God Doesn’t Want You to Fail!

God takes no pleasure in our failure. He does not want us to suffer through some complicated weight loss scheme! Weight loss isn’t about denying oneself chocolate, cheese, eggs or even whole grain bread while consuming only rice cakes and celery. There is no need to suffer through some restrictive, unappetizing diet plan in the quest to get healthier.

Yet many dieters suffer through unnecessary dietary rules, regulations and tasteless choices. I call this the “penance principle.” In the effort to lose weight, some feel they must suffer through horribly tasting food and consume few calories to gain acceptance, thinking God will be pleased with their “sacrifice.”

God doesn’t desire sacrifice, He only wants your obedience: “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”  (1 Samuel 15:22)

God already instructed us how and what to eat in Genesis 1:29: “Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” And then after the flood in Genesis 9:3, mankind began to eat meat: “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

In the process of imbibing a restricted, low-calorie diet, vital nutrients, muscle tissue and energy are lost. Follow a sensible diet such as the Dash, Mediterranean,  or Volumetrics Diet.

True health is about nutritional practicality, physiology and our emotional attachment to food and as I’ve proclaimed to my patients: “Life’s too short to eat bad cheese!” God doesn’t want you to settle for second best so neither do I.

Life is a never-ending research project. Every day on the internet you’ll read about new research on diets and biological health. Some studies are based on physiological facts but others on evolutionary garbage created by man and not based on Biblical Truth. Base your diet on Genesis 1:29 and Genesis 9:3.

Create a Positive Attitude: 

It is amazing how the mind can be one’s most motivational cheerleader and friend one moment and in a blink of an eye, be its worst enemy. One’s mind can build up – but also break down a person so emotionally that they hide their subconscious thoughts behind closed doors in a far-off corner of the brain.

Sometimes it’s simply too painful to unlock those memories to view them honestly. We build emotional walls of untruthful statements such as “I’m a failure,” “I knew I couldn’t do it,” “Maybe my teacher is right, I’m stupid.”

No wonder we search for ways to self-medicate with feel-good chemicals that blot out emotional pain. Addictive chemicals found in drugs, alcohol, smoking or even chocolate, ice cream, donuts and spicy foods like spicy salsa can diminish our inner pain, providing comfort.

But through it all know this: God loves you. He created you before the world was created. He knows you individually and how much you can endure and will not provide more than you can bear. You are unique to God. We all react differently to provocations and pain. He has provided a way out if we desire it.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:23)

Place your challenges in God’s Hands.

“I’m What???” The Diet Personality Test Concludes

“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7)

We’ve come to the end of our Personality test results. We are complicated personalities so you’ve probably seen yourself in several already.

Here is the conclusion from January 3rd’s post:

If you are #10: very thrifty or #11: very regimented/organized – congratulations you win a prize!

Your personality is disciplined, sensible, and strictly follows instructions when you understand the reason why. If you are given reasonable tasks, your self-esteem will propel you onward. However, if you don’t understand the reasoning behind the action, you’ll become frustrated and search for another teacher.

This personality responds best to practical examples. You ask questions that keep teachers on their toes. You need to know how instructions apply to your life.

Paying for an expensive meal package plan wouldn’t last long because you don’t waste money. You think I can make this better for less!

The downside to this personality is that you have no patience with people who don’t succeed, even yourself. You believe you have no willpower which is a fallacy. If you lose control, it could be a chemical imbalance or insulin resistance. Don’t trust a hopeful-sounding false diet guru. Trust your logical instincts.

Follow a colorful diet plan like the Mediterranean, DASH, or Volumetrics plan. Research and read sensible dietitians or nutritionists. Start with small goals. Soon you’ll feel empowered to succeed.

If # 12: food is extremely important in your life or #16: you prefer chicken over steak:

Most likely inquisitive, you’d rather create meals at home. You believe chicken has even more recipe creativity than beef. You must understand what food labels mean and search out flavorful recipes that are healthy.

Anything is fine in moderation but if you lose control, you regret it the next day. Additional exercise is your payback.  There are so many recipes on the internet

Restaurants are your downfall. If you frequent restaurants, don’t arrive hungry and lose control. Compromise. Have a peppermint about a half hour before you arrive, it reduces your hunger. Mentally decide before you go, that you’ll eat half and bring the rest home.

