew I did not need.
Nutritional Nugget
Increasing fiber intake is a goal for almost every nutritional counseling I do including cholesterol-lowering diet. Our liver makes bile from cholesterol. Bile is used to emulsify fats for digestion, but is reabsorbed in the intestines. Fiber causes bile to not be reabsorbed. If bile is excreted, then the liver has to make more bile therefore using up more cholesterol. Check the food labels. If there is 5 grams or more of fiber per serving, it is considered a high fiber food.
I think I know what she is talking about. Here is my pitiful attempt at an explanation of this challenging concept. First a little back ground. I read a little bit about perfectionism once and that is something I struggle with. I know that sounds funny especially if you know me. Trust me, I still struggle with it on the inside, but I used to be a whole lot worse. Apparently perfectionism is an issue for first born children according to Kevin Leman and his “Birth Order Book.” Anyway, after going to Father about this, I heard him say one day, “If you think you have to be perfect, then you don't know you are already.” I believe this is what that girl on the talk show was talking about. It is something that I've been walking out ever since. It is time now to apply it to my weight loss journey like she did.
I am going to try to be as brief as I can on a New Testament foundational concept that most of us hardly ever capture in a life time. Don't get me wrong, I know no one is perfect. I used to think that perfection is a direction and something I am always to strive for but can never achieve. Now I see that anything I think I can become on my own is an impossible illusion. My perfection can only come from a gift that Jesus bought for me and is nothing I can achieve on my own. For me to deny my perfection in Him is to deny the very gift of salvation. If I think I can DO anything to become better, then I see that I “Am Not” when he already made me as, “I Am.” Just as I Am. That phrase needs to take on a whole different meaning in me. When I used to sing that phrase, I would concentrate on the filthiness of my person who needed a savior. Now I am changing my mind to see “Just as I Am” meaning Just as He is so am I. This is dealing with the very basic thesis of His whole kingdom and why we are in this mess in the first place. Adam and Eve forgot that they were made in the image of the Great I Am. They believed they lacked and DID something to try to become bett“ER.” That is when they began to see and create destruction.
Although there a lots of reason why I am fat, I know one underlying major issue is that I see lack in myself. I am so much more right-minded than I used to be, but I still struggle with thinking, “I am not enough.” I try to fill some sort of void in my mind with food and habitually overeat. What I have focused on has become my reality. This creates a negative cycle. The more weight I have gained, the more I feel “not enough” creating a deeper sense of lack. I have a mentality that, “I will be BETTER IF I lose weight.” Bett“ER.”
The very fact I think I can improve means that I recognize imperfections and areas where I lack. This is actually difficult, because obviously I need to work on some things. But it is focusing on this lack mentality that keeps me in bondage. I am only free if I know it.
I know this a deep issue with me because I compare myself with others. I tend to see others as being “better” than me if they are, for example, a healthy weight. I often have thoughts of how proud I will be of myself when I lose weight. My self worth cannot come from anything physical. That is shallow and unstable. I think it is like having confidence in a lie.
What I will keep reminding myself the truth he has shown me. I am enough just like I am. Weight loss will not make me better or more of anything. I cannot achieve anything, but as a gift I have already been given everything. I already am. I am excited to lose weight, but I will refuse to think that my weight makes me less. Casting off the “anything 'er” mentality will effortlessly take me to my destination.
Wins for Today
We were eating lunch with Nana today, so I planned appropriately. I was actually hungry most of the day even though I knew I had eaten enough food. I laid down with Ben for twenty minutes of his nap. I decided to get energy from rest instead of food I knew I did not need.
Nutritional Nugget
Increasing fiber intake is a goal for almost every nutritional counseling I do including cholesterol-lowering diet. Our liver makes bile from cholesterol. Bile is used to emulsify fats for digestion, but is reabsorbed in the intestines. Fiber causes bile to not be reabsorbed. If bile is excreted, then the liver has to make more bile therefore using up more cholesterol. Check the food labels. If there is 5 grams or more of fiber per serving, it is considered a high fiber food.
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