Don’t Be Misled by Mythical “Pie in the Sky” Diet Plans

Even after being diagnosed with high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, heart disease or other health complication, some still pursue destructive diet plans. Why? They’re chasing after rainbows!

Warning: There are many harmful diet plans advertised today that can tempt the Christian to do physical harm to their bodily temple. Oh, how Satan rejoices in a Christian’s weakness when he fails to comprehend basic biblical physiological truths!

Certain diet options are simply dangerous!!! Don’t be stubborn and seek speedy weight loss because you’d be choosing the wrong solution.  There’s no quick path to healthy weight loss!

Remember these basic practical truths.  God wants His best for us! He placed Adam in a Garden – not in a desert, mountaintop or by a beach. Why? Because everything we need to sustain optimum health can be found in a Garden.

Our destination is our choice, choose abundant vitality as one of them.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive.”  (1 Corinthians 10:23)

• Any food is fine in moderation. Although I would urge you not to consume foods with artificial ingredientts, chemicals, preservatives and dyes, there is no such thing as a good or bad food. Food’s only nutrients meant to create energy on a daily basis.

 

• Eat for nutrients. How’s your energy level lately? Our bodies are designed to run like a machine. We wouldn’t place sludge in our car’s gas tank so we shouldn’t place unhealthy junk in our personal machine.

Just as God created our body with different functions, one nutrient cannot accomplish everything in the body. Every nutrient works together to create optimum health and we need a variety to sustain a healthier lifestyle.

“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20)

• A good diet plan is a life-long one. “Oh my gosh Ellie, you mean I have to eat like this every day????” to which I reply, “Oh my, you mean I have to brush my teeth every day??” Do you wash your face, brush your hair, go through a morning ritual every day? Eating right should become as second nature as any other daily routine.

 

• Counting calories and measuring portions is important at the beginning because it gives you a sense of portion size. But to do this for the rest of your life is as discouraging as walking across the continental USA. Some have – but few people have that much discipline.

It’s easier and smarer to learn to “eyeball” portions after measuring amounts onto a bowl or plate and eventually recognizing sizing. Constantly counting? One becomes discouraged counting fat grams, calories, weighing and measuring every item. This practice is quickly discarded when frustration sets in.

 

• Some fad diets actually do work for some people. They’re also abusive. I think someone won the $1 billion mega-lottery too. Will you be lucky?  Years ago, before I became a nutritionist, I had friends who developed health complications from fad diets. Please don’t play Russian roulette with your body!

• Consume a sensible diet – such as the Mediterranean, DASH or Vegetairan plans with their balanced variety of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats. And enjoy a small dessert once in a while! Life’s too short not to enjoy God’s healthy bounty!

 

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Who’s Pulling Your Strings?

An entire month has gone by since you’ve made that New Year Resolution to lose weight! I’m sure you started out determined – but have you failed once again? Discouraged? Wondering why?

There are always mental, physiological and/or spiritual connections. Who’s pulling your strings?  You are the only one who can decide which outcome to choose.

“But I have no willpower!”     

So you think that, do you? Don’t be a puppet (or marionette) – think for yourselves.

That same willpower which prevents you from telling your boss, mother-in-law or that rude sales clerk what you really think of him or her, is the same willpower you should tap into to prevent yourself from losing control. Any decision has good and bad consequences involved.

Who controls your mind? It should be the Lord! “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Become a better decision maker. Think logically! Only three things that happen in any situation:

1. The event itself
2. Self-talk 
3. Your reaction

Here’s an example:

Your husband just called and suggested going out to dinner tonight. Sounds better than the boring grilled chicken you were thinking of preparing. You’re tempted. So what do you do?

1. The phone call was the event. You’re faced with decisions – stick to your weight-loss plan or give in?
2. Next, you’ll go through a little back and forth self-talk:  Well, I’d hate to disappoint my husband. I’ve been so good, maybe I could just give in this once. But I’m sooooo on track to fit into that gorgeous dress for our daughter’s wedding. But do I really want to chance it won’t fit? So tempting
3. Finally the reaction: Whatever you choose to do, you own. It was your decision, no one else’s.  No one else lives within your brain!