Don’t ever tell yourself, “Well, it’s my life, I can eat what I want!” And then what? If you develop an illness, it affects those around you. Do you love food more than your children? They’d suffer if you became ill. Think of the consequences before you act irrationally.

Are you #17: preferring potatoes at every meal or #18: salty snacks, potato chips, or pretzels?

Well, first, you probably are a man. No offense, men usually prefer crunchy and women, sweets – but not always. Do you select French fries or potato options as a side instead of rice, quinoa, or couscous?

At parties, this personality isn’t tempted by sweets but by salty selections: cheese dips, salsa, chips, egg rolls, etc.

If you sometimes crave crunchy items, it could indicate that you are angry, stressed, or frustrated and psychologically need something to take it out on!

Ensure that you drink plenty of water to regulate your blood pressure. Salt reduces blood vessels. Weakened blood vessels and stress is an open invitation to a heart attack or stroke. Release that frustration through fresh air, exercise, calming music, or an aerobic workout. Don’t allow emotions to conquer your self-discipline.

I hope you’ve found that this series answered questions about why you eat as you do. Now run the race and press onward toward your healthy goal!

 “I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.”  (Psalm 119:32)

The Personality Evaluation Answers – Part Two

On January 3rd, I sent out a Personality Evaluation regarding the correlation of our personalities to food. It addressed some of the mental and physiological reasons as to what provokes us to eat as we do.  The first part of the questions were addressed on January 8th. Below is a continuation of that post.

Q. #5   I prefer to be alone and  Q.#13  Raw salad is one of my favorite meals.         

There’s a difference between being alone and lonely. It’s difficult to be on a healthy regimen when you cook for one person. Packaged food in the freezer section of the grocery store tends to contain chemical preservatives and salt.

Try this: Dedicate one day to slow-cook a roast, create pasta sauce, hard-boil some eggs, or cook an entire chicken. Then plan daily meals for the week ahead. It doesn’t take long to grill up some vegetables, create a small or Chef’s salad, or microwave a sweet potato. You’ll be consuming nutrients, not chemicals.

Ensure you get nutrients into your daily routine. In today’s world, there are several healthy meal service plans available. But check out the labels and choose those that have low sodium and chemical content.

Do you enjoy cooking? Don’t know how to boil water? Own an air fryer? Join or watch a cooking club TV show that specializes in healthy living. Go to the library and find healthy recipe cookbooks.

Q. #7  Sometimes my personality tends to be anxious, irritable, jittery? Or #14 I often get hungry between meals

Or even lethargic?  Too much sugar provides an insulin rush and then drops you flat. You’ll drag yourself around for the day, not quite feeling yourself or mentally “out-of-it.”

If you haven’t cut down on sugar, caffeine, or energy drinks, get off them slowly. Your pH is most likely on the acidic side. That is an open invitation to cancers and other illnesses.

One of my patients drank 30 cups of coffee daily. Her pH was extremely acidic because she was washing away valuable nutrients. It took months, but she gradually got down to only two cups.

Artificial stimulants like energy drinks jumpstart your metabolism but your brain believes you’re ill. Your body metabolism will slow in defense. To protect you, it instinctively stores fat to survive any upcoming illnesses.

Increase leafy greens and other fibrous fruits (apples, berries) and vegetables(avocados, broccoli, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes) in your diet. This will increase your pH to the alkaline side, creating a calmer and healthier attitude.

You actually might need more food if you get hungry during the day. But you must ask yourself, “Am I really hungry or just bored, provoked by a feeling, or a TV advertisement?”

Add a bit more protein which takes longer to break down (2-4 hours) in your bloodstream. Increase your intake of B vitamins which calm the body and mind. A 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with fruit or a small banana shake with 1% milk, ice, and cinnamon or dash of nutmeg.

Add good fats to your diet like avocados, walnuts, peanut butter, or olive oil to your body which satiates and lasts 5-7 hours in your digestive system. Good carbs are sweet potatoes, broccoli, apples, beans, oatmeal, and any fibrous fruit or vegetable. A bit of peanut butter or cheese on a whole grain cracker, popcorn, or fibrous fruit will last about 2-3 hours in your system. By doing this you overcome reaching for a donut or candy bar for quick energy.

“Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.” (Psalm 27:11)

Always strive for healthier living!

It’s That Time of Year Again: Resolutions

How many times have you heard, “I’d do anything to lose weight!!!” Well, this is the time of year when many people do.

With good intentions, they’ll buy prepackaged meals, purchase all kinds of dietary gimmicks, sign up with weight loss companies, and even have their stomach stapled.

They might lose a few pounds but within the year, 65% regain their weight and 23% gain even more weight within 2 years.

Dieters frustratingly whine and wonder “why?” They’ll feel discouraged, then perhaps try something even crazier, or believe they have no willpower.

Of course you have willpower. That same willpower that keeps your mouth in control when supervisors anger you, is the same willpower you talk yourself into denying fattening, unhealthy food. So why do you fail?

As a Christian counselor specialing in nutrition, I encourage my patients to tackle your emotional attachment to food first. Figure out what the voids are in your life that only food with its specific chemicals fill.

If eating an entire bag of Oreos still leaves you unsatisfied, you have a ‘love hunger’ no food can compensate for. You must discover why food fills an emotional void because rolling the dice on every diet plan doesn’t discern the root cause.

Psalm 27:11, “Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.”

The devil wants nothing more than to destroy your temple of the Holy Spirit. Don’t let him win. One Truth regarding our bodies, is that in all we do, it should be for the glory of God: 1 Corinthians 10:31.

With our individualized physiological/chemical structure, it is impossible to lump each of us into one specific weight loss program. In addition, our personality affects how each of us should approach a diet plan.

Some people crave structured menus/packaged foods, while others want more independence to make their own choices. Many need education or encouragement daily, while independents only want to be well trained and left alone.

Since everyone is unique, certain diet plans might work for one but not for another. Some do well on a low-fat, vegetable enriched Mediterranean plan for example, while others on the Atkins,  Zone, or South Beach Diet.

I’ve known some dieters, so adamant that theirs is the only way, the diet procures a cult status. I repeat: no one plan works for everyone.

If a diet plan doesn’t detrimentally affect someone’s health, then I look on it similarly to ‘non-essential liberties’ in Christian doctrines.  If it doesn’t affect our Salvation, why argue over something we’ll only discover as Truth in heaven?

I distinctly remember once discussing different diet plans with my patient, Edie. She had been on a myriad of popular fad diets. When I attempted to discourage her from implementing the Rice Diet because it wasn’t a good fit for either her  personality or physical needs, she blurted out angrily, “Oh NO, Ellie! THAT one worked for me! It worked for me three times!”  She failed to see the irony in that statement. A good diet is one that works forever, not one you go back to over and over again.

So what will work for you?

Tomorrow I will publish my Personality Test that allows you to question why you eat the way you do. That’s only the beginning. The following posts will present answers to those questions and help you succeed.

In the meantime, search out: Life’s too Short to Eat Bad Cheese: Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SKQ3HYV

It’s available as an ebook or a paperback on amazon.com.(The paperback addresses emotional and spiritual reasons why we eat.)

 

Weighing Holiday Parties in the Balance

So you survived Thanksgiving while only gaining a pound. You breathe a sigh of relief until you remember you’ll be attending 16 more parties before Christmas. Then it’s football playoff parties and the Superbowl to contend with until Valentine’s Day. Oh goodie, no food challenges here, right? (I sarcastically ask in all Christian love.)

I know it seems like climbing Mt. Everest barefoot, but you can attend parties, enjoy them, and only gain a smidgin of weight.

Here are some suggestions to get you through “party season hell.”

The answer lies in your brain as well as your resolve.  Use common sense:

• Don’t arrive hungry.
• Remember you’re surrounded by friends who want you healthy.
• Do your socializing away from the appetizer table.
• Choose low alcoholic drinks or consume sparkling water.

Bring an appetizer you’d enjoy eating. Low fat appetizers needn’t taste like cardboard. Homemade salsa with red, green and/or yellow pepper, surrounded by baked tortilla chips on a colorful Christmas plate looks attractive and is low-fat!