Willpower becomes a matter of personal integrity – choosing to do the right thing when no one else is watching. You already know what you should do, so talk yourself into success.

Here’s another tip to build willpower. Tap into your visualization skills. Imagine fattening food smeared all over your body. Now imagine walking into your daughter’s wedding, looking like that!

Which is more important, a cherished, lifetime memory or momentary pleasure? Which would make you feel more positive and special every day?  That’s precisely your goal; a lifelong commitment of feeling special because you are!

Create productive thoughts throughout the day to strengthen you. Tell yourself, “I am a strong, competent person because I am a child of a very important King.”

You were bought with a price by our Lord Jesus Christ. Did Jesus have to die for our out- of-control eating habits; for the sake of an entire Pepperidge Farm cake which you ate in one sitting? Well, actually yes.

Sin is sin! Jesus died for ALL sins, even for creating idols out of food. Gluttony is sin. It doesn’t matter if it is fattening fast-food, chocolate, pretzels, or health food. If it becomes your god, it’s an idol.

“But I can’t help myself!” Seriously? You can accomplish anything if you want it enough! Pray for wisdom and strength.

Think ahead and strategize. Write ideas down. Develop practical ways to overcome temptation. Make alternative choices so you’re prepared when you are tempted. Be proactive! Resolve not be brought down by a piece of cake! God made you stronger than food! Memorize Philippians 4:13. God is stronger than your food cravings!

 

Cabbage Soup and Other Crazy Diets

Research states Americans spent $72 billion on diets in 2019!

“Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” (Hebrews13:9)

Does anyone remember when Oprah Winfrey, to prove a point on her popular television show in the 1990s, set up a totally fictitious diet center in a mall?

That ‘diet’ consisted of eating only hot dogs and ice cream.  How silly, who’d believe that?   Well . . .  actually . . . over forty people signed up in three days! It proved that people will fall for anything and we must be wary of diet scams.

The question one has to ask is, why???  Surely they couldn’t believe that consuming sodium-filled, nitrate-laden, saturated fat, processed meat and 11 grams of saturated dairy fat per 1/2 cup, would produce a fit body?

Anything’s fine in moderation and isn’t health more important than weight loss?

Nutritional education, physiology, overcoming challenges and establishing lifelong strategies are certainly more conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Still, many search for a quick fix, even at the expense of their health.

The “Lose A Pound a Day Diet!”

Exposing the false claims of diet gurus who profess that one can lose a “pound a day” by simply trying this or that fad, is challenging.

Many plans have emerged over the years so let’s discuss several that have endured:

The Cabbage Soup Diet

Popular throughout the 1980s and ’90s, it is still used by many today as a magic formula.  “You can lose 10 lbs. in 10 days!!” bold headlines claim.  Wow, if it was only that easy. Sadly this claim isn’t realistic.

Although cabbage soup contains essential nutrients, you will not lose 10 pounds of FAT in ten days. You will lose mostly water weight.

I know it’s complicated but please stay with me here.

• 3,500 calories equal one pound of fat. A person would need to create a deficit of 500 calories per day to lose one pound of fat per week. (7 days x 500 =3,500 calories)
• Losing 1,000 calories per day would equal 7,000 calories per week which only amounts to two pounds.
• Let’s say you are a 180 pound male and moderately active. Your usual daily intake is 2,500 calories per day. Even if you cut out all food for ten days – starving yourself, 10 days x 2500 calories = 25,000 calories.  That only equals 7 pounds and your body would not only lose fat, but muscle, brain and water.
• If you reduce your diet to a starvation level of 800 to 1,000 calories per day – one dctor actually put me on this! – you would lose vital nutrients. Then your hypothalamus, (being the brain’s thermostat) would either nag you constantly to consume the nutrients you lack or it would think you were starving. It would then slow your metabolism to virtually nothing in order to protect you. This would defeat the purpose of weight loss.

The Grapefruit, Lemon and Apple Cider Vinegar Diets

I lump all these together because these diets are meant to burn fat with acidic producing properties which theoretically enhances metabolism. All contain nutrients which are physiologically beneficial and are excellent foods by themselves. 

What it does is produce alkaline properites

Although lemons, grapefruit and vinegar taste acidic, these foods biochemically metabolize into alkaline properties in your system. An alkaline pH curbs your appetite and in that way is beneficial. It is certainly not wrong to consume any of these on a daily basis, but it is not a magic bullet.

Excerpt form my book,  “Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese” (Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us)

Coming Soon: More Crazy Diet Plans

Choose To Be Mentally Ready For A Healthier Year!

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)

One’s Mental Connection to Success:

It’s that time of year when many follow crazy diet plans to lose those pounds which piled on over the holidays. I urge you to use common sense.

How many of you after reading this, would sign up for the following weight loss program if it clearly stated the following:

Volunteers needed to test a new diet program.
Some foods are toxic and will cause paralysis and blindness.

Hopefully none of you, right? Clearly this diet plan states that attempting this eating program WILL cause blindness and paralysis for attempting it. That’s crazy!

However, years ago, Rachel Ray, the American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author, conducted an experiment on her syndicated talk and lifestyle program, soliciting volunteers to sign up for this particular weight loss plan. Over 1,400 desperate, hopeful people signed up!! Unbelievable! Some people would literally self-destruct for a perceived world-view body image.

You might regard Rachel Ray’s false diet approach as an over-the-top, ridiculous example of a weight loss program, but reflect upon your own diet choices in the past. Are you one of those who tried six different plans and are still searching for the right one? How many have you tried a liquid diet, pills, Atkins Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, cottage cheese diet, grapefruit diet, cookie diet, no-carbs, no-fat, it goes on and on and on . . . granted, there is no “one size fits all” diet program, everyone’s physiology and chemical makeup is different, but let’s use some physiological sense.

We live in an instant gratification society. Most want a quick fix to lose ten pounds in a week. Many try fad diets and actually lose five to seven pounds the first week. But it won’t be 10 pounds of fat but rather water, muscle and brain they are losing. It is physically impossible to lose 10 pounds of fat per week! You can even starve yourself and not lose 10 pounds of fat! I’ll address that fallacy soon. Please don’t fall for gimmicks or only your wallet will be lighter.

Fad diets might seem tempting, but as we will learn, this is not how God originally designed us to live. We are to cherish our bodies for we were created by God with love and designed for a special purpose. Quit desperately seeking over-promised, under-delivered fad diet plans. Be mentally ready to reject impulsive, self-destructive diets.

It is not easy to conquer physical, emotional and physiological challenges alone. Remember you are never alone! Your partner is God. Let Him be your ultimate Champion!

In today’s society, everyone longs to look like Kim Kardashian or Brad Pitt. People are so desperate to lose a few pounds that they will even risk their health with dangerous diet plans or pills to do so, as we discovered by Rachel Ray’s false diet offer.

To some the adoration and applause of man is worth more in their eyes than the approval of God. Why would anyone want to destroy their eternal godly temple for a plate of earthly pleasure today?

Your goal is life-long healthy living. Please do not become Essau who thought so little of his birthright that he sold it for a bowl of pottage. (Genesis 25: 2)

Excerpt from my book, “Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese” (Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us) available from amazon.com Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese!: (Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us) – Kindle edition by Marrandette, Ellie. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Changing Your Diet Philosophy Forever

We are all on “diets.”  A diet only means what someone consumes each day, every day. A true diet plan is a lifelong one, something practical, restoring energy, metabolizing nutrients and one a person can realistically stay on. If not, they are only setting themselves up for yo-yo dieting. Ask yourself before you begin, “Is this how I can eat forever?” God gave us a bounty of nutrients and each has a purpose. Enjoy them all!

Whenever I hear of some diet guru claiming they’ve found the latest fad diet or pill, I shudder. Today, everyone is searching for an instant fix. I heard a great quip years ago which stated, only today’s generation will stand in front of a microwave and be angry it’s not quick enough! Everyone wants instant gratification!

There are so many qualified Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists in today’s world. Creating menus and assisting patients with overcoming their illnesses was challenging. I too, wanted to challenge and motivate others to be successful in their healthy aspirations, but I felt there was a step missing. The root cause in their self-destructing nature. Awareness is always the first step in recovery.