1. Create homemade spicy salsa using mango, peach, pineapple, black bean or corn. Salsa recipes are easy. Bake your own seasoned tortilla chips.
2. Tapenades are very popular this year. Search for low-fat recipes and use crusty bread.
3. Bring shrimp cocktail and create your own spicy cocktail sauce using lots of horseradish. Spicy foods increase metabolism.
4. Hummus, a dip made with blended chick peas and lots of garlic makes a fabulous choice. Bring baked pita chips or veggies along for dipping.
5. Create your own Chex mix with a variety of sodium free pretzels, dried fruit, popcorn, sunflower or pumpkin seeds and nuts.
6. Bring Bruschetta topped with a spread of tomatoes, garlic, herbed cheeses, pesto or an olive mixture.
7. There are many low-fat cheese brands; Laughing Cow, Sargento Light, Alpine Lace, Cabot. Use Triscuits or a high fiber cracker.
8. Try baking pizza squares and top with ham, pineapple, banana or jalapeno peppers, mushrooms,  bell peppers, onions, black olives, etc.
9. Create black or pinto bean dips. They are low in fat and high in fiber!  Add garlic and it’s a high antioxidant appetizer!
10. Roasted garlic (bake with drizzled olive oil for 30 minutes) spreads smoothly over wonderful hearty wheat, French or Italian bread.
11. Want to bake a spinach, artichoke dip? Spinach & artichokes contain no fat and use less fatty, 1-2% dairy products.
12. Bake “buffalo bites” using chicken breast and place on holiday toothpicks.
13. Bored with the typical veggie plate? Try seasoned roasted vegetables instead. Add a low-fat roasted garlic dip.
14. Create your own fruit kabobs with whatever’s in season, pears, apples, bananas, pineapple and place on theme appropriate spears
15. Set up a chocolate fondue display surrounded by cherries, strawberries, bananas, apples, marshmallows, graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
16. Make a fruit tray and create the darkest chocolate dip you can. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, copper, potassium and antioxidants.

If you’re having a hard time resisting, use your visualization skills. Visualize that rich Velveeta Cheese coursing through your veins into your heart muscle, clogging your arteries, turning them into a nice golden sludge. (I know, I can really take the fun out of a party, can’t I?)

Remember whatever you eat, you’ll wear it. Before you consume it, ask yourself “Is this something I want to wear?” Probably not. If you withstand temptation, you’ll have reached another goal. Congratulations! You’ve replaced temptation with  positive accomplishments!

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

Are You Hungrier After Drinking Sodas?

Although we live under Grace in this age and can pretty much do as we please with our physical bodies, we would do well to note that bodies are NOT our own. We were bought at a price.

Christians are urged to not be a slave to any idol, even food. So why do some crave colas and other sugary drinks while others won’t touch the stuff?

It is a scientific fact that God designed each of us with a slightly different chemical make-up. It’s called DNA. Due to the fact that were are all chemically unique, our brains crave different nutrients. That’s why some crave saltier items like pretzels or potato chips while others crave chocolate and sweets.

Physically speaking, some crave food for needed energy. If you’ve been overworked or overstressed, your body wants instant energy and sugar and caffeine restore your energy level quickly. Sugars are released in your body in about 15 minutes. (Green tea is a nutrient-dense energy substitute.)

Caffeine is also a drug and although okay in moderation, is addictive and washes away valuable B vitamins and other valuable nutrients. Lacking nutrients, your body nags for fuel and you’re hungry again. It’s a vicious cycle.

If you consume a nutritionally balanced diet, you are naturally more energetic and derive your chemical energy from whole foods. Therefore consuming junk food isn’t a desirable practice.

But why do some become addicted to Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) and Sucralose (Splenda) drinks?

These products change brain/body chemistry, raising blood sugar levels, and producing miserable side effects. Personally, having experienced adverse reactions, I totally avoid them. And I’m not alone as many of my patients have complained of shakiness, heart palpitations, skin rashes, stomach, and kidney pains after consuming any product containing these artificial sugars.

Artificial drinks also tend to make one hungrier. There seems to be connections between the ghrelin – leptin hormonal metabolic insulin response. Ghrelin is the hormone that tells you you’re hungry while Leptin shuts off the “I’m hungry” response.

Recent scientific studies have shown that  these chemicals can interfere with the leptin cut off lever, leaving a person desiring more food. That’s the reason sometimes one can’t stop at one potato chip.

So if artificial sugars defeat the purpose of losing weight, then why risk additional health concerns by using these chemically produced items you can’t pronounce? The body doesn’t recognize these chemicals as food, therefore it cannot detoxify them so they fester in your liver forever.

Still crave cokes?  We all eat for emotional reasons as well as physical. It could be a comfort response too. That’s why certain foods such as chocolate, ice cream and mac and cheese are called “comfort” foods.