So I became a Nutritional Counselor. What I enjoy most about being a counselor is seeing the “lightbulb” come on when patients figured out for themselves, why they ate as they did. Until one recognizes why he/she acts in a particular way, they won’t change. They are only masking the problem. Therefore, change begins at the source.

Trusting in God’s guidance and my degree in counseling, I continued to study physiology, anatomy, biology as well as countless books on nutritional basics while working for family physicians to create my diet philosophy. I would never be so arrogant as to say I know all the answers. No one will really know until we are in front of God, our true Creator, and can ask Him.

Nutrition is a never-ending research project! But man’s truth has shifted with the wind – God’s Truth stands fast! A potato was as acceptable in the Garden of Eden as it is now. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

Scripture has the answers. It contains Absolute Truths. They cannot be dismissed, even in advanced physiology. There’s a wonderful Chinese saying that states, “Even if 5,000 men are wrong, they are still wrong.”

I believe in Absolute Truth. God declared “It is Good” when He completed Creation. That meant fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and herbs were ALL under that umbrella, (Genesis 1:29, Genesis 9:3) debunking the Paleo, Keto, Atkins and various other restrictive diets (unless you have an illness or allergy preventing certain foods of course. Common sense prevails.)

Always go back to God’s basics. ” We are fearfully and wonderfully made . . .” (Psalm 139:14.) There’s a reason we need nutrient variation.

No matter how many times someone tries to create their own fad diet plan, it’s still a fad and the wrong way to lose weight forever. Just look at all the diets which have come and gone through the decades: grapefruit, cottage cheese, cabbage soup, Scarsdale, Atkins, cookie (no really, a cookie diet – that really educates the person doesn’t it.) liquid diets, and on and on.

Yet the nutritionally-based Mediterranean diet prevails as does the Volumetrics and DASH diets. I also like the NOON diet plan which also educates and stresses getting to the source.

So ask away, submit your question below, and in time I hope this blog will truly inspire you to become your own New Creation!

*** The above post is based on My Diet Philosophy which is posted on my main page.

Dr. Oz Says “Skip Breakfast!” Should We?

In a video-taped interview this week with Fox News, Dr. Oz admits that doctors don’t learn much about nutrition in med school. I wondered then, how did he discover this remarkable “new” idea of skipping breakfast? He learned this dietary concept through Hugh Jackman. A terrific, talented and one of my favorite actors, but hardly an expert on physiological nutrition.

Dr. Oz went on to claim the average person eats continually over a 17 hour day. Very few healthy people I know eat “continuously.” If consuming potato chips at 11pm is a habit, then we have a counseling problem.

I do agree that eating before bedtime is not beneficial to sleep. Sleep releases beneficial growth hormones – lack of it leads to mental deterioration, internal stress and illness.

“I think for 2020, the first thing I’m going to do is ban breakfast,” the celebrity doctor recently told TMZ. “I don’t think we need to eat breakfast. That’s an advertising ploy.”

Well that settles it doesn’t it? If that bastion of newsworthy journalism, TMZ broadcasts it – then it must be true.

Dr. Oz goes on: “Unfortunately, a lot of the dogma that we were fed for decades came out of advertisements. It wasn’t really based on the truth around our health.”

Well that’s true – advertisements are meant to manipulate the public into purchasing their product; but let’s break his statement down.

Never did the doctor clarify what a healthy versus unhealthy breakfast is. Eggs contain countless nutrients which I’ve written about, whole wheat French toast is better than white. There’s a huge distinction between sugary Honey Smacks with a quarter teaspoon of fiber and 5 teaspoons of sugar and Shredded Wheat with a quarter teaspoon of sugar and two teaspoons of fiber. Add a banana, berries and cinnamon for nutritious fructose and added fiber because fiber also allows the body to rid itself of toxins through bowel movements.

Thankfully Mark Wahlberg (who wakes up at 2:30am and eats breakfast at 3:15) and Dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick, the manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute respectfully disagreed with Dr. Oz’s finding.

In response, Dr. Oz shot Mark down, “Well, powerful medical literature and lots of athletes support me and show that intermittent fasting flips the switch so it bolsters your physical and your mental performance.”

Great, I can recruit just as many athletic directors and dietitians who would declare the opposite. But the response of “Oh yeah, did not,” “Did too,” is kind of childish isn’t it? Even if 5,000 men are wrong, they’re still wrong! (old Chinese saying.)

We are all uniquely created. I don’t eat breakfast immediately either – I like to be awake. I don’t measure portion sizes anymore – after measuring several times, usually you’ll know how much is normal.

I DO eat for nutrients. My morning begins around 7am with two cups of coffee, creamer, cinnamon and turmeric, an hour later, ¾ cup of quality yogurt, walnuts, berries and milled flaxseed. About 1/2 to 1 hour later, whole grain cereal and a half banana. At lunch I’ll have variety: a small salad, a half sandwich or planned-overs from the night before. Dinner consists of 3-4 ounces of meat with 5xs more veggies. A small dessert is eaten about 2 hours later. Sometimes in the afternoon I’ll eat a square of dark chocolate.

For my dietary advice I will go to The Great Physician. He lovingly created us individually according to Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1:5. In Exodus 16:21, God ordered the Israelites to gather manna every morning. Even God believed in breakfast! I’ll cast my lot with my LORD. I believe God’s smarter than any man.

Have You Tried the Sausage and Ice Cream Diet?

So how many diets have you tried already? The no-fat, no-taste diet? The no sugar-penance diet? The no-carb diet plan? The bacon and cheese diet?

By now, have you realized the only thing lighter is your wallet? This is the time of year when normally sensible humans start believing in unicorns and Big Foot.

There is no magic formula to lose those pounds. If there were, everyone would be following one diet plan instead of grasping at rainbows.

False diet gurus are nothing but modern day snake oil salesmen. They get richer while you get fatter. I’m always amazed how many believe their proclamations: “by consuming sausage and ice cream you will lose weight while remaining healthy.” Those are the same people who laugh at me, as a Christian for believing God created mankind and I trust in Him. I have physiological proof for my diet, do they?

There’s a reason God created the three food groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats – the Absolute Laws of Physics don’t change! Our bodies don’t “evolve” into different creatures!

FACT: The body needs nutrients to survive and to work as a well-run machine. FACT: The body needs balance – the three legged chair of nutrients carbohydrates, proteins and fats creates a balanced physiological system. FACT: Missing essential nutrients upsets nutrient balance, resulting in  bodily chemical chaos.

Every nutrient has a purpose. Skipping certain nutrients increases the possibility of illness such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol or worse. Without balance you set yourself up for Metabolic Syndrome. MS is similar to the domino affect. For example, consuming too much fat makes your heart work harder, resulting in higher LDL cholesterol which leads to heart disease, which leads to stress, leading to potential nerve damage – you get the picture.

To empathize how desperate people are to lose weight, I remind you of the time Rachel Ray posted this advertisement:

Wanted: Volunteers to test new diet program. Some foods are toxic and will cause blindness and death. Call 555-. . . . . . .

You think this is too farfetched? Wonder, who in the world would sign up for such a crazy plan??? Well, over 1400 people, that’s who.

Oh I’d never fall for that, you protest. Really? If you believe that the Keto Diet can assist in weight loss for a lifetime, I urge you to place oil in your gas tank and see how long that works for your car.

Even Paleo has changed their recommended diet foods to include more balanced offers. But Paleo still for some reason, rejects legumes, cereal grains and potatoes – all fibrous selections. (Yes avoid sugary cereals but Oatmeal, Raisin Bran and Kashi brands are far different from Fruit Loots. And they don’t clarify that oily French Fries everyday is far worse than a fiber-rich, nutrient-dense baked potato.) God’s diet never changes its mind.

Don’t follow blindly, question everything about a diet plan.

It’s simple: anything God created, should be fine in moderation. It’s man that messes things up. Be careful with processed foods. Consuming all those chemicals in one’s body festers inside us like a chemistry set. We all know what happens if too many chemicals come in contact with each other . . . disastrous results!!!

Try to eat as many whole foods as possible. Even eat those in moderation. I’ve even counseled overweight vegetarians. Live smartly and eat well.

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”  (Psalm 34:8)

God’s Plan doesn’t restrict your culinary enjoyment; He simply urges sensible eating!