If you shared sodas with friends when younger, you might miss those friendships. Drinking a coke brings back a great memory! Or it simply makes you feel happy – and who wants to give up THAT feeling? By the way, I create my own sodas with carbonated flavored water (without artificial sweeteners) with a good quality fruit juice. Refreshing and it contains a few nutrients.

Bottom line: I urge you not to believe false advertising which only benefits the manufacturers of these products. These people don’t care about your body as God does. Aspartame and Splenda were created by chemists. My food was created by God. Before you purchase, research the ingredients.  If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it!

“Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own for you have been bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthian 6:19,20)

The Benefits of Fiber for Health and Weight Loss

Question: Most health practitioners encourage fiber consumption for quicker weight loss.  But has anyone told you why?

Simple Answer: Vitamins and minerals are dispersed through the digestive tract. If the body can’t absorb nutrients for metabolism, one won’t lose weight.

Illustration: If you have a garbage disposal in your home and nonchalantly threw scraps of food particles into it but never turned it on, what would happen?  It would build up, attract bugs and start to smell, yuk!  And then when it finally was turned on, it would start grinding so slowly that it might even stop if it’s too clogged.  Then you would have to snake the trapped particles or use something to unclog it.

This is a description of how our intestinal system works as well. When one consumes mainly meat, fats, junk food and processed foods containing NO fiber, the intestines get clogged.  It’s harder to move those foods through the colon because food just sits there.

Since our bodies can’t absorb nutrients which are vital to life, no amount of “dieting” will produce health!  Our hypothalamus will nag for more food in search of much-needed nutrients; thus we’ll eat more calories but absorb fewer nutrients.

Strive to eat more fiber and it will keep your entire system working on less food!  You’ll have more energy, clearer skin and less disease.

God created fiber and knew the importance for mankind:

God told Adam in Genesis 1:29 “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.  They will be yours for food.”   Wow! How smart is God?!!!

He even provided two types of fiber for healthy results: soluble and insoluble.

When thinking of Soluble fiber; think Liquid Plumr.  Liquid Plumr turns into a gel to move things along. So does soluble fiber which helps lower our treacherous LDL cholesterol.   Apples, oranges, pears, beans, nuts and oats are excellent sources of soluble fiber.

Soluble fiber also regulates our blood sugar levels, maintaining stability. Therefore we’ll resist the lure of sugary quick-energy.

Insoluble fiber stays intact, it doesn’t break up as it travels through your system.  (Think fruit skins, oats, and corn which basically exits intact.) Insoluble fiber draws water into the intestines, making stools bulkier and easier to pass. It’s like Roto-Rooter.

(If you ever dropped pizza crust or a piece of whole grain bread into the sink and watched it swell as water touched it, that’s what happens to fiber in your system. Fiber expands, creating a feeling of fullness.)

On food labels, there are seven forms of fiber: pectin, bran, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, guns and mucilage. I won’t bore you with all the details. Rest assured, if  60% of your daily calorie intake contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, herbs and seeds, you’ll reduce your risk of colon cancer, heart disease, constipation, obesity, hemorrhoids and many other diseases.

Important:

1. Increase fiber gradually.  Excessive fiber intake may decrease the absorption of zinc, iron and calcium as well as promoting more gas.
2. Build up to 25- 40 grams of fiber each day.  Remember 4 grams = 1 teaspoon.
3. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains sometimes include combinations of both.
4. I highly recommend getting fiber from Mother Nature, not fiber laxatives due to possible electrolyte imbalance or laxative dependency.
5. Increase water intake to produce a softer stool. Pure water is best. (As water expands you’ll feel fuller longer too.)
6. Take vitamin and mineral supplements separately from fiber or one will risk losing all the benefits of the supplement.

Remember, a man reaps what he sows, so strive to eat healthier!

Excerpt from my book: Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese (Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us) found on amazon.com/books

Get Off the Diet Merry-Go-Round

I listened to a health expert on the news last evening. The Anchor and he were discussing the rising obesity rate in the country. I agree it’s outrageously high. But then this nutritionist stated, “Losing weight is easy. Everyone knows: simply eat less, exercise more.”

No sir, respectfully it’s not that easy. There are physiological, mental, and spiritual reasons embedded in why one doesn’t lose weight. Telling someone that all they must do is eat less, exercise more, claims they are lazy, or worse, stupid. You are neither.

That’s where I, as a certified nutritionist/counselor, come in.