So Today’s the Day? Start with a Basic Overview

“This is the day,” you vow.  You and millions of your closest friends pledge to lose those pesky pounds you’ve gained over the holidays, January 2nd. Good for you.

Here’s my first advice:   Don’t Stress About It!!! Anything’s fine in moderation.

Start with the basics. When a the golf pro begins golf lessons he always starts with the basics: grip, aim, stance, etc. It’s the same with a health quest: start with the basics.

Begin with realistic, smaller goals. Don’t attempt everything at once – it’s too overwhelming. You’ll get frustrated and quit. Start small:

1. Consider why you want to change. If you’re not ready you’re simply spinning your wheels. Start when you’re determined.
2. Recognize what you’re eating now, is it primarily processed foods or whole foods? Whole foods should be one of your first goals.
3.  How much stress is in your life?  Stress changes chemistry into a acidic pH which creates hunger pangs and worse, illness. Practice relaxation techniques, soft music, massages, aroma therapy . . .
4. Do you eat too quickly? Why? Do you lead a hectic life? Put that fork down in between bites and savor your food. Chewing releases enzymes.
5.  How much exercise do you incorporate into your daily routine? Find something you enjoy; walking, gardening, pickleball, dancing . . . exercise should be play. You know: fun! It was when we were kids, why not now?
6.  Are you skipping an entire food group because of crazy diet fallacies? Contrary to popular belief there are only three food groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. (water, mineral, vitamins are included in those basic food groups already.)

Target one unhealthy habit a week. I know, I know, we live in an instant gratification society and everyone wants instant weight loss. Quick weight loss doesn’t stay off. Physiologically, your body will rebel and hold on to calories to “protect you.”

There’s a cute saying I heard years ago which professed: Today’s generation is the only one who can stand in front of a microwave and complain it’s not fast enough!

Slow down!!! Trying to accomplish too much only leads to frustration. But surely you can overcome ONE habit and then go on to the next, right?

Conquering a bad habit by replacing it with a good one builds discipline and self-esteem.

Let’s say you want to eat healthier. Start out small – by adding more vegetables and different whole foods and less processed foods into the daily mix. Search for interesting recipes which are simple to make and chocked full of nutrients. Eat for nutrients!

“But carbs are fattening!” You declare.  Not if  you eat fruits, veggies and whole grains. In fact that’s where we get most of our B vitamins. A whole grain means corn, sweet potato, flaxseed, beans, quinoa, couscous, oatmeal, whole wheat or whole grain pasta to name a few.

Please distinguish the simple versus complex carb difference. Whole grains are packed with B vitamins. Riboflavin, Thiamine, Niacin and the various other B’s convert fats, protein and carbohydrates into energy. If you fail to eat complex carbs how are you going to absorb B vitamins? Become cognizant of what you eat.

Are you planning to weigh yourself daily? Some dieters swear by it; but I wouldn’t recommend it. A pint = a pound and sodium holds water weight. Rather weigh yourself once weekly at the same time. In the meantime, how do your clothes fit? Take a photo and compare your facial characteristics a month later. You’ll probably notice a thinner face. That’s true, noticeable progress.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” (Colossians 3:23)

This has only been an overview. In the next few weeks we’ll dig more deeply into our mental, physiological and spiritual relationship to food.

What are You waiting For? Get Healthy Now!

We’re approaching that time of year again when approximately 45% of people resolve to go on a diet and 70% resolve to become healthier. They check out diet program after diet program, read countless magazine articles professing a secret formula, spend a fortune on boxed food and profess, “The eighteenth time is the charm! This time it will happen! This year, I’m resolved!”

That resolve usually lasts 2-3 weeks. But hope springs eternal – Your friend said she lost 20 pounds in a week on yet another diet and surely if she did, so will you!!! Nope.

Why don’t these programs work? Because each of us have different physiology, personalities, stress levels, metabolism, employment, family responsibilities, etcetera,  etcetera . . . Next, even if you eliminate 3500 calories, the amount needed to lose a pound each day, for a week, you’d only lose seven pounds.

Face it, everyone knows how to lose weight. Eat less, exercise more. Drink water, exercise, slow down and consume smaller portions. Easy peasy, everyone says – until everyone fails. Then everyone believes they have no willpower, they give up and pompously declare, “Well, this is how God made me, therefore, “so be it.”

Wrong! God wants you healthy whether you’re a size twelve or two. Health is more important than weight loss.  True health incorporates energy level, how your clothes fit, emotional wellness, whether you are mentally alert or “fuzz-brained.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve overheard someone speak about their current diet announcing proudly, “I’m cutting out all carbs!” while the companion nods his head in agreement.  AAARGGHH! (If you don’t consume wholesome carbohydrates, your brain doesn’t get energized daily. Our brain feeds on glucose, a carbohydrate!)

It gets discouraging when few listen to the nutritionist who has kept her weight off for thirty years but they follow false diet gurus. Now I don’t expect you to be a size two, but I do practice what I preach and enjoy a vibrant and energetic lifestyle – I only want you to also.

What I follow is a diet plan based on Genesis 1:29 and Genesis 9:3. Anything is fine in moderation. Very similar to the Mediterranean, DASH or Volumetrics diet plan. Over the next few weeks I’ll offer the “why” and provide practical applications.

For now: Consume five times more veggies and fruit than meat on your plate. Eat healthy omega 3 fats and wholesome whole grains. In leu of processed foods, choose fibrous foods. Next exercise, relax and don’t sweat the small stuff.

No one gets healthier unless they are mentally, physically or spiritually ready to. It’s the main reason I started this blog and wrote, Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese (Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us) available on amazon.com.

Everyone starts out with good intentions. No one starts out wanting to fail; it’s humiliating!  But people self-destruct for different reasons;  could be educational fallacies, while other times psychological. Do you realize that sometimes when you reach for a cookie, it’s not a cookie that you desire but the warmth and security of family memories?

Having a goal to become healthier is more important than weight loss. Building muscle creates the physiological furnace that burns fat. Get moving! Exercise releases feel-good endorphins; so find some form of exercise you enjoy! Walking, gardening, dancing, biking . . . Being out in the fresh air contributes to an extra endorphin bonus.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll provide practical information so you won’t “spin your wheels” on another useless diet program. Get Healthy Now!

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

 

Feeding on Ashes

“He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:14–20)

With an abundance of great culinary choices, why do we continue to choose unwisely? Why do some choose to feed on ashes? That’s unnecessary. If one eats as God intended, even if you have a debilitating illness (which be honest, unhealthy food choices most likely contributed to) it can greatly change your quality of life.

Some follow what I call, “the penance principle” when they decide to follow a “diet.” Believing they must flagellate myself and suffer or God won’t bless them. That means rice cakes and celery sticks every day.

Some (and this is sad – even some CHRISTIANS) follow a magical formula proposed by some health professional. After all, with modern science, those diet gurus must know more than God. I’m talking about the Paleo, Atkins, Paleo which restricts a certain food or entire category of foods while proclaiming the same unbiblical notion repeatedly.

These are False and all have the same theme! There is nothing new under the sun.

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”  (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Don’t we realize what a slap in the face of God it is to follow a false teacher rather than HIm? To say, “Well, God made a mistake, I know better now.”

I prefer to follow and profess God’s Will:

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. (Genesis 1:29)

Every nutrient needed for optimum health can be found in the rain forests and family farms. God bless the farmers! I believe that after the world-wide flood, the atmosphere and probably our physiological chemistry needs changed (and animals could over-populate the earth) God declared:

“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” (Genesis 9:3)

Must I remind you that doesn’t give us license to gorge ourselves, destroying our temples with fattening, processed, chemically-infused foods?

In “1 Corinthians 10:23 we read: “I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive.”

We need to practice self-control and make wise choices.

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,”  (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Whatever takes the place of God, preventing us from maintaining control; preferring that item to God becomes an idol. Replace the word wine with chocolate, French fries, colas, fast food, smoking, sports, television even and you understand what I’m talking about.

God did not create a robotic nature for humans. He wants us to follow Him out of our own free will, out of Love. It’s our choice. I choose our Lord over French fries.  Easy choice.

Disclaimer: Yes I know some consume charcoal as medicine but that’s not God’s or my intended content here.