Personal revelation: I grew up poor. I knew hunger pains. It took a long time before I could eat at a buffet and not think I’d died and gone to heaven. “All that free food and it was all for me!!!”

Well, food is never free and there’s a price to pay for gluttony. But I never wanted to feel hunger pains again and food became my god. This was my mental and spiritual reason for eating.

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

Weight loss is never easy. But that’s what makes it great. You earned this victory, why go backwards? And food addiction is one of the toughest challenges to overcome because it facing you daily, 3x a day.

To keep it off however, you must understand why you initially self-destruct. There are many underlying reasons people overeat. Here are but a few:

• Many eat due to stress, loneliness, or depression. The chemicals in food create serotonin, the feel-good hormone. It’s physiological.
• Some have curious personalities: Oooh, that looks so good – wonder what it tastes like?
• Some are physically exhausted. Nutrients create energy.
• Others are bored or restless. Eating’s something to do.

(Additional reasons you can find in my book, Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese: Nutritional and Life Lessons God Teaches Us available on amazon.)

Here’s another example. You’ve had a bad day at work. The boss was grumpy and so were customers. You forgot your lunch and messed up a presentation. You go home and the first thing you do is reach for that box of Oreos.

That cookie subconsciously represents your mom when you arrived home after being bullied at school. She wrapped you in her arms and handed you a cookie and made the pain go away. That cookie represents comfort, security . . . love when needed. Still does. One must understand subconscious issues before changing fundamental habits.

A healthier lifestyle isn’t as simple as starting a diet. Many ride that elusive merry-go-round over and over, attempting to grasp that golden ring of easy weight loss.

This mindset couldn’t be more evident than watching those riding the weight loss merry-go-round of the Cabbage Soup, Rice Diet, Grapefruit, magic pills, Keto, Paleo, Atkins, protein powders, Cookie diet, Macrobiotics, Juicing . . . Round and round they go with very few grabbing that golden ring.

It’s false hope!

Conquer a hunger in you that only God can cure. God always provides a way. Find it. He did not design you to fail! He originally created Adam and Eve to live forever. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life caused them to fail. If you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, you can resist being taken down by a potato chip.

If you’ve begun eating well and exercising, that’s great! You’ve mastered difficult tasks already.  You’re creating life-long habits. That should give you a sense of accomplishment and discipline.

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Does Fur Make the Dog if Clothes Make the Man?

If clothes make the man, does fur make the dog?

Our little Cavashon, (affectionately called, Mr. “No-No” as I refer to him in my posts) is the sweetest pooch we’ve ever had.

His hair grows quickly so he gets groomed every two months. We love our groomer. She’s kind, caring, and pampers our little guy. As most groomers do, her services are based on the weight of the dog, and with advancing age, she only accepts dogs she can lift.

Well, you can imagine how surprised I was when the last time we dropped him off, she mentioned he was getting fat. Fat??? As a nutritionist, I was actually insulted. My dog eats as healthily as we eat. In fact, he gets less than the recommended daily amount suggested and walked mor often.

“I’m not fat, I’m, furry . . .”

“You can feel his ribs underneath. I think his hair makes him look heavier. He’s certainly not fat,” I protested. Nevertheless, she smiled and insisted he was.

Wouldn’t that discourage you if you were working hard to become healthier? There’s something you should know.

Muscle versus Fat:

Our Mr. No-No hasn’t an ounce of fat on him because he gets lots of exercise! He’s pure muscle. If he were a man, he’d be a GQ cover model!  He stays fit because he fetches his ball at full speed at the puppy park and returns it just as fast. He could remain there, run, play, and sniff for hours. We usually walk about a mile and a half each day. He’s never ill. We only visit the vet once a year for his physical.

“But,” I protested. “He’s all muscle!”

“Well, he’s really close to the top weight I can lift,” she cautioned.

Sigh. Muscle is the furnace that burns fat. Muscle weighs more than fat. I can reduce his food intake but he only gets a cup a day, along with a broken up small Milk Bone treat as a reward.

He won’t eat anyway if he’s not hungry. I’ll simply put his bowl away until his next meal. It’s not in our best interests to relax our house rules and feed him whenever he desires.

Similarly, God created rules regarding our dietary physiology. Follow them and you’ll remain healthy. He won’t reward our whining either if he knows we ask for selfish reasons.

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”  (James 4:3)

God created each of us differently. (Psalm 139) Optimum health is more than the number on a scale and healthy habits create a fit and vibrant lifestyle. After all, bone structure determines our size. Energy levels and an upbeat, positive demeanor are as important as size.

Likewise, God uniquely created us uniquely and is pleased when we remain healthy. He gave us this earthly body to care for. Stop comparing yourself to someone else’s idea of beauty. True beauty comes from within.

The world’s standards of what healthy means changes periodically. During the Victorian age, it meant curvy and well-rounded, while during the ’60s, Twiggy was every teen’s aspiration. Neither was healthy. Health begins from within too, with sensible eating and exercise. Then it shows on our skin. demeanor, and energy level.

Mr. No-No isn’t perfect but is sweet, kind, and the best he can be. Neither are we humans perfect and God accepts that too. I encourage you to strive to do everything to maintain a healthy lifestyle. (OR recognize you can do better, research, and DO IT!) Either way, God loves you. He gives plenty of praise and “belly rubs” when we behave too.

“I will never forget your commandments, for you have used them to restore my joy and health.”  (Psalms 119:93)

Live Life Abundantly!

PS: I recently released an interactive family devotional about the adventures of my sweet dogs. To  pick up my newest book, God’s Furry Messengers: Life Lessons Learned from Dogs, it can be found on http://www.amazon.com/books

 

Have a Very Berry Summer!

The older we get, the quicker life seems to fly by! Where has the year gone? It’s the middle of August already and I see lots of people dragging in this summer heat. If you’re having a slothful summer, there’s still hope. I have some tips for you.

As you know my mantra is: “Eat for nutrients!” When we only eat for a certain caloric formula or eliminate a specific food group (fats, proteins, or carbs) we run the risk of imbalance. That makes us sluggish. Eating for nutrients restores energetic balance and is much easier to follow.

Listen to your body. First, always drink water, especially in summer. That’s a sensible given.

Then rely on your brain’s hypothalamus to direct you to the nutrients you need for health and vibrancy. Your hypothalamus is the little traffic cop who directs the ingested nutrients where it “parks” in the body.

One of the best foods over the summer you should enjoy are berries. They’re so therapeutic, you can also freeze them and they’ll retain their nutritional value for months.

The Incredible Value of Berries:

All berries are rich in antioxidants which protect us against aging.

This is incentive enough to consume as many as possible, right? But it is the concealed physiological abilities God infused them with which is truly astounding.

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Proverbs 25:2)

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries assist with cognitive function. Berries were used in a study of Alzheimer’s patients. These berries reduced inflammation in the brain and thus increased blood flow. The synaptic neurons in the brain were activated and thereby could pass through the blood brain barrier. Berries restored some memory deficiencies.

If berries reduce inflammation,  it will improve arthritic conditions as well. Of course chronic inflammation is also the culprit in other types of illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and cancers. Berries lower blood pressure and reduce stroke risk too.

These small wonder foods balance the alkaline pH scale. When one has a more alkaline than acidic pH, it highly reduces the possibility of cancers. Berries are anti-aging and reduces oxidation stress. This will keep you younger looking.

All berries are high in fiber. Blackberries contain 7.6 and raspberries 8 grams of fiber per cup. Fiber removes toxins from the body which strengthens our resistance to colon and other cancers.

Are you diabetic but crave something sweet? Studies on blackberries, raspberries and blueberries have  discovered a noticeable decrease in blood sugar. One reason is because the abundant fiber and specific nutrients they contain slows the release of insulin.

Blueberries are especially amazing! Blueberries contain a chemical called myrtillin which regulates blood sugar. Their deep blue color is derived from a  compound called anthocyanin. God has infused them with this chemical to protect it from environmental factors such as heat, cold, wind, drought, and the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Protect yourself from those harmful rays by enjoying a bowel of blueberries with a drizzle of dark chocolate, over low-fat yougurt, or even over a little ice cream.

By removing toxins, the body works efficiently and thus you’re naturally more energetic. Blackberries are also recommended to correct bowel problems such as diarrhea.

And of course weight control! Since berries are only around 80 calories per cup, it’s a guilt-free food . . . albeit slathered in decadent dark chocolate is tempting, (fine in moderation) try to control yourself. Don’t make any food an idol before God.

And what’s the best fruit of all? The fruit of your spirit of course!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (Galatians 5:22